LACIE STHK500800 Portable SSD 500 GB External SSD Hard Drive USB-C User Manual

: June 6, 2024
: LaCie

LaCie Portable SSD
User Manual

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Introduction

LaCie Portable SSD offers fast backup for the moments that matter most. With up to 2TB of capacity, no file need ever be sacrificed. Collaborate seamlessly, browse photos smoothly, and edit video directly from the drive with speeds up to 540MB/s.¹
For common questions and answers about your device, see Frequently Asked Questions or visit LaCie customer support.

Box content

LaCie Portable SSD
USB 3.1 Gen 2 (USB-C) cable
USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB-C)–to–USB Type-A cable (compatible with Type A USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports)

Important—Save your packaging. If you experience problems with your device and want to exchange it, the device must be returned in its original packaging.

Minimum system requirements

Ports

You can connect your LaCie device to a computer with a USB-C or USB Type-A (USB 3.0 or USB 2.0) port.

Operating system

Windows® 7 or higher
macOS® 10.11 or higher

Minimum free disk space

600MB recommended

Data rates may vary depending on the operating environment, interface, and capacity.

Cables and Connectors

USB-C protocols

USB is a serial input/output technology for connecting peripheral devices to a computer. USB-C is the latest implementation of this standard and it provides higher bandwidth and new power management features.
USB-C supports many protocols:

Hi-Speed USB 2.0	transfer rates up to 480Mb/s
SuperSpeed USB 3.0	transfer rates up to 5Gb/s
USB 3.1 Gen 1	transfer rates up to 5Gb/s
USB 3.1 Gen 2	transfer rates up to 10Gb/s
Thunderbolt 3	transfer rates up to 40Gb/s

The USB-C port on the LaCie Portable SSD is USB 3.1 Gen 2. You can connect your Portable SSD to any USBC or USB Type-A port but transfer rates vary.
See below for more details.

Cables

LaCie Portable SSD is delivered with two cables for universal compatibility with modern computers.

USB 3.1 (USB-C) cable

For optimal transfer rates up to 10Gb/s, use the USB 3.1 (USB-C) cable to connect LaCie Portable SSD.
Connecting the device is easy since the cable is identical on both ends.

USB 3.1 (USB-C)–to–USB Type-A cable

Use the USB 3.1 (USB-C)–to–USB Type-A cable to connect LaCie Portable SSD to a computer’s USB Type-A port (USB 3.0 or USB 2.0).

Transfer rates with USB Type-A connections have the potential to reach the following speeds:

SuperSpeed USB 3.0	transfer rates up to 5Gb/s
Hi-Speed USB 2.0	transfer rates up to 480Mb/s

Geng Started

Connect the USB cable

Before connecting LaCie Portable SSD, confirm the type of USB port on your computer, then choose the appropriate cable to connect your device.
Use the USB 3.1 (USB-C) cable if your computer has a USB-C port.

Use the USB-C–to–USB Type A (USB 3.0/USB 2.0) cable if your computer does not have a USB-C port.

Set up LaCie Portable SSD

The setup process lets you:

Register your LaCie Portable SSD| Get the most from your drive with easy access to information and support.
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Install Toolkit| Manage mirror folders, backup plans (Windows only), and more.

Your computer must be connected to the internet to register your device and install Toolkit.

A. Start here

Using a file manager such as Finder or File Explorer, open LaCie Portable SSD and launch Start Here Mac or Start Here Win.

B. Register your device

Enter your information and click Register.

C. Download Toolkit

Click the Download button.

D. Install Toolkit

Using a file manager such as Finder or File Explorer, go to the folder where you receive downloads.

| Open the LaCieToolkit.zip file. Click on the LaCie Toolkit Installer to launch the application.
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| Click on the LaCieToolkit.exe file to launch the application.

Your computer must be connected to the internet to install and run Toolkit.

Learn more about Toolkit
The toolkit provides useful tools that let you easily:

Manage backup plans (Windows only).
Create mirror folders.
Optimize disk format for use with a specific operating system.

For details on Toolkit features, see the Toolkit user manual.

Storage format

LaCie Portable SSD is a preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Windows and Mac computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system. Choose one of the following methods to optimize your drive:
Use Toolkit to optimize disk format. See the Toolkit user manual for details.
Manually format your drive. See Optional Formatting and Partitioning for details.

Disconnecting the device

In order to avoid file system corruption, it’s important to unmount LaCie Portable SSD’s volumes before disconnecting the interface cable. See Safely Remove LaCie Portable SSD From Your Computer for details.

Oponal Formang and Paroning

LaCie Portable SSD is a preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Mac and Windows computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system. There are two ways you can optimize performance:

Toolkit Optimize| Format your drive for optimal performance with just a few simple clicks.
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Manual formatting| Use Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac) to format your drive in nonnative formats.

About ﬁle system formats

NTFS— The native file system for Windows. macOS can read NTFS volumes but cannot natively write to them.
Mac OS Extended (HFS+)—An Apple file system optimized for macOS 10.12 and earlier. This file system remains the best option for external hard hard drives and is the only format compatible with Time Machine.
Windows cannot natively read or write to HFS+ (journaled) volumes.
APFS (Apple File System)—An Apple file system optimized for solid-state drives (SSDs) and flash-based storage systems. Note the following restrictions:

You cannot use an APFS-formatted disk as your Time Machine backup drive. Format LaCie Portable SSD to HFS+ if you intend to use it with Time Machine.
APFS is only supported on macOS 10.13 or later.

exFAT —Compatible with Mac and Windows. exFAT is not a journaled file system which means it can be more susceptible to data corruption when errors occur or the drive is not disconnected properly from the computer.
FAT32 —Compatible with Mac and Windows. However, FAT32 is a legacy file system designed for low-capacity hard drives and it is not recommended for modern hard drives or operating systems. A FAT32 partition can reach up to 32GB when formatted on a Windows PC.

How to choose the ﬁle system format

Use NTFS if:
…you connect the storage device to Windows computers, and you don’t need to allow a Mac to write to the disk.
Use HFS+ if:
…you connect the storage device to Mac computers, and you don’t need to allow a Windows computer to read or write to the disk. HFS+ is the only format compatible with Time Machine.
Use APFS if:
…you connect the storage device to Mac computers, and you don’t need to allow a Windows computer to read or write to the disk. Do not use APFS if you intend to use LaCie Portable SSD with Time Machine, or if your computer is not running macOS 10.13 or later.
Use exFAT if:
…you need to allow both Mac and Windows computers to read and write to the disk.
You can use FAT32 if:
…you connect the storage device to older Windows and Mac computers. FAT32 is not recommended for modern operating systems and computers.

Toolkit Optimize

Use Toolkit Optimize to format your drive for optimal performance with your operating system’s native file format. File transfer rates can be significantly better with the native format.

Formatting erases everything on the storage device. LaCie highly recommends that you back up all data on your storage device before performing the steps below. LaCie is not responsible for any data lost due to formatting, partitioning, or using a LaCie storage device.

Connect LaCie Portable SSD to your computer.
Open Toolkit.
On the Main Menu, click on the LaCie Portable SSD device.
Click on the More menu icon for the volume you want to optimize. There are two options:
OPTIMIZE— Let Toolkit choose the optimal format for your computer system and configure the volume for you with just a few clicks.
FORMAT— Opens the disk management utility for your operating system, which you can use to manually format your drive. Use this option if you want to format the drive in non-native formats.
Click Optimize.
A notice appears asking you to confirm the format operation. Click Format.

Manual forming

Use the steps below to manually format and partition a storage device.

Formatting erases everything on the storage device. LaCie highly recommends that you back up all data on your storage device before performing the steps below. LaCie is not responsible for any data lost due to formatting, partitioning, or using a LaCie storage device.

Mac

macOS version 10.11 and later

Open the Finder and go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
In the sidebar to the left, select your LaCie Portable SSD.
macOS starting version 10.13— Make sure to select the disk and not just the volume. If you don’t see two entries listed in the sidebar, change the view in the disk utility to show both the drive and the volume. The view button is on the upper left side of the Disk Utility window. Change the view to Show All Devices. This feature was introduced in macOS 10.13 and is not available in 10.11 or 10.12.
Select Erase.
A dialog box opens. Enter a name for the drive. This will be the name displayed when the drive mounts.
For Format, select OS X Extended (Journaled).
For Scheme, select GUID Partition Map.
Click Erase.
Disk Utility formats the drive. When it’s finished, click Done.

Windows

Make sure the storage device is connected to and mounted on the computer.
Go to Search and then type diskmgmt.MSC. In the search results, double-click Disk Management.
From the list of storage devices in the middle of the Disk Management window, locate your LaCie device.
The partition must be available to format. If it is currently formatted, right-click on the partition and then choose Delete.
To create a new partition, right-click on the volume and select New Simple Volume. Follow the on-screen instructions when the New Simple Volume Wizard appears.

Safely Remove LaCie Portable SSD From Your Computer

Always eject a storage drive from your computer before physically disconnecting it. Your computer must perform filing and housekeeping operations on the drive before it is removed. Therefore, if you unplug the drive without using the operating system’s software, your files can become corrupt or damaged.

Mac

There are several ways you can eject your device from a Mac. See below for two options.

Eject via Finder window

Open a Finder window.
On the sidebar, go to Devices and locate the drive you want to eject. Click the eject symbol to the drive name.
Once the device disappears from the sidebar or, the Finder window closes, you can disconnect the interface cable from your Mac.

Eject via Desktop

Select the desktop icon for your device and drag it to the Trash.
When the device icon is no longer visible on your desktop, you can physically disconnect the device from your Mac.

Windows

Use the Safely Remove tool to eject a device.

Click the Safely Remove icon in your Windows System Tray to view the devices you can eject.
Windows 7
Windows 8 / Windows 10
If you don’t see the Safely Remove Hardware icon, click the Show hidden icons arrow in the system tray to display all icons in the notification area.
In the list of devices, choose the device you want to eject. Windows displays a notification when it is safe to remove the device.
Disconnect the device from the computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

For help setting up and using LaCie Portable SSD, review the frequently asked questions below. For additional support resources, go to LaCie customer support.

All users

Problem: My ﬁle transfers are too slow

Q: Are both ends of the USB cable firmly attached?
A: Review troubleshooting tips for cable connections below:

Check both ends of the USB cable and make sure that they are fully seated in their respective ports.
Try disconnecting the cable, waiting 10 seconds, and then reconnecting it.
Try a different USB cable.

Q: Is the device connected to a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port on your computer or hub?
A: If your device is connected to a Hi-Speed 2.0 port or hub, the inferior performance is normal. LaCie
Portable SSD performance will improve when it is connected to a USB 3.1 port or a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port. Otherwise, the device operates at slower USB transfer rates.
Q: Are there other USB devices connected to the same port or hub?
A: Disconnect other USB devices and see if the device’s performance improves.

Problem: I have an older computer with USB 2.0 ports
Q: Will my device’s USB 3.1 Gen 2 port work with my computer’s USB 2.0 port?
A: Yes, the cable end that plugs into the computer (USB Type A) is compatible with both USB 3.0 and USB
2.0. Make certain to use the included cable with the correct USB Type-A connector. However, the transfer rates are much slower with USB 2.0.

Problem: I must use a USB hub for my USB devices
Q: Can I use my device with a USB hub?
A: Yes, the device can be connected to a USB hub. If you use a hub and encounter detection problems, slower than normal transfer rates, random disconnection from your computer or other unusual issues, try connecting the device directly to the computer’s USB port.
Some USB hubs are less than efficient with power management, which can be problematic for connected devices. In such a case, consider trying a powered USB hub that includes a power cable.
Please note that USB 2.0 hubs limit your device’s transfer rates to USB 2.0 speeds.

Problem: The provided USB cables are too short
Q: Can I use my device with a longer cable?
A: Yes, provided it is certified according to USB standards. However, LaCie recommends using the cable shipped with your device for the best results. If you use a longer cable and experience problems with detection, transfer rates or disconnection, use the original cable included with your device.

Problem: I’m receiving ﬁle transfer error messages
Q: Did you get an “Error -50” message while copying to a FAT32 volume?

A: When copying files or folders from a computer to a FAT32 volume, certain characters in the names cannot be copied. These characters include, but are not limited to: ? < > / \ : Check your files and folders to ensure that these characters are not in the names.
If this is a recurring problem or you cannot find files with incompatible characters, consider reformatting the drive to NTFS (Windows users) or HFS+ (Mac users). See Optional Formatting and Partitioning.
Q: Did you get an error message telling you that the drive has been disconnected when coming out of sleep mode?
A: Ignore this message since the drive remounts on the desktop despite the pop-up. LaCie drives conserve power by spinning down when you set your computer to sleep mode. When the computer awakes from sleep mode, the drive may not have enough time to spin up, causing the pop-up to appear.

Mac

Problem: The device icon does not appear on my desktop
Q: Is your Finder configured to hide hard drives on the desktop?
A: Go to Finder and then check Preferences | General tab | Show these items on the desktop. Confirm that Hard Disks is selected.
Q: Is your device mounting in the operating system?
A: Open Disk Utility at Go | Utilities | Disk Utility. If the device is listed in the left-hand column, check your Finder preferences to see why it is not displayed on the desktop (review the question above).
Q: Does your computer’s configuration meet the minimum system requirements for use with this device?
A: Refer to the product packaging for the list of supported operating systems.
Q: Did you follow the correct installation steps for your operating system?
A: Review the installation steps in Getting Started.

Windows

Problem: The device icon doesn’t appear on the Computer

Q: Is the device listed in Device Manager?
A: All drives appear in at least one place in Device Manager.
Type Device Manager in Search to launch it. Look in the Disk Drives section and, if necessary, click the Plus (+) icon to view the full list of devices. If you’re uncertain that your drive is listed, safely unplug it and then reconnect it. The entry that changes is your LaCie device.
Q: Is your device listed next to an unusual icon?
A: Windows Device Manager usually provides information about failures with peripherals. While the Device Manager can assist with troubleshooting most problems, it may not display the exact cause or provide a precise solution.
An unusual icon next to the device can reveal a problem. For example, instead of the normal icon based on the type of device, it has an exclamation point, question mark or an X. Right-click this icon and then choose Properties. The General tab provides a potential reason why the device is not working as expected.

Regulatory Compliance

Product Name	LaCie Portable SSD
Regulatory Model Number	RD0FV0

China RoHS 2

China RoHS 2 refers to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Order No. 32, effective July 1, 2016, titled Management Methods for the Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products. To comply with China RoHS 2, we determined this product’s Environmental Protection Use Period (EPUP) to be 20 years in accordance with the Marking for the Restricted Use of Hazardous Substances in Electronic and Electrical Products, SJT 11364-2014.

Taiwan RoHS

Taiwan RoHS refers to the Taiwan Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection’s (BSMI’s) requirements in standard CNS 15663, Guidance to the reduction of the restricted chemical substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Beginning on January 1, 2018, Seagate products must comply with the “Marking of presence” requirements in Section 5 of CNS 15663. This product is Taiwan RoHS compliant. The following table meets the Section 5 “Marking of presence” requirements.

PROVO
Product Name: LaCie Portable SSD, Model: SRDOFVO

Unit| Restricted S &stare and its chemical symbol
(Pb)| (Hg)| (Cd)| (Cr’6)| (PBB)| (PBDE)
HDD| | 0| 0| 0| 0|
Bridge PCI3A| —| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0
Power Supply (if provided)| —| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0
Interface cable (if provided)| —| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0
Other enclosure components| 0| 0| 0| 0
0| 0|
Note 1.”0″ indicates that the percentage content of the restricted substance does not exceed the percentage of the reference value of presence.
Note 2.”—”indicates that the restricted substance corresponds to the exemption.