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- NexStar-HX4
- User Manual
Vantec NexStar-HX4 User Manual
Summary of NexStar-HX4
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User’s manual dual/quad 3.5” sata to usb 3.0 & esata external hard drive raid/non-raid enclosure w/fan.
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Package contents: nextstar hx4/hx4r nextstar hx2r trademarks ms-dos, microsoft, windows nt/2000/xp/vista/7/8 are trademarks of microsoft corporation. Apple, macintosh and mac are trademarks of apple computer. Nexstar is a registered trademark of vantec thermal technologies. *all other third-party br...
Page 3: 1. Introduction
Table of contents: table of contents 1 1. Introduction 2. Specifications/features 3. System requirements 4. Parts layout 5. Led indicator 6. Installation 7. Raid mode guide 8. Raid rebuild 9. Hardware formatting guide 10. Disconnecting the nexstar hx4r 11. Warranty 12. Contact 02 03 04 05 06 07 10 1...
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Introduction 2 1.Introduction: introducing the nexstar hx4r / hx2r / hx4 – a quad or dual 3.5” sata to usb 3.0 & esata external raid / non-raid hard drive enclosure designed to keep all your hard drive safe and cool. This enclosure features a hard aluminum shell that effec- tively draws away the hea...
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Specifications/features 3 2.Specifications/features: features: • aluminum casing cools down your hard drive • vents to intake cool air • maximum transfer rates up to 5 gbps w/usb 3.0 • maximum transfer rates up to 3gbps w/esata • active large 80mm fan to exhaust heat • easily add storage to any syst...
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Syetem requirements 4 3.System requirements: microsoft windows xp/vista/7/8 1. For usb 2.0 speeds, the system must support usb 2.0 specifications 2. For usb 3.0 speeds, the system must support usb 3.0 specifications 3. For esata speeds, the system must support esata specifications 4. Port multiplier...
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Parts layout 5 4.Parts layout: 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 7 6 power led hdd1 led hdd2 led hdd3 led hdd4 led nexstar hx4 (nst-640su3-bk) nexstar hx4r (nst-640s3r-bk) 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 7 6 power led hdd1 led hdd2 led nexstar hx2r (nst-620s3r-bk) (hx4r only) (hx4r only).
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Led indicator 6 5.Led indicator: general operation: power led hdd 1 led hdd 2 led hdd 3 led hdd 4 led green blue blue blue blue on : power on off: power off on : hdd inserted flash randomly: accessing (read/write/rebuild) flash consistently (3 flashes per second): hdd error off: hdd not installed/re...
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Installation 7 5.1.Hardware installation: installing the hard drive: warning: all data will be deleted on each hard drive during hard drive mode change. Please back up your hard drive(s) before adjust- ing raid mode. New hard drives must be formatted before use. *refer to page 12 for raid mode confi...
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Installation 8 note: if necessary, please use the hard drive foam spacer if the hard drive cannot be mounted stably. Refer to image for foam spacer placement. (3) carefully install the hard drive into the tray. Be sure the fasten the screws firmly to the tray. (5) push lock to the right to lock the ...
Page 11: Usb 3.0
Note: for new hard drives, you will need to initialize and partition your hard drive before it will appear in windows explorer or on your mac desktop. Please refer to your hard drive manufacturer’s documentation or read the”creating a new partition” section of this manual. Note: if you can see the u...
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7.Raid mode guide: raid mode configuration 10 raid switch settings: power on your computer system. Connect the nexstar hx4r/hx2r to the computer via usb 3.0 or esata cable. Power on the nexstar hx4r/hx2r, please wait 20-30 seconds let all the drives spin up to speed. Check and make sure all hdds are...
Page 13: Nexstar Hx4R
11 individual(normal) drive mode: this mode enables each hard drive to be seen as separate single drives with separate hard drive capacities. Raid mode configuration if you are using indvidual drive mode with esata interface, your esata port on the system must support port multiplier to see more tha...
Page 14: Jbod Mode:
Note: all data previously stored on the hard drive will be lost! Please back up all data to a separate storage before continuing. Jbod mode: this mode concatenates a series of physical drives as a single large volume; hard drives are combined into a storage capacity that is equal to the sum of each ...
Page 15: Raid 0 Mode (Striped):
Note: all data previously stored on the hard drive will be lost! Please back up all data to a separate storage before continuing. Raid 0 mode (striped): this mode splits data evenly across the hard drives resulting in capacity that is the sum of the drives times the smallest volume. Data access spee...
Page 16: Raid 10 (1) Mode (Mirror):
Note: all data previously stored on the hard drive will be lost! Please back up all data to a separate storage before continuing. Raid 10 (1) mode (mirror): raid 1(with 2 drives): this mode allows the device to automatically copy data to 2 sets of 2 hard drives. It stores all data in duplicate to pr...
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Note: note: all data previously stored on the hard drive will be lost! Please back up all data to a separate storage before continuing. Raid 3 mode (byte-level striping) hx4r only this mode performs a byte-level striping with a dedicated parity disk. This mode is generally used when application requ...
Page 18: Raid 5 Mode:
Note: all data previously stored on the hard drive will be lost! Please back up all data to a separate storage before continuing. Drive b 250gb raid 5 750gb raid 5 750gb drive a 250gb drive c 250gb drive d 250gb port 1 port 2 port 3 port 4 nst-640s3r-bk drive b 250gb drive a 250gb drive c 250gb driv...
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8.Raid rebuild: raid rebuild 17 note: 1. Rebuild speed around 250gb/hr 2. Anytime when a hdd failure is detected, the led blinks at a constant pace. 3. Online: power cable is connected to the device, usb or esata cable is connected to the computer. Offline: only power cable is connected to the devic...
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Hard drive formatting guide 18 9.Hard drive formatting guide • you may format your hard drive by using the usb connection. • please make sure your external enclosure is turned on and connected to the pc before formatting the hard drive. In order to use a disk volume larger than 2 tb’s, you will need...
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Hard drive formatting guide 19 step3: right-click on the “unallocated” box and select “new partition”. (disk number may vary) step4: the “new partition wizard” will appear. Please follow the “new partition wizard” step by step instructions to complete the hard drive formatting procedure.
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Hard drive formatting guide 20 step5: once the hard drive formatting procedure is completed, the hard drive will be recognized as a “new volume” (new volume drive letter may vary i.E. “new volume (z:)” ) step6: double-click “my computer”. You will see “new volume” appear on your pc (drive letter may...
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Hard drive formatting guide 21 for mac users: step1: when you connect the nexstar hx4r to a mac with a new hard drive, the dialog “disk insertion” will appear. Please select “initialize”. (a formatted hdd will not display this dialog) step2: select which hdd you want to erase..
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Waring: all data will be erased after the format hard drive formatting guide 22 step3: click “erase” at the upper right side. Select which kind of format from volume format. Please input the name you wish to name your new volume. Click “erase” at lower right side. Step4: after you hit “enter”, the d...
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Waring: never remove the nexstar while the hard drive is in use. Doing so may corrupt the data on the hard drive or damage the hard drive, nexstar and the computer. Disconnecting the nexstar hx4r / hx 2r / hx 23 10.Disconnecting the nexstar hx4r: quad 3.5” sata to usb 3.0 & esata external raid hard ...
Page 26: Vantec Thermal Technologies
Warranty/contact 24 11.Warranty: 12.Contact: the nexstar hx4r / hx2r / hx comes with a 1 year limited warranty ( 90 day parts ) . If your unit should become defective within that time frame, please go to www.Vantecusa.Com for information on how to receive warranty exchange or repair. Cosmetic defect...