Question 1

Dose this work with windows 8 ?

Accepted Answer

Yes, or at least with Windows 8.1. I have it currently working on an HTPC that is running on Windows 8.1 64 bit via USB 2.0. I had trouble getting the drivers for the E-SATA card I was using to work under Windows 8.1, but that really isn't a problem for me. There isn't that much difference in transfer/download speed between E-SATA and USB 2.0 on my system and speed isn't all that important to me anyway.
I've had this unit up and working for nearly two years now and it has been very dependable.

Question 2

I have had one of these units for just over five years.  2 x 2TB, 2 X 3TB drives in JABOD.  Just recently, I've had a problem where the whole box drops off USB and reconnects after a bit.  A tad messy when accessing.   Might this be the box itself, or one of the drives failing?  The drive I first noticed this with seems to work great when all is connected, so suspecting it might be the Mediasonic.

Just hoping someone can astrally project themselves into my system and check, so I know what to replace.  ;^}  Will happily settle for educated suggestions.  Thanks!

(I notice the current specs say 6TB per slot limit.  Mine said 3TB when I got it.  That alone makes replacement tempting.)

Accepted Answer

Had a similar problem computer would drop randomly drives then reinstall  them, it stopped when I switched from USB to e-sata.

Question 3

What do the different settings on SYNC mean?  Blue Light, Orange Light?

Accepted Answer

Phillip L and Gary D are right. However there is a third condition for the light. If the light is off, it means the unit is not in-synch with the host PC and will need to be turned on/off manually. 
I've had this unit attached to my HTPC via e-sata for over six months now and the power synch has worked flawlessly. And the PC gets turned on/off every day.

Question 4

Will this box accomidate bare drives?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it will. I purchased 4 WD 1TB drives when a good sale came along, and have been using them in this box for over a year. Just like server operation, except no carriers are required. The bare SATA drives slide into one of four slots, and connect directly to connectors on unit backplane with a positive feel when fully inserted. I have swapped in/out many different drives in this unit, power down swap drives. power back up. These were all working drives, and this unit has worked like a champ.

Question 5

Is it possible to create a spanned volume of 12tb from 4 - 3tb drives?

Accepted Answer

I have 4 set up as individual drives all 3tb however u do lose a little space so u won't get the full 12tb but close. I'm not exactly sure if u can set all 4 up to make one massive drive or not.

Brand	Mediasonic
Model	HF2-SU2S2

Color	Black
Size	3.5"
AC Adapter	Yes
Internal Interface	SATA I/II
External Interface	USB 2.0 & eSATA
Maximum Capacity (per Bay)	Up to 6TB
Specifications	Note: Motherboard's SATA port MUST support Port Multiplier in order for your computer to recognize multiple hard drive if the unit is connectd via eSATA. Bridge Chipset: JMicron JMB321 Supporting OS: Windows 2000 / XP / VISTA / Windows 7 Mac OS 10.3 or later Safety Specification: CE / FCC / Rohs

Dimensions	8.46" x 4.96" x 6.54"
Weight	3.97 lbs.

Mediasonic HF2-SU2S2 3.5" Black SATA I/II USB 2.0 & eSATA Pro Box 4 Bay Enclosure

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Item#: N82E16817576001