iStorage diskAshur 2 User Manual
Displayed below is the user manual for diskAshur 2 by iStorage which is a product in the External Hard Drives category. This manual has pages.
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iStorage diskAshur2® Manual – v 2.3
Please make sure you remember your PIN (password), without it there
is no way to access the data on the drive.
If you are having difficulty using your diskAshur2 drive please contact our technical department by
email - support@istorage-uk.com or by phone on +44 (0) 20 8991 6260.
Available in four colours: Blue, Red, Green and Black
User Manual
HDD & SSD Range
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Copyright © iStorage, Inc 2017. 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 modified versions of this document is prohibited without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
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
All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners
Trade Agreements Act (TAA) Compliant
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iStorage diskAshur2® Manual – v 2.3
Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................4
Box contents ..................................................................................................................................4
1. diskAshur2 LED States .............................................................................................................5
2. How to use the diskAshur2 for the first time .............................................................................5
3. Unlocking the diskAshur2 ....................................................................................................... 6
4. Locking the diskAshur2 ...........................................................................................................6
5. Entering Admin Mode .............................................................................................................6
6. Changing the Admin PIN .........................................................................................................7
7. Adding a new User PIN in Admin Mode ..................................................................................8
8. Changing the User PIN in Admin Mode ..................................................................................8
9. Deleting the User PIN in Admin Mode ....................................................................................8
10. Set Read-Only in Admin Mode ................................................................................................ 9
11. Enable Read/Write in Admin Mode .........................................................................................9
12. How to create a Self-Destruct PIN ...........................................................................................9
13. How to delete the Self-Destruct PIN ........................................................................................10
14. How to Unlock with the Self-Destruct PIN ...............................................................................10
15. How to Create an Admin PIN after a Brute Force attack or Reset ............................................11
16. Setting the Unattended Auto-Lock Clock ................................................................................. 11
17. Turn off the Unattended Auto-Lock Clock ................................................................................ 12
18. How to Unlock diskAshur2 with User PIN ................................................................................12
19. Changing the User PIN in User Mode .....................................................................................12
20. Set Read-Only in User Mode ................................................................................................... 13
21. Enable Read/Write in User Mode ............................................................................................13
22. Brute Force Protection .............................................................................................................14
23. How to perform a complete reset ............................................................................................ 14
24. Initialising and formatting the diskAshur2 ...............................................................................15
25. diskAshur2 Setup for Mac OS ................................................................................................. 17
26. diskAshur2 Setup for Linux (Ubuntu 14.04) ............................................................................19
27. Hibernating, Suspending or Logging off from the Operating System .....................................22
28. How to check Firmware in Admin Mode .................................................................................. 22
29. How to check Firmware in User Mode ..................................................................................... 23
30. Technical Support ...................................................................................................................24
31. Warranty and RMA information ...............................................................................................24
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Introduction
Box Contents
The diskAshur2 is an easy to use, ultra-secure, hardware encrypted portable drive with capacities of up to 2TB. Simply
connect the integrated USB 3.1 cable to any computer and enter a 7-15 digit PIN, if the correct PIN is entered, all data stored
on the drive will be decrypted and accessible. To lock the drive and encrypt all data, simply eject the diskAshur2 from the
host computer and the entire contents of the drive will be encrypted (full disk encryption) using military grade AES 256-bit
hardware encryption (XTS mode). If the drive is lost or stolen and an incorrect PIN is entered 15 consecutive times, the drive
will reset, the encryption key will be deleted and all data previously stored on the drive will be lost forever.
One of the unique and underlying security features of the GDPR compliant diskAshur2 is the dedicated hardware based secure
microprocessor (Common Criteria EAL4+ ready), which employs built-in physical protection mechanisms designed to defend
against external tamper, bypass attacks and fault injections. Unlike other solutions, the diskAshur2 reacts to an automated
attack by entering the deadlock frozen state, which renders all such attacks as useless. In plain and simple terms, without the
PIN there’s no way in!
1. diskAshur2 Drive with integrated USB Cable
2. Elegant Travel Case
3. Quick Start Guide
LED LIGHTS
LOCK
UNLOCK
SHIFT
DESK LOCK
SLOT CONNECTION
- Standby State/Locked
- User Mode/Unlocked
- Admin Mode
Alphanumeric Keypad
Integrated USB 3.1 Cable
Tamper Proof and Soft Touch
Shock Absorbent Facia
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1. diskAshur2 LED States
The diskAshur2 is shipped with a default Admin PIN of 11223344 and although it can be used straight out of the box with
the default Admin PIN, for security reasons we highly recommend a new Admin PIN be created immediately by
following the instructions under section 6 ‘Changing the Admin PIN’.
Please follow the 3 simple steps in the table below to unlock the diskAshur2 for the first time with the default Admin PIN.
2. How to use the diskAshur2 for the first time
Instructions - first time use LED LED State
1. Connect the diskAshur2 to a USB port RED LED will be solid awaiting PIN entry
2. Enter Admin PIN (default - 11223344) RED LED remains solid
3. Within 10 seconds press the “UNLOCK” button once
to unlock diskAshur2
GREEN and BLUE LEDs will alternately blink
several times and then to a solid BLUE LED
changing to a blinking GREEN and finally solid
GREEN LED
Note: Once the diskAshur2 has been successfully unlocked, the GREEN LED will remain on and in a
solid state. It can be locked down immediately by pressing the “LOCK” button once or by clicking the ‘Safely
Remove Hardware/Eject’ icon within your operating system. To ensure no data is corrupted, we recommend using
‘Safely Remove Hardware/Eject’.
When the diskAshur2 is plugged in, there are three possible behaviours for the LED indicators as shown in the table below.
RED GREEN BLUE diskAshur2 State
Solid Off Off Factory Reset 1
Solid Solid Solid Brute Force 2
Solid Off Off Standby 3
1. In Factory Reset State, the drive is waiting for the operation to set up an Admin PIN.
2. In Brute Force state, the drive is waiting for an operation to get more PIN entry attempts.
3. In Standby state, the drive is waiting for an operation to unlock the drive, or enter Admin mode, or reset the drive.
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To lock the drive, press the “LOCK” button once or by clicking the ‘Safely Remove Hardware/Eject’ icon within your operating
system. If data is still being written to the drive, please wait until all data has been written to the drive before pressing the
‘LOCK’ button or safely ejecting from the Operating System. When the unattended Auto-Lock timeout is activated, the drive
will automatically lock after a predetermined amount of time.
4. Locking the diskAshur2
Note: The diskAshur2 cannot be recognized by the operating system in standby state.
3. Unlocking the diskAshur2
The diskAshur2 can be unlocked with either an Admin or User PIN whilst in standby state (solid RED LED).
1. To unlock as the Administrator, enter the Admin PIN and press the “UNLOCK” button.
2. To unlock as a User, first press the “UNLOCK” button (all LEDs, blink on and off) and then enter the User
PIN and press the “UNLOCK” button again.
3. If correct User PIN is entered, both GREEN and BLUE LEDs will blink alternately and then return to a solid GREEN LED.
4. If correct Admin PIN is entered, both GREEN and BLUE LEDs will blink alternately, then to a solid BLUE for 1 second and
then to the unlocked state, a solid GREEN LED.
5. If correct PIN is entered, the drive displays as “iStorage diskAshur2 USB Device” under “Computer Management/Device
Manager”.
In an unlocked state (GREEN LED), there are two possible behaviours for the LED indicators, shown in the table below.
RED GREEN BLUE diskAshur2
Off Solid Off No data transfer
Off Blink Off Data transfer in progress
To enter the Admin Mode, do the following:
5. Entering Admin Mode
1. In standby state (solid RED LED), press and hold
down “UNLOCK + 1” buttons
Solid RED LED will change to blinking GREEN
and BLUE LEDs
2. Enter the Admin PIN (default - 11223344) and press
“UNLOCK” button
GREEN and BLUE LEDs blink rapidly together
for a few seconds then to a solid GREEN and
finally a solid BLUE LED indicating the
diskAshur2 is in “Admin Mode”
To exist Admin mode, press the “LOCK” button.
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6. Changing the Admin PIN
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“UNLOCK + 2” buttons
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and solid BLUE LEDs
2. Enter NEW Admin PIN and press “UNLOCK” button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a single GREEN LED blink and then
back to blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs
3. Re-enter the NEW Admin PIN and press “UNLOCK”
button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs change
to a rapidly blinking BLUE LED and finally to a
solid BLUE LED indicating the Admin PIN has
been successfully changed
To change the Admin PIN, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin Mode
(solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
PIN requirements:
• Must be between 7-15 digits in length
• Must not contain only repetitive numbers, e.g. (3-3-3-3-3-3-3)
• Must not contain only consecutive numbers, e.g. (1-2-3-4-5-6-7), (7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4), (7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
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 PINs can be created.
Password Tip: You can create a memorable word, name, phrase or any other Alphanumerical PIN combination
by simply pressing the key with the corresponding letters on it.
Note: The SHIFT key can be used for additional combinations. SHIFT + 1 is a separate value than just 1.
To create a PIN using additional combinations, press and hold down the SHIFT button whilst entering
your 7-15 digit PIN. e.g. SHIFT + 26756498.
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7. Adding a new User PIN in Admin Mode
9. Deleting the User PIN in Admin Mode
To add a New User, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin Mode
(solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“UNLOCK + 3” buttons
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and solid BLUE LEDs
2. Enter New User PIN and press “UNLOCK” button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a single GREEN LED blink and then
back to blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs
3. Re-enter the New User PIN and press “UNLOCK”
button
GREEN LED rapidly blinks for a few seconds
then changes to a solid BLUE LED indicating the
User PIN has been successfully created
To delete a User PIN, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin Mode
(solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down “SHIFT + 3”
buttons
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking RED
LED
2. Press and hold down “SHIFT + 3” buttons again.
Blinking RED LED will change to solid RED
LED and then to a solid BLUE LED indicating
the User PIN was successfully deleted
8. Changing the User PIN in Admin Mode
To change an existing User PIN, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin
Mode (solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“UNLOCK + 3” buttons
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and solid BLUE LEDs
2. Enter New User PIN and press “UNLOCK” button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a single GREEN LED blink and then
back to blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs
3. Re-enter the New User PIN and press “UNLOCK”
button
GREEN LED rapidly blinks for a few seconds
then changes to a solid BLUE LED indicating the
User PIN has been successfully changed
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10. Set Read-Only in Admin Mode
When Admin writes content to the diskAshur2 and restricts access to read-only, the User cannot change this setting in User
mode. To set the diskAshur2 to Read-Only, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in
Admin Mode (solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down “7 + 6”
buttons. (7=Read + 6=Only) Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and BLUE LEDs
2. Release 7+6 buttons and press “UNLOCK”
GREEN and BLUE LEDs will change to a solid
GREEN LED and then to a solid BLUE LED
indicating the drive is configured as Read-Only
11. Enable Read/Write in Admin Mode
To set the diskAshur2 to Read/Write, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in
Admin Mode (solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down “7 + 9”
buttons. (7=Read + 9=Write)
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and BLUE LEDs
2. Release 7+9 buttons and press “UNLOCK”
GREEN and BLUE LEDs change to a solid
GREEN LED then to a solid BLUE LED
indicating the drive is configured as Read/Write
12. How to create a Self-Destruct PIN
The self-destruct feature allows you to set a PIN which can be used to perform a crypto-erase on the entire drive.
When used, the self-destruct PIN will delete ALL data, Admin/User PINs and then unlock the drive. Activating this
feature will cause the Self-Destruct PIN to become the new User PIN and the diskAshur2 will need to be partitioned
and formatted before any new data can be added to the drive.
To set the Self-Destruct PIN, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin Mode
(solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“UNLOCK + 6” buttons Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and solid BLUE LEDs
2. Create a 7-15 digit Self-Destruct PIN and press the
“UNLOCK” button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a single GREEN LED blink and then
back to blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs
3. Re-enter the PIN and press the “UNLOCK” button
GREEN LED will rapidly blink for several
seconds and then changes to a solid BLUE LED
to indicate the Self-Destruct PIN has been
successfully configured
Important: If data has just been copied to the diskAshur2, make sure to properly disconnect the drive
first by clicking ‘Safely Remove Hardware/Eject’ the diskAshur2 from the Operating System before
reconnecting and setting the diskAshur2 as ‘Read-Only/Write-Protect’.
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1. In standby state, press the “UNLOCK” button RED LED switches to all LEDs, RED, GREEN &
BLUE blinking on and off
2. Enter the Self-Destruct PIN and press the
“UNLOCK” button
RED, GREEN and BLUE blinking LEDs will
change to GREEN and BLUE LEDs alternating
on and off for approximately 15 seconds and
finally shifts to a solid GREEN LED
14. How to Unlock with the Self-Destruct PIN
When used, the self-destruct PIN will delete the encryption key, ALL data, Admin/User PINs and then unlock the
drive. Activating this feature will cause the Self-Destruct PIN to become the new User PIN and the diskAshur2 will
need to be partitioned and formatted before any new data can be added to the drive.
To activate the Self-Destruct mechanism, the drive needs to be in the standby state (solid RED LED) and then proceed with the
following steps.
13. How to Delete the Self-Destruct PIN
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“SHIFT + 6” buttons Solid BLUE LED will change to a blinking RED
LED
2. Press and hold down “SHIFT + 6” buttons again
Blinking RED LED will become solid and then
change to a solid BLUE LED indicating the
Self-Destruct PIN was successfully deleted
To delete the Self-Destruct PIN, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin Mode
(solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
Important: When the Self-Destruct mechanism is activated, all data, the encryption key and the Admin/User
PINs are deleted. The Self-Destruct PIN becomes the User PIN. No Admin PIN exists
after the Self-Destruct mechanism is activated. The diskAshur2 will need to be reset (see ‘How to
perform a complete reset’ Section 23, on page 14) first in order to create an Admin PIN with full
Admin privileges including the ability to create a User PIN.
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15. How to Create an Admin PIN after a Brute Force attack or Reset
It will be necessary after a Brute Force attack or when the diskAshur2 has been reset to create an Admin PIN before the drive
can be used. If the drive has been brute forced or reset, the drive will be in a standby state (solid RED LED). to create an
Admin PIN proceed with the following steps.
PIN requirements:
• Must be between 7-15 digits in length
• Must not contain only repetitive numbers, e.g. (3-3-3-3-3-3-3)
• Must not contain only consecutive numbers, e.g. (1-2-3-4-5-6-7), (7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4), (7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
16. Setting the Unattended Auto-Lock Clock
To protect against unauthorised access if the drive is unlocked and unattended, diskAshur2 can be set to automatically lock
after a pre-set amount of time. In its default state, the diskAshur2 Unattended Auto Lock feature is turned off. The Unattended
Auto Lock can be set to activate between 5 - 99 minutes.
To set the Unattended Auto Lock, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin
Mode (solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“UNLOCK + 5” buttons
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and BLUE LEDs
2. Enter the amount of time that you would like to set the Auto-Lock timeout feature for, the minimum time that can be set is
5 minutes and the maximum being 99 minutes (5-99 minutes). For example enter:
05 for 5 minutes
20 for 20 minutes
99 for 99 minutes
3. Press the “SHIFT” button
Blinking GREEN and BLUE LEDs will change to
a solid GREEN for a second and then finally to a
solid BLUE LED indicating the Auto-Lock time
out is successfully configured
1. In Standby state, press and hold down
“Shift + 1” buttons
Solid RED LED will change to blinking GREEN
and solid BLUE LEDs
2. Enter NEW Admin PIN and press “UNLOCK” button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a single GREEN LED blink and then
back to blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs
3. Re-enter the NEW Admin PIN and press “UNLOCK”
button
Blinking GREEN LED and solid BLUE LED
change to BLUE LED rapidly blinking for a few
seconds and then to a solid BLUE LED indicat-
ing the Admin PIN was successfully configured.
Note: The SHIFT key can be used for additional combinations. SHIFT + 1 is a separate value than just 1.
To create a PIN using additional combinations, press and hold down the SHIFT button whilst entering
your 7-15 digit PIN. e.g. SHIFT + 26756498.
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19. Changing the User PIN in User Mode
1. In User mode press and hold down “UNLOCK + 4”Solid GREEN LED will change to a blinking
GREEN LED and a solid BLUE LED
2. Enter New User PIN and press the “UNLOCK” button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a single GREEN LED blink and then
back to blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs
3. Re-enter New User PIN and press the “UNLOCK”
button
Blinking GREEN and solid BLUE LEDs will
switch to a rapidly blinking GREEN LED and
then to a solid GREEN LED indicating
successful User PIN change
18. How to Unlock diskAshur2 with User PIN
1. In a standby state (solid RED LED) Press the
“UNLOCK” button
RED LED switches to all LEDs, RED, GREEN &
BLUE blinking on and off
2. Enter User PIN and press the “UNLOCK” button
RED, GREEN and BLUE blinking LEDs will
change to alternating GREEN and BLUE LEDs
then to a rapidly blinking GREEN LED and
finally shifts to a solid Green LED indicating
drive successfully unlocked in User mode
To change the User PIN, first unlock the diskAshur2 with a User PIN as described above in section 18. Once the drive is in
User Mode (solid GREEN LED) proceed with the following steps.
17. Turn off the Unattended Auto-Lock Clock
1. In Admin mode, press and hold down
“UNLOCK + 5” buttons
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and BLUE LEDs
2. Enter “00” and press the “SHIFT” button
Blinking GREEN and BLUE LEDs will change to
a solid GREEN for a second and then finally to a
solid BLUE LED indicating the Auto-Lock time
out has been successfully switched off
To turn off the Unattended Auto Lock, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin
Mode (solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
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20. Set Read-Only in User Mode
To set the diskAshur2 to Read-Only, first enter the “User Mode” as described in section 18. Once the drive is in User Mode
(solid GREEN LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In User mode, press and hold down “7 + 6”
buttons. (7=Read + 6=Only) Solid GREEN LED will change to blinking
GREEN and BLUE LEDs
2. Release 7+6 buttons and press “UNLOCK”
GREEN and BLUE LEDs will change to a solid
GREEN LED indicating the drive is configured
as Read-Only
Note: 1. This setting is activated the next time the drive is unlocked.
2. If a User set the drive as Read-Only, Admin can override it by setting the drive as Read/Write in
Admin mode.
3. If Admin set the drive as Read-Only, the User cannot set the drive as Read/Write
21. Enable Read/Write in User Mode
To set the diskAshur2 to Read/Write, first enter the “User Mode” as described in section 18. Once the drive is in User
Mode (solid GREEN LED) proceed with the following steps.
1. In User mode, press and hold down “7 + 9”
buttons. (7=Read + 9=Write) Solid GREEN LED will change to blinking
GREEN and BLUE LEDs
2. Release 7+9 buttons and press “UNLOCK”
GREEN and BLUE LEDs will change to a solid
GREEN LED indicating the drive is configured
as Read/Write
Note: 1. This setting is activated the next time the drive is unlocked.
2. If a User set the drive as Read-Only, Admin can override it by setting the drive as Read/Write in
Admin mode.
3. If Admin set the drive as Read-Only, the User cannot set the drive as Read/Write
Important: If data has just been copied to the diskAshur2, make sure to properly disconnect the drive
first by clicking ‘Safely Remove Hardware/Eject’ the diskAshur2 from the Operating System before
reconnecting and setting the diskAshur2 as ‘Read-Only/Write-Protect’.
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To perform a complete reset, the diskAshur2 must be in a standby state (solid RED LED). Once the drive is reset then all
Admin/User PINs, the encryption key and all data will be deleted and lost forever and the drive will need to be formatted and
partitioned before it can be reused.
To reset the diskAshur2 proceed with the following steps.
23. How to perform a complete reset
1. In standby state, press and hold down “0” button
until all LEDs blink alternately on and off
Solid RED LED will change to all LEDs, RED,
GREEN and BLUE blinking alternately on and
off
2. Press and hold down “2 + 7” buttons until all LEDs
become solid for a second and then to a solid RED LED
RED, GREEN and BLUE alternating LEDs will
change to all solid for a second and then to a
solid RED LED indicating the drive has been
reset
If an incorrect PIN is entered 15 (3 x 5 PIN clusters) consecutive times, then all Admin/User PINs, the encryption key and all
data will be deleted and lost forever. The diskAshur2 will then need to be formatted and partitioned before it can be reused.
1. If a PIN is entered incorrectly 5 (five) consecutive times, all LEDs - RED, GREEN, BLUE will light up and become solid.
2. Unplug the drive and re-plug it into the host to get five more PIN attempts. If PIN is incorrectly entered 5 more times, (10
in total - 5 from step 1 and 5 from step 2) all LEDs - RED, GREEN, BLUE will light up and become solid again.
3. Unplug the drive, hold down the “SHIFT” button and replug it into the host, all LEDs - RED, GREEN, BLUE will light up
and blink together.
4. With all LEDs blinking, enter “47867243” and press the “UNLOCK” button to get 5 final attempts.
22. Brute Force Protection
Caution: After 15 consecutive incorrect PIN entries the Brute Force Defence Mechanism activates and deletes
all Admin/User PINs, the encryption key and data. A new Admin PIN must be created, refer to Section
15 on page 11 on ‘How to Create an Admin PIN after a Brute Force attack or Reset’, the diskAshur2
will also need to be partitioned and formatted before any new data can be added to the drive.
Important: After a complete reset a new Admin PIN must be created, refer to Section 15 on page 11 on ‘How to
Create an Admin PIN after a Brute Force attack or Reset’, the diskAshur2 will also need to be
partitioned and formatted before any new data can be added to the drive.
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5. In the Computer Manage window, click Disk Management. In the Disk Management window, the diskAshur2 is
recognised as an unknown device that is uninitialised and unallocated.
6. Right-click Unknown Disk, and then select Initialise Disk.
Note: If the Initialise Disk Wizard window opens, click Cancel.
After a ‘Brute Force Attack’ or a complete reset of the diskAshur2 will delete all data, encryption key and partition settings.
You will need to initialise and format the diskAshur2 before it can be used.
To initialise your diskAshur2, do the following:
1. Attach the diskAshur2 to the computer.
2. Create a new Admin PIN - see page 11, section 15, ‘How to create an Admin PIN after a Brute Force attack or reset’.
3. With the diskAshur2 in standby state (RED LED) enter New Admin PIN to unlock (GREEN LED).
4. Windows 7: Right click Computer and then click Manage and then select Disk Management
Windows 8: Right-click left corner of desktop and select Disk Management
Windows 10: Right click on the start button and select Disk Management
24. Initialising and formatting the diskAshur2
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9. Click Next.
10. If you need only one partition, accept the default partition size and click Next.
11. Assign a drive letter or path and click Next.
12. Create a volume label, select Perform a quick format, and then click Next.
13. Click Finish.
14. Wait until the format process is complete. The diskAshur2 will be recognised and it is available for use.
7. In the Initialise Disk window, click OK.
8. Right-click in the blank area under the Unallocated section, and then select New Simple Volume. The Welcome to
the New Simple Volume Wizard window opens.
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25. diskAshur2 Setup for Mac OS
Your diskAshur2 is preformatted in NTFS for Windows. To reformat the drive to a Mac compatible format please read below.
Once the drive is unlocked, open Disk Utility from Applications/Utilities/Disk Utilities.
To format the diskAshur2:
1. Select diskAshur2 from the list of drives and volumes. Each drive in the list will display its capacity, manufacturer, and
product name, such as ‘iStorage diskAshur2 Media’ or 232.9 diskAshur2.
2. Click the ‘Erase’ button (figure 1).
3. Enter a name for the drive (figure 2). The default name is Untitled. The name of the drive will eventually appear on the
desktop.
figure 2
figure 1
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4. Select a scheme and volume format to use. The Volume Format dropdown menu (figure 3) lists the available drive formats
that the Mac supports. The recommended format type is ‘Mac OS Extended (Journaled).’ The scheme format dropdown menu
lists the available schemes to use (figure 4). We recommend using ‘GUID Partition Map’ on drives larger than 2TB.
5. Click the ‘Erase’ button. Disk Utility will unmount the volume from the desktop, erase it, and then remount it on the
desktop.
figure 3
figure 4
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26. diskAshur2 Setup for Linux (Ubuntu 14.04)
If your diskAshur2 has been initialised and formatted in NTFS for Windows, you can directly use the drive on Ubuntu.
If not, please read below.
To format the diskAshur2 as FAT filesystem:
1. Open ‘Unity Dash’ and type ‘Disks’ in the search box. Click on the ‘Disks’ utility when displayed.
2. Click to select the drive (500 GB Hard Disk) under ‘Devices’. Next click on the gears icon under ‘Volumes’ and then
click on ‘Format’.
3. Select ‘Compatible with all systems and devices(FAT)’ for the ‘Type’ option. And enter a name for the drive,
e.g: diskAshur2. Then, click the ‘Format’ button.
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4. Click ‘Format’ again.
5. The drive will start to be formatted.
6. After the format process is finished, click to mount the drive to Ubuntu.
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7. Now the drive should be mounted to Ubuntu and ready to use.
8. A disk icon will be shown as seen in the image below. You can click the disk icon to open your drive.
Lock diskAshur2 for Linux (Ubuntu 14.04)
It is strongly recommended to right click your drive icon and then click ‘Safely remove’ in the OS to eject (lock) your
diskAshur2, especially after data has been copied or deleted from the drive.
500 GB Hard Disk
iStorage diskAshur2
iStorage diskAshur2
500 GB - 147 GB free
500 GB Hard Disk
diskAshur2
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27. Hibernating, Suspending, or Logging off from the Operating System
Be sure to save and close all the files on your diskAshur2 before hibernating, suspending, or logging off from the
operating system.
It is recommended that you lock the diskAshur2 manually before hibernating, suspending, or logging off from your
system.
To lock, simply press the ‘LOCK’ button on the diskAshur2 or by clicking the ‘Safely Remove Hardware/Eject’ icon within your
operating system.
Attention: To ensure your data is secure, be sure to lock your diskAshur2 if you are away from your
computer
28. How to check Firmware in Admin mode
1. In Admin mode press and hold down “3 + 8” until
GREEN and BLUE LEDs blink together
Solid BLUE LED will change to blinking GREEN
and BLUE LEDs
2. Press the “UNLOCK” button and the following happens;
a. All LED’s (RED, GREEN & BLUE) become solid for 1 second.
b. RED LED blinks indicating the integral part of the firmware revision number.
c. GREEN LED blinks indicating the fractional part.
d. All LED’s (RED, GREEN & BLUE) become solid for 1 second.
e. LEDs return to solid BLUE
To check the firmware revision number, first enter the “Admin Mode” as described in section 5. Once the drive is in Admin
Mode (solid BLUE LED) proceed with the following steps.
For example, if the firmware revision number is ‘1.2’, the RED LED will blink once (1) and the GREEN LED will blink two (2)
times. Once the sequence has ended the RED, GREEN & BLUE LED’s will blink together once and then return to a solid BLUE
LED.
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29. How to check Firmware in User Mode
1. In User mode press and hold down “3 + 8” until
GREEN and BLUE LEDs blink together
Solid GREEN LED will change to blinking
GREEN and BLUE LEDs
2. Press the “UNLOCK” button and the following happens;
a. All LED’s (RED, GREEN & BLUE) become solid for 1 second.
b. RED LED blinks indicating the integral part of the firmware revision number.
c. GREEN LED blinks indicating the fractional part.
d. All LED’s (RED, GREEN & BLUE) become solid for 1 second.
e. LEDs return to solid GREEN
To check the firmware revision number, first enter the “User Mode” as described in section 18. Once the drive is in User
Mode (solid GREEN LED) proceed with the following steps.
For example, if the firmware revision number is ‘1.2’, the RED LED will blink once (1) and the GREEN LED will blink two (2)
times. Once the sequence has ended the RED, GREEN & BLUE LED’s will blink together once and then return to a solid BLUE
LED.
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Two Year Warranty:
iStorage offers a 2-year warranty on the iStorage diskAshur2 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 AUTHORIzED 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.
31. Warranty and RMA information
iStorage provides the following helpful resources for you:
iStorage’s Website
https://www.istorage-uk.com
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
30. Technical Support
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© iStorage, 2017. 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
e-mail: info@istorage-uk.com | web: www.istorage-uk.com