OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 (5Gb/s)

Support Manual

Jump to a Topic
Jump to a Topic
1 of 4 matches
e_trim

Introduction

1.1 System Requirements

Operating System & Hardware

Works with any USB or Thunderbolt equipped:

  • Mac: macOS 10.12.6 or later
  • PC: Windows 7 or later
  • Linux: current Ubuntu version recommended

Supported Drives

1.2 Package Contents

1.3 Overview

A. Device Status LED - Power - Solid Blue | Data Activity - Flashing Blue

    B. Kensington Security slot – Attach a Kensington Security lock.

    C. USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) Type-B Port - Connect included USB Type-B to USB Type-A cable to a compatible system

    D. DC IN Power Port - Connect external power supply to power the device. (AC Input: 100-240V, 50/60Hz 0.9A | DC Output: 12V/3A)

    E. ON/OFF Switch - Press Down for Power OFF | Press Up for Power ON

      e_trim

      Getting Started

      2.1 Device Setup

      This section describes the process of setting up the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb.s) if purchased with a pre-installed drive.

      Apple OWC Mercury Elite Pro Setup

      • The OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) is configured as a Mac-formatted device allowing seamless plug-and-play experience with Mac and systems.
        • Plug the power cable into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) DC IN Power Port located on in the rear and into a power outlet.
          • The Device Status LED will illuminate a solid blue.
        • Connect the included USB Type-B to Type-A cable into the USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) Type-B Port located in the rear of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro and into a compatible Mac system.

      Windows OWC Mercury Elite Pro Setup

      • Plug the power cable into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) DC IN Power Port located on in the rear and into a power outlet.
        • The Device Status LED will illuminate a solid blue.
      • Connect the included USB Type-B to Type-A cable into the USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) Type-B Port located in the rear of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro and into a compatible PC system.
      • Using the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) with either a Windows operating system requires the pre-installed drive to be reformatted before they can be used. The following options will allow the Mac-formatted OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) to work as a Windows formatted device.
        • Reformat the Mac-formatted device using OWC Drive Guide for Windows. This application is only available for devices assembled and shipped from OWC.
        • The Mac formatted OWC StudioStack can be used in Windows through the purchase and installation of OWC MacDrive11. OWC MacDrive11 allows access to Mac-formatted drives in Windows without reformatting.

      2.2 Device Assembly

      • This section describes the process of installing a SATA hard drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s).

      1. Remove the enclosure from its packaging and set it on a level work surface with the rear of the device facing you.

      • Remove the two case screws at the locations shown.
      e_trim

      2. The back plate will fall away allowing the inner chassis to be pulled out. Set aside the back plate for reinstallation.

      e_trim

      3. Carefully insert a 3.5 inch SATA drive with the connectors facing down and towards the PCBa.

      • Slide the drive into the SATA connector on the PCBa until fully connected. Only a modest amount of force is required.
      • NOTE: 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s drive are supported but require an adapter (sold separately).
      e_trim

      4. Use the included drive screws to affix the drive to the inner-chassis (highlighted).

      e_trim
      e_trim

      5. Align the guide on each side of the inner chassis (below-left) so that they rest under the bottom grooves on the outer case (below-center), and slide the inner chassis back into the case (below-right).

      e_trim

      6. Reseat the back plate so that it sits flush with the edge of the enclosure, as well as the USB port and power switch.

      e_trim

      7. Re-affix the screws you removed in Step 1 to secure the enclosure.

      e_trim

      8. The installed drive is ready to be formatted. Please visit go.owc.com/storage/formatting for formatting options.

      Device Management

      3.1 Replacing Drives

      • Complete the drive installation steps in reverse order to remove and replace the installed drive. Refer above to Section 2.2 “Device Assembly".
        • NOTE: Opening a factory assembled OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) will VOID the warranty. Please contact OWC Support for drive failure support.

      3.2 OWC Disk Performance

      • As of Windows 10 v. 1809 the default Disk Removal Policy is ‘Quick removal’ instead of ‘Better performance’.
        • NOTE: OWC storage solutions that are experiencing slow read/write speeds should consider checking and changing the Windows disk removal policy. Changing from "Quick removal" to "Better performance" can increase disk performance. OWC offers the application OWC Disk Performance to help change the Disk Removal Policy. Changing from "Quick removal" to "Better performance" can also be changed manually.
      • Please review the support article Storage Solutions: OWC Disk Performance for more detail.

      3.3 Manually Unmounting Volumes

      • To ensure no data is lost during normal use, always eject or unmount the corresponding volume(s) from the operating system before powering off and disconnecting the device. Unmounting options are provided below.

      macOS

      • Drag the icon for the device you wish to unmount to the trash can; OR
      • Right-click the device icon on the desktop, then click “Eject”; OR
      • Highlight the device on your Desktop and press Command-E.

      Windows

      • Windows 10 build 1809 (October 2018) or later:
        • Eject the drive by clicking the ‘Show hidden items’ menu in the Taskbar, then clicking ‘Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media’, and last select the ‘Eject’ option for this volume.
      • Windows 10 build 1803 and earlier:
        • Go to the System Tray (located in the lower right corner of your screen). Click on the “Eject” icon (a small green arrow over a hardware image).
        • A message will appear, detailing the devices that the “Eject” icon controls, i.e., “Safely remove...” Click on this prompt.
        • You will then see a message that says, “Safe to Remove Hardware.” It is now safe to disconnect the device from the computer

      3.4 Usage Notes

      • USB 2.0 connections will perform at USB 2.0 speeds
      • USB-C (USB or Thunderbolt) host connectivity requires USB-C to USB-A adapter (sold separately)

        Support Resources

        4.1 Troubleshooting

        • If your computer does not recognize the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) when it is connected:
          • Verify the USB cable is securely connected between the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) and computer.
          • Connect the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) and computer with a different USB cable.
          • Connect the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) to a different computer.
        • Windows users experiencing slow read/write speeds should consider checking and changing the Windows disk removal policy. Please review the support article Storage Solutions: OWC Disk Performance for additional details.
        • Additional support may be provided using the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) Troubleshooting Guide.
        • We are very sorry If issues continue to occur. Please know that OWC support is here to help. Contact information for our support can be found in section 4.4 "Contacting Support". Please have your serial number ready which is located on the bottom of the OWC StudioStack and printed on the original packaging.

        4.2 Online Resources

        Support Articles:

        Support Guide Pages:

        Downloads:

        Product Pages:

        4.3 About Data Backup

        To ensure that your files are protected and to prevent data loss, we strongly suggest that you keep two copies of your data: one copy on your Mercury Elite Pro and a second copy on either your internal drive or another storage medium, such as an optical backup, or on another external storage unit. Any data loss or corruption while using the Mercury Elite Pro is the sole responsibility of the user, and under no circumstances may OWC, its parent, partners, affiliates, officers, employees, or agents be held liable for loss of the use of data including compensation of any kind or recovery of the data.

        4.4 Contacting Support

        4.5 About this Manual

        • The images and descriptions may vary slightly between this manual and the unit shipped. Functions and features may change depending on the firmware version. The latest product details and warranty information can be found on the product web page. OWC’s Limited Warranty is not transferable and

        General Use Precautions

        • To avoid damage, do not expose the device to temperatures outside the following ranges:
          • Environmental (Operating)
            • Temperature (ºF): 41º — 95º
            • Temperature (ºC): 5º — 35º
          • Environmental (Non-Operating)
            • Temperature (ºF): -4º — 140º
            • Temperature (ºC): -20º — 60º
          • Always unplug the device from the electrical outlet if there is a risk of lightning or if it will be unused for an extended period-of-time. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, or fire.
          • Protect your device from excessive exposure to dust during use or storage. Dust can build up inside the device, increasing the risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, or fire.
          • Do not block any ventilation openings on the device. These help to keep the device cool during operation. Blocking the ventilation openings may increase the risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, or fire.

          Safety Precautions

          • Use proper anti-static precautions when handling this device. Failure to do so can increase the risk of electrical shock or short-circuiting.
          • Never expose your device to rain, or use it near water, or in damp wet conditions. Never place objects containing liquids on the device, as they may spill everywhere and into the openings. This will increase the risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, fire, or personal injury.
          • To avoid any risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, fire, or dangerous emissions, never insert any metallic object into the device.
          • Please cease use of the device and contact OWC Support if it appears to be malfunctioning.

          Terms & Conditions of Sale

          Warranty

          The Mercury Elite Pro has a 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty if it was bundled with drives. Mercury Elite Pro enclosures that do not ship with drives have a 1 Year OWC Limited Warranty.

          Changes

          The material in this document is for information purposes only and subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, OWC, its parent, partners, affiliates, officers, employees, and agents assume no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein. OWC reserves the right to make changes or revisions in the product design or the product manual without reservation and without obligation to notify any person of such revisions and changes.

          FCC Statement

          Warning! Modifications not authorized by the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate this device.
          NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

          • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
          • Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
          • Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

          Copyrights and Trademarks

          © 2026 Other world Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. Mercury Elite Pro, OWC, and the OWC logo are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation, registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other marks may be the trademark or registered trademark property of their owners. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of OWC.

          Free Support Chat

          Our free award-winning support team is ready to answer all of your questions. Technical support is available Monday - Friday: 9AM - 6PM. Customer Support & Sales is available Monday - Friday: 9AM - 6PM. Support is unavailable on U.S. Federal holidays. Talk to a human today.

          This item has been added to your cart