Reviews
XIMETA
NetDisk Mini
The
NetDisk from XIMETA is an external pocket-sized Ethernet and ISB
2.0 hard drive with a twist. The twist is that it can provide
network storage accessible to multiple users. In order for that
to work, you need to connect the NetDisk Mini to a LAN hub via
a RJ45 cable and then install the proper software on your computer.
Although primarily designed for use with Windows XP, the NetDisk
supports other OS environments. Such as Macintosh OS X and Linux
RedHat 8 and 9. We were overjoyed as we use all three environments
in our office.
Installation
on a PC is trivial. You simply run the installation utility and
create a network disk. Obviously you don't want the whole world
to see your disk, and so you have to enter a 20-digit ID and then
a 5-digit read-write key. After that the Mini appeared as a hard
disk in the Windows ãMy Computerä panel as if it were a local
disk. Install the software in another PC and it shows up on that
computer's ãMy Computerä panel as well. Only one person can have
write access at a time so that files are not accidentally overwritten
or perhaps corrupted. Makes sense.
Next I downloaded
and installed the OS X software for ãPanther.ä Installation was
smooth and the administration utility saw the disk, but could
not mount it. I also downloaded the RedHat 9 software which came
as a RedHat-style rpm file. Once again installation of the software
went okay, albeit here you need to start the graphical admin utility
via the command line. The initial attempt errored out.
Turns out
that in order to function in a multi-OS environment, the Mini
needs to be formatted in FAT32 instead of its native NTFS file
system. So I opened a DOS window under Windows XP and formatted
the Mini. It formatted for a long time, then, frustratingly, determined
that the drive was too big to be formatted under FAT32, apparently
because under Windows XP you can't format a FAT32 volume greater
than 32GB. Why did the utility format it to then determine it
was too big? I then tried to get the device initialized and hopefully
formatted under Mac OS 9.2, but the Mac never even recognized
the drive. A Google reference indicated OS X could format large
FAT32
partitions, but following all instructions always ended with a
ãdevice busy.ä Finally I tried to format the drive under Linux,
but, as with everything Linux, that required too much time and
research, and I did not wish to inadvertently jeopardize our Linux
server.
So what this
means is that the NetDisk Mini may or may not be for you. As a
small, elegant external storage device with additional flexibility
it is hard to beat. You can copy work data and then take the Mini
home. Or do backups on it. Or share files with colleagues. Or
use it as a poor man's Windows Server. On the other hand, in a
multi-platform environment you do have to reformat the Mini to
FAT32, and at that at least our unit balked.
ö Natasha
Ryan
Home
