OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad

Operating System & Hardware:

• Works with any USB-C or later equipped:
  • Mac: macOS 10.14 or later
  • PC: Windows 10 or later

Supported Hard Drives:

• Up to four 3.5 inch or 2.5 inch SATA drives (1.5Gb/s, 3.0Gb/s, or 6.0Gb/s)
  • 6.0Gb/s recommended for best performance

• (1) OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad
• (1) USB 3.1 Gen 2 cable (10Gbps) (Type-C to Type-C)
• (1) USB 3.1 Gen 1 cable (5Gbps) (Type-C to Type-A)
• (1) Power cable
• (2) Locking faceplate keys
  
• (1) 3 Years of SoftRAID Premium Access (License located on bottom of device)

1. Locking faceplate — Use the included keys to lock the faceplate for security, or remove the faceplate to gain access to the drive bays.
2. LED indicators — See the chart below for additional LED information

1. Kensington® Security Slot — Connect a security tether here.
2. USB 3.1 Gen 2 port — Attach one of the included USB cables here, using the Type-C connector.
3. ON/OFF switch — Power the Enclosure on and off here.
4. Power port — connect the included power cable here.

• This section describes the process of setting up the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad if purchased with pre-installed drives. The OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad is available assembled with (4) SATA HDDs configured as an OWC SoftRAID RAID 5.
  • Plug the power cable into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad power port located on the back and into a power outlet.
  • Connect the included USB cable to the USB 3.1 Gen 2 (AKA - USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) located on the back of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad and into a system.
• The OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad is configured as an OWC SoftRAID RAID 5. Downloading and installing the latest version of SoftRAID is recommended to experience the best performance.
  • NOTE: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad devices come bundled with "3 Years of SoftRAID Premium Access". Please visit OWC SoftRAID Product Details for more information regarding SoftRAID and the bundled Premium Access.
  • NOTE: The OWC SoftRAID license is located on the bottom of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad.

• Download OWC SoftRAID for Mac.
  • Please review and follow the steps outlined in OWC SoftRAID Installation for Mac.

• If you are using the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad with the Windows operating system, the pre-installed drives need to be reconfigured before they can be used. The following options will allow the Mac formatted OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad to work as a Windows formatted device.
  • Download OWC SoftRAID for Windows
    • Please review and follow the steps outlined in OWC SoftRAID Installation for Windows.
  • Please consult the support article "Mac to Windows – SoftRAID Volume Conversation" for instructions to convert the Mac formatted OWC SoftRAID RAID 5 to a Windows formatted device through OWC SoftRAID.
  • The Mac formatted OWC SoftRAID RAID 5 OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad can be used in Windows through the purchase and installation of OWC MacDrive11 Pro. OWC MacDrive11 Pro allows access to software RAID Mac-formatted drives in Windows without performing a conversion process. Please visit OWC MacDrive Product Details or OWC MacDrive Support for more information.

• This section describes the process of installing drives into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad if purchased as a bare enclosure.

1. Insert a key into the lock located at the top-left corner of the faceplate.
   
2. Turn the key clockwise, then pull it towards you. The faceplate will swing open.
   
3. Once the faceplate swings open fully, pull up to remove it. Set it aside.
   
4. To remove a tray, turn its thumbscrew counter-clockwise until you feel no resistance. Then, hold the thumbscrew and pull the tray out of the enclosure.
   
5. Set the drive tray on a work surface. If replacing a drive, unscrew it from the drive tray.
   NOTE: the highlighted screw holes are for 2.5 inch drives. The holes for 3.5 inch drives are highlighted in green (Step 7).
   
6. Place the drive inside the tray as shown. The label should face up and the SATA connectors should be oriented at the far, rear corner of the drive.
   NOTE: Note: If you encounter resistance when sliding the drive tray back into the enclosure, do not force the tray. Carefully remove it, check to make sure there are no obstructions and that the drive tray is aligned, then slide the tray onto the rails again.
   
7. Fasten the drive to the tray using six of the included screws (three per side).
   
8. Slide the drive tray back onto the rails in the enclosure and push until it is seated fully. Then, push the thumbscrew in and turn it clockwise until it stops turning.
   
9. Repeat steps 1 through 8 as necessary for each drive you install.
   NOTE: it is possible to install 2.5 inch SATA drives using the fine-threaded screws that are included (16 in total), and the four screw holes on the bottom of each drive tray.
10. The installed drives are ready to be formatted. Move onto Section 2.3 “RAID Configuration Options” for instructions on how to format and configure the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad.

• Downloading and installing the latest version of OWC SoftRAID is recommended to experience the best performance from the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad.
  • NOTE: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad devices come bundled with "3 Years of SoftRAID Premium Access". Please visit OWC SoftRAID Product Details
    for more information regarding SoftRAID and the bundled Premium Access.

• SoftRAID will assist with formatting the installed drives and setting up a RAID volume.
  • NOTE: The OWC SoftRAID license is located on the bottom of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad.

• Download OWC SoftRAID for Mac.
  • Please review and follow the steps outlined in OWC SoftRAID Installation for Mac.
• Please review and follow the instructions outlined in Creating a macOS OWC SoftRAID Volume.

• Download OWC SoftRAID for Windows
  • Please review and follow the steps outlined in OWC SoftRAID Installation for Windows.
• Please review and follow the instructions outlined in Creating a Windows OWC SoftRAID Volume.

1. Open the “Disk Utility” application on your Mac.
2. Choose “File” and select “RAID Assistant”.
3. Select a set type:
   • Striped (RAID 0) set: A striped RAID set can speed up access to your data. You can’t create a RAID set on your startup disk; you must first start up your computer from another disk.
   • Mirrored (RAID 1) set: Protect your data against hardware failure with a mirrored RAID set. When you create a mirrored RAID set, your data is written to multiple disks so the information is stored redundantly. You can’t create a RAID set on your startup disk; you must first start up your computer from another disk.
   • Concatenated (JBOD) set: Increase storage space with a concatenated disk set. If you need one large disk, but you have several smaller disks, you can create a concatenated disk set to use as one large disk.
4. Select the checkboxes of the disks you want to include in the set.
5. For each disk, click the pop-up menu in the Role column and choose “RAID slice” or “Spare” to designate the disk as a standard member or spare in the set, then click Next.
6. Enter a name for the RAID set in the RAID Name field.
7. Click the Format pop-up menu, then choose a volume format that you want for all the disks in the set. (See File system formats available in Disk Utility.)
8. Click the “Chunk size” pop-up menu, then choose a disk chunk size that you want used for all the disks.
   1. When you create a striped set, chunks of data from the same file are distributed across the drives. Ideally, you want data distributed across drives evenly and at an optimum size so that it can be efficiently accessed. If you want high data throughput from your set, choose a smaller chunk size so that data is spread across the drives and one drive can be accessing data while another is seeking the next chunk. With mirrored disk sets, choose a chunk size that matches the data you’re accessing. For example, when working with video files, your Mac is accessing large chunks of data, whereas when using a database of many small records, your disks may be accessing smaller chunks of information.
9. If you are creating a mirrored RAID set, select the “Automatically rebuild” checkbox to allow the set to be automatically rebuilt when member disks are reconnected
10. Click "Create" and then click "Done".

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 through OWC SoftRAID or manually through the operating system.

Please review the support article Storage Solutions: OWC Disk Performance for additional details.

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

1. Drag the icon for the device you wish to unmount to the trash can; OR
2. Right-click the device icon on the desktop, then click “Eject”; OR
3. 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.

• Always eject or unmount the volume(s) in use before powering the enclosure off or disconnecting it from the host.
• Although the ON/OFF switch controls power to the Elite Pro Quad, it requires a data signal in order to remain powered on. As long as the ON/OFF switch is in the ‘ON’ position, the device will power on when it receives a signal through the data cable. However if there is no data connection, after a brief time the drives will automatically spin down.
• If the enclosure enters sleep mode, depending on the temperature of the drives the cooling fan may continue operating until the drives have cooled down.
• This enclosure does not have any built-in RAID capabilities.
• The four drives can operate completely independent of the others, including unmounting a drive without impacting the others.
• When using the Option-boot screen on a Mac to choose a boot drive, having a Mercury Elite Pro Quad connected will slow the process of listing all bootable drives. The more drive volumes that are present, the longer it will take. Please be patient.

• Begin your troubleshooting by verifying that the power cable is connected to the Mercury Elite Pro Quad and to a power source. If the power cable is connected to a power strip or surge protector, make sure its power switch is in the ‘ON’ position.
• Next, verify that both ends of your cables are properly plugged into the computer and the enclosure. You can also connect the device to a different computer to eliminate the possibility that the problem is with the computer and not the Mercury Elite Pro Quad or its cables.
• If issues continue to occur, please know that OWC support is here to help. Contacting support information can be found in Section 4.3 "Contacting Support". Please have your serial number ready which is located on the bottom of the OWC Gemini and printed on the original packaging.

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 Quad and a second copy on your internal drive or another storage medium, such as an optical backup, or on a second external storage unit. Any data loss or corruption while using the enclosure 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.

• Phone, Chat, and Email support is available by visiting (owc.com/support)

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

• 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.

• 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.

OWC’s products are subject to OWC’s Terms & Conditions of Sale located at Terms of Sale or other applicable terms. The OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad comes with a 3-Year Limited Warranty when sold with drives, and a 1-Year Limited Warranty when sold without drives. Additional warranty information can be viewed by visiting Hardware Warranties.

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.

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 A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference with radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

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.

© 2023 Other World Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. OWC and the OWC logo are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation, registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Mercury Elite Pro is a trademark of New Concepts Development Corporation. Mac, macOS, and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. USB Type-C and USB-C are trademarks of USB Implementers Forum. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation 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.