iStorage datAshur SSD User Manual
Displayed below is the user manual for datAshur SSD by iStorage which is a product in the USB Flash Drives category. This manual has pages.
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iStorage datAshur SSD Manual – v 1.4
User Manual
Remember to save your PIN in a safe place. If lost or forgotten, there is no way to access the
datAshur SSD.
If you are having difficulty using the datAshur SSD, please contact our technical support department on +44 (0) 20 8991 6260
(Mon-Fri | 09:00 - 17:30 GMT) or email support@istorage-uk.com.
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Copyright © iStorage, 2015. All rights reserved.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their respective owners.
Distribution of the work or derivative work in any standard (paper) book form for commercial purposes is prohibited unless
prior permission is obtained from the copyright holder.
DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED AS IS AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES,
INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT,
ARE DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD TO BE LEGALLY INVALID.
iStorage shall not be liable by virtue of this warranty, or otherwise, for any incidental, special or consequential damage
including any loss of data resulting from use or operation of the product, whether or not iStorage was apprised of the
possibility of such damages.
All trademarks and brand names are the
property of their respective owners
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Table of Contents
About the iStorage datAshur SSD .................................................................................................... 4
1. How to create the Admin PIN .................................................................................................... 5
2. LED indicators and their actions ................................................................................................ 5
3. Waking the datAshur SSD ......................................................................................................... 6
4. Unlocking the datAshur SSD ..................................................................................................... 6
5. Locking the datAshur SSD ........................................................................................................ 6
6. Admin Mode ............................................................................................................................. 6
7. Adding a new User PIN ............................................................................................................. 7
8. Deleting the User PIN ................................................................................................................ 7
9. Changing the User PIN .............................................................................................................. 7
10. Changing the Admin PIN ........................................................................................................... 8
11. Setting Read-Only or Read/Write modes from Admin Mode ..................................................... 8
12. Setting Read-Only or Read/Write modes from the User Mode ................................................... 9
13. Setting the Unattended Auto-Lock Feature .............................................................................. 10
14. Setting a Self-Destruct PIN ......................................................................................................11
15. datAshur SSD Brute Force Protection ......................................................................................12
16. Performing a Complete Reset ...................................................................................................13
17. Initializing and Formatting datAshur SSD after a complete reset ...............................................14
18. Hibernating, Suspending or Logging Off from the OS ..............................................................15
19. datAshur SSD Setup for Mac OS .............................................................................................. 15
20. Diagnostic Mode ...................................................................................................................... 16
21. Lock-Override Mode ................................................................................................................17
22. Booting from the datAshur SSD ................................................................................................17
23. Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................18
24. Technical Support .................................................................................................................... 20
25. Warranty and RMA information ................................................................................................ 20
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About the iStorage datAshur SSD
3
12
UNLOCK button
LOCK button
LED Indicator lights
First Time Use The datAshur SSD® is shipped without a preset Personal Identification
Number (PIN) installed. A 7 to 16 digit Admin PIN must be created before
the datAshur SSD can be used.
PIN REQUIREMENTS:
PINs must be a minimum length of 7 and maximum 16 digits
Cannot contain all consecutive numbers (2345678 or 9876543)
Cannot contain all of the same number (i.e. 1111111)
NOTE:
The drive comes preformatted with NTFS file system for Windows. For Mac,
Linux or Android, please refer to your OS formatting requirements or this
manual.
BATTERY NOTE:
The datAshur SSD has an internal rechargeable battery with a smart
charging circuit. For safety, each datAshur SSD ships with a partial charge.
Although the drive can be used out of the box, we recommend plugging the
datAshur SSD into a powered USB port for 80 minutes to fully charge.
The battery will automatically charge when the drive is inserted into a
powered USB port, regardless of its operational mode. In standby mode, the
RED LED fades in and out slowly to indicate charging and glows solid RED
to indicate that it’s fully charged.
If the battery is completely discharged, the datAshur SSD will go through
a self-test (indicated by a RED, GREEN, and BLUE LED sequence) when
inserted into a USB port.
This Admin PIN is used to access the datAshur SSD and set the Admin
mode features of the drive.
Note: It’s normal for this device to be warm to the touch during use.
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1. How to create the Admin PIN
2. LED indicators and their actions
The datAshur SSD is shipped without a preset Personal Identification Number (PIN) installed. A 7 to 16-digit Admin PIN
must be created before the datAshur SSD can be used. This Admin PIN can be used to set any and all of the Admin Mode
Features of the datAshur SSD, as well as to access the datAshur SSD’s data.
To Create the Admin PIN:
1. Wake up the datAshur SSD by pressing the UNLOCK button, both the
BLUE and GREEN LEDs will be solid
2. Press UNLOCK + the number 9 button at the same time. The BLUE LED will be solid and
the GREEN LED will blink.
3. Enter your Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.
If the PIN meets the requirements the GREEN LED will blink three times.
Should the PIN NOT meet the requirements, the RED LED will blink three times, before
returning to solid BLUE and blinking GREEN (restart from step 3).
4. Re-enter the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button again. The GREEN LED will
illuminate for one second, followed by a solid BLUE LED.
Should the PINs NOT match, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to a solid
BLUE and blinking GREEN (restart from step 3).
5. The datAshur SSD is now in Admin mode (solid BLUE LED) and other Admin features can be
set. (I.e. adding a User)
6. To exit the Admin mode, press the LOCK button. The drive will return to the locked standby
state. If no action is taken within 30 seconds, the drive will return to a locked sleep state.
Note: The GREEN LED will blink if PIN is accepted; If the PIN is NOT accepted,
the RED LED will blink, and you will need to return to step 3 to resume the Admin PIN setup process.
PINs must be a minimum of 7 digits and a maximum of 16 digits.
Cannot contain all consecutive numbers (2345678 or 9876543)
Cannot contain all of the same number (i.e. 1111111)
Slow Fading RED Battery charging (when plugged into USB port)
No LEDs datAshur SSD locked and asleep
Blinking RED Error / incorrect key entry; Mode Not Available;
User PIN Change
Solid RED Locked / Standby state; Awaiting PIN entry
Blinking GREENPIN entry accepted
Solid BLUE /
Blinking GREEN
Waiting for New User / Admin PIN
Solid BLUE Admin Mode
Solid GREENdatAshur SSD unlocked
Alternating
RED / BLUE
Indicates a mode has been entered that can
result in the deletion of a User or the data on the
datAshur SSD (depending on the mode chosen.)
Also used when setting Auto-lock feature.
One second RED
followed by one
second GREEN
followed by one
second BLUE
Self-test mode to ensure all components are
ready and working properly
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3. Waking the datAshur SSD
When the datAshur SSD is not in use, it will enter a sleep state. While in this state, the datAshur SSD is locked and cannot
be accessed.
To wake the datAshur SSD so it can accept keypad inputs, press the UNLOCK button once. The RED LED will be solid
(standby state.)
Note: If the datAshur SSD has never been used, the BLUE and GREEN LED‘s will be solid indicating
that the Admin PIN must be set before the datAshur SSD can be used.
4. Unlocking the datAshur SSD
1. Press the UNLOCK button to wake the datAshur SSD from sleep (as described above) the RED LED will be solid.
2. Enter either a User PIN or Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button. If the PIN is accepted, the GREEN LED will
rapidly blink three times, then will slow down to one blink per second until it’s plugged in to a USB port at which time it
will turn to a solid GREEN LED. (If the PIN is incorrect, the LED will blink RED.)
3. A blinking GREEN LED indicates that the datAshur SSD is unlocked and ready for use. The datAshur SSD is now ready
to plug into a USB port for use. If it is not plugged into a USB port within 30 seconds, the datAshur SSD will lock and
return to sleep state.
5. Locking the datAshur SSD
Press the LOCK button. When successfully locked, The LED will turn solid RED indicating that it’s in standby state.
The datAshur SSD will not be recognized by the operating system in the standby state.
Note: If data is still being written to the drive, the datAshur SSD will wait until that operation is completed
and then it will lock automatically.
To set up any of the datAshur SSD’s Admin functions, the Admin mode must first be entered. Once in the Admin mode, the
desired function of the datAshur SSD can be accessed. While in the Admin mode, the data on the datAshur SSD will not be
accessible and only the Admin functions can be modified.
Prior to your first use of the datAshur SSD, you must first set an Admin PIN. Immediately after setting up your Admin PIN,
you may then continue setting up other functions. If you do nothing for a period of 30 seconds, the datAshur SSD will revert
to its standby state.
To re-enter the Admin mode, perform the following steps below.
1. Press and hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds until the LED blinks RED. (This indicates that you can
enter the Admin PIN.)
2. Enter the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.
3. The Admin Mode is indicated by a solid BLUE LED.
4. To exit Admin Mode, either allow 30 seconds of inactivity or press the LOCK button.
6. Admin Mode
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7. Adding a new User PIN
The datAshur SSD can have one Admin PIN and one User PIN, making a total of two working PINs. Adding a User is a
perfect way to securely share the datAshur SSD or deploy it for use where the User does not require access to the Admin
features.
While the User has limited functionality and no Admin rights to the datAshur SSD, they can still access the datAshur SSD’s
data, change their PIN, and set the datAshur SSD to Read Only or Read / Write modes.
To add a new User PIN:
1. Enter the Admin Mode by holding UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds; With the RED LED blinking, enter
the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button. The LED will be solid BLUE.
2. Press and hold UNLOCK + the number 1 button until the BLUE LED glows solid and the GREEN LED starts blinking.
3. Enter the User PIN and press UNLOCK the LED will blink GREEN three times, then return to solid BLUE LED and
blinking GREEN.
Should the PIN NOT meet the requirements, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to solid BLUE and
blinking GREEN (restart from step 3).
4. Re-enter the same User PIN and press UNLOCK. To verify the User PIN was successfully added, the GREEN LED will
be solid for three seconds and then a solid BLUE LED, indicating that the datAshur SSD has returned to the Admin
mode.
Should the PINs NOT match, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to a solid BLUE and blinking GREEN
(restart from step 3).
8. Deleting the User PIN
You can delete the User PIN by doing the following:
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the LED blinking RED, enter the
Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now turn solid BLUE.
2. Press and hold the buttons 7 + 8 for five seconds. The GREEN LED will blink three times then the RED and BLUE
LEDs will blink alternately.
3. Press and hold the buttons 7 + 8 again for five seconds. The GREEN LED will be solid for two seconds.
4. The datAshur SSD will return to Admin mode indicated by the solid BLUE LED.
Note: Deleting the User PIN will also delete the Self-Destruct PIN (if it has been set.)
9. Changing the User PIN
The User PIN can be changed within the User mode (datAshur SSD unlocked, GREEN LED blinking.)
Note: The Admin PIN cannot be changed while in the User mode. The Admin PIN can only be changed
from within the Admin mode.
Note: Adding a User PIN can only be done within the Admin mode.
Note: The GREEN LED will blink if the PIN is accepted; If the PIN is NOT accepted,
the RED LED will blink and you will need to resume the User PIN setup process.
PINs must be a minimum of 7 digits and a maximum of 16 digits.
Cannot contain all consecutive numbers (2345678 or 9876543)
Cannot contain all of the same number (i.e. 1111111)
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10. Changing the Admin PIN
11. Setting Read-Only or Read/Write modes from Admin Mode
Changes to the Admin PIN can only be made while the datAshur SSD is in the Admin mode.
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the LED blinking RED, enter the
Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.) The BLUE LED will be solid.
2. Press UNLOCK + the number 9 button. The BLUE LED will glow solid and the GREEN LED will blink.
3. Enter the new Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button. The GREEN LED will blink three times.
Should the PIN NOT meet the requirements, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to solid BLUE and
blinking GREEN (restart from step 3).
4. Re-enter the new Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button. The GREEN LED will be solid for two seconds and then
return to solid BLUE LED to indicate the datAshur SSD is in the Admin mode.
Should the PINs NOT match, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to a solid BLUE and blinking
GREEN (restart from step 3).
5. To exit Admin mode, press LOCK button and the datAshur SSD will return to sleep mode, or after 30 seconds of
inactivity, the drive will automatically lock.
With a large number of Viruses and Trojans that attach themselves to USB flash drives, this feature is especially useful if you
need to access data on the datAshur SSD when used in a public setting. Additionally, Read-Only is an important feature to
implement for forensics, where data must be preserved in its original, unaltered state and can’t be overwritten or modified.
The Admin can set the datAshur SSD to a Read-Only mode for both the Admin and the User. If set by the Admin, the Admin
is the only one that can change the datAshur SSD back to Read/Write mode.
When the datAshur SSD is unlocked in Read-Only mode and inserted into a USB port, the GREEN LED will be solid and
the RED LED will blink once every three seconds.
To set the datAshur SSD to Read-Only:
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the RED LED blinking, enter the
Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now be solid BLUE.
2. Press and hold the buttons r + o (7 + 6) together for three seconds. The GREEN LED will blink three times.
3. The datAshur SSD will return to Admin mode. The LED will now be solid BLUE.
4. Until changed, the datAshur SSD can only be read.
To return the datAshur SSD to Read/Write:
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the RED LED blinking, enter the
Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now be solid BLUE.
You can change the User PIN by doing the following:
1. Unlock the datAshur SSD with the User PIN. (GREEN LED will blink)
2. Press and hold UNLOCK + the number 1 button for five seconds (the RED LED will blink)
3. Enter the current User PIN and press the UNLOCK button. (BLUE LED will be solid and the GREEN LED will blink.)
4. Enter the new User PIN and press the UNLOCK button. (the GREEN LED will blink three times, followed by a solid
BLUE LED and the GREEN LED blinking.)
Should the PIN NOT meet the requirements, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to solid BLUE and
blinking GREEN (restart from step 4).
5. Re-enter the new User PIN and press the UNLOCK button. (The GREEN LED will be solid for two seconds, then will
return to User mode, indicated by the GREEN LED blinking.)
Should the PINs NOT match, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to a solid BLUE and blinking
GREEN (restart from step 4).
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12. Setting Read-Only or Read/Write modes from the User Mode
This mode will allow the User to set the Read/Write status of the datAshur SSD, without having access to the
Admin functions.
When the datAshur SSD is unlocked in Read-Only mode and inserted into a USB port, the RED LED will blink once every
three seconds while the GREEN LED will glow solid.
If the datAshur SSD is set to be Read-Only in the Admin mode, the User cannot override that setting. Only the Admin can
return the datAshur SSD to Read / Write Mode.
To set the datAshur SSD to Read-Only:
1. Press the UNLOCK button to wake the datAshur SSD. The LED will be solid RED.
2. Press buttons r + o (7 + 6) together for three seconds. The GREEN LED will blink three times.
3. Enter the User PIN and press UNLOCK. The GREEN LED will blink.
4. The datAshur SSD will be in a Read-Only state the next time it is unlocked.
To return the datAshur SSD to Read / Write:
1. Press the UNLOCK button to wake datAshur SSD. LED will be solid RED.
2. Press and hold r + w (7+ 9) buttons for three seconds the GREEN LED will blink three times.
3. Enter the User PIN and press UNLOCK. The LED will now be solid GREEN.
4. The datAshur SSD will return to unlocked mode and can now be written to, indicated by a blinking GREEN LED.
Caution: When changing Read-Only or Read/Write settings, do not make these changes with the
datAshur SSD attached to an operating system. This may cause confusion within the operating
system about the status of the datAshur SSD. If this happens, the datAshur SSD may not work properly
until the operating system has been restarted.
Important: Setting the datAshur SSD to Read/ Write from the User mode will not override a Read-Only
setting that was placed by the Admin. To set the datAshur SSD to be in Read-Only mode for both the User
and the Admin, set the Read-Only Mode using the Admin function.
2. Press and hold buttons r + w (7+ 9) together. The GREEN LED will blink three times.
3. The datAshur SSD will return to Admin mode, indicated by the solid BLUE LED. The datAshur SSD will be restored to
its normal Read / Write condition.
Important: Setting the datAshur SSD to Read/Write from the Admin mode will globally override a
Read-Only mode that has been set by the User.
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13. Setting the Unattended Auto-Lock Feature
To protect against unauthorised access, if the datAshur SSD is unlocked and unattended, the datAshur SSD can be set to
automatically lock after a predetermined period of inactivity. In its default state, the datAshur SSD’s Unattended Auto-Lock
feature is turned off.
The Unattended Auto-Lock can be set to activate after 5, 10 or 20 minutes of inactivity.
To set the Unattended Auto-Lock, perform the following steps:
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the RED LED blinking, enter the
Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now be solid BLUE.
2. Once in Admin mode, press UNLOCK + the number 6 button. The RED and BLUE LED’s will blink alternately.
3. Press one of the numbers below that corresponds to the amount of inactivity you would like the datAshur SSD to lock
itself after:
0 = OFF (The Default is OFF for this feature.)
1 = 5 minutes
2 = 10 minutes
3 = 20 minutes
4. After you have entered the desired amount of allowable inactivity, the GREEN LED will blink three times indicating
command acceptance, and then will return to the Admin mode, indicated by the BLUE LED glowing solid.
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14. Setting a Self-Destruct PIN
For certain users, it’s important to have a “last-resort” level of security where sensitive data falling into the wrong hands
would be catastrophic. The datAshur SSD’s Self-Destruct PIN defends against physically compromising situations by erasing
the datAshur SSD’s contents, leaving it to look as if it never had any data written to it.
USE WITH CAUTION: When this mode is activated and the datAshur SSD is unlocked with the
Self-Destruct PIN, it will effectively perform a crypto-erase on the datAshur SSD (complete reset), deleting
all of its data. Additionally, the encryption key will be deleted and replaced with a new encryption key. When
this Self-Destruct PIN is deployed, the datAshur SSD will unlock and the LED will illuminate GREEN as if
the datAshur SSD has been normally unlocked. However the datAshur SSD will need to be partitioned and
formatted before it can be used again.
The previous Admin and User codes will be deleted in the crypto-erase and the
Self-Destruct PIN will then become the new Admin PIN to unlock the
datAshur SSD.
Note: The Self-Destruct PIN cannot match the Admin or User PIN.
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the RED LED blinking, enter the
Admin PIN and press
the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now be solid BLUE.
2. Press UNLOCK + the number 3 button. The RED and BLUE LED’s will blink alternately.
3. Enter the new Self-Destruct PIN and press UNLOCK. The GREEN LED will blink three times and then will return
to RED and BLUE LED’s blinking alternately.
Should the PIN NOT meet the requirements, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to solid BLUE and
blinking GREEN (restart from step 3).
4. Re-enter the Self-Destruct PIN and press UNLOCK. The GREEN LED will be solid for three seconds and then
will return to Admin mode, indicated by the solid BLUE LED.
Should the PINs NOT match, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to a solid BLUE and blinking
GREEN (restart from step 3).
To remove the Self-Destruct PIN, the User PIN must be deleted. This will leave the Admin and all data
intact.
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the RED LED blinking, enter
the Admin PIN and
press the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now be solid BLUE.
2. Press and hold buttons 7 + 8 together for five seconds. The GREEN LED will blink three times and then will return to
RED and BLUE LED’s blinking alternately.
3. Press and hold buttons 7 + 8 together for five seconds again. The GREEN LED will be solid for three seconds and
then will return to Admin mode, indicated by a solid BLUE LED.
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15. datAshur SSD Brute Force Protection
What is Brute Force Attack?
A Brute Force Attack is a means of breaching a cryptographic data defense scheme by systematically running an astronomi-
cal number of decryption possibilities. With AES 256 having never been cracked, the data stored on a datAshur SSD is well
protected against Brute Force. Brute Force attacks aren’t necessarily aimed at the bulk of the data itself, but rather, at the
drive’s access PINs. PINs are usually the weakest links of any data protection plan, and as such, PINs are essentially all that a
brute-force attack needs to decrypt.
1. After three unsuccessful attempts, the datAshur SSD will add additional time delays to each subsequent try thereafter.
The RED LED will blink the number of failed attempts after three, all the way to the tenth (and final) try.
2. After up to ten unsuccessful attempts, the keypad will lock and no functions will work and the LED will blink RED at a
rate of three flashes per second.
3. From this point, the datAshur SSD will only allow up to ten additional attempts before the datAsshur SSD assumes that it
is under brute-force attack and automatically deletes all of its data.
4. To gain these ten extra attempts, press and hold the 5 button and then press the UNLOCK button until the RED and
GREEN LED’s blink alternately.
5. Enter the code “LastTry” (5278879) and press the UNLOCK button.
You will now have ten additional attempts. If after this point 10 more attempts have failed, the
datAshur SSD will need to be reset
6. When the datAshur SSD is successfully unlocked, the Brute Force counter will return to zero.
Note: The number of attempts possible, both before and after the LastTry (5278879) code is entered, can
be set (in Admin mode) between two and ten attempts. Setting the before/after attempts to the minimum of
two would allow for a total of four attempts (two before entering the last try code and two after.)
To reduce the number of Brute Force attempts:
1. Enter the Admin mode. (Hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds – with the RED LED blinking, enter the
Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.) The LED will now be solid BLUE.
2. Press and hold the UNLOCK + the number 5 button for three seconds. The RED LED will double-blink.
3. Press the number of before/after attempts desired on the numeric keypad ( 2 - 9 .) The GREEN LED will blink the same
number of times to correspond to the number you have entered (for example: the 8 button will result in eight blinks,
and yield eight attempts before the LastTry code and another eight attempts after, yielding a total of 16.) To return the
datAshur SSD to its default setting, press the 1 then the 0 button to change the number back to ten attempts.
Note: The number of before and after attempts are the same, i.e. 4 before / 4 after, 8 before / 8 after, etc.
Brute Force Feature:
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16. Performing a Complete Reset
There may be circumstances (forgotten PIN, redeployment, return to factory default settings) when you need to completely
reset the datAshur SSD. The complete reset feature will perform a crypto-erase on the datAshur SSD, generate a new
encryption key, delete all users, and return all of the settings to factory default.
To perform a complete reset of the datAshur SSD, perform the following:
1. Press and hold UNLOCK + LOCK + the number 2 button together for ten seconds. The RED and BLUE LED’s will
blink alternately.
2. The GREEN LED will be solid for three seconds, followed by solid GREEN and BLUE LED’s when complete.
3. A new Admin PIN will need to be entered and the datAshur SSD will need to be reformatted.
A complete reset will erase encryption keys and PINs (destroys all data), and leave the datAshur SSD in an
unformatted condition.
Caution: Performing this action will require the datAshur SSD to be formatted before it can be used
again. All previous Admin/User PINs, settings and data will be deleted in the crypto-erase, and a new
encryption key will be generated. Once this action has been performed, it cannot be undone
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17. Initializing and Formatting datAshur SSD after a complete reset
To initialize your datAshur SSD, perform the following steps:
1. After a complete reset, press UNLOCK + the number 9 button. The BLUE LED will be solid and the GREEN LED will
be blinking.
2. Enter the new Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button. If accepted the GREEN LED will quickly blink three times,
then return to solid BLUE LED and blinking GREEN LED.
Should the PIN NOT meet the requirements, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to solid BLUE and
blinking GREEN (restart from step 2).
3. Re-enter the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button. If accepted, the GREEN LED will be Solid for two seconds.
Should the PINs NOT match, the RED LED will blink three times, before returning to a solid BLUE and blinking
GREEN (restart from step 2).
4. The BLUE LED will remain in Admin mode for 30 seconds (or until the LOCK button is pressed, which will return the
datAshur SSD to its standby state.)
5. The Admin PIN is now set and will allow access to the datAshur SSD or the Admin features.
6. To unlock the datAshur SSD, enter the new PIN and press UNLOCK.
7. Windows 7 and earlier: Right-click Computer, and then click Manage from the Windows desktop.
Windows 8: Right-click left corner of desktop and select Disk Management.
8. In the Computer Manage window, click Disk Management. In the Disk Management window, the datAshur SSD
is recognized as an unknown device that is uninitialised and unallocated.
9. Do the following to make the datAshur SSD recognized as a basic drive.
a. Right-click Unknown Disk and then select Initialise Disk.
b. In the Initialise Disk window, click OK.
10. Right-click in the blank area under the Unallocated section, and then select New Partition. The Welcome to the
New Partition Wizard window opens.
11. Click Next.
12. Select Primary Partition and then click Next.
13. If you need only one partition, accept the default partition size by clicking Next.
14. Click Next.
15. Create a volume label, select Perform a quick format, and then click Next.
16. Click Finish.
17. Wait until the format process is complete.
The datAshur SSD will now be recognized and is available for use.
Note: If the Initialise and Convert Disk Wizard window opens, click Cancel and initialise the
disk manually using the following steps:
Caution: A complete reset of the datAshur SSD will erase all disk partitions and information settings.
You will need to initialize and format the datAshur SSD again after reset.
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18. Hibernating, Suspending or Logging off from the OS
To log off the datAshur SSD, double-click Safely Remove Hardware on the Windows desktop and remove the datAshur SSD
from your computer.
Attention: To ensure the data integrity of your datAshur SSD, be sure to lock or log off your
datAshur SSD if you are:
• Away from your computer
• Using the switching user function by sharing a computer with others
19. datAshur SSD setup for Mac OS
Your datAshur SSD is pre formatted in NTFS for Windows. To reformat the datAshur SSD to a Mac compatible format
please perform the following:
1. Unlock the datAshur SSD with either a User or Admin PIN, open Disk Utility from Applications/Utilities/Disk Utilities.
2. To format the datAshur SSD, select the datAshur SSD from the list of keys and volumes. Each key in the list will display
its capacity, manufacturer, and product name, such as 232.9 iStorage datAshur SSD.
3. Click the Erase tab.
4. Enter a name for the datAshur SSD. The default name is Untitled. The datAshur SSD’s name will eventually appear on
the desktop.
5. Select a volume format to use. The Volume Format dropdown menu lists the available drive formats that the Mac
supports. The recommended format type is Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for Mac only. Please choose EX-FAT to
use on Macs and Windows.
6. Click the Erase button. Disk Utility will unmount the volume from the desktop, erase it, and then remount it on the
desktop.
Be sure to save and close all the files and log off the datAshur SSD before hibernating, suspending, or logging off from the
Windows operating system.
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20. Diagnostic Mode
The keypad has a manual diagnostic mode built-in to verify keypad function. This mode will not allow access to any data or
admin function. It can only be used to identify the firmware level and to test button recognition.
To enter the diagnostic function:
1. Press UNLOCK, then press UNLOCK + the number 1 button, then press and hold 0 for five seconds. The RED and
BLUE LED’s will blink alternately.
2. The BLUE LED will blink a number of times to represent the number of both the major and minor revisions. The decimal
point will be represented by a single RED LED blink. Upon completion, the BLUE LED will be solid. (Example:
VERSION 4.1 would be indicated by four BLUE LED blinks, one RED LED blink, one BLUE LED blink, and one RED
LED blink, then revert to a solid BLUE LED.)
3. To check the keypad’s button functionality:
Press each button and the number of the button pressed will be expressed by the RED LED blinking. (Example: 1 Button
= 1 blink, 2 Button = 2 blinks, 3 Button = 3 blinks...0 Button = 10 blinks, Unlock Button = 11 blinks, Lock Button = 12
blinks.)
4. To exit the Diagnostic Mode, wait for the 20 second timeout to return the datAshur SSD to normal operation.
Self-Diagnostics:
During the initial power up, after the datAshur SSD has been plugged into a USB port, the datAshur SSD will perform
self-diagnostics on the encryption algorithm and critical hardware components. If the RED LED blinks at a rate of one blink
per second for 15 seconds, returns to standby and will not unlock, unplug the datAshur SSD from USB port and try again.
If the RED LED continues to blink in the manner mentioned above and won’t unlock upon USB re-insertion, a critical
component has failed and the datAshur SSD can no longer function.
If the datAshur SSD blinks a triple-RED LED pattern that is repeated every two seconds when unlocked, a failure has occurred
that will not immediately stop the device from working nor affect the security of the device, but should be considered as a
warning that the device needs to be replaced in the near future. Additionally, Admin features may be limited in this mode.
If either condition should appear, remove the datAshur SSD from the USB port and allow the datAshur SSD to go to sleep,
and try to unlock the datAshur SSD again.
The event of either diagnostic failure will be very rare, but if the datAshur SSD cannot recover, it must be replaced.
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21. Lock-Override Mode
Certain users may encounter a case where they need the datAshur SSD to remain unlocked during a reboot, passing the
datAshur SSD through a virtual machine or other similar situation which, under normal circumstances, would cause the
datAshur SSD to lock.
To help facilitate this use case, “Lock-Override Mode” will allow the datAshur SSD to remain unlocked through USB port
re-enumeration and will not lock again until USB power is interrupted.
Note: When in this mode, the datAshur SSD is vulnerable to being moved from one computer and
connected to another computer provided USB power is uninterrupted. Due to this vulnerability,
we strongly recommend this mode be used ONLY in circumstances where the datAshur SSD can be
physically secured (as in a locked Server Room) or in a place where it can be visually monitored
while in this mode. Use of a powered hub or a Y-cable increases this security risk. Always return
the datAshur SSD to the default Lock-Override Mode OFF when returning to normal service.
To set the “Lock-Override” to On:
1. Enter the Admin Mode (Press and hold UNLOCK + the number 0 button for five seconds until RED LED blinks, then
enter the Admin code and press the UNLOCK button. The LED will be solid BLUE.)
2. Press and hold buttons 7 + 1 for three seconds. The GREEN LED will blink three times, then the BLUE LED will glow
solid.
3. When the datAshur SSD is unlocked and attached to a USB port in “Lock-Override Mode”, the BLUE LED will blink
once every three seconds to alert you that “Lock-Override Mode” is active.
Note: If “Unattended Auto-Lock Mode” has been turned on, “Lock-Override” will not override it;
the datAshur SSD will lock at the selected time. If you need the datAshur SSD to stay unlocked, Enter the
Unattended Auto-Lock Feature and set the lock timer to “0” (0 = OFF.) See Page 10.
To turn Lock-Override Mode off and return to normal operation:
4. Enter the Admin Mode (Press and hold 0 + the UNLOCK button for five seconds until the RED LED blinks. Then enter
the Admin code and press the UNLOCK button. The BLUE LED will be solid.)
5. Press and hold buttons 7 + 0 for three seconds. The GREEN LED will blink three times then the BLUE LED will be
solid.
6. To verify, unlock the datAshur SSD in User mode and check the BLUE LED is no longer blinking.
22. Booting from the datAshur SSD
iStorage datAshur SSD USB drives are equipped with a 30 second delay feature in order to accommodate power cycling
during a host boot process.
There may be occasions where you might want to boot from the datAshur SSD for various reasons.
When booting from the datAshur SSD, you are running your computer with the operating system that’s installed on the
datAshur SSD.
No special actions are required on the part of the user, and to use this feature, simply unlock the drive and connect to the USB
port of a host computer.
To force an immediate lock, always unplug to remove USB power to the drive.
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23. Troubleshooting
This section contains troubleshooting information for the datAshur SSD. If you encounter any of the following problems when
using the datAshur SSD, refer to the corresponding answers.
Q: What can I do if I forget the User PIN?
A: Use your Admin PIN to enter Admin Mode, and then create another User PIN in Admin Mode.
Q: What can I do if I forget the Admin PIN?
A: There is no other way to retrieve the Admin PIN except a complete reset of the datAshur SSD. After a complete reset, all
data will be lost and you will need to initialise, allocate and format the datAshur SSD manually.
Q: Why did the operating system not recognise the datAshur SSD, after I did a complete reset of
the drive?
A: You need to initialise, allocate and format the datAshur SSD manually. For more information, refer to Initialising and
formatting the datAshur SSD after a complete reset in this manual.
Q: How do I use the datAshur SSD without a PIN?
A: As a full disk encryption product, the datAshur SSD can never be used without a PIN.
Q: What encryption algorithm is used in this product?
A: The datAshur SSD uses AES 256-bit algorithm.
Q: Why could I not initialise, partition, or format the datAshur SSD?
A: Ensure that you have administrator privileges. You will need Admin privileges to use the Disk Management Utility.
Q: The LED is blinking RED and I can’t enter a code. Why?
A: Somebody has tried to access the datAshur SSD and the code has been entered 10 times incorrectly (see Brute Force
section of this manual.)
Q: The datAshur SSD seems warm to the touch, is this normal?
A: Yes. The SSD in the case runs hotter than a standard flash drive. The cooling features use the case to dissipate the heat.
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Q: Is there any way to recover my data if I forget the User PIN?
A: If an Admin PIN has been previously set, the Admin PIN can be used to unlock the datAshur SSD and recover the data.
If you forget the PIN and do not have an Admin PIN, the datAshur SSD can be reset so it can be used again, but the data
cannot be recovered.
Q: Why does the LED indicate an error when I try to change the PIN?
A: PIN requirements for the datAshur SSD must meet a minimum security level. There are several combinations that are not
allowed, such as repeating numbers or sequential numbers. The PIN must be a minimum of 7 digits, and not longer than 16
digits.
Examples of these types of Alphanumerical PINs are:
• For “Password” you would press the following keys:
7(pqrs) 2(abc) 7(pqrs) 7(pqrs) 9(wxyz) 6(mno) 7(pqrs) 3(def)
• For “iStorage” you would press:
4(ghi) 7(pqrs) 8(tuv) 6(mno) 7(pqrs) 2(abc) 4(ghi) 3(def)
Using this method, long and easy to remember PIN CODES can be created.
Password Tip: You can create a word, name, phrase or any other Alphanumerical PIN combination by simply pressing
the buttons with the corresponding letters on it.
• PIN must be between 7-16 digits in length
• PIN must not contain all of the same number, e.g. (1111111)
• PIN must not contain all consecutive numbers, e.g. (2345678) or (9876543)
Q: How many unique User ID’s can I create?
A: The Administrator feature allows enrollment of 1 unique User ID and one 1 Administrator. If a user forgets their PIN, the
datAshur SSD can be unlocked using the Admin PIN.
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24. Technical Support
iStorage provides the following helpful resources for you:
iStorage’s Website
http://www.istorage-uk.com
http://www.istorage-uk.com/support
E-mail correspondence
support@istorage-uk.com
Telephone support with our Technical Support Department on +44 (0) 20 8991-6260.
iStorage’s Technical Support Specialists are available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
GMT - Monday through Friday.
Three Year Warranty:
iStorage offers a 3-year warranty on the datAshur SSD against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. The
warranty period is effective from the date of purchase either directly from iStorage or an authorised reseller.
Disclaimer and terms of warranty:
THE WARRANTY BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PURCHASE AND MUST BE VERIFIED WITH YOUR SALES RECEIPT OR INVOICE DISPLAYING THE DATE OF PRODUCT
PURCHASE. ISTORAGE WILL, AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS WITH NEW PARTS OR SERVICEABLE USED PARTS THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO
NEW IN PERFORMANCE. ALL EXCHANGED PARTS AND PRODUCTS REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY WILL BECOME THE PROPERTY OF ISTORAGE.
THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT EXTEND TO ANY PRODUCT NOT PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ISTORAGE OR AN AUTHORISED RESELLER OR TO ANY PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN
DAMAGED OR RENDERED DEFECTIVE: 1. AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENT, MISUSE, NEGLECT, ABUSE OR FAILURE AND/OR INABILITY TO FOLLOW THE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS
PROVIDED IN THIS INSTRUCTION GUIDE: 2. BY THE USE OF PARTS NOT MANUFACTURED OR SOLD BY ISTORAGE; 3. BY MODIFICATION OF THE PRODUCT; OR 4. AS A RESULT
OF SERVICE, ALTERNATION OR REPAIR BY ANYONE OTHER THAN ISTORAGE AND SHALL BE VOID. THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.
NO OTHER WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, HAS BEEN OR WILL BE
MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF ISTORAGE OR BY OPERATION OF LAW WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT OR ITS INSTALLATION, USE, OPERATION, REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR.
ISTORAGE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE BY VIRTUE OF THIS WARRANTY, OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING ANY LOSS OF
DATA RESULTING FROM THE USE OR OPERATION OF THE PRODUCT, WHETHER OR NOT ISTORAGE WAS APPRISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
25. Warranty and RMA information
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© iStorage, 2015. All rights reserved.
iStorage Limited, iStorage House, 13 Alperton Lane
Perivale, Middlesex. UB6 8DH, England
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8991 6260 | Fax: +44 (0) 20 8991 6277
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