Question 1

Will I be able to access information already saved on a HDD, or is it necessary to reformat a HDD when using it for the first time with this docking station?

Accepted Answer

It is not necessary to format the HDD before you can read data from it. I use this docking station to retrieve data from failing HDD most of the time.

I have also used it to see what is on an older SATA HDD without any issues. For what I use this device for, it works well.

I have used this under USB 2.0 and it works well. I am waiting to hookup USB 3.0 so I can download items faster but under USB 2.0, this docking station is great.

Question 2

Is this docking station compatible with Advanced Format drives, e.g. Western Digital Green drives?

Accepted Answer

Hello,

I am sorry, I have not tried a WD green drive yet on this docking station. I have tried a total of 4 different types of SATA HDD's on this and it works great. I have tried both the 2.5" and the regular 3.5" drives.

I have not had any issues. Hopefully someone has tried the WD Green Drives but I'm assuming if they are SATA it should work like a normal drive. From what I'm reading Green Drives run at the slower 5400 RPM which works just fine on this docking station. I have tried both 2.5" which are typically 5400 RPM and the 3.5" which are typically 7200 RPM.

Question 3

Is this backwards compatible to USB 2.0?

Accepted Answer

The port on the docking station is a USB 3.0 and the end on the cord is USB 2.0.  Has no trouble hooking up to a CPU.  Worked perfectly for accessing files on an external harddrive that had quit working.  Took out the hard drive from the enclosure and place it into the docking station.  Works just like a normal external harddrive.

Question 4

I am having no success using the sy-enc35026 device with SATA Western Digital HDDs of any color, size or capacity on a variety of my PCs and laptops, using either W8 pro W7pro operating systems. I've had no problems with the other SATA HDDs of different makes and sizes.  What might I be doing wrong?

Accepted Answer

Maybe you got a defective one. I have two of them and use WDD green drives on them with no problems at all. In fact, on one of them I have 6 drives that I rotate weekly, and they always work perfectly.

Question 5

What's max disk size supported?

Accepted Answer

Yes it is set up to handle both size drives, has a small pop up that you use for the smaller drives.

Question 6

Does this support 4TB Hard Drives?

Accepted Answer

Contact Orico site, they are good about getting back to you an a reasonable time.

Question 7

Will this support a hard drive removed from an early MacBook Pro? Maybe 2008?

Accepted Answer

If the drive is a SATA drive, and it likely is given the Mac is from 2008, then yes.  If you go into the Mac system profiler and get better details on the exact hard drive you will be able to look up whether it is a SATA drive.

Question 8

Can windows be install using this docking station?Has anybody try it?

Accepted Answer

I have used it to restore a WindowsImageBackup via a USB 2.0 port but to to do a clean install of Windows

Questions & Answers