eSATA issues and where I found the fix

[Handruin]

I mentioned in this thread that I bought an external drive case supporting eSATA. The first two or three times I connected via eSATA it worked moderately ok, but was a bit odd with windows management including powering on and off. This past weekend it would no longer work correctly. It would hang windows during boot and no matter what I tried, I couldn't get windows to recognize it any longer. I didn't have much time to troubleshoot until tonight but I found out what the issue was and wanted to pass this along in case anyone else is considering eSATA enclosures.

First off, I had to add a jumper on the physical drive to force SATA 1.5. The drive and internal motherboard controller support SATA 3.0 but the chipset inside the Vantec NexStar case does not. This was not mentioned in the documentation or on the box, so I didn't figure it out right away. Once I added the jumper windows booted without problems. I'm ALSO able to power on/off the external device any time I want without problems. Hot swap is now working, but with the addition of one more configuration change.

In windows under device manager, I had to select disk drives and open the options for my new Samsung hard drive. In the options window I needed to select the "Policies" tab and select the option for "Optimize for quick removal". This removes the write caching abilities so that data doesn't get corrupted. I guess I could leave it enabled and just remember to use the "safe removal" tool, but the difference in performance isn't a concern for me. Just having this much more speed over USB 2.0 is fine with me.

The drive is running perfect now and the speed seems to be spot on with my internal drives. I guess the last thing I need to do is find a tool to check the drive temperatures for LunarMist.

Just to give credit where it is due, I found this thread on ars tech regarding the same problems I faced with my Vantec eSATA case.

 

[sechs]

So, why does this case need a chip to intervene in your otherwise happy affair?

 

[LOST6200]

SAy, whgat? Is it only a defecto with the chaep enclusre or a real probelm with all SATAs?

 

[Handruin]

The case has a Sunplus SPIF215A that works as a USB to Serial-ATA(SATA) host bridge. The link explains more about it if you want to know.

I don't know if it has to do with being cheap/not cheap, but the chip in the external case only allows for SATA 1.5. I don't see any "real" problem other than lack of documentation.

 

[sechs]

Adding the USB functionality just seems to be an unnecessary complication.

 

[Tea]

(reminding self to bookmark this very useful thread for future reference)

 

[Handruin]

USB + eSATA is exactly what I wanted. First priority was an external drive to transport to other people's machines including my own. eSATA gives me an added benefit of performance and yet I can bring this over to my sister's place and she can copy files off using USB. Adding USB was a necessary complication.

 

[sechs]

Your description disagrees with the necessity....

 

[Handruin]

How so? Plain and simple, I wanted both eSATA and USB.

 

[Mercutio]

I use a $15 Vantec USB2 to SATA/IDE adaptor. No case, it's just a pair of cables. Very useful.
Actual eSATA is certainly faster, but unfortunately not as portable as I would like.

 

[Handruin]

I agree that the adapter you mention is useful, but I wanted the case to help protect the drive a bit during transportation (and while it sits on my desk...I have a cat). As you pointed out eSATA isn't as portable and that is where the USB 2.0 comes in very handy (and necessary). For $20 more than your adapter, I gain several features which I find worth the difference in money.

 

[Buck]

I have found that 1394b does a great job handling the maximum transfer rate of new 7200 rpm drives.

 

[Handruin]

There are probably just as many people sporting 1394b as there are eSATA.

 

[CougTek]

There are probably just as many people sporting 1394b as there are eSATA.

Actually, IEEE 1394b is a lot rarer than eSATA ports, that now come with several mid-range motherboards.

 

[Buck]

There are probably just as many people sporting 1394b as there are eSATA.

Indeed, that is the conundrum. However, in my opinion, I believe 1394b will become more common. We do see 1394a as a standard on many motherboards now, but still no eSATA. From what I've seen and also been told, current eSATA compatibility is a wild chimpanzee. Probably the most compatible eSATA card available is from SIIG.

 

[Handruin]

I'm not even using a 3rd party eSATA card, nor does my system even have eSATA in it. I'm using the included metal "L" bracket that came with the Vantec case. All I did was plug the "L" bracket into a free SATA port on my motherboard and I was good to go (except for the issue I described in my original post). Since normal SATA (not eSATA) is possibly more common than 1394b, I'd argue this is a more viable option.

 

[Buck]

I'm not even using a 3rd party eSATA card, nor does my system even have eSATA in it. I'm using the included metal "L" bracket that came with the Vantec case. All I did was plug the "L" bracket into a free SATA port on my motherboard and I was good to go (except for the issue I described in my original post).

You are handy.

 

[ddrueding]

A lot of the Gigabyte motherboards I buy have an eSATA bracket included, even if they don't have 1394.

 

[CityK]

However, in my opinion, I believe 1394b will become more common. We do see 1394a as a standard on many motherboards now, but still no eSATA. From what I've seen and also been told, current eSATA compatibility is a wild chimpanzee. Probably the most compatible eSATA card available is from SIIG.

Buck, Antec is dropping 1394 on their new cases in favour of eSATA, with the express intention of it being hooked sup to a mobo sata header (takes care of one layer of apeness...just have to worry about the chipset in the external enclosure, as in Doug's example).

see here for info: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article717-page2.html

 

[LunarMist]

So when will there be eSATA scanners, cardreaders, and video systems, etc.? Firewire has far more uses, though eSATA is better for Windows hard drives.

I prefer using the external eSATA port on the mainboard since the drivers properly support hot-swapping. Some of them support the porn multiplier. I haven't yet worked up the nerve to try one of those multi-drive enclosures.

 

[ddrueding]

The "porn multiplier"? I need one of those, too...

 

[Handruin]

So when will there be eSATA scanners, cardreaders, and video systems, etc.? Firewire has far more uses, though eSATA is better for Windows hard drives.

I prefer using the external eSATA port on the mainboard since the drivers properly support hot-swapping. Some of them support the porn multiplier. I haven't yet worked up the nerve to try one of those multi-drive enclosures.

How much different can an eSATA port be from a normal SATA connection in terms of functionality (besides the actual connector)? My setup supports hot swapping as it stands right now. I can turn the drive on/off whenever I want and I have no special drivers except for those to run my normal SATA controller.

It's nice to see cases coming with eSATA connectors. I can't imagine them being extremely popular any time soon since it is still a niche area.

 

[Buck]

eSATA or 1394b? Which ever route the industry takes, this 1394b test was rather interesting from Xbit. It at least shows the potential of 1394.

 

[Platform]

...I thought SATA was hot swappable, ...

It is, but not when the drive is under BIOS control.

I hot-swap SATA drives -- even "old" SATA drives -- along with SAS drives without problem. But, I do this with a 5-slot Supermicro SCA drive bay ("mobile rack") for 3.5-inch form factor SAS and/or SATA hard drives that is connected to an Adaptec SAS PCI host bus adapter.

Eventually, I will get a Supermicro 2.5-inch SAS and/or SATA SCA drive bay...

...and install it just below the 3.5-inch SCA drive bay in my Supermicro SC742 chassis.

http://supermicro.com/products/accessories/



For eSATA, I use an inexpensive 2-port SIIG eSATA card (host bus adapter). Going with one of these inexpensive eSATA (PCI or PCIe) host bus adapters is really a lot better than messing with the SATA ports on some mobos. I also have a Vantec eSATA case. I installed a 750 GB SATA drive in it.

By the way, be aware of the difference between so-called "external SATA" and eSATA. External SATA can be nothing more than a SATA card with an internal SATA connector placed externally, where you use the same SATA cables that you normally use inside the case but on the outside between so-called "external SATA" cases and cards. A bunch of this "external SATA" crapola was around for about a year before eSATA (the official spec) hardware started to become available. In fact, some of this stuff can still be found for cheap (for obvious reasons).

 

[LunarMist]

Gary,

What would you use for a 5-bay external eSATA case with port multiplier? I want to run this off of one eSATA port. ThaNks.

 

[LOST6200]

The "porn multiplier"? I need one of those, too...

heheHe. Can each drive be used separatrely in the pornomyultiplier enclosure or is it only a RAId thing?

 

[ddrueding]

heheHe. Can each drive be used separatrely in the pornomyultiplier enclosure or is it only a RAId thing?

Redundant array of inexpensive di*ks...

Sorry, couldn't help it.

 

[LOST6200]

Yuo know what he means... For examplar, can three dirves with theree differnet drive letters exist, so one drIVE could be removable without a compter disturbance ?