Pocket ZALMAN VE300. For those who don't know - this pocket is not just a SATA->USB 3.0 adapter, this pocket can also emulate an optical drive in hardware with any disk, the images of which can be uploaded to the HDD. Well, FINALLY, I myself got this pocket at my disposal! True, this is not quite ZALMAN, and not at all at the price that was two years ago. But I think it's worth it
(Price - $59 as of August 2018.)

Why didn't I buy the Zalman itself? And because the VE300 is no longer in stores, they may have stopped producing. A newer version of the VE350 has appeared, but judging by the reviews, it works much worse than the 300th, and even the latest firmware did not solve all the problems.
There are not many differences between IODD and Zalman - a slightly different firmware, logos on the box and a different cover. By the way, you can upload firmware from Zalman to IODD and vice versa.

Let's move on to my purchase.
The seller offers only black pockets (and also sells pockets 2541 (similar to Zalman VE400)).
Tracking number provided, working.

Item ordered March 29, received May 3.

Packing - a cardboard box in which there is already a factory box with a product.

Photos of parcels and boxes

Inside - two layers of cardboard ... pallets or what? One contains a case and a USB 3.0 cable (with SAMSUNG logos, 1 meter), while the case contains a bag with a screwdriver (the screws do not attach to it, it is very difficult to tighten anything) and 4 screws (only 2 are needed) and a warranty card.
In the second "pallet" - actually a pocket in the bag.




There is no paper instruction in the kit, the seller offers to download its electronic version.

Also, the kit does not include a disk with the Backup Utility iodd 2531 utility, you can download it.

The pocket itself is aluminum, the upper part with electronics is plastic (acrylic and polycarbonate).




Of the controls, we have a lever that can be moved up / down and click on it, and a “backup” button. There is also a two-line monochrome display and an activity indicator (blinking white when connected via USB 2.0 and blue when connected via USB 3.0).
Size comparison with external HDD and 2.5 HDD. Dimensions 136x78x13.



The pocket is quite large and, unfortunately, does not fit into.
The case from the kit is completely different from the chic one that comes with the zalmans. Soft, rag and small (the lever is constantly pressed).


Soldering quality:





Screw holes are hidden behind elastic bands on the sides. Screws connect together the upper and lower parts of the pocket. I do not recommend using the pocket without tightening the screws - the top part together with the hard drive can be pulled out simply by pulling the cable in the connector or shaking the pocket - the hard drive will push out the top part.


Without media, the pocket shows the inscription "iodd 2531". With the media, access to the menu appears. Current firmware: R1288N. The letter N indicates that the pocket is flashed with the NTFS version of the firmware. New ones, 1555 and 1558, are available on the manufacturer's website. I'm not going to reflash yet.


The menu is called up by long pressing the lever. Moving the lever up / down, pressing the lever - menu item selection, "backup" - back.
On the menu mode pocket mode can be selected (HDD, ODD, Dual).
IN Settings- adjust the brightness of the screen backlight, the time after which the screen will darken and set the factory settings.
Information- find out the status of the HDD, its model, serial number, temperature, pocket firmware version, USB mode and supply voltage (shows the current and the lowest).
IN USB Connect you can reboot the pocket (it will load new images if you have added them) and run a safe extraction (the pocket will turn off the hard drive and the screen will say "Plug Out").
On the menu Advanced you can "unmount" the hard drive, enable write protection on the hard drive. There is also a “Force USB 3.0” checkbox, but I can only guess what it does.

Some features that you won't learn about from the instructions

1. If you hold the backup button (BackUp) while connecting, the write protection will automatically turn on.
2. If you hold down the left button when connecting, then the protection will be automatically removed
3. If during operation the wheel is turned down and held, preparations will be made for the safe shutdown of the device. The same effect will be from pressing and holding the backup button (BackUp).
4. If during operation the wheel is turned up and held, the _ISO directory will be scanned. Convenient, after writing new images to the HDD.
5. If the BackUp button is pressed in the Menu, it moves up 1 level.
6. In addition to the Menu, the backup button is used for its original
data backup functions (if a backup program is installed and running).

As a carrier, I will use a Hitachi hard drive, taken out of a netbook tortured by service centers.

We prepare the disk for work: we delete the first hidden partition of the manufacturer and create the main NTFS partition.


If you will be partitioning the disk, please note that IODD only looks for the _iso folder on the first partition.
After formatting on the disk, create a folder "_iso" and fill it with images. Declared support for ISO / VHD / VMDK / DSK /RMD /IMA.

I downloaded the images using utorrent directly to disk.
After the update, the images were not mounted and the pocket with the inscription "Defrag" hinted to me that it would be nice to run a defragmentation.
After defragmentation everything worked.
The image is selected by the lever up/down, mounted by pressing the lever.
Any images can be used. Operating systems, boot disks, utilities, but at least games.

Despite the fact that the cable is long and soft, the drive pocket works fine when connected via USB 2.0 through the front panel. The maximum consumption that I saw is 600mA (of course this will still depend on the consumption of the disk itself).

Measurements of the speed of the disk in your pocket and without it.


As you can see, IODD pulled everything it could from this disk.

Let's compare the speed of the disk in the drive (the image of the Win7 HP x64 installation disk is recorded) and the speed of the IODD virtual disk (the image is the same).
The maximum reading speed of my drive is 16x, Verbatim DVD-R 4.7Gb 16x disc.



Let me remind you that if you install a smarter hard drive or SSD in your pocket, and not an old Hitachi, the speeds will be even more pleasant. And with such a hard drive, the reading speed is on par with CDs (48-52x). Well, the access speed is much better than any optical disc.

UPD Feb 2020
Because got an extra SSD for experiments tried to install it. Naturally, the speed was limited by the SATA2-USB3.0 converter.
CrystalDiskMark

And once again comparing the speed of a DVD and IODD disc with an installed hard drive and solid state drive.

Well, what can I say, this pocket will be a great helper for those who work with computers, especially those that do not have an optical drive.
Personally, I'm already tired of dragging my drive back and forth and preparing an installation flash drive every time I need to install something.
The price, of course, bites a little, but only the dollar exchange rate is to blame - at the old rate, this pocket (like the zalman) cost 1800-2500 rubles.

Thank you for your attention, I hope the review was useful, good shopping, bye everyone!
And I congratulate all radio amateurs and radio professionals on the day of the radio)))

In today's world, there are a lot of stereotypes... for example, that Japanese cars are better than South Korean ones, or that money is best kept in Swiss banks. Sometimes it is interesting to see how the prevailing stereotypes actually justify themselves. Electronics produced by South Korean companies such as LG or Samsung have always been considered a good compromise between product quality and cost. The hero of our today's test is an external 2.5" hard drive box, Zalman ZM-VE200, also made by a South Korean manufacturer. Zalman has a really good reputation among computer cooling system manufacturers. But case HDDs are not cooling systems. Let's see how Zalman is doing well in the HDD pocket market.

The factory packaging turned out to be relatively small, however, like the product itself. On its front side there is an image of a black HDD pocket, on the sides of which two silvery devices are brought into the background. Apparently, the manufacturer has set himself the goal of presenting the external HDD box to the buyer at a glance, and in the same way helping him decide on a more desirable color for the product. The packaging is well balanced and not overloaded with secondary information; only the main names and designations of the external HDD pocket ZM-VE200. Despite the brevity of the packaging, one inscription still makes you pleasantly surprised: "External HDD Case + Virtual Drive". Wait a minute, virtual disk included? This is great, but let's talk about everything in order.

Let's first take a brief look at the main features and specifications of the Zalman ZM-VE200 external hard drive pocket, which can be found both on the back of the package and on the official website of the manufacturer.

Key features of Zalman ZM-VE200:

Aluminium case

Pre-installed software for mounting CD/DVD images from ISO files: no additional software is required to mount any ISO image.

Built-in screen that displays information about the status of the hard drive

Protective case included

The ability to mount ISO images, a built-in screen that displays information - yes, we have here, it seems, a case with its own operating system, not otherwise!

Specifications Zalman ZM-VE200:

Dimensions (LxWxH): 135.3x78.6x13.1 mm

Weight: 98.5 g

Material: aluminum, acrylic, polycarbonate

Type: 2.5" SATA HDD

Interfaces: USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 1.1), eSATA Direct HDD Access

Transfer rate: USB up to 480Mbps, eSATA up to 3Gbps

Spindle speed: 5400 or 7200 rpm

Nutrition:USB

Color: black, silver

The factory packaging opens from the top, after which you can pull out another additional cardboard package (gray, already without beautiful pictures), in which, in addition to the HDD pocket itself, a protective cover, a quick start guide, and a screwdriver with bolts are neatly packed. It's nice to note that USB and eSATA cables are also included as standard. Obviously, the device comes without a hard drive. The protective cover is a very nice bonus that protects the appearance of the HDD case, especially considering that the ZM-VE200 can be in it even when it is connected to the computer without fear of overheating.

As mentioned above, the external case for the hard drive can be either black or silver. The USB pocket that came to us for testing is painted in silver, and as for me, it is more attractive than black, as it contrasts more with the overall appearance of the product.

Connecting and using the Zalman ZM-VE200 will not cause any trouble even to the most ordinary PC user. On the right, on the top side of the HDD case, there is a USB port, a write protection switch, a hard drive activity LED, a factory reset button, and an eSATA port. Unlike other 2.5" and 3.5" devices, this HDD box is powered only by USB or eSATA cable, which explains why there is no dedicated power connector. This fact is both a plus and a minus at the same time. The fact is that not all of today's eSATA ports support the function of powering the devices connected to them, so it would be nice to leave a special connector for powering the hard drive if necessary, or at least emphasize the fact of incompatibility with the eSATA standard.

Installing a hard drive in the Zalman ZM-VE200 we tested today turned out to be even easier than I could have imagined. All you need to do to install your hard drive inside the pocket is to connect the HDD itself to a special controller through the appropriate connectors, and then insert the HDD together with the connected controller inside the pocket (HDD first, the controller remains at the top). Once you have connected and inserted the hard drive inside, all that remains is to securely fasten it inside with a screwdriver and two bolts, which the South Korean manufacturer prudently included in the package. During installation, you need to slightly open the rubber band that hides the mounting holes. By the way, after installation, this tape will stick out a little because of the twisted bolts, and this, although a small, but still a flaw of Korean engineers.

After the installation is complete, it would be a sin not to test the strength and build quality of the body of our test subject today. Simply shaking and moving the device convinced me that the engineers designed the case well, it is strong enough and reliable. While most 3.5" drives aren't built for everyday carry, the ZM-VE200's 2.5" HDD Pocket - one of the smallest HDD cases I've ever owned - is purpose-built for maximum mobility and portability.

The LCD display can also be attributed to the undoubted advantages of this device. Few modern HDD cases can boast of having it; in fact, I have not had to deal with similar devices before. While external hard drives don't usually need a built-in screen (which is probably why they don't), having a display on the ZM-VE200 is a really important option. Of course, using the LCD, the user will be able to control such secondary indicators as the temperature of the hard disk (the pocket must provide the necessary ventilation for the HDD in any case, otherwise serious problems may arise), but also using the LCD, you can quickly get information about the status of more important details.

In addition to its main functionality of turning an internal hard drive into an external one, the ZM-VE200 also boasts one very interesting feature - a virtual CD / DVD drive. And this is a really nice bonus. Zalman ZM-VE200 is the first HDD box to offer a virtual CD/DVD drive option. Even its predecessor, the ZM-HE100, did not have this feature, which offers a sea of ​​new possibilities for the end user.

By the way, you want to know why the LCD display is so important for this device? It allows the user of the ZM-VE200 not only to switch the device usage mode between HDD, ODD or both at the same time - with its help the user can easily mount his existing ISO files, which in itself is an alternative to CD-, DVD- and yes, you guessed it, BD-ROM drives. The user can mount any ISO image, as long as it is placed in the "_ISO" folder on the HDD. If necessary, you can create additional subfolders in this folder, each of which can contain up to 32 optical disc images.

The USB 2.0 HDD port of the ZM-VE200 pocket has some specifics of working with the SATA port of the hard disk itself. First, you will need to remove the protective coating on the chip, and then read a special masked code printed in very small print. The thing is that the interface converter board is based on the OXU931SF controller from Oxford Semiconductor, now a division of PLX Technology (http://www.plxtech.com/products/consumer/oxu931sf), which entails some features of its use.

Three modes of operation Zalman ZM-VE200

The idea of ​​the South Korean manufacturer - Zalman - to integrate a virtual CD / DVD drive into the HDD box is actually very good. In theory, this additional functionality will greatly expand the capabilities of the ZM-VE200, and perhaps even take this HDD case to a new level. However, this virtual optical drive is not without flaws. Simply put, I'm not very happy with this new functionality.

As mentioned above, this device can operate in three different modes: HDD, ODD and Dual Mode. HDD mode is a hard disk mode in which ZM-VE200 can be used as a normal HDD pocket. ODD mode is an optical drive mode in which the user has only the option of mounting ISO files into a virtual drive using it as a normal CD / DVD device. In HDD mode, the user does not have the option of directly mounting ISO images to a virtual drive, and vice versa. In fact, the ZM-VE200 will be recognized by your operating system as two different devices, two disks: the first for storing information, that is, for normal hard disk operation (HDD mode), and the second for virtual drive operation (ODD mode). Despite the creation of two virtual devices, the data is stored on one internal hard drive. That's why the ZM-VE200 can still be considered a "normal" external HDD pocket. Well, the last mode - Dual Mode - a combination of the first two modes.

Technically, there is one more mode - eSATA, however, this mode is kept "aside" from the first three, and here's why. Using the first three modes is very simple. There is a special switch on the left side of the HDD pocket, with which you can activate the mode you need: by sliding the switch down and connecting the USB cable, the device will turn on in HDD mode, switch up + USB cable - ODD mode, switch inside + USB cable - combined mode. All three modes create virtual devices in your computer, while eSATA is activated when you connect the cable of the same name, and is used only for the usual transfer of information between the computer and the HDD pocket.

A physical drive can only work with one optical drive at a time. The same applies to the virtual CD/DVD drive in the ZM-VE200; only one ISO image can be loaded at one time. I was able to easily mount my existing DVD, game and music CD images, as well as software disk images. There was no need to use the OS to control the device when the device itself can control the OS. A special jog-switch, together with an LCD display, made it possible to quickly and easily view the available ISO images, which took approximately 5 to 10 seconds to mount, depending on the size of the ISO file itself.

Among other things, Zalman ZM-VE200 can not only emulate a virtual CD / DVD drive - it allows you to create up to 4 floppy drives, while they can work simultaneously. Interestingly, Zalman did not provide any information about this functionality. Of course, floppy disks are rarely used these days, but this feature will allow the product to target a very specific market, where technicians sometimes still use floppy disks to run system diagnostics.

Testing

For testing, a Samsung HM160HI hard drive was used, an external box was connected via USB to a computer. The results are as follows: reading - 27.8 Mb / s, writing - 21.6 Mb / s.

During our work, sometimes the built-in hard drive was defined as empty, and the operating system offered to format it. It is also known about some "floating" glitches in this model, by their nature - software.

conclusions

Today it is very easy to buy a cheap 2.5" hard drive enclosure. In fact, there are a large selection of different HDD boxes on the market now. However, a reasonable choice would be to purchase a device not only with USB 2.0 support, but also consider options with support for eSATA interfaces and, possibly, even USB 3.0 The good news is that the Zalman ZM-VE200 doesn't fit the usual external HDD pocket selection criteria, because the Zalman ZM-VE200 we tested today is more than just an external HDD case.

From a theoretical point of view, I see a dual external HDD box, with an optional virtual optical drive, as a great addition to the main device. Why hasn't this idea been used before? Who knows.

Nice and slim body allows the user to effectively use the internal hard drive as an external drive. And such "little things" as an LCD display and a "jog-switch" type switch make it easy to mount the necessary images of optical discs, or switch the mode of using the HDD case. While the Zalman ZM-VE200 has distinct advantages, it also has some disadvantages. The disadvantages include the use of an aging USB 2.0 interface, which makes this purchase less promising. Let's also recall the incompatibility of this HDD case with the eSATAp interface; the manufacturer should have provided for the possibility of using an external power supply.

With all this, Zalman ZM-VE200 is a kind of unique product that will appeal, first of all, to enthusiasts and lovers of technical innovations, who value the novelty of the product and who appreciate the quality of the materials in the product.

We thank OST-COM, the official distributor of Zalman in Russia, for the provided equipment.

V. Golub
04/08.2011

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ZALMAN ZM-VE300 | Introduction

There are a large number of external accessories or hard drive cases/boxes on the market today. Therefore, it is difficult for manufacturers to stand out from competitors. But ZALMAN succeeded: the new ZM-VE300 box contains a unique feature - it can independently mount disk images, that is, it can also work as an optical drive. Of course, you'll also get the traditional 2.5" USB 3.0 hardware.

Specifications table ZALMAN ZM-VE300 (1M1NZ21C00185909)
Housing material	Aluminum alloy, acrylic, polycarbonate
Products webpage	ZALMAN ZM-VE300 Official Page
Retail price	About 1.8 thousand rubles
Form factor	2,5"
Interface	USB 3.0 (backwards compatible with USB 2.0)
Internal interface	SATA
Supported OS	Windows 98, ME, XP, VISTA, 7, 8, Mac OS, Linux
colors	Black, silver
Dimensions	135.3×78.6×13.1mm
Weight (without HDD)	96 g
Contents of delivery	User manual, USB 3.0 cable, carrying case, software CD, screwdriver

Design and appearance

The design of the ZM-VE300 is very effective. The body is made of aluminum alloy coated with acrylic. It is thanks to him that the box is quite light, has a small thickness (13 mm), and also removes heat well from the drive. On the front side there is a small LCD display, which displays the status of the disk, a text menu of settings. Navigation through the setup menu is performed using a three-way joystick (wheel) located on the left side of the box and the "Backup" button located on top. The delivery set, in addition to the box itself, includes instructions for use and a USB 3.0 cable, a pouch for the ZM-VE300. The drive itself (hard drive or SSD) is not included in the package, it must be purchased separately.

But the main advantages of ZALMAN ZM-VE300 lie in additional features, which we will discuss below.

Software

The cheapest external boxes and hard drives come without software. Therefore, in order to highlight their products, well-known manufacturers add useful programs to the package. ZALMAN was no exception - the package includes the "Backup Utility (ZM-VE300)" utility, which serves to back up data. Utilities and programs significantly expand the functionality of external HDDs. The installation file of the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 backup utility was on the CD that is included in the package, you can immediately install it on your computer.

This program can create virtual disks (VHD), back up files from specified directories (Backup) and has a safe extraction function "Safe Removal". The interface of the program is very simple and easy to understand. It is a pity that the utility does not support the Russian-language interface.

Below we will consider the basic functions of the utility.

Backup function. If you press the Backup button on the top end, then the backup of the directories specified in the settings starts.

Safe Removal function. Used to safely remove a USB storage device. This function is activated by long (more than three seconds) holding the Backup button on the top end. If you hold down the button while copying files, then the extraction will occur only after the copy operation is completed.

Virtual HDD function is the most interesting feature presented in the software package. We will talk about it below.

ZALMAN ZM-VE300 | Opportunities

The ZALMAN ZM-VE300 hard drive box is interesting with the "VIRTUAL DRIVE" function, that is, the ability to independently connect disk images, after which you can work with them in the system.

The choice of the operating mode is carried out through the text menu on the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 display. There you can perform some actions.

Menu

First section of the menu Mode Select allows you to select the operating modes of ZALMAN ZM-VE300. There are three operating modes available.

• Dual Mode - work in combined mode, hard disk + virtual CD / DVD / Blu-ray drive
• ODD Mode - virtual CD / DVD / Blu-ray drive mode
• HDD Mode - hard disk mode

The next section of the menu "setting" drive settings are listed.

• LCD Bright - screen backlight control, the ability to change in the range from 1% to 100%
• IDLE Bright - sleep mode brightness adjustment, also presented in the range from 1% to 100%
• Standby time - adjusting the time after which the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 goes into sleep mode, you can completely disable this function, the time range is from 1 minute to 180 minutes.
• Load Default - load default settings.

Chapter "Information" serves to obtain information about the status of the hard disk and other parameters.

• S.M.A.R.T. – information about the temperature and condition of the hard drive
• HDD Model - information about the hard disk that is inserted into the box.
• Firmware Ver - information about the firmware installed on the ZALMAN ZM-VE300.
• USB Speed ​​- information about the transfer speed of the USB interface.
• USB Input Volt - information about the incoming voltage to the box via USB, both the lowest voltage and the voltage that is being supplied at this point in time are presented.

Chapter "USB connect" allows you to reboot the hard drive (Refresh) or perform a safe removal (Safe Removal).

In section "Advanced" you can unmount all images (Umount VHDD), as well as enable write protection (Write Protect).

We have finished describing the menu, now let's move on to studying the capabilities of the drive in practice.

In work

The main advantage of ZALMAN ZM-VE300 is the connection of disk images without the help of additional software.

To connect ISO images, just copy the file with the .iso extension, put the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 into ODD Mode or Dual Mode, select the ISO file using the three-position joystick. It will be mounted on your computer as a virtual CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive.

You can also create virtual disks yourself using the "Virtual HDD" feature. It creates empty files of a given size (we set the size ourselves, except for the floppy disk image), which ZALMAN ZM-VE300 will then connect as external drives. You can create three types of virtual disks: 1.44 MB floppy disk, fixed disk (.dsk), and removable disk (.rmd). The last two types are essentially the same, they differ in the recognition of the disk type under Windows.

We created test virtual disks of all three types (1 GB each, 1.44 MB floppy disk), after which we connected them to the Windows 7 system.

The floppy.ima floppy image appears on the system as a standard 1.44 MB FAT floppy disk.

Then we connected the removable disk image remove.rmd. Windows immediately prompts you to format it. After formatting, the drive is recognized as "removable media"

The image of the fixed hard disk fixed.dsk is visible in the system as a hard disk after connection.

You can disable virtual disks with the "Unmount VHDD" command

ZALMAN ZM-VE300 | Tests

HD Tune

Using HD Tune, we evaluated the speed of the disk with sequential reads and writes and with various data blocks. Below are screenshots showing disk performance.

SATA III

We ran four read/write tests with a native SATA interface and when connected via a ZALMAN ZM-VE300 USB 3.0 box.

As you can see, a 320 GB Seagate hard drive with a direct SATA connection gives an average throughput of 70 MB / s for reading and 46 MB / s for writing. The result is not bad, although modern 2.5" hard drives operate around 100-120 MB / s. When connected via USB 3.0, the average throughput is 69 MB / s for reading and 54 MB / s for writing. Thus, USB 3.0 performance is limited into the hard drive itself, and not into the USB-SATA controller of the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 box.

ZALMAN ZM-VE300 | Conclusion

ZALMAN introduced ZM-VE300 with USB 3.0 interface, which features a reliable and durable aluminum housing. When connected via a USB 3.0 interface, you will get hard drive performance close to "native" SATA, which indicates a good SATA-USB controller in the box. Also on the ZM-VE300 there is an LCD display and several buttons for advanced functions.

But the advantages of the ZM-VE300 lie in the additional features. Box itself can connect CD/DVD/Blu-ray images to HDD or virtual disks. Such support eliminates the need to install an optical drive in the system, and will also be useful for modern ultrabooks and laptops, which usually do not have an optical drive. Virtual disks come in handy for many work scenarios, and in this regard, the ZM-VE300 can be a great solution for enthusiasts and advanced users.

All this justifies the price of an external box of about 1.8 thousand rubles in Russia.

You can get more information about the capabilities of the ZM-VE300 in the ixbt conference.

Advantages of ZALMAN ZM-VE300

• Mounting optical disk images and virtual disks
• High-quality assembly, durable aluminum body
• Convenient and simple software
• Good delivery set (case, screwdriver)

Disadvantages of ZALMAN ZM-VE300

• Short and stiff cable with no option for additional power, may have power issues with older computers
• High price

Our next review is dedicated to the Zalman ZM-VE350 external hard drive case. The box is designed for 2.5-inch SATA drives and supports high-speed USB 3.0 interface. The device is equipped with a virtual optical drive function, allowing you to connect ISO images on the fly. The write protection feature helps prevent damage to important files.

VIDEO REVIEW ZALMAN ZM-VE350

EQUIPMENT AND CHARACTERISTICS ZALMAN ZM-VE350

An external hard drive box that came to us for testing Zalman ZM-VE350 Supplied in a black cardboard box.

Packaging Zalman ZM-VE350 Package Included:

• Boxing itself.
• Case.
• USB 3.0 cable.
• Set of screwdriver and four screws.
• Quick guide.

Equipment Zalman ZM-VE350 The complete cable is 50 cm long including connectors.

USB 3.0 cable The case is very dense, it is easy to remove the device from it. You can, of course, use the box directly in the case, but we do not recommend doing this, otherwise the inserted drive may overheat.

Zalman ZM-VE350 in case We have summarized the technical characteristics of the device in a single table.

HDD interface	SATA, 2.5″ form factor
Device interface	USB 3.0 (backwards compatible with USB 2.0)
Device interface baud rate	USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps; USB 3.0: up to 5 Gbps
Working with ISO Images	Virtual optical drive
Indicator	Lights up when power is turned on, blinks when data is being exchanged
Nutrition	USB powered
Dimensions	131x79x13mm (L x W x H)
Weight	96 g (without drive)

DESIGN ZALMAN ZM-VE350

Frame Zalman ZM-VE350 for the most part made of painted aluminum with soft polymer inserts on the sides. On the front side there is an LCD display and an LED activity indicator.

External hard drive box Zalman ZM-VE350 At the top there is a Backup button and a USB 3.0 connector (Micro-B type, which also supplies power to the HDD) for connecting the bundled cable.

Upper end of Zalman ZM-VE350 Technical information about the model is pasted on the opposite end.

Bottom end on Zalman ZM-VE350 On the left side there is a push lever for navigating the device menu, and the rest of the space is occupied by a soft insert.

Left sidewall Zalman ZM-VE350 On the right side, except for the second such insert, there is nothing important.

Right sidewall Zalman ZM-VE350 The build quality is decent - the buttons and body elements do not hang out. In general, the design gives the impression of a monolithic.

TESTING ZALMAN ZM-VE350

To install a drive into the box, you will first have to remove the module with the LCD screen, which contains, in fact, the entire stuffing of the device.

Base unit Zalman ZM-VE350 For testing, we took an Intel Solid X25-M SSD and connected it to an internal SATA port.

SSD connected to Zalman ZM-VE350 board For reliability, it is worth clamping the module with complete screws - the holes for them are hidden under the bent edges of the soft inserts.

Screw holes on Zalman ZM-VE350 To do this, we used a complete screwdriver - fortunately, the efforts required are small, so the miniature size of the screwdriver is not a hindrance. It is worth noting that the screws in the kit are twice as many as needed - four against the required two.

Zalman ZM-VE350 base unit is clamped with screws
After connecting to a PC, the display of our device turned blue and gave out a simple menu.

Display Zalman ZM-VE350 At the same time, the operating system recognized two devices at once: the USB drive itself and the additional optical drive are completely virtual, which is indicated in its name.

Zalman ZM-VE350 in task manager This is precisely the main "trick" of this case - you can mount any ISO images by placing them in the folder "_ISO" on the disc inserted in the case. For example, the Windows 7 image downloaded from MSDN was read without problems.

Windows 7 image in Zalman ZM-VE350 virtual drive However, our copy was originally with erroneous firmware, and for the virtual drive function to work correctly, we had to update the device software to a more up-to-date version. We attach the archive with the firmware and the update instructions below. REMEMBER: This operation is carried out at your own peril and risk, and if you are not exactly sure what you are doing, it is better to contact technical support or a service center.

• Instructions for firmware Zalman ZM-VE350 (122.7 KB).
• Zalman ZM-VE350 firmware archive (579.78 KB).

However, the drive function can be completely disabled - for this, you just need to select the appropriate mode, of which there are as many as three:

• HDD Mode - drive mode without a drive.
• VCD Mode - "virtual drive only" mode.
• DUAL Mode - simultaneous operation.

Modes Zalman ZM-VE350 Another great feature Zalman ZM-VE350– Possibility to set write protection. This allows you to work even in a potentially or actually virus-infected system without the danger of catching an infection. All you need to do is select "Enable WP" from the menu. The padlock icon closes on the start screen - and that's it, no problem.

Setting write protection in Zalman ZM-VE350 Additionally, in the “Information” section, you can see the media temperature (we’ll say right away that it is determined incorrectly for an SSD, don’t be scared), S.M.A.R.T. status, serial number and controller firmware version.

Drive information in Zalman ZM-VE350 Now let's check the performance when using the USB interface. 3.0. IN HD Tune 5 the speed graph has an average read speed of 161.9 MB/s with a random access time of 0.169 ms. CPU usage was 9.8%.

Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 3.0) result in HD Tune 5
IN Crystal Disk Mark 3 sequential read and write speeds showed a result of 250.3 MB / s and 96.19 MB / s, respectively.

Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 3.0) result in Crystal Disk Mark 3 Next, we switched to the USB 2.0 interface and tested the speed again. IN HD Tune 5 a nearly flat graph shows that the performance of the drive is much higher than the USB 2.0 interface, so we have an average read speed of 31.7 MB / s with an increased random access time of 0.408 ms. But the load on the processor is only slightly higher - 11.5% versus 9.8% when transferring data via USB 3.0.

Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 2.0) result in HD Tune 5 Result in Crystal Disk Mark 3 also hit the USB 2.0 performance ceiling.

Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 2.0) result in Crystal Disk Mark 3 So, the figures correspond to the declared throughput even for SSD. So the box will cope with a regular hard drive without any problems.

ZALMAN ZM-VE350: CONCLUSIONS

Price Zalman ZM-VE350 at the time of testing is approximately 4000 rubles. For this money, you get a fairly convenient tool that not only works like a portable hard drive, but also allows you to install the operating system from an ISO image on virtually any PC, and the images can be mounted right along the way. The box not only shows speed sufficient to run an SSD, but is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0. At the same time, to ensure the safety of data, a write protection option is provided, with which you can work even on an infected computer without fear of losing files or spreading the virus further.

Pros Zalman ZM-VE350:

• Support for mounting ISO images.
• Work with USB 3.0 without degrading the performance of the inserted drive.
• Write protection function.
• The metal case does a good job of dissipating heat.

Cons Zalman ZM-VE350:

• No significant ones were found.

Zalman ZM-VE350 does not see iso. Solution to the problem.

The other day I became the owner of Zalman ZM-VE350. Since the main area of ​​my work is related to computer repair and system administration, it was extremely necessary for me. I had to buy it because of the loss of Zalman ZM-VE300, which has already been said a lot. But if you have come to this article, then you know why you need it and what its main features are. You can omit everything and go to the instructions.

2.5" External box Zalman ZM-VE350 is an affordable and multifunctional solution. The manufacturer took into account all the nuances and created the perfect device. The case is black, it is made of metal and has a pleasant texture, durable construction. There is a liquid crystal display, it will be especially useful when using the model as a virtual drive.
Zalman ZM-VE350 comes with an extended package. Along with the device, the owner receives a screwdriver to install the disc into the box. A convenient and high-quality case, USB cable, screws are provided.
An important feature will be compatibility with Windows and Mac OS operating systems. There will be no problems when connecting, the model is suitable for all users. The USB 3.0 interface allows you to copy large amounts of information in a short time.
Boxing has compact dimensions, it can easily fit into any bag and is easy to transport. The user will be able to independently create an external hard drive, just select the appropriate module and install it in a dedicated compartment.