TITLE
    Iomega Zip Drive: Tools FAQ
Article ID:
Created:
Modified:
20877
1/27/97
1/30/01

TOPIC

    This article contains frequently asked questions about using the Tools application included with Iomega Zip drives on some Macintosh computers.

    Questions in this FAQ

    1) How can I change a PC-formatted Zip disk to Macintosh format?

    2) How can I change the password on a protected Zip disk?

    3) How can I change the drive sleep time?

    4) How can I password protect a Zip disk?

    5) How can I read/write protect a Zip disk?

    6) How can I repair a Zip disk?

    7) How can I unprotect a protected Zip disk?

    8) How can I write protect a Zip disk?

    9) What does Disk Protection do for me?

    10) If I use Disk Protection, can someone else bypass it?

    11) What is the difference between Erase and Erase with Surface Verify?

    12) What happens if I forget my password?


DISCUSSION

    1) Question: How can I change a PC-formatted Zip disk to Macintosh format?

    Answer: You can change a PC-formatted Zip disk to a Macintosh format by erasing the disk. If you are not using PC Exchange, you can use Erase Disk from either the Finder or the Tools application to change the disk format.

    NOTE: If you are using PC Exchange, you must use Erase or Initialize Disk in the Tools application program to change the disk format. PC Exchange will not allow the format to be changed when using the Finder.

    If you need to change a Macintosh-formatted Zip disk to a PC format, use the Tools program on a PC to reformat the disk.


    2) Question: How can I change the password on a protected Zip disk?

    Answer: To change the password on a protected Zip disk you must know the current password. Then, follow the steps below.
      1. Insert the disk for which you want to change the password.
      2. Click on the disk icon in the main Tools window.
      3. Click on the Change Disk Protection tool.
      4. Select Change Password from the Disk Protection Options window.
      5. Enter the current disk password, and then enter the new password you want to use.
      6. When prompted, retype the new password to confirm it.
      7. Close the Disk Protection Options window.
    NOTE: You must close any open files and quit all applications running from a disk before you can change its password. If the disk is being shared, you must first turn off sharing. After you have changed the password, you can turn sharing back on.


    3) Question: How can I change the drive sleep time?

    Answer: There are two ways to change your drive sleep time:

    Iomega Drive Options Control Panel
    ==================================
      1. Open the Control Panel folder and double-click Iomega Drive Options.
      2. Select the drive on which you want to change the drive sleep time.
      3. Using the up and down arrows, change the Drive Sleep Time to your desired length of time. You can change the period of inactivity before drive sleep occurs from a minimum of 1 minute to a maximum of 60 minutes.
      4. Press Save to implement the changes you have made.
    Note: If you do not want to save the changes, choose Don't Save instead.


    Tools Menu
    ==========
      1. Select the disk icon in the main Tools window for the drive where you want to change the drive sleep time.
      2. Click on the Set Drive Options tool.
      3. You will see the current sleep time setting for the selected drive in the drive options window.
      4. Use the slide bar to set the sleep time you desire to use, then click on the Set button at the bottom of the Drive Options window.

    4) Question: How can I password protect a Zip disk?

    Answer: The Tools application provides two options for protecting your Zip disks: Write protection and Read/Write protection.

    If you wish, you can use a password when you write-protect a disk. When you do this, no one can write files to the disk or change files on the disk without first using the password you have assigned.

    When you read/write protect a disk, you must assign a password. In this case, no one can access any information on the disk without first using the password. This means that if you forget the password, there is no way to recover the information on the disk.

    NOTE: You must close any open files and quit all applications running from a disk before you can protect it. If the disk is being shared, you must first turn off sharing. After you have protected the disk, you can turn sharing back on.

    Follow these steps to assign password protection to a disk:

    1 - Insert the disk you want to protect with a password.
    2 - Click on the disk icon in the main Tools window.
    3 - Click on the Change Disk Protection tool.
    4 - Select the type of protection you want to use (either Write Protection or Read/Write Protection) from the Disk Protection Options window.

    CAUTION! If you forget the password for a Read/Write protected disk, the data on the disk cannot be recovered (even by Iomega!).

    5 - Follow the prompts to assign the password you want to use.


    5) Question: How can I read/write protect a Zip disk?

    Answer: You can use Tools to read/write protect a Zip disk. When you do this, you must assign a password that will be required before anyone can access any information on the disk. Take care to use a password you will not forget. If you forget the password, there is no way to recover the information on the disk. In order to use the disk at all, you will have to reformat it, which will destroy all files on the disk.

    NOTE: You must close any open files and quit all applications running from a disk before you can read/write protect it. If the disk is being shared, you must first turn off sharing. After you have protected the disk, you can turn sharing back on.

    Follow these steps to read/write protect a Zip disk:
      1. Insert the disk you want to protect.
      2. Click on the disk icon in the main Tools window.
      3. Click on the Change Disk Protection tool.
      4. Select Read/Write Protection from the Disk Protection Options window.
      5. Follow the prompts to assign the password you want to use.
    CAUTION! If you forget the password for a Read/Write protected disk, the data on the disk cannot be recovered. Because the actual disk protection mechanism is secured in the drive hardware and is not software-based, it cannot be bypassed using other software programs.


    6) Question: How can I repair a Zip disk?

    Answer: If a Zip disk begins to develop read/write errors, it is probably due to bad sectors on the disk. You can use Erase Disk with Surface Verify in the Tools application to repair a disk that has developed read/write errors due to bad sectors. However, this will erase all data on the disk. To save the information on the disk, copy all files to another disk before you repair the disk.

    Follow these steps to repair a disk that has developed read/write errors:
      1. Copy all information on the disk you need to repair to another disk.
      2. Insert the disk you want to repair.
      3. Open the Tools application.
      4. Click on the disk icon in the main Tools window.
      5. Click on the Erase Disk tool.
      6. Select the Erase Disk with Surface Verify option.
    CAUTION: All of the information on a disk is lost when a disk is erased. Make sure that any information you may need has been copied before you erase the disk.


    7) Question: How can I unprotect a protected Zip disk?

    Answer: Tools offers two options for unprotecting a protected Zip disk: Temporarily Unprotect and Remove Protection. Note that if the disk is protected with a password, you must use the password in order to use either unprotect option.

    * Temporarily Unprotect gives you temporary access to a protected disk. When you temporarily unprotect a write-protected disk, it will be automatically write-protected again when ejected. If you temporarily unprotect a read/write-protected disk, you must restart your Mac to restore protection.

    * Remove Protection completely removes either write protection or read/write protection.

    NOTE: You must close any open files and quit all applications running from a disk before you can unprotect it. If the disk is being shared, you must first turn off sharing. After you have unprotected the disk, you can turn sharing back on.

    Follow these steps to unprotect a protected disk:

    1 - Insert the disk you want to unprotect.
    2 - Click on the disk icon in the main Tools window.
    3 - Click on the Change Disk Protection tool.
    4 - Select the unprotect option you want to use (either Temporarily Unprotect or Remove Protection) from the Disk Protection Options window.

    CAUTION: If you temporarily unprotect a read/write-protected disk, you must restart your Mac to restore protection.

    5 - If prompted for a password, enter the current password for the disk.


    8) Question: How can I write protect a Zip disk?

    Answer: Iomega Zip disks can be write protected using the Tools application instead of a mechanical write-protect switch. Write protection means anyone can read or copy files from the disk, but no one can write files to the disk or change files on the disk without first removing the write protection. If you wish, you can assign a password that must be used in order to remove the write protection. (This is a great way to make sure your kids cannot accidentally overwrite your important information.

    NOTE: You must close any open files and quit all applications running from a disk before you can protect it. If the disk is being shared, you must first turn off sharing. After you have protected the disk, you can turn sharing back on.

    Follow these steps to assign write protect a Zip disk:
      1. Insert the disk you want to protect.
      2. Click on the disk icon in the main Tools window.
      3. Click on the Change Disk Protection tool.
      4. Select Write Protection from the Disk Protection Options window.
      5. If desired, select the password option and follow the prompts to assign the password you want to use.

    9) Question: What does Disk Protection do for me?

    Answer: This tool increases your Zip disk protection options beyond the functionality provided by a conventional write-protect tab. Disk Protection allows you to set write protection that acts just like that from a physical write-protect tab or switch, but it also allows you the option of assigning a password that must be used to remove the write protection. Or you can set read/write protection to make highly sensitive data completely unreadable by anyone who doesn't know the password you assign. Other options allow you to temporarily unprotect a disk or remove protection completely if desired.


    10) Question: If I use Disk Protection, can someone else bypass it?

    Answer: If you set either read/write protection or write protection with a password, no one can remove the protection without using the correct password. Because the actual disk protection mechanism is secured in the drive hardware and is not software-based, it cannot be bypassed using other software programs.


    11) Question: What is the difference between Erase and Erase with Surface Verify?

    Answer: Erase in Tools works just like Erase from the Finder. Choosing this option quickly erases the header information on a disk, allowing the rest of the data on the disk to be overwritten with new data as you work. Erase with Surface Verify is a longer format that erases the entire disk and verifies the integrity of the entire disk surface. If a disk develops read/write problems, use Erase with Surface Verify to repair it. (CAUTION: All information on a disk is lost when the disk is erased, so make sure you copy any information you need before erasing the disk.)


    12) Question: What happens if I forget my password?

    Answer: If you forget the password for a write-protected disk, you can use the Finder to copy the data on that disk to another disk, then use Erase with Surface Verify to erase and reclaim the protected disk. If you forget the password for a disk that is read/write-protected, the data on the disk cannot be recovered in any way. In order to use the disk again, it must be reformatted using Erase Disk with Surface Verify, and all data on the disk will be lost.

Document Information
Product Area: Apple Software
Category: Third-Party Software
Sub Category: Third-Party Compatibility Issues

Copyright © 2000 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved.