Table of Contents Introduction Safety Precautions System Requirements What’s in the Box G-DRIVE mini Overview Installing G-DRIVE mini Initializing G-DRIVE mini Disconnecting G-DRIVE mini Optimizing Performance Technical Support Limited Warranty
Introduction Thank you for purchasing the G-DRIVE™ mini from G-Technology™. G-DRIVE mini hard drives from G-Technology are the ideal storage solutions for people on the go. NOTE: G-DRIVE mini is formatted for the Mac® OS and will mount on the desktop right out of the box. For details on reinitializing the G-DRIVE mini, using the G-DRIVE mini on Windows®, or for using the G-DRIVE mini for both Windows and Mac, click here.
G-DRIVE mini • G-DRIVE mini drive (FW400/FW800/USB 2.0) • Installation CD-ROM • FireWire 800 Cable (9 Pin to 9 Pin) • FireWire 800 to 400 cable (9 Pin to 6 Pin) • USB 2.0 cable • Leather carrying case If anything is missing, please call G-Technology at (310) 449-4599. For more details on this, click here. G-DRIVE mini Overview Note the various features of the G-DRIVE mini. There is a Power and Activity LED behind the grill on the front of the unit, while a heat sink is beneath the it.
Attention Cross-Platform Users G-DRIVE mini can be used on both Mac and PC systems by formatting the drive “FAT32.” There are some limitations when using FAT 32. Alternatively you can install software on the Windows Machine such as “MacDrive” which will allow you to mount Mac formatted drives on your PC. For more information about using the G-DRIVE mini for cross-platform use, go here. Installing G-DRIVE mini G-DRIVE mini attaches to your computer via a USB 2.0 or FireWire 800 port.
Reformatting for Mac OS X You’ll first need to open Apple Disk Utility in order to initialize the disk for Mac OS X. Apple Disk Utility is in the Utilities Folder located in the Applications Folder on the Macintosh HD (or press Shift + Command + U to open the Utilities folder). A window like the following will appear. G-DRIVE mini will be displayed in the left-hand column. 1. Select G-DRIVE mini by clicking on the drive icon in the left-hand column, as shown.
3. Choose the Format: 4. Click the Erase Button in the lower corner of the window. • Set the format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) if you intend to use G-DRIVE mini for Time Machine or to create a separate bootable installation of OS X. • For best performance and for media storage, set the Format to Mac OS Extended. Click on the Format menu to change it to “Mac OS Extended”. 5. A dialog box will launch after clicking the button. WARNING: THIS NEXT STEP WILL ERASE ALL DATA ON YOUR DRIVE.
the Use as Backup Disk button. For more info about setting up the G-DRIVE mini with Time Machine, go here. After reinitializing the G-DRIVE mini the icon for the G-DRIVE mini has been erased. You can restore it. Restore the icon by doing the following: 5. Click on the Erase button to continue. A progress bar in the lower right corner of the window will show you the progress of the disk’s reformatting. 1. Go to the G-Technology website and download the “icon package”. Click here to download the package. 2.
4. Select the G-DRIVE mini FireWire icon on the Desktop and press Command + I. crucial files. The following steps will guide you in setting up the G-DRIVE mini with Time Machine. 5. Select the FireWire Icon in the “Get Info” window (left) Format the drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as described in “Reformatting for Mac OS X” here. After the drive is reinitialized, you should see the following dialog box. Click the Use as Backup Disk button. 6.
Open Apple Disk Utility. Disk Utility is in the Utilities Folder located in the Applications Folder on the Macintosh HD (or press Shift + Command + U to open the Utilities folder). 1. Select the FireWire icon (not the G-DRIVE mini) icon. 2. Click on the Partition button in the main window, as shown. You are now free to set options by clicking the Options button. This chooses files you do not want to backup. The G-DRIVE mini is now backing up your important files automatically with Time Machine.
3. Select the number of partitions you would like from the Volume Scheme menu. Here, there are 2 partitions selected. 4. Click on a partition in the Volume Scheme area. Your partition will be highlighted by a blue bounding box. 5. You can now create separate names, formats and sizes for each partition in the Volume Information area. Do so by doing the following: • Click the Apply button 6. After clicking on the Apply button. The dialog box, as shown on the on the next page, will appear.
G-DRIVE mini will be displayed on the desktop as shown, right. G-DRIVE mini is now setup with 2 partitions and ready for use. Cross Platform Use To setup your G-DRIVE mini for use on both Windows and Macintosh systems, use Apple Disk Utility and format G-DRIVE mini to MS-DOS (FAT), also known as “FAT32”. 7. Click on the Partition button to continue. A progress bar in the lower right corner of the window will show you the progress of the disk’s reformatting. Open Apple Disk Utility.
4. 1. Select the G-DRIVE mini from the left-hand column 2. Click on the “Erase button at the top of the window as shown. 3. Select MS-DOS File System from the Format drop down menu. NOTE: You may need to re-name the drive because FAT32 does not support more than 11 letters in the drive name. Click the Erase button in the lower right corner of the window.
A progress bar in the lower right corner of the window will show you the progress of the disk’s reformatting. Your drive will be formatted to its full capacity as FAT32. 7. Reset the G-DRIVE mini icons as described here. 8. Exit Apple Disk Utility. With this format, you will be able to READ/WRITE on both Windows XP/ Vista/ Windows 7 and Mac OS X Machines. 5. A new dialog box appears. WARNING: THIS NEXT STEP WILL ERASE ALL DATA ON YOUR DRIVE.
and disconnected while your computer is running. To prevent failures and/or data loss it is important to follow the steps below when disconnecting or “unmounting” the G-DRIVE mini from your Mac. 1. Before powering down and disconnecting G-DRIVE mini, you must unmount the system by simply dragging the G- DRIVE mini icon to the trash located in the dock. 2. It is now safe to power off and remove G-DRIVE mini from your system.
How long does limited warranty coverage last? This limited warranty lasts for 1 year, 2 years, 3 years or 5 years, or a fixed period from date of purchase, depending on when and where it was originally purchased. To determine the warranty specifically for your product, visit www.g-technology.com . A valid proof of purchase may be required to prove eligibility.
DAMAGE TO, YOUR DATA; OR 3) SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR INDIRECT DAMAGES OR FOR ANY ECONOMIC CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS OR SAVINGS), EVEN IF INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. How do local laws apply? THIS LIMITED WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION.
