This allows for the fastest data transfer rates, but if one drive fails the whole array becomes corrupted. The reading and writing of data files is spread across both drives to gain speed by distributing the workload. RAID 0 is used when speed is the primary objective it does not provide data redundancy for protection. The two drives show up as a single large disk with a size equal to the combined capacities of both drives. Here’s what the four RAID modes represent (from the OWC User Manual): NOTE: I was able to successfully reformat the RAID into all its different configurations, but pressing the Set button for any amount of time never made the front lights blink. Format the drive using Disk Utility > Format, which is stored in your Utilities folder.Press the Set button for three seconds, until the front lights stop flashing.Unmount the drive from the desktop BUT leave it powered on.Be sure to back-up your data first.Īccording to the User Manual, here’s how to change the configuration: Once installation is complete, the drive is ready to use.Īlthough the default setting is RAID 0, which provides the fastest performance, changing configurations is done using a rotating switch on the back.īIG NOTE: Changing RAID settings erases all your data. I recommend staying with the default which is a single partition. ![]() NOTE: Given the speed of this drive there’s no real benefit to creating partitions. In general, the default setting is best, though you can create partitions if you need do. This is probably the most important screen, allowing you to configure the drive. The drive needs to be initialized before you can use it, because it can support either the Windows or Mac operating systems.Ĭlicking the OWC Drive Guide icon opens the software needed to format the drive.Īt this point, a series of seven screens walks you through the entire setup process simply and easily. ![]() When the drive boots up, the OWC Setup icon appears on the Desktop. Which is why I laughed when OWC asked if I wanted to review the unit. So, my hopes of using this as part of our NAB coverage came up short. The RMA was processed promptly, but, they were out-of-stock on the unit I needed. Ultimately, though, we made the decision to send the unit back for replacement. I was impressed, though, with his helpful attitude and willingness to dig in to solve the problem. The two of us spent a couple of hours trying to get the unit to work, but no-go. This gave me my first opportunity to work with OWC tech support as a customer. To make a long story short, it arrived dead. It arrived about two weeks before NAB, which gave me time to test and configure it. I’ve had my eye on the Mercury Elite Pro Dual series for a couple of months because, though I have about eight OWC RAIDs attached to various computers here at the office, I needed a smaller unit, both in size and capacity, to be our main storage for all our NAB podcasts this year. Website: Price as tested: $497.75 (6 TB version) (The story behind the exception is below.) If you are looking for affordable storage with the performance for media editing, this unit is tough to beat. I’ve purchased a lot of OWC storage and, with one exception, I’ve never had a problem with it. Setup took about two minutes, and once set up, it works like every other hard disk. The Mercury Elite is quiet, petite, and fast. The RAID has four different configurations – the default setting is RAID 0 – all controlled from a rotating switch on the back: The RAID holds two hard drives (either SSD or spinning media) and comes with software for initial installation, a detailed 11-page PDF User Guide along with power, USB and Thunderbolt cables. ![]() The OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual joins other OWC storage units in providing high-capacity, affordable storage that comes in a range of configurations and storage capacities from 2 TB to 20 TB. This unit supports several different communication protocols: They loaned me a unit for two weeks for this review. NOTE: OWC has been a past sponsor for our Digital Production Buzz podcast. The folks at OWC asked me recently if I’d be interested in looking at their new OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual storage system.
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