The total shrinkage of the optical storage market under the onslaught of external hard drives and flash drives is entirely due to objective reasons, however, it also leads to some unpleasant side effects. In particular, software is still actively sold on CD and DVD, so installing it on computers without drives is not always a trivial task. Of course, installation packages can often simply be copied to the same hard drive, but fiddling with a huge number of small files is simply inconvenient. The best way The solution to the problem is to use images, since each disk turns into one file, and you can put a lot of them on one small drive. However, it is necessary convenient solution problems of subsequent use. When translating from clerical into Russian, you will need an installed program on your computer to work with recorded images. But what if it’s a “someone else’s” computer where it’s not there? Or, even worse, there is no system at all that just needs to be installed? Microsoft, of course, offers a utility for transferring Windows 7 from a disk to a flash drive (or other USB drive), but the range of those on the market is not limited to this operating system. And there are also all sorts of special disks for diagnostics or system recovery, and just LiveCD for getting acquainted with various operating systems, etc. In general, when all this was recorded on a CD, it was easier - insert the disk into the drive, and that’s it. If necessary, just boot from it. Moreover, from any ready-made disk, since all products are independent of each other and there is no need to prepare a bootable flash drive every time (not to mention the fact that not all software correctly transfers migration from a CD to a USB drive).
Is there a convenient way to solve all these problems? Now it is. It’s even strange that it appeared so late, although the problem became relevant quite a long time ago. And it is doubly strange that the solution to the issues raised was not taken up by one of the old participants in the external drive market, but by the Zalman company, better known for its coolers and other related products (although in fact the original developer here is actually different, as is often the case, but he is generally unknown to the general public). Now here is a breakthrough into a completely different market. Moreover, solving the problem of using ISO images on any system is one of the main features of the ZM-VE200, but not its only advantage. Which makes you want to get to know the product better.
Design
Even externally, the device is slightly different from most “typical” external modules, although it has the same design. The case, measuring 135.3 x 78.6 x 13.1 mm and weighing 98.5 grams, is mostly made of anodized aluminum and can be had in black or silver. Soundly, even if not exclusive :)
But the small monochrome LCD display at the top of the front surface is an unusual element. But it is very useful, although its main task is just to select a “working” image (which is done using the jog-dial on the left side of the box), which will be mounted on the virtual optical drive. However, in addition to this, the screen allows you to get information about installed disk, its temperature (how many paranoids miss this in “regular” boxes!), operating mode, firmware version (it can be updated), etc.
All others active elements traditionally concentrated on one of the short ends and include eSATA and USB mini-B connectors, as well as a write lock slider. An extremely important thing for a person involved in computer servicing (and simply often going to suspicious places) - you don’t have to worry about catching and taking away some kind of infection with you. In general, the latter plus support for two interfaces and, to a lesser extent, built-in diagnostic tools are already enough to make the product interesting for purchase. And we haven’t gotten to the main feature yet! For now, we’ll just note that if support for ISO images and the eSATA interface are not required, you can save a lot of money by purchasing the ZM-HE100 model: it too is equipped with write protection.
Contents of delivery
In the box with the device, in addition to the device itself, you can also find a pair of interface cables (USB and eSATA), each 50 cm long, a pair of bolts for securely fixing the assembled drive, a miniature screwdriver for screwing/unscrewing them, and a protective leatherette cover. The design of the latter allows the hard drive to be used without being removed from the case, although if you plan on long-term continuous operation, it is still a good idea to take it out as far as possible - it will cool better. And one more element of the kit - a transparent film, approximately the size of a hard drive - baffles, as it turned out, many buyers who cannot find a scope for it, and this issue is not addressed in the manual :) In fact, we have an example touching care of Zalman designers about little things - it should be placed under the hard drive and placed. The rationale is simple: the box itself is made of aluminum, i.e. it conducts electric current, and on the “belly” of the hard drive there is an open printed circuit board, so theoretically something could fail to close and it would fail.
Functionality
And finally, we got to the “delicious” part. The fly in the ointment, however, is that in “high-speed” mode (i.e., when connected to a computer using eSATA), the device does not have any additional functionality to simple copying and storing data. The display simply displays “eSATA Mode”, and that’s it. Even, by the way, the ability to find out the current temperature of the disk disappears.
So in order to fully enjoy the “features”, you should connect the box to the computer when USB help. And there should also be a folder on it with the name “_ISO”, in which there should be ISO images in an amount not exceeding 32 pieces (by the way, when using firmware earlier than 61F from April 29, use on disk is also required file system NTFS - FAT32 and exFAT were added only to it).
If all this is observed, we get the opportunity to select one of three operating modes, and the current one is shown on the display: HDD Mode Similar to the eSATA mode (and 99% of external modules and ready-made HDDs on the market), the device works like a banal external hard drive. ODD Mode In this mode for the VE-200 system it looks like a USB CD/DVD/BD-ROM into which one of the “disks” recorded in the folder is installed. Which specific ISO image will be mounted can be selected manually using the wheel on the left side, controlling the process by the file names changing on the display. Unfortunately, in addition to the above, they will have to be “called” with short names and not use Cyrillic characters: long ones are cut off, and characters not related to the Latin alphabet are displayed with spaces. However, it is difficult to consider this such a serious limitation. For particularly inquisitive tuning fans, we will briefly hint that the problem of Russification, as well as expanding the list of supported types of disk images (to be fair, all sorts of exotic ones), can be solved by using firmware, but at your own peril and risk... And flash it instead of the “native” one follows in a not too trivial way (but here’s how - look on the Internet for yourself ;)). Dual Mode Compilation of the two modes described above: an external module connected to the computer generates two devices - both the VZD and the optics. Accordingly, we get access to all stored files (and, as mentioned above, it can be limited to read only, which is very useful when working on someone else’s potentially unsafe computer), as well as the ability to work with ISO images.
The latter is possible in two modes. The first and simplest, namely mounting images while the operating system is loaded, always works great and does not cause any problems. Thus, you can throw away all CDs and DVDs with distribution kits stored at home, having previously “rolled” them into images. The limit of 32 files will not interfere much with this - after all, images can be stored in different folders (such as “ISO_office_program”, “ISO_linux”, “ISO_windows_system”, “ISO_games”, etc.) simply by renaming the desired one to “_ISO” before use. A more serious limitation, perhaps, is that this format is not very suitable (or at all) for storing some copy-protected toys. But there are no complaints about Zalman here - the company did not plan to encourage piracy. And such disks are not system disks, so you can work with them the old fashioned way - using software virtual CDs.
For system disks (from various Linux distributions to all kinds of “reanimators”), another use case is most relevant, namely booting from a virtual CD drive! Let’s be honest, not everything is going smoothly with her. As practice has shown, such virtual drives are not supported by a considerable number of motherboards Intel (more precisely, the BIOS versions used by the company), not only sold as a separate version, but also found in laptops. This problem applies not only to the ZM-VE200 - we also encountered it, for example, when testing Silicon Power Ultima 155, where the controller is clearly different. So the culprit should be sought among the programmers who worked on the loading module (the problem only appears at this stage), but this, of course, does not make it any easier. However, most tested computers do not have such problems - booting from a virtual drive is exactly the same as from a regular one: you just need to select it in the BIOS or (which is available on most modern motherboards) use a special boot menu. Accordingly, you can install any operating system- not necessarily initially designed for such a use case (which is true for Windows 7) and without any traditional dancing with a tambourine and fussing with third party programs(which are needed for a similar installation of Windows XP). However, unlike flash drives, some of which support partitioning disk space for a virtual CD, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one system - there can be several “boot” disks. You just need to choose the one you want - and it will be a special LiveCD for “repairing” the system or boot disk Windows 95, it doesn’t matter to the drive (and computer) :)
Testing methodology
The question arises - did all this developed functionality affect how the hard drive obtained after installing the hard drive will cope with traditional tasks, such as storing and transferring information? That's why we subjected it to traditional testing. The technique is described in detail in a separate article. There you can get acquainted with the configuration of the test bench and the software used. The only change is that instead of the Seagate Momentus 5400.5 ST9320320AS hard drive traditionally used in testing external modules, which is already too small and slow from the modern point of view, we decided to take the top Seagate model: Momentus XT ST95005620AS. It is clear that for external hard disk, this drive with a platter rotation speed of 7200 rpm and an additional flash buffer is redundant (especially since it costs about twice as much as a “regular powder” of the same capacity, and 750 GB in the traditional version can be bought cheaper), but in in this case you can be absolutely sure that it will not become a bottleneck. And we will compare the test subject with fast dual-interface models.
Competitors
As the latter, we took the recently tested Verbatim Store'n'Go (with Samsung HM500JI 500 GB inside) and Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex (with Momentus 5400.6 ST9500325AS 500 GB inside) with a “standard” interface module (supporting USB 2.0) and Power eSATA Upgrade Cable. Although GoFlex does not provide versatility the easy way(to switch from USB 2.0 to eSATA and back, you need to change the interface module), it is one of the few (like the Verbatim drive) that supports eSATA modification with power, which is somewhat better than a pair of VE-200 cables, for which the latter can be blamed. But you don’t have to quibble :)
Lavalys Everest 5.0
As for the data transfer speed over the interface, the Zalman product has nothing to brag about - regardless of the interface, it lags behind its competitors. Let's see how this affects tests that are closer to practical use.
IOMeter
But in random operations, where the determining factor is the hard drive installed inside, the kit we assembled easily and without straining unconditionally takes first place.
Intel NAS Performance Toolkit
A fast hard drive coupled with eSATA allows the VE-200 to successfully fight for leadership, but as soon as you switch to the more common USB 2.0, it immediately begins to lag behind its competitors.
A similar situation occurs when recording data. However, should we be too upset? Yes, of course, about 20% lag is a lot, but the external module supports not only USB 2.0. So it’s enough just to use eSATA - this option is many times faster than USB. And regardless of the implementation;)
If, of course, you rely on using the HDD to transfer information, and not as a “working” drive, the situation cannot be corrected with a quick interface. Alas, this is the price to pay for a functionally complex controller.
Prices
The table shows the devices in Moscow that were relevant at the time you read this article:
| Zalman ZM-VE200 |
| N/A(0) |
Total
If you try, you can make a whole list of complaints about the Zalman VE-200: no support for USB 3.0, eSATA without power, performance is lower than it could be. All this is so...
However, the real and potential shortcomings are more than compensated for by truly unique functionality! In principle, as we have already said, initially this was not a Zalman development, however, since the company was able to discern a good idea and become the world's main seller of its implementation, the reward, it seems to us, will be right at the address :) Indeed, the need for something like this has long been in the air in the air, since often the only task performed by the optical drive in a modern computer is to install the operating system. Or any service activities. In general, for the sake of occasional loading, keep such a device (despite its low price) farming becomes uninteresting. With the ZM-VE200 we get a very convenient and fast CD/DVD-ROM in addition to a capacious and productive external hard drive. Moreover, all the shortcomings of the second functional component are not critical - against the backdrop of the still well-selling VZD, equipped only with USB 2.0, it demonstrates a completely different level of performance in favorable conditions;) Which is only aggravated by the support for write protection, which, judging by our Conference , for many users of mobile external drives, who are forced to work with them on potentially unsafe computers, is very relevant. And there are no complaints about the first one at all, if you compare it with, for example, a USB drive. It's all in one. It is possible, of course, that the price will scare off some potential individual buyers, but in the household of a system administrator, service engineer or real computer equipment enthusiast, such a box, it seems to us, will be an irreplaceable thing.
IN modern world There are a lot of stereotypes... for example, that Japanese cars are better than South Korean ones, or that money is best kept in Swiss banks. Sometimes it can be interesting to see how much existing stereotypes actually justify themselves. Electronics produced by South Korean companies such as LG or Samsung have always been considered a good compromise between product quality and cost. The hero of our today's testing is an external 2.5" enclosure for hard drives, Zalman ZM-VE200, also made by a South Korean manufacturer. Zalman actually has a good reputation among manufacturers of cooling systems for computers. But HDD enclosures are not cooling systems. Let's see how The Zalman company is doing well in the “HDD pockets” market.
The factory packaging turned out to be relatively small, as was the product itself. On its front side there is an image of a black HDD pocket, on the sides of which two silver devices are placed in the background. Apparently, the manufacturer has set itself the goal of presenting external HDD boxing to the buyer at a glance, and in the same way help him decide on the more desirable color of the product. The packaging is well balanced and not overloaded with secondary information; only the basic names and designations of the external HDD pocket ZM-VE200. Despite the laconicism of the packaging, one inscription still makes you pleasantly surprised: “External HDD Case + Virtual Drive.” Wait a minute, is the virtual disk included? This is great, but let's talk about everything in order.
Let's first take a brief look at the main features and technical characteristics of the external pocket for hard drives Zalman ZM-VE200, which can be found both on the back of the package and on the manufacturer's official website.
Key features of Zalman ZM-VE200:
Aluminium case
Pre-installed software for mounting CD/DVD images from ISO files: No additional software is required to mount any ISO image.
Built-in screen that displays information about the status of the hard drive
Protective case included
The ability to mount ISO images, a built-in screen on which information is displayed - yes, it looks like we have here a case with its own operating system, no less!
Specifications Zalman ZM-VE200:
Dimensions (LxWxH): 135.3x78.6x13.1 mm
Weight: 98.5 g
Material: aluminum, acrylic, polycarbonate
Type: 2.5" SATA HDD
Interfaces: USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 1.1), eSATA Direct HDD Access
Data transfer rate: USB up to 480 Mbit/s, eSATA up to 3 Gbit/s
Spindle speed: 5400 or 7200 rpm
Nutrition: USB
Color: black, silver
The factory packaging opens from the top, after which you can take out another additional cardboard package (gray, without beautiful pictures), in which, in addition to the HDD pocket itself, a protective case, a short user manual, and a screwdriver with bolts are neatly packed. It's nice to note that USB and eSATA cables also come standard. Obviously, the device comes without a hard drive. The protective case is a very nice bonus that protects appearance HDD case, especially considering that the ZM-VE200 can be located in it while it is connected to the computer, without fear of overheating.
As mentioned above, outer casing for a hard drive it can be either black or silver. The USB pocket we received for testing is painted silver, and in my opinion, it is more attractive than black, since it contrasts more with the overall appearance of the product.
Connecting and using the Zalman ZM-VE200 will not cause any trouble even for you to the average user PC. On the right, on the top side of the HDD case there is a USB port, a write-protect function switch, a hard drive activity LED, a factory firmware recovery button, and an eSATA port. Unlike other 2.5" and 3.5" devices, this HDD box is powered only by a USB or eSATA cable, which explains the absence of a special power connector. This fact is both a plus and a minus at the same time. The fact is that not all today's eSATA ports support the function of powering the devices connected to them, so it would be nice to still leave a special connector for powering the hard drive if necessary, or at least emphasize the fact of incompatibility with the eSATA standard.
Installing a hard drive in the Zalman ZM-VE200 we tested today turned out to be even easier than I could have imagined. All you need to do to install your hard drive inside the pocket is to connect the HDD itself to a special controller via the appropriate connectors, and then insert the HDD along with the connected controller inside the pocket (HDD first, the controller remains at the top). Once you have connected and inserted the hard drive inside, all that remains is to securely fasten it inside using a screwdriver and two bolts, which the South Korean manufacturer thoughtfully included in the delivery package. During installation, you need to slightly open the rubber band that hides the mounting holes. By the way, after installation, this tape will stick out a little due to the tightened bolts, and this, although small, is still a flaw of the Korean engineers.
After installation is complete, it would be a sin not to test the strength and build quality of the case of our today's test subject. Simply shaking and moving the device convinced me that the engineers had designed the case well and that it was strong and reliable. While most 3.5" devices aren't designed for everyday carry, the ZM-VE200's 2.5" HDD pocket—one of the smallest HDD enclosures I've ever handled—is specifically designed for maximum mobility and portability.
Our next review is dedicated to the external housing for hard drives Zalman ZM-VE350. The box is designed for 2.5-inch SATA drives and supports high-speed USB 3.0 interface. The device is equipped with a virtual optical drive function, allowing you to connect ISO images on the fly. The write protection feature helps prevent damage to important files.
VIDEO REVIEW ZALMAN ZM-VE350
EQUIPMENT AND CHARACTERISTICS ZALMAN ZM-VE350
An external hard drive box that arrived to us for testing Zalman ZM-VE350 comes in a black cardboard box.
Packaging Zalman ZM-VE350
Package Included:
- Boxing itself.
- Case.
- USB 3.0 cable.
- Set of screwdriver and four screws.
- Quick guide.
Equipment Zalman ZM-VE350
The complete cable is 50 cm long, including connectors.
USB 3.0 cable
The case is very thick and it is easy to remove the device from it. You can, of course, use the box directly in the case, but we do not recommend doing this, otherwise the inserted drive may overheat.
Zalman ZM-VE350 in case
We have compiled the technical characteristics of the device into a single table.
| HDD interface | SATA, form factor 2.5″ |
| Device interface | USB 3.0 (backwards compatible with USB 2.0) |
| Device interface baud rate | USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps; USB 3.0: up to 5 Gbps |
| Working with ISO images | Virtual optical drive |
| Indicator | Lights up when power is turned on, flashes when data is being exchanged |
| Nutrition | Power via USB |
| Dimensions | 131x79x13 mm (L x W x H) |
| Weight | 96 g (without storage) |
DESIGN ZALMAN ZM-VE350
Frame Zalman ZM-VE350 mostly made of painted aluminum with soft polymer inserts on the sides. On the front side there is an LCD display and led indicator activity.
External hard case Zalman disk ZM-VE350
At the top end there is a Backup button and USB connector 3.0 (Micro-B type, also transmitting power to the HDD) for connecting the supplied cable.
Upper end of Zalman ZM-VE350
Glued to the opposite end Technical information about the model.
Bottom end on Zalman ZM-VE350
On the left side there is a push lever for navigating through the device menu, and the rest of the space is occupied by a soft insert.
Left side panel Zalman ZM-VE350
On the right side, except for the second such insert, there is nothing important.
Right side panel Zalman ZM-VE350
The build quality is decent - buttons and body elements do not loosen. In general, the design gives the impression of being monolithic.
TESTING ZALMAN ZM-VE350
To install a drive into the box, you will first have to remove the module with the LCD screen, which essentially contains the entire contents of the device.
Base Zalman block ZM-VE350
For testing we took solid state drive Intel Solid X25-M and connected it to the internal SATA port.
SSD connected to Zalman ZM-VE350 board
For reliability, it is worth clamping the module with the supplied screws - the holes for them are hidden under the folded edges of the soft inserts.
Screw holes for Zalman ZM-VE350
To do this, we used the included screwdriver - fortunately, little effort is required, so the miniature size of the screwdriver is not a hindrance. It is worth noting that the kit includes twice as many screws as needed - four versus the required two.
Zalman ZM-VE350 base unit secured with screws
After connecting to the PC, the display of our device turned blue and displayed a simple menu.
Display Zalman ZM-VE350
At the same time, the operating system recognized two devices at once: the USB drive itself and an additional optical drive - completely virtual, as indicated in its name.
Zalman ZM-VE350 in task manager
This is precisely the main feature of this case - you can mount any ISO images by placing them in a folder "_ISO" on the disk inserted into the case. For example, downloaded from MSDN Windows image 7 was read without problems.
Windows 7 image in Zalman ZM-VE350 virtual drive
However, our copy was initially with faulty firmware, and for the virtual drive function to work correctly, we had to update the device software to more current version. We attach the archive with the firmware and update instructions below. REMEMBER: This operation is carried out at your own peril and risk, and if you are not exactly sure what you are doing, it is better to contact technical support or a service center.
- Instructions for firmware Zalman ZM-VE350 (122.7 KB).
- Archive with Zalman ZM-VE350 firmware (579.78 KB).
However, the drive function can be turned off completely - to do this, you just need to select the appropriate mode, of which there are three:
- HDD Mode – drive mode without a drive.
- VCD Mode – “virtual drive only” mode.
- DUAL Mode – simultaneous operation.
Zalman ZM-VE350 modes
Another great feature Zalman ZM-VE350– ability to set write protection. This allows you to work even in a potentially or actually virus-infected system without the danger of contracting an infection. All you need to do is select “Enable WP” from the menu. The lock icon closes on the start screen - and that’s it, no problems.
Installing write protection in Zalman ZM-VE350
Additionally, in the “Information” section you can see the temperature of the media (let’s say right away that it is determined incorrectly for SSDs, don’t be alarmed), S.M.A.R.T. status, serial number and controller firmware version.
Information about the drive in Zalman ZM-VE350
Now let's check the performance when using the USB interface. 3.0. IN HD Tune 5 the speed graph has an average read speed of 161.9 MB/s with a random access time of 0.169 ms. The CPU load was 9.8%.
Result of Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 3.0) in HD Tune 5
IN Crystal Disk Mark 3 sequential read and write speeds showed results of 250.3 MB/s and 96.19 MB/s, respectively.
Result of Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 3.0) in Crystal Disk Mark 3
Next, we switched to the USB 2.0 interface and tested the speed characteristics again. IN HD Tune 5 an almost flat graph shows that the drive’s performance significantly exceeds the capabilities of the USB 2.0 interface, so we have an average read speed of 31.7 MB/s with an increased random access time of 0.408 ms. But the load on the processor is only slightly higher – 11.5% versus 9.8% when transferring data via USB 3.0.
Result of Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 2.0) in HD Tune 5
Result in Crystal Disk Mark 3 also hit the USB 2.0 performance ceiling.
Result of Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 2.0) in Crystal Disk Mark 3
So, the figures correspond to the declared throughput even for SSDs. So what about the usual hard drive The box will handle it without any problems.
ZALMAN ZM-VE350: CONCLUSIONS
Price Zalman ZM-VE350 at the time of testing is approximately 4,000 rubles. For this money you get a fairly convenient tool that not only works as a portable one HDD, but also allows you to install the operating system from an ISO image on virtually any PC, and the images can be mounted right along the way. The box not only delivers speeds sufficient to run an SSD, but is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0. At the same time, to ensure data safety, a write protection option is provided, with which you can work even on an infected computer without fear of losing files or spreading the virus further.
Pros of Zalman ZM-VE350:
- Support for mounting ISO images.
- Works with USB 3.0 without reducing the performance of the inserted drive.
- Write protection function.
- The metal body dissipates heat well.
Cons of Zalman ZM-VE350:
- No significant findings were found.
Zalman ZM-VE350 does not see iso. Solution to the problem.
The other day I became the owner of a Zalman ZM-VE350. Since the main area of my work is related to computer repair and system administration, I desperately needed it. I had to buy it because I lost the Zalman ZM-VE300, about which a lot has already been said. But if you came to this article, then you know why you need it and what its main capabilities are. You can skip everything and go to the instructions.
The kit includes an aluminum ZM-VE300 case, a thick carrying case, USB cable 3.0, installation CD with programs, quick start guide and a small screwdriver with bolts for fixing the hard drive.
Zalman ZM-VE300 has an impressive design: a lightweight aluminum case with plastic inserts on the sides, a small LCD screen that displays the status of the disk. On the top edge there is an activity indicator, a socket for connecting a USB cable and a “Backup” button. In addition, on the left side of the box there is a three-position joystick-wheel, with which almost all actions are performed. The activity indicator is two-color. White color is used to indicate operation in USB 2.0 mode, blue - in USB 3.0 mode.
In order to install a hard drive in the Zalman ZM-VE300, you need to remove the top board with the display and connect the drive itself to it. Then insert the resulting structure into the aluminum housing.
Of the three 2.5" drives we tried, the Zalman ZM-VE300 refused to work with one, but accepted the other two normally. I didn’t find any pattern in its preferences, and, as it became clear from the reviews in different internets, I'm not the only one who had this problem. So it's probably better to have a few different drives ready.
When the disk is installed and functionality has been verified, you need to secure it. Bend the seal from the sides of the case; holes for the bolts are hidden under them. As I already said, bolts and a small screwdriver are included in the kit, so there shouldn’t be any problems with fastening. But the seal doesn’t want to go back up, since it is made of hard plastic and after bending it starts to hang out. A trifle, of course, but it spoils the impression. A regular rubber seal would look more harmonious here.
In the first Zalman ZM-VE300 models, the firmware only allowed working with disks formatted in FAT32 to support file NTFS systems I had to install alternative firmware from a similar device - iODD-2531. In new batches, the firmware is more recent, with it NTFS drives are perfectly supported without additional steps. Download latest version Firmware and programs necessary for updating can be found on the website.
ZM.VE300.Firmware.Upgrade.R1288N.zip (343,728 bytes)
In order to install firmware from iODD-2531 on Zalman-VE300, you will need to slightly modify the firmware program. I corrected the latest firmware version. After installing it, the device is identified in the system as iODD, but this will not work any worse. On the contrary, all new features from the iODD-2531 will be added to the functionality, which include official firmware Zalman-VE300 does not exist and is not expected.
iODD.2531.to.ZM.VE300.Firmware.Upgrade.R1600N.zip (345,755 bytes)
Entering and exiting the Menu occurs by pressing the side switch for more than 3 seconds. Navigating through the menu and selecting items is done using the joystick; returning to the previous level is done using the "Backup" button.
- Main menu:
- Mode Select- setting the device operating mode
- Setting- adjust the brightness of the LCD display and Sleep mode
- Information- view information about the HDD and firmware version
- USB Connect- USB connection setup
- Advanced- setting up a virtual HDD connection
- Mode Select menu:
- Dual Mode- work in combined mode, external HDD and virtual DVD-ROM/Blu-Ray drive
- ODD Mode or CD Mode(for iODD firmware) - works only in DVD-ROM/Blu-Ray mode (this mode is usually used when installing the OS)
- HDD Mode- the device is detected only as an external HDD (this mode is used when connecting to devices other than a PC)
- Settings menu:
- LCD Bright- adjust the brightness of the LCD screen backlight
- Idle Bright- adjustable LCD backlight in sleep mode
- Standby time- setting the time to go into sleep mode
- Load Default- return to default values
- Menu "Information":
- S.M.A.R.T- S.M.A.R.T information
- HDD Model- display title models of hard disk
- HDD Serial- display the serial number of the hard drive
- Firmware Ver.- display firmware version
- USB Speed- display the type of current connection (USB2.0: Hi-Speed, USB3.0: Super-Speed)
- USB Input Volt- display the lowest input voltage by USB port after connecting to PC and current input voltage
- Menu "S.M.A.R.T":
- HDD Temp.- display HDD temperature
- HDD Health- display the HDD status (Good, Warning, Bad). If a Warning or Bad appears, do so immediately. backup copy all data and check the HDD
- "USB Connect" menu:
- Refresh- reconnect the device to the PC
- Safe Removal - safe removal devices
- Advanced menu:
- Umount VHDD- unmount all disk and floppy images
- Write Protect- enable or disable write protection
- Instant Save- remember the image immediately after selecting it (only in iODD firmware)
- Force USB 3.0- priority mode USB operation 3.0 (iODD firmware only)
It is not indicated anywhere in the documentation, but it has been experimentally established that there should be no more than 32 images in the “_ISO” folder at the same time, otherwise the Zalman ZM-VE300 will display the message “Too Many Files”. This can be easily circumvented by creating subfolders, although this still leaves a limit of 32 files per folder. There are alternative firmwares that do not have such a limitation, but personally, I have the entire necessary set of distributions in a dozen files. By the way, as a cheaper alternative to the Zalman ZM-VE300, unscrupulous sellers may offer you enclosures for hard drives of the brand Konoos. Such a replacement is far from equivalent, since low-end models of Konoos cases support only one image, while more sophisticated ones support only three. Naturally, online shopping sites are modestly silent about this.
Included with the Zalman ZM-VE300 is a utility for backup copying Backup Utility. It is recorded on a CD, but the latest version is always available on the website. As you might guess, it is used to make backup copies of selected files and folders from your computer to an external hard drive in the Zalman ZM-VE300. In the program, configure the required paths, then click the “Backup” button on the box and the utility copies the information.
But that's not all she can do. WITH using Backup Utility, you can create virtual disks, and then save them to the "_ISO" folder on an external hard drive. WITH virtual disks It's worth understanding better. "Virtual HDD" is empty files given size with the ability to connect them as external drives. Naturally, the Zalman ZM-VE300 is responsible for the connection and emulation functions.
Everything should also be clear with the “Safe Removal” function. You can safely turn off the Zalman ZM-VE300 by pressing the wheel or the "Backup" button on the device itself, or you can do this at the initiative of the computer through this Backup function Utility.
And this is how the system displays physical hard disks And virtual drives, connected or created using Zalman ZM-VE300.
Returning to the topic about installing Windows XP on the HP Mini 210-1130ER netbook. The inconvenience of installing the system from a flash drive was the last argument for me to buy the Zalman ZM-VE300. After purchasing it, I conducted an experiment: I recorded the prepared image on an external hard drive, installed a blank hard drive in the netbook, then mounted the image onto a virtual CD and tried to install the system. As I expected, everything went well.
The instructions that come with the kit are very sparse. All you can learn from it is where to attach the bolts and how to install backup software. On the Internet there are instructions in electronic form, even translated into Russian, but in essence they are no different from the paper version. According to rumors, complete documentation is available in Korean, but this is unlikely to be of any help. So you'll have to be content with what you have.
Zalman.ZM.VE300.Manual.RUS.zip (546,663 bytes)
Zalman.ZM.VE300.Manual.ENG.zip (492,463 bytes)
Since the instructions are quite brief, and not everything is described in them Zalman capabilities ZM-VE300. In preparing this review, I collected from various sources and systematized useful tips and undocumented functions. All other possible problems were discussed in detail at the IXBT conference.
- If you hold down the "Backup" button while connecting the device, write protection will turn on.
- If you hold down the joystick wheel while connecting, the write protection is removed and the device goes into “Dual Mode”.
- If you hold the joystick wheel up while connecting, the “ODD Mode” is set.
- If you hold the joystick wheel down while connecting, the “HDD Mode” mode is set.
- If you turn down and hold the joystick wheel during operation, the device will be safely turned off. The same thing happens if you press and hold the "Backup" button.
- If you turn up and hold the joystick wheel while working, the “_ISO” folder will be rescanned and the list of images contained in it will be updated. This is very convenient if new images were recorded on the device in “Dual Mode” or “HDD Mode”.
- In order for Zalman VE-300 to remember the last mounted image, it must be safely disabled. Install the desired image, press and hold the "Backup" button or scroll down, wait for the "Data Saving..." message and disconnect the disk from the computer. After this, Zalman VE-300 will start with the selected image.
- To unmount a floppy disk image or drive from a "Virtual HDD", you need to go to the "End Of List" item and hold down the wheel for 3 seconds.
- When connected to desktop computer It's better to use USB ports that are located at the back system unit, not on the front panel.
- If the hard drive installed in the case is divided into several partitions, then the partition with the "_ISO" folder should be Primary.
- It is not recommended to install SSD drives in the Zalman ZM-VE300, as they are more sensitive to insufficient power supplied via USB and may fail.
To defragment files and directories, it is most convenient to use the free program WinContig. Her main feature- fast defragmentation separate files without having to defragment the entire disk. Just launch WinContig, select one or more image files and defragment, after which the Zalman ZM-VE300 quietly mounts everything.
What can I say to sum it up? Zalman ZM-VE300 is a very cool thing that justifies its cost to the penny. Now the problem with preparing installation flash drives and a stack of CD/DVD disks with different distributions has been solved once and for all; all this remains a thing of the past. The Zalman ZM-VE300 will be an excellent assistant for system administrators and advanced users who often have to rearrange the system or use different boot disks.
Despite all the advantages, there are some disadvantages. Neither the instructions nor the website contains a list of recommended hard drive models that work with the Zalman ZM-VE300. As a last resort, it would be possible to indicate the recommended characteristics, such as amperage and rotation speed, so that you can independently select the desired model, but this information is not available anywhere. The USB cable included in the kit is short and VERY stiff, which is why there is a risk of damaging the housing connector with frequent use. It would not hurt to provide extra food so that the Zalman ZM-VE300 can be connected to old computers. Of course, no one bothers you to find and purchase the right cable yourself, but it’s strange that the manufacturer made such a wonderful device and saved on a cheap cable. Judging by the reviews, for some hard drives you have to add an additional seal to the case so that the drive does not hang around inside. In my case this was not necessary, but in general I agree that the fastening system could have been thought out better. Otherwise, I am very pleased with the purchase.
UPD. After the untimely death of the Zalman ZM-VE300 (connected it to a problematic system unit, and there was a breakdown of electricity on the USB port), I purchased the original iODD-2531. So, there are no problems with seals described there. They are of sufficient length and have “horns” at the end, which are tucked under the side plugs and hold perfectly. Zalman also has these “horns”, but the seal itself is shorter, as a result they are useless. The cable is also long and flexible. The only thing is that the iODD case is uncomfortable - soft. I replaced it with a vacant case from Zalman. So it makes sense to purchase original iODD devices, rather than crookedly copied replicas.
We will talk about the external pocket (box) of the Zalman-VE500 (Fig. 1), we will look at the unpacking, the main functions, characteristics, pros and cons, and also tell you how to solve problems that, unfortunately, it does. In the future we will often refer to this gadget,because this is some kind of colossal saving of time and nerves. Forward!
Fig.1 Box for HDD Zalman ZM-VE500
Declared parameters.
Model - Zalman ZM-VE500. The device is available in black and silver colors (Fig. 1). The back cover is made of metal, and the main part is made of plastic. Interfaces of connected HDDs - SATA-I/SATA-II, SATA III. PC connection interface USB 3.0/USB 2.0 Powered by USB. See Table 1 for other parameters.
| Specification | ZM-VE500 |
| Housing material | Aluminum alloy, acrylic, polycarbonates |
| Weight | 91 grams (Without HDD) |
| Dimensions | 146 x 80.8 x 14 mm |
| Maximum speed transfers | 5Gbps |
| Nutrition | DC5V(USB Power) |
| OS support | Win XP/2000/VISTA/Win7/Win8/Win8.1/Win10/Linux/MAC |
Table 1 Specification Zalman ZM-VE500
Equipment.
Fig.2 Equipment Zalman ZM-VE500 Contents (Fig. 2): Sh nur USB 3.0, guide, sidewith Zalman-VE500, a case for it (the material is not leather, but it’s good that it’s still there, it serves as good shockproof protection), a small screwdriver and two bolts to tighten the back cover after inserting the HDD into the box.
Everything is very simple here and instructions are not needed, although they are available at the place where you need to install the HDD.And so we insert the 2.5" HDD at an angle into the SATA connector and lower it into the box, close everything with the lid and screw in the small screws with a small screwdriver from the box (Fig. 3).
Fig.3 HDD installation to boxing. Preparation for use.
When you turn it on for the first time, at best you will be greeted with the phrase “NO ISO FILES” or a file system error. To avoid file system errors, let's immediately partition and format the disk. We will do this in free program EaseUS Partition Master 12.5.
Step 1.
We find the Zalmana disk, in our case it is “Disk 2 (MBR)” at the bottom of the window there is a graphical display of the partitions, click right click on our disk. and select the item “Delete all partitions” (Fig. 4). EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 doesn't do anything right away, we first assign it a list of tasks and at the end we confirm their completion.
Fig.4 Disk partitioning in EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 
Fig.5 Disk partitioning in EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 A window with formatting settings will open, from standard settings The only difference is that you need to switch from "Logical" to "Primary". Click "Ok" (Fig. 6).
Fig.6 Disk partitioning in EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 All tasks have been set, now we confirm their completion - click “Apply” in the left top corner windows (Fig. 7).
Fig.7 Disk partitioning in EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 We confirm our consent and wait until all operations are completed (Fig. 8).
Fig.8 Disk partitioning in EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 Step 2.
On the Zalmana disk, create a folder “_iso” (without quotes), and put your images there, this is the only way Zalman will see them. In addition, you can create more folders in the "_iso" folder, for order, so to speak. For example, we will create “BackUp” “Linux” and “Windows”, transfer our iso images to “_iso” and all folders (Fig. 9).
Fig.9 Copying iso images to Zalman ZM-VE500 Menu overview.
In the main menu we can see 5 items:
- Mode Select
- Encryption
- Set W-protection
- Information
- Exit
We will look at each of them in detail.
1.Mode Select- Select the operating mode of the pocket.
- HDD MODE- Work only in mode external storage. (Displays as local disk)
- VCD MODE- Work in virtual drive mode. (Will appear as the CD-ROM where you mount your ISO image)
- DUAL MODE- Work in two modes simultaneously. (Will appear as local disk + virtual CD-ROM where you mount your ISO image)
2.Encription - AES 256 bit hardware encryption in real time. (Simply put, access to files is granted only after entering a password)
- Enable Encryption- Enable encryption.
Enabling and disabling encryption leads to the disappearance of all information from the HDD, make sure that you have a copy of the information stored on the HDD, because you will have to re-create the "_ISO" folder and copy the ISO images there.
When you press " Enable Encryption " there will be a warning "Data will be lost!" 1. Yes / 2. No confirm your agreement/disagreement to continue enabling encryption.
2. No- will bring you back to "Enable Encryption"
Click 1. Yes ->"Input Password"- enter a password from 4 to 8 characters. "Confirm Password"- Confirm the password. Next, the device will reboot itself and require you to enter a password.
Now on the menu Encripton three points:
- "Change Password"- Change password.
- "Hide Password"- Remove password when turned on. (The device will not require a password, but if you remove the disk and insert it into another pocket, the data will remain encrypted and will not be accessible to the user.) When the password is disabled, the option "Hide Password" replaces "Set Password" - Set password.
- "Disable Encription"- Disable encryption.
Personally, I am satisfied with passwordless access to the device, so I will disable encryption.
Click "Disable Encription" device uswarns "Data will be lost!"(Data will be lost), buttons 1. Yes / 2. No
2.No- will bring you back to "Disable Encription".
Clicking 1. Yes, we will be asked to confirm our consent again "Confirm Again", apparently for complete certainty. 1. Yes/2.No confirm your agreement/disagreement to continue disabling encryption.
2.No- will bring you back to "Disable Encription".
Click 1. Yes- and without entering a password, the device reboots, after which we can use Zalmana without a password. It’s interesting that we now have access to those images that remained before encryption was turned on. Why did this happen when wewarned about their loss, I don’t know.
Set W-protection
- Disable W-P - Disable Read-Only mode - Enable Write mode.
- Enable W-P - Enable Read-Only mode (Protect the device from changes).
Information
- HDD Temp: 26 - Hard drive temperature in degrees Celsius.
- HDD Health: Good/Bad - HDD status ( S.M.A.R.T.). If the condition Bad make a backup copy of the disk and check it for errors, Good- Everything is fine.
- 100505**** - Full HDD serial number.
- Firmware: v1.10 - Firmware version.
- Exit - Exit.
Interface and control.
At the top of the front side of the gadget there is LCD display, under it there is a touch numeric keypad, and buttons Menu And Enter.
In addition to the numbers on the keyboard intended for entering a password, the buttons also have control functions. (Fig. 10)
Fig. 10 Front side of Zalman ZM-VE500 2 - Up,
4 - To the left,
6 - To the right,
8 - Down,
3 - Updating iso file (Update the list of iso images),
5 - Mount (Mount iso image).
Zalman sees only the "_ISO" folder, the folders in it and the iso images that are in them. Using the arrows you can easily navigate through the folders, select the desired image, and mount it by pressing the button 5 . Also, if you uploaded a new iso image, then in order for it to appear on your screen, you can reconnect the device or press the number 3 .
Above the display there is an LED HDD operation indicator. It glows in two colors depending on which interface it is connected to, USB3.0 glows blue, USB2.0 glows white. In the upper right corner of the display you can also see which interface the device is connected to (Fig. 11).
In the upper left corner there is a lock icon that tells us the status of the function Set W-protection.(Simply put, if the lock is open, then the disk is not write-protected; if it is closed, then only read information is available).
The second icon from the left is the disk icon; it appears only if an iso image is mounted on the CD-ROM.
The third icon from the left indicates the Zalmana operating mode.
- HDD MODE- letter "H",
- VCD MODE- letter "O" or drive symbol,
- DUAL MODE- letter "D".
Fig.11 Zalman ZM-VE500 interface Firmware.
If you are a “fan of updates” or are suddenly dissatisfied with the current firmware version of your device and are sure that it will work better with another firmware, then we will consider the issue "How to flash Zalman ZM-VE500?"
First of all, let's see what version of the firmware is in this moment, installed on the device, click Menu -> Information.
We see Firmware: v1.10.
Fortunately, there is support on the Zalman brand website, where we can download the firmware we need.
- Link:http://www.zalman.com/contents/support/downloads.html?find_object=all&find_text=ve500
They have a little confusion there with the version descriptions, so I will attach direct links to the files with the correct descriptions.
- Link: Firmware: v1.10.
- Link:Firmware: v1.11.
- Link:Firmware: v2.00.
Since I want to update the device, I download the archive for the firmware - Firmware: v2.00.
And then I ran into a problem when unpacking the archive I needed ZM-VE500 Firmware Ver_2.00.rar, a message pops up - "The archive is empty." I'll leave a link to this archive for now, maybe Zalmana technical support will fix the problem in the near future, but it looks like we'll have to update to the version v1.11.
To avoid the problems described in the "Problems" section, I disable encryption and make a backup copy of the disk, which I strongly recommend that you do too!!!
Unpack the downloaded archive ZALMAN_VE500_3637E_FWUpdater_V1.11.rar
Let's launch executable file ZALMAN_VE500_3637E_FWUpdater_V1.11.exe
Fig.12 Zalman-VE500 firmware Click "Install".(Fig.12)
Fig.13 Zalman-VE500 firmware Scan bus for "Initio External Storage Devices" - Scanning external devices storage (Fig. 13). Simply put, the computer searches for Zalman, we connect it, and then everything goes on without user intervention.
Fig.14 Zalman-VE500 firmware download progressProgress of downloading firmware to the device (Fig. 14)
Fig.15 Update completed! The update is complete!(Fig.15)
Let's go Menu -> Information and we see Firmware: v1.11. That's all, everything turned out to be very simple.
Problems.
Let's look at common problems that users of our gadget experience.
1 - The disk is not initializing. Personally, I encountered this problem, my Zalman ZM-VE500 did not want to see the disk, it turned out to be very simple, I inserted the disk that I used for the Windows OS, and did not notice that the first partition of the disk was a system partition, 100 Mb in size. The gadget sees the "_ISO" folder only in the first partition of the disk, so divide your HDD correctly, but how correctly? written in section "Preparation for use".
2 - Zalman ZM-VE500 password does not work after flashing. You need to flash the device to the firmware version for which encryption and password were enabled, disable these functions and reflash the device.
3 - Zalman ZM-VE500 does not see all iso images. Personally, I again encountered this and thought that this was normal, until I saw that all the images were displayed on exactly the same gadget. In short, the problem can be solved by regular Windows formatting, do not forget to uncheck "Quick (cleaning tables of contents)".(Fig.16)
Fig.16 Full disk formatting Results. Advantages and disadvantages.
As a result, I will say as in my diploma - “We considered everything we wanted to consider.” :D, but overall the gadget turned out to be very good. Unfortunately, Zalmana has no competitors in this area on the market, so we can only compare with previous models Zalman ZM-VE200, 300, 350, 400. Of course, we won’t do this, because they are all +/- the same in their main functionality. The differences are minor, for example, up to the 400th model, the main control element is a joystick and they are sold a little cheaper, etc. I'd better give it to you pros And Minuses which I found in reviews on popular online stores.
pros
- Save time. If we compare it with a flash drive, which needs to be prepared to install something from it (format, download a program for burning images, burn an image, etc.), then with Zalman ZM-VE500 Most likely it will be 2-3 times faster.
- Data encryption. You can change up to 50 HDDs and they will remain encrypted.
- Temperature monitoring, and "S.M.A.R.T." HDD.
Minuses
- No native safe removal.
- Safely Removing in Windows identifies the device as Zalman ZM-VE350.
- When updating again, all information disappears. (This is taken from people’s reviews; personally, I did not lose any files as a result of the update)
- When formatting and creating a partition, the MBR may display messages that the disk is not initialized the next time the pocket is booted.
- Price. In stores it sells for 3500-4000 rubles. a lot of money, judging by the salaries system administrators, and even without HDD, and that’s still at least 500 rubles. if you buy used small capacity.