Product Description

Quad interface, RAID-enabled, about 30% less power consumption, formatted for Mac. The My Book Studio Edition II treads lightly on the earth and carries big performance for creative professionals.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18339 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Western Digital
• Model: WDH2Q10000N
• Platform: Windows
• Format: CD
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 8.50" h x 8.50" w x 7.50" l, 13.60 pounds
• Memory: 8MB
• Hard Disk: 1000GB

Features

• Contains Dual-drive storage system, FireWire 800 cable, FireWire 800 to 400 cable, USB cable, AC adapter, Software CD, Quick Install Guide
• FireWire 800 combined with RAID 0 (Striped) yields the speed you need for smooth video editing, rendering complex 3D objects or special effects
• Designed to use only WD's GreenPower drives, the system uses about 30% less energy than standard systems and runs quietly as it doesn't need a fan
• 1TB = 1000GB Hard Drive Capacity; Pre-configured to RAID 0 (Striped)
• Helps saving huge blocks of data in record time

Customer Reviews

So far so good, except runs HOT
I thought this drive would finally release me from my worry that my backups will melt away before my eyes. The Greenpower concept seems well and good but I don't know about the long term viability of putting two of these drives in the same tiny enclosure with no active cooling.

After about 20 minutes of transfers I opened the lid and the drives burned my hand. I put a digital thermometer on the inside of the case between the hard drives and the air in there was 51C. The drives were probably between 60-70C as I can't be sure. Compared to my internal WD Caviar 500GB drive that runs at 32C when cooled by the case-fan the the My Book worries me. Not that I will be running the drives for 2 hrs at a time all the time but it happens.

Otherwise, I tested the RAID 1 feature by removing a drive while the unit was powered and when I replaced it, the rebuilding process automatically began. If I unplugged it during the rebuilding, it would resume when I plugged it in again. Again after only 15-30 minutes of rebuilding the drives were too hot to touch again. I can't imagine how hot the non-Greenpower drives get.

The power consumption ranges from 4W when off to 16W when rebuilding.

The interface is quite speedy as well. Roughly writing at 35MB/s using USB2.0.

I think I'm going to return the drive and build a NAS with two of the same drives inside for peace of mind.

Cheap, reliable storage for Time Machine
Using this drive with RAID level 1 and Time Machine is an easy way to get backup storage you can trust for the Mac.

I prepared by downloading the latest driver from Western Digital and installing it instead of the driver on the CD. I turned off Time Machine so it wouldn't prompt me to use the drive the first time I plugged it in.

When the drive arrived, I followed the instructions on the quick start card to change the drive to RAID level 1. (This uses the second drive for redundant storage. If a drive fails, you just pull it out and replace it, without losing data.) Then I turned on Time Machine and clicked Change Disk.

The WD drives in the enclosure are WD5000AAVS "Caviar Green" drives. The rotation speed varies depending on a number of factors, mostly to save power. That's why the data sheet doesn't specify 5400 or 7200 rpm.

I tested the heat issue by copying files for an hour and then opening the enclosure. The drives were almost too hot to touch. However, I don't think this is an issue in practice, since the drives don't normally need to run for such an extended period. I would rather have them quiet--and redundant.

Does not daisy-chain on FW800 for Mac
OK drive stand-alone.

But disregard the product info: It does NOT daisy chain on FW800 bus on a Mac. WD Tech Support told me so. They have no fix planned at this time.

If you are serious enough to buy a FW800 drive, you are likely serious enough to want two of them... these do not daisy chain and so you will need to put one on FW400 or USB.