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IV. Using SeriTek/1VE2+2 Hot-Swap Functionality
Introduction
The SeriTek/1VE2+2 provides advanced hot-swap functionality which provides flexibility
similar to that of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire without the burden of having to
power down your system when adding or removing hard drives. Using a unique patent-
pending method, SeriTek/1VE2+2 supports RAID hot-swap disks under both Mac OS 9 and
OS X.
Note: Both the internal and external sets of ports of the SeriTek/1VE2+2 support hot-swap
functionality. However, for safety reasons your Power Macintosh computer case should be
closed when the computer is being operated, and swap external hard drives using the two
external ports only.
Hot-Swap Guidelines
• Do not disconnect or remove hard drives while transferring data.
• Save your work and close associated applications before removing the external hard drive
(applications need to be closed since they may keep temporary working files open on the
external hard drive).
• Always unmount the volumes (eject or drag the volumes to trash) associated with an
external hard drive before removing it.
• As a general rule, power down the external hard drives after powering down the Macintosh
computer. Power on the external enclosure before powering on the Macintosh computer.
• The SeriTek/1VE2+2 hot-swap functionality is designed to provide RAID-based volume
spanning among four hard drives with one SeriTek/1VE2+2 host adapter. Future
SeriTek/1VE2+2 firmware may provide the ability to support RAID volumes that span hard
drives among multiple SeriTek/1VE2+2 host adapters.
• If RAID volumes span internal and external hard drives, do not attempt to remove and
insert external hard drives that partially support the RAID volume or data loss may occur.
An example is a RAID volume that spans hard drives plugged into an internal SeriTek/1V4
host adapter within the Macintosh chassis and hard drives plugged into an external
SeriTek/1VE2+2 host adapter and external enclosure.
Hot-Swap Procedure
The hot-swap procedure is the same for both Macintosh OS 9.XX and 10.1.5 and later. The
example dialog boxes below are from OS X. OS 9.XX dialog boxes are similar.
Connecting External Hard Drive(s)
If your Macintosh computer is not yet powered on, power on the external enclosure then
power on the computer. If the Macintosh computer is already powered on, you may connect
the external hard drive(s). When you connect the first hard drive, you will see a “SATA
Configuration Changed” window (See Figure 13). If this is the only hard drive you connect,
you may select “OK” in the dialog box. If you have an additional hard drive to connect,
connect it and then select “OK” in the dialog box.