OWC CanadaOWC Drive Guide
The OWC Drive Guide is a formatting application built for Mac and Windows users who require a simple walk-through of the drive formatting process. Drive Guide uses standard Mac and Windows formatting options to create the volumes needed to store information on your new drive.
The first set of steps covers the macOS process; if you are connecting to a Windows host, continue to section below.
macOS
Step 1
Connect your new drive to a power source if needed (consult the online user guide if you are unsure), then connect the drive to a Mac using the included data cable.
After a few seconds a disk icon that says ‘OWC Setup’ should appear on the Mac Desktop, or within ‘My Computer’ in Windows. Double-click the icon to open the OWC Setup window. Then double-click the OWC Drive Guide app icon that appears in the window to load the Welcome screen (below).
Step 2
The product listed and image shown in the following steps may differ from the one you have connected. I.E. the product shown will match or be very similar to the one you purchased. This document uses the Envoy Pro EX as an example.
Choose to accept the terms of the agreement and then click the ‘Next’ button. If you choose not to accept the terms, you will not be able to continue with the Drive Guide process.
Step 3
The configure screen allows you to choose the formatting options that are best suited to your drive (the Mac APFS option is not available for hard drives). The ‘Automatic’ options will configure your drive based on the OS type(s) being used…
…if you choose ‘Advanced’, you will see the screen shown in the second image below. This option allows you to create two volumes, choose a name and format for each, and the mix of capacities, based on the total capacity of the device.
Choose the option you want and then click ‘Next’.
Step 4
This step provides the option of installing the PDF documentation specific to your drive. When ready, click ‘Next’.
Step 5
A confirmation screen will appear, asking you if you are ready to continue. Please review the Volume information, make sure it is what you want, then click ‘Next’.
If the information is not what you expected (e.g. wrong format or wrong name), click the Previous button on each screen until you are back at Step 3. From there you can make the changes needed and return back to this point, and then to the next step using the ‘Next’ button.
Step 6
To start the formatting process you will be asked to provide system credentials, shown in the first image below. Once credentials are provided the progress meter will be displayed.
Step 7
Once completed a screen is displayed that allows you to wrap up the process and if you want to, open your new volume directly in the Finder or Windows Explorer.
Click ‘Open…’ or ‘Quit’ to finish the Drive Guide process.
Windows
Step 1
Connect your new drive to a power source if needed (consult the online user guide if you are unsure), then connect the drive to a PC using the included data cable.
After a few seconds a disk icon that says ‘OWC Setup’ should appear within ‘My Computer’. Double-click the icon to open the OWC Setup window. Then double click the OWC Drive Guide app icon that appears in the window to load the Welcome screen (right).
Step 2
Choose whether you want to accept the agreement, and whether you want to supply anonymous usage stats to OWC to help improve the app. Note if you choose not to accept the agreement you will not be able to continue with the Drive Guide process, but you can opt out of the usage stats portion and still continue to the next step. When ready click ‘Continue’.
Step 3
The option to automatically set up a single NTFS volume will be selected for you, then choose whether you also wish to install the PDF documentation for your product.
Additional information about using this product with both a Mac and PC is available by clicking a link, if applicable.
When ready, click the ‘Continue’ button.
Step4
Drive Guide will ask you if you are ready to begin the formatting process. Click the ‘Start’ button when ready.
After you click Start a Windows warning dialog will appear, notifying you that any data on the drive will be permanently erased. Click the ‘Erase Volume’ button (shown in the second image below) when ready, otherwise click ‘Cancel’.
Step 5
When the formatting process is complete, you will be provided with the option to either close the Drive Guide application or open the new volume directly in Windows Explorer. Choose your preferred option to complete the process.
© 2020 Other World Computing, Inc. OWC and the OWC logo are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation, registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Mac, macOS, and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other marks may be the trademark or registered trademark property of their owners.
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