Install Lacie Shortcut Button Software
Design by Neil Poulton Quick Install Guide QIG_d2-Next_Quadra_071126.indd 1 11/26/07. Shortcut Button. Install LaCie Shortcut Button software to enable the.
I have been considering an external HD for some time now. Most of the research that I have done points to a couple of problems that I want to avoid: noise, and heat. Recent reviews of the LaCie d2 Quadra seem to indicate that the noise and heat problems have been greatly reduced in this HD.
Well, I was suprised to discover that is not EXACTLY correct, the heat and noise problems have actually been totally eliminated. Pros: 1) The drive small and sturdy - the weighted base plate has a footprint of only 6.5' x 2.5'. With the base plate attached, the HD has enough weight to prevent it from moving about. 2) The drive is very easy to set up - it is a total no-brainer and takes just a few minutes to follow the simple setup procedure. 3) The drive is quiet - there is no fan so there is no noise. 4) The drive does not get hot - with the unique 'the whole case is a heat-sink' design this drive stays cool to the touch even after running all day long. 5) The drive just looks good - the drive design is very simple, but for some reason it looks quite stylish at the same time.
6) The drive comes with every connection that you could possibly need - I hate getting gear that does not have a cable or connector or what-not. That is not the case with this HD, it has every concievable connector included in the box. Depending on your computer's installation location an additional USB extension cable might prove helpful though. Cons: 1) A bit on the expensive side - but IMHO worth the extra money. 2) User Guide not complete - OK, there is very little that has to be in this tiny user guide, but there is no reason after setting up the HD that you would look at it and say 'What the heck does that thing do?'
Nowhere, either in the user guide, nor on the manufacturer's website could I find information on what the 'Shortcut Button with Active LED' does (there is a one-line reference in the user guide that says '5. Install LaCie Shortcut Button software to enable the feature' but it does not tell you what will happen if you install that software). Now that button is like a big blue eye that always stares at you and blinks whenever the drive is active. The software to install the Shortcut button is pre-loaded on the HD (as is all the other required software for PC and Mac), just find it and run it from there. What the software does is give you 3 options to assign to the button: 1) 1-click backup, 2) 1-click launch of a user selected application, and 3) No Action - Button Disabled. 3) The drive is NOT really 500GB.
After setting mine up it had only 465GB of storage. Now that is a lot of storage, but by the same token the missing 35GB is a lot of lost storage space. Removing all of the multi-language documentation that is preloaded on the HD made no difference what-so-ever, it is really a 465GB HD. That is about it. I love this HD so far, and would make the same choice again.
I consider it a very smart buy. This was SO easy to hook up with my iMac, just took literally a few minutes. And it worked perfectly; the noise when it was backing up wasn't bad at all.
I really liked the blue light in front because, well, just because it looks cool.:) However, I bought it only about six weeks ago, it was on sale as I recall, however it unfortunately died tonight. VERY loud clicking noises and my Mac froze up, which is beyond rare. All those backups lost since they'll have to refurbish it or replace it, which I'd of course prefer. Since they are closed the next two days, I don't know exactly how they will handle it.
Added: Once I finally got hold of customer service, after being on hold for an hour, the rep was not very responsive. The capper is that I have to pay for shipping (not a light unit) back at my cost, with stipulations as to how to send (3' bubble wrap - like I just have that sitting around). No refund unless they can't fix it. If I had it to do over again, I'd give it one star. If the returned unit (no ETA on when that might be) also fails, I WILL get a refund. You know when you call tech support and your 21st in line - AND there is no toll free number - it's time to prepare for the worst.
Of course, all my backups are gone either way. Please read their warranty VERY carefully before considering this unit. I have been considering an external HD for some time now. Most of the research that I have done points to a couple of problems that I want to avoid: noise, and heat. Recent reviews of the LaCie d2 Quadra seem to indicate that the noise and heat problems have been greatly reduced in this HD.
How To Install Shortcut Icons
Well, I was suprised to discover that is not EXACTLY correct, the heat and noise problems have actually been totally eliminated. Pros: 1) The drive small and sturdy - the weighted base plate has a footprint of only 6.5' x 2.5'. With the base plate attached, the HD has enough weight to prevent it from moving about.
2) The drive is very easy to set up - it is a total no-brainer and takes just a few minutes to follow the simple setup procedure. 3) The drive is quiet - there is no fan so there is no noise. 4) The drive does not get hot - with the unique 'the whole case is a heat-sink' design this drive stays cool to the touch even after running all day long. 5) The drive just looks good - the drive design is very simple, but for some reason it looks quite stylish at the same time. 6) The drive comes with every connection that you could possibly need - I hate getting gear that does not have a cable or connector or what-not. That is not the case with this HD, it has every concievable connector included in the box. Depending on your computer's installation location an additional USB extension cable might prove helpful though.
Shortcut Buttons On Keyboard
Cons: 1) A bit on the expensive side - but IMHO worth the extra money. 2) User Guide not complete - OK, there is very little that has to be in this tiny user guide, but there is no reason after setting up the HD that you would look at it and say 'What the heck does that thing do?' Nowhere, either in the user guide, nor on the manufacturer's website could I find information on what the 'Shortcut Button with Active LED' does (there is a one-line reference in the user guide that says '5. Install LaCie Shortcut Button software to enable the feature' but it does not tell you what will happen if you install that software).
Now that button is like a big blue eye that always stares at you and blinks whenever the drive is active. The software to install the Shortcut button is pre-loaded on the HD (as is all the other required software for PC and Mac), just find it and run it from there.
What the software does is give you 3 options to assign to the button: 1) 1-click backup, 2) 1-click launch of a user selected application, and 3) No Action - Button Disabled. 3) The drive is NOT really 500GB. After setting mine up it had only 465GB of storage. Now that is a lot of storage, but by the same token the missing 35GB is a lot of lost storage space. Removing all of the multi-language documentation that is preloaded on the HD made no difference what-so-ever, it is really a 465GB HD. That is about it. I love this HD so far, and would make the same choice again.
I consider it a very smart buy. I'm in shock.
Having just moved from Windows to Mac (OS X 10.5.2) I'm used to long, involved nightmare hardware installations. Between OS X and the utilities supplied by LaCie on this drive, the whole business was up and running in about ten minutes.
It took me longer to figure out which was the FireWare 800 cable than it did to finish the rest of the installation! I have a new iMac with both FireWire 400 and 800 ports, and I'm using the LaCie as my Time Machine drive, so I opted to use the fastest interface available, the FireWire 800. The installation had four steps: 1. Physically attach the footplate to the drive so it could sit on its thin side, as in the photo with this review. Tools: included Allen wrench.
Time: 60 sec 2. Attach the FW800 cable and the power supply. Plug in same. Time: 60 sec.
Turn on the drive. Tools: finger. Time: 15 sec. Click through the installation program that pops up on the screen. The last click is to inform OS X that this will be my TimeMachine drive.
Tools: mouse, finger. Total time: 7.25 min.
(It took me about 2.5 minutes to figure out which cable to use.) The FireWire interface is so fast, it did the initial TimeMachine 30GB backup in about 30 minutes. The drive is quiet, it's fast, and it has a cool blue light on the front. It also has an auto power switch that detects when the iMac is seeking from the drive and switches on drive power. What's not to like? The LaCie 301826U d2 Quadra 750 GB external hard disk is a beautiful piece of machinery. The aluminum cooling case means silent operation and gives it it's attractive appearance.
The installation for the hard drive is self explanatory; you plug it in, turn it on and click on the device in 'My Computer' and it formats and installs itself. (for Windows users) The device has 3 power options; On, Off and Auto.
The auto is beautiful, because the device goes into standby when your computer does, saving energy. When finished using the hard drive, I select 'Safely Remove Device' and then just unplug the drive from the computer, the drive shuts itself off. I have not used the supplied software; auto updating and quick access button. So far, the drive operates fast and effectively, using the USB connection.
(I can only imagine how much faster it would be with a firewire connection) I've just received the device and am in the initial stages of use, and all is well. I will return to update the status after some time. This HD is worth every penny paid. The case is HEAVY, solid as a rock and really does stay very cool. This is what makes the drives last.
I have a cheaper 500GB external HD in a typical cheap case, and you can fry eggs on it after an hour. The case on this LaCie feels like it's made of granite, and due to the thicker case, it's QUIET.
I can't say enough about this drive. Then you add in all the different interfaces including eSata, and you've got a slightly more expensive drive that is totally versatile and will last a long time. I'm starting to realize that saving 20 bucks for the cheaper model isn't worth it at all, and this drive is a prime example.UPDATE: One year later Still completely satisfied.
I also purchased the 1TB model, same exact Quadra D2 just with the bigger hard drive. I use them both on eSata (ExpressCard adapter on my laptop) for video editing, Photoshop work and backups, and they are FAST, like an internal hard drive. In fact, they are fast enough for me to use as SCRATCH DISKS in Photoshop CS4!
I've given away my cheaper drives, you get what you pay for and I have zero regrets with the LaCie line (and no, I don't work for them!). I owned a 250GB LaCie Triple Interface drive for 3 years and I was very happy with it. When the time came to buy a 1TB disk, I originally chose the LaCie Big Extreme+ (301199U) because it was substantially cheaper. I returned it after 1 week because: a) the drive was much bigger than it looked in the pictures; and b) the fan was always active, even in standby mode. I bought this drive in its place, and I couldn't be happier. It is much more compact and fanless, thus extremely quiet.
Definitely recommended unless the higher price is an issue. I really like this drive. It's very well made and looks and feels like a lot of thought went into it's manufacture. It's very quite, and I really like the on/auto/off switch on the back. I use it to just backup files and leave it off when I'm not backing up files. It's a true plug and play.just follow the directions. I'm running Windows XP for home, and the drive mounted right away.
I told the LaCie software what OS I was running and it configured the drive for one partition in NTFS for me. Only took a couple of minutes. I used the software that came with it to back up my files, and this is where it went south and the reason why I didn't give it 5 stars. First I would have prefered to format the drive into 2 partitions, but the LaCie doesn't give you that option, so I will use Windows to do it instead.
The software allowed me to back up all my user docs with no problem, but that was it. Everything else is manual. Plus, the software imbedded itself in my startup scripts, and would cause the computer to halt when it booted becuase I had the drive turned off. Overall I would recommend this drive.
It's costs a little extra, but except for the software, I believe it's worth it. This was SO easy to hook up with my iMac, just took literally a few minutes.
And it worked perfectly; the noise when it was backing up wasn't bad at all. I really liked the blue light in front because, well, just because it looks cool.:) However, I bought it only about six weeks ago, it was on sale as I recall, however it unfortunately died tonight. VERY loud clicking noises and my Mac froze up, which is beyond rare. All those backups lost since they'll have to refurbish it or replace it, which I'd of course prefer. Since they are closed the next two days, I don't know exactly how they will handle it. Added: Once I finally got hold of customer service, after being on hold for an hour, the rep was not very responsive. The capper is that I have to pay for shipping (not a light unit) back at my cost, with stipulations as to how to send (3' bubble wrap - like I just have that sitting around).
No refund unless they can't fix it. If I had it to do over again, I'd give it one star. If the returned unit (no ETA on when that might be) also fails, I WILL get a refund. You know when you call tech support and your 21st in line - AND there is no toll free number - it's time to prepare for the worst. Of course, all my backups are gone either way. Please read their warranty VERY carefully before considering this unit. If you need a backup drive or just additional storage space, this is probably the best option available (or other d2 Quadra drives).
Lacie Shortcut Button Software
I bought this to relieve the stress from my iMac's 320GB hdd. First, the quality of this drive is amazing. It's very solid, sturdy and has no fan! It comes with all the cables for each connection type. It stays very cool, even during continuous use. Second, the transfer speed is fantastic.
I was getting sick and tired of USB2 and finally made the switch to Firewire. This had FW800 that seems hard to find for storage devices unless they are really expensive. I just wish my iMac had eSATA! The FW800 is incredibly fast though, I love it! I haven't upgraded to leopard yet so I use 'Super Duper!' For backups and it was a snap with this drive.
Every morning at 3:30am my iMac is backed up safely and quiety. I will be getting a second one very very soon for my growing digital video library. I also run my iTunes library from this drive and it works beautifully while keeping my iMac hdd free for applications and other things. CONS: Ok, if you have this in a bedroom where you sleep, the blue light on the front is BRIGHT. I just stand something in front of it and that works great but I wish they had a way to dim the light. If you work in a dark room (I do), it isn't bothersome.
As a previous reviewer mentioned, you do only get approximately 700GB of actual space. This shouldn't reduce the rating on this item.
ALL hard drives manufacturers advertise their storage space in increments of 1000, when it should actually be 1024. So 750GB / 1000MB / 1000KB / 1000B = 750x10^9 / 1024B / 1024KB / 1024MB = 698.492GB.
Had my LaCie for three weeks now- no problems. I shopped on line and bought this sight un seen. I realize with the turndown that you can buy this size drive for less, or more to the point, one twice the size for pennies on the dollar. But I have peaked at a lot of the low end (price wise) stuff out there. Wow is mine sweet. Who ever this Neil Poulton guy is- I give him my $20. Those eBooks look like total explative.
Maybe they are the same under the hood- but looks count man. Have some pride you geeks. I always want a cheap alternative - but this is cheap enough. Software- don't think you are going to plug this or any hard drive and just back up. Like all the geeks are out there telling you. This is complex. Stratagies and software options.
New technologies and changing(aging) formats. The LaCie comes with at least 3 options - I chose Retrospect- for Mac. Its powerful to be sure.
But not for the over 60, just getting into email crowd, (hey I'm only 59) Do you do Snapshots or Archiving- Duplicating and should you daisy chain more drives. How do you practice a Restore? Just a word to the wise. Any one who says its simple- here's how I do it- OK if its simple would you mind just showing me this once? But I was wondering something about the drive and put out a support question, it was handled well- appropriately.
Albeit in typical 'e' format. Not that I want someone to call me on my home phone mind you.
Hey I'm just thankful its not in Chinese with the funny pictures they use. Terrabit is the next megabit. I like the idea of 500 because these things will bite the dust in maybe 4years- so split things up on successfully newer equipment over time. But if you shoot SLR - D in raw or shoot video- better start with terra, for all your big cars you Americans really miss the point of memory and bandwith. Multiplication tells alot. So the tough call is 500 or terra really- the outer case- well that's no contest. Its not all that quiet bytheway.
Its equivalent to my G5 iMac (PPC)-you might want it off the desktop in a drawer or something.They say its better to keep it running- but if you only access it occasionally? I store my photos- (all of them, to free up my limited (75) gig hard drive) in iPhoto libraries so I need it more than occasionally. And if you separate your music and video libraries- you get the picture.
I give it another half point but not 5 because it is metal gray - should be white- sorry Neil.