Although the ioSafe Solo is a USB only device, several of our users have successfully used the following for converting the ioSafe Solo to a NAS interface:

1. http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WRT610N Linksys WRT610N is the best bet for Windows systems as it will read and write to an NTFS or FAT32 formatted drive.We recommend this for Windows networks.

2. http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/ The Apple Airport Extreme can work for HFS+ or FAT32 formatted drives. We recommend this for Apple networks. You might need to download the latest firmware.

Unfortunately, ioSafe can't support any network setup or debug issues. From what we understand, both the Linksys and Apple devices are somewhat easy for experienced network people. If you are not familiar with setting up networks, this will be difficult so get some help.

Support for any network issues will have to be provided by either Linksys or Apple. HFS+ formatted drives only work on Macs. FAT32 format works for Mac and PCs but has a 4GB file size limitation and is not recommended. The ioSafe Solo comes preformatted in NTFS which is the preferred format for all PCs.

Your Solo was shipped with the Windows NTFS file system. To change this to work with your Mac, perform the following steps.

1. Save any information currently on the disk you want to keep
2. Open up the Disk Utility and highlight the drive you'd like to format (The line that contains the HDD size)
3. Click on the "Partition" tab
4. Click on the dropdown menu where it says "Volume Scheme" and select "1 Partition"
5. Click on the "Options" button, select the "Apple Partition Map" option and click "OK"
6. Click in the field that allows you to name the volume and type in the value you prefer.
7. Verify the volume format is set to "Mac OS Extended (journaled)
8. Click "Apply" and then click "Partition" to start the formatting process.

The partitioning process will take from 10 seconds to 2 minutes to complete. Once complete, the drive will mount on your Desktop with the name you provided in step 6.

Yes. Your Airport Extreme must be updated to the latest version of the firmware provided by Apple and you must re-partition your ioSafe Solo using the instructions provided in the "How do I format my Solo for use on my Mac?" FAQ entry.

Yes. The ioSafe Solo must be re-partitioned using the instructions provided in the "How do I format my Solo for use on my Mac?" FAQ entry.

FAT32 has a file size limitation of 4GB maximum. If all your files are smaller than 4GB, then you could use this format. As hi-definition video files and compressed backup files get larger, the 4GB limitation may prove to be problematic for you. There are a number of other technical issues with FAT32 format but this is the primary objection.

Yes. The ioSafe Solo must be re-partitioned using the instructions provided in the "How do I format my Solo for use on my Mac?" FAQ entry.

Symptom:
After about 10 GB or more of data is backed up to an external disk, Time Machine may stop backing up. This may happen the first time Time Machine backs up your files.

Products Affected:
Mac OS X 10.5, Time Machine

Resolution:
Your ioSafe Solo shipped with a Master Boot Record (MBR) partition type. For these disks, you will need to change the partition type by re-partitioning the disk so that it is supported by Time Machine:

Re-partition your ioSafe Solo using the instructions provided in the "How do I format my Solo for use on my Mac?" FAQ entry.

No, however the Solo rugged hard drive can be attached to standard storage arrays with an external USB port and used as a backup target -- easily adding fireproof and waterproof protection to your priceless digital data backup.

This occurs when you use the "Erase" tab in the Disk Utility. The "Partition" tab must be used. Re-partition your ioSafe Solo using the instructions provided in the "How do I format my Solo for use on my Mac?" FAQ entry.

Your ioSafe Solo will appear in the Netgear ReadyNAS "Volumes->USB Storage" tab if you do the following:

1. Update the firmware on your ReadyNAS to version 4.1.6 or later
2. Connect your ioSafe Solo to one of the ReadyNAS USB ports
3. Turn your ioSafe Solo ON
4. Turn your ReadyNAS ON, allow it to compete its boot process and access it through its Frontview interface
5. From the "System->Shutdown" tab, select "Shutdown and reboot device" and click Apply.
6. Your ioSafe Solo will now appear in the "Volumes->USB Storage" tab
7. Format your ioSafe Solo using the 'EXT3" file system

If you Shutdown your ReadyNAS, Power your ioSafe Solo OFF, or disconnect/dismount your ioSafe Solo, you will need to repeat steps 3 through 6 to regain access to your ioSafe Solo through your ReadyNAS.

This is a known issue with the ioSafe Solo. There are some versions of the Windows 2003/2008 Server and hardware combination that may or may not work with the ioSafe Solo. We're working on updating the ioSafe hardware compatibility list to include Windows 2003/2008 but currently is it not fully supported. As a work around, try using a Windows XP machine connected to the ioSafe Solo. In Windows, it is possible to share the ioSafe Solo drive across the network to other users including the server. Unfortunately, we cannot provide support on troubleshooting network shares due to the wide variety of network installations and firewalls. Here are some links to help you:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308582

http://www.jakeludington.com/windows_xp/20060113_sharing_a_hard_drive.html

ioSafe Solo works with the USB connection in PCs and Macs in a similar manner as any other external hard drive. The ioSafe Solo is rated to protect data in fires (up to 1550° F for 1/2 hour per ASTM E119) and from water damage (up to 10' submersion, 72 hours in salt water or fresh water).

Go to Google® and perform a search for "external hard drive reviews ioSafe Solo" or "compare external hard drives ioSafe Solo" and look for any reviews with the ioSafe Solo vs other external hard drives.

Any backup software that can recognize and backup to a USB attached hard drive should work.

Yes. The ioSafe Solo is designed to be bolted to the floor or used with a cable and padlock as shown.