FAQ for USB 3.0 HDD docking

Q1.  Why is the transfer rate so much slower than the 5Gbps promoted?

The USB 2.0 standard uses 8-bit encoding, while the USB 3.0 standard uses 10-bit encoding (8-bit for data transfer purposes + 2-bit for data control purposes). The USB 3.0 transfer rate of 5Gbps (with a theoretical transfer speed of 500MB/s), therefore, is about 8 times faster than the mainstream USB 2.0 transfer rate of 480Mb/s (with a theoretical transfer speed of 60MB/s).

Taking usage conditions into consideration, the USB 3.0 standard can achieve transfer speeds about 3 times faster than that of the USB 2.0 standard. Please note that the actual transfer speed will depend on the specific usage environment.

Q2.  Why am I unable to reach SATA-III transfer rates of up to 6Gbps?

While many of our SATA devices can detect and transfer data for SATA III disks, e-SATA cables limit these transfer speeds to 3Gbps. We are currently evaluating upgrade options.

Q3.  Why is the hard disk disconnecting from the computer during data transfer?

Make sure the device is connected to a power source.
b. Do not touch or move the device as this may loosen the connection between the hard disk and your computer.
c. Use the cable provided to transfer data. If you don’t, make sure the length of your cable does not exceed 1m.

Q4.  Some hard disks from Seagate are unable to be identified. Why is this?

One batch of hard disks produced by Seagate in Thailand has compatibility issues with the firmware. You can update your firmware on Seagate’s official website to solve this problem.
The serial numbers of the defective products are listed below for your reference:
ST3000DM001/9YN166/3TB
ST2500DM001/9YN16L/2.5TB
ST2000DM001/9YN164/2TB
ST1000DM003/9YN162/1TB
ST500DM005

Q5.  Why isn’t the docking station visible under “MY COMPUTER” when I plug it in?

This may be caused by one of the two scenarios below:
a. Conflicting drive names (usually for a hard drive that has been used previously on another computer):
Customers will sometimes retrieve a hard drive (from another computer) labelled “C Drive” by default to use as a backup. Since this hard drive has already been used, it will inevitably have the name “C”. This may be in conflict with the name of the drive on your current computer, causing the computer not to recognize it.
Solution: Go to “COMPUTER MANAGEMENT”, select “DISK MANAGEMENT,” locate the external hard drive, and then assign a different name to it.
b. The brand-new or used hard drive is configured to operate with another OS:
Solution: In this case, the hard drive needs to be reformatted. There are two ways to go about this:
– Quick formatting: Good for a new hard drive. Since no data is stored, there is not much “clean up” needed.
– Full formatting: Good for a used hard drive. This will ensure that all existing data is wiped out and ensure a properly working hard drive. This will take longer, however. PLEASE BACK UP ALL DATA BEFORE FORMATTING YOUR HARD DRIVE.

Q6.  Why doesn’t my hard drive fit into the docking station?

This is usually because it’s an ATA, not SATA, hard drive.