Question 1

Is that a power switch on the rear?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the unit has an external power switch next to where the power supply cord is plugged. It's a bit small, so you may not notice it.

Just make sure to eject the device before you power it off while your system is running.

Ed R.

Question 2

I need to access a drive using a laptop that only has USB2,0   Will this work?

Accepted Answer

According the product specification "External Interface:  USB 3.0 ( Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 & 1.1 )."  This is one of the reason why I bought it.  Just tried it with a 2.0 on my tower and it works fine.  It's a nice little unit.  Be careful to not push out the nuts when put in the screws.  It has an on-off switch which is nice.

Question 3

Is it supported by Linux?  Ubuntu 14.04?

Accepted Answer

Can't answer for certain since I'm Windows, however, I thnk it works as long as USB works.

Question 4

Will this work as a replacement for my Lacie Minimus 1TB drive?

Accepted Answer

This is a nice case and has worked well for me.  Note that it is only a case and you will need to insert a hard drive into it, so it really does not compare to a device which already has a drive.

Question 5

Has anyone used this with an 8TB drive as claimed?

Accepted Answer

I have not but Hard drives do not change size depending on how much storage is in them. If it is a 3.5 form factor then it is the same size as pretty much every 3.5 hard drive. The only issue I had with this is heat, it can get nice and toasty if you leave it on 24/7. If you are looking for a always on network storage then you should look at a NAS.

Question 6

What chipset does it use? Does it put itself to sleep once the pc it is connected to has entered sleep,been powered off or reached a period of inactivity? Can S.M.A.R.T. data be retrieved through the USB port?

Accepted Answer

None, it is not a NAS it is just a HDD enclosure.  The board inside is just there to switch usb 3.0 to sata3 connection.

The only way to make it do what you want is to hook it to a smart power strip that powers off when a master plug stops pulling power. I have these on all of the TVs in our house cause if the TV is off then the DVD player does not need to be on.

Questions & Answers