My Book Studio Edition II 2 TB software's?

#1

This product came with 3 software’s.

One for backup which I did not install as I use Time Machine.

Second “WD Turbo” drivers this also I did not install as WD website says drivers included in Mac OS X are the same as WD Turbo.

Third “Drive Manager” this also I did not install as it is used only for setting up RAID & label.

Currently when I connect my hdd, Mac detects it as a single 2 TB drive & I get speeds of upto 40 MB/ps using firewire 800.

  1. Will installing any of the above s/w really improve the speed?

2.1) If I configure RAID 0 using WD drive manager, I will get full 2 TB of storage?

2.2) Will it really improve the speed I currently get?

2.3) Is it more secure than not using RAID at all?

  1. After installing WD drive manager & setting up RAID 0, if I am not happy with the results can I un-install WD drive manager & remove the RAID config?

  2. How to move my old Time Machine backup’s from old drive to this new one?

  3. Anything else I need to know

#2

A 1.Install the WD turbo driver may speed up a few percents.

A 2.1. Yes, RAID 0 configure will use both total of 2 drives space.

A 2.2. Yes, RAID 0 configure will speed up the read and write performance. May be twice of what you see.

A 2.3. For two drives configure, RAID 1 is the most secure so far.

           For RAID 0 configure, if one drive fail, you will not be able to retrieve any data.

          

A 3. Yes, you can go back and forth between RAID 0 and RAID 1.

        When you do that, all data will be lost. Make sure to back them up first.

A 4. I am not sure how to do it from Time Machine, but for sure copy and paste is working.

A 5. FYI: Make sure to back up any important data to internal hard drive

        before doing any RAID configurations on the WD external drive

        Or your data will be lost.

#3

Thanks “thanarath” for your helpful reply

I will never config RAID 1, because it downgrades my storage capacity to straight 50%, my data is not that critical.

  1. As I said earlier I have not done any RAID config so far, does that mean I am using RAID 0 currently? 

  2. Are you sure installing WD turbo drivers will speed up? because WD website itself says Mac OS has the same drivers built-in.

2.2) If RAID 0 is different than not using RAID at all, it will definitely boost my speed!

2.3) If RAID 0 is different than not using RAID at all, it will be not be more secure but increase transfer speed!

  1. How do I un-install WD drive manager completely?

3.1) How do I remove RAID config?

#4

FYI: According to the WD website, this WD My Book Studio Edition line is RAID configure.

        It either be RAID 0 or RAID 1 configure only. 

A0. That is correct you are using RAID 0, the total capacity of 2TB.

       If you would configure it to RAID 1, the total capacity would be 1TB.

A1. Yes, installing the WD turbo driver will speed up by not much.

       If you are happy with what you see, just do not install it.

A2.2. FYI: two drives RAID 0 configured will perform the twice speed of a single drive. It is faster than a single drive.

A2.3. You are right.

A3. You can not uninstall the WD drive manager. It is built into the the drive firmware.

A3.1. You can not remove the RAID configure.

           You can only change or modify RAID configure from RAID 0 to RAID 1.

           By  power cycle and unplug the data cable from the drive.

           Then re-plug it to the computer, and wait for the WD drive manager screen to popup. 

#5

  1. This drive originally comes configured as RAID 0?

  2. Are you having any problem with Drive Manager & 10.6 OS?