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eSATA enclosure question

S

Sniper82

Lifer
Since my board(DS3) doesn't have a eSATA port is it possible I can run a sata cable from one of the ports inside my PC out the back and just hook it to the enclosure as needed(even while the system is running).

 
Originally posted by: Sniper82
Since my board(DS3) doesn't have a eSATA port is it possible I can run a sata cable from one of the ports inside my PC out the back and just hook it to the enclosure as needed(even while the system is running).
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Sorry I guess I need to "catch up". eSATA is external, right? I've never seen a mobo with external SATA ports, but I haven't looked much lately. If this is correct, then there's nothing wrong with using an internal SATA port as external, I do it all the time. But you can't do it while the system is running. From what I've found out, XP is not hot-swappable/hot-pluggable with non-USB non-FireWire single drives (not hot-swappable with SATA or IDE drives). I believe you COULD do this on Win98. I've noticed in some of the specs write-ups on SATA external enclosures they mentioned "Hot swappable on '98". Every time I've tried to turn on or off an SATA drive, XP crashed.

 
Originally posted by: computer
From what I've found out, XP is not hot-swappable/hot-pluggable with non-USB non-FireWire single drives (not hot-swappable with SATA or IDE drives). I believe you COULD do this on Win98. I've noticed in some of the specs write-ups on SATA external enclosures they mentioned "Hot swappable on '98". Every time I've tried to turn on or off an SATA drive, XP crashed.
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If you have a hot-swap-certified SATA controller, then XP and Server 2003 can hot-swap SATA drives just fine. I and my clients do it all the time with no problem, using both internal and external SATA jacks.

The majority of the reliably hot-swappable SATA controllers have Silicon Image chipsets onboard, which are all that I use.
 
To one of the posters: yes, some new mobo's have eSATA ports built in. Mine does - ASUS A8R32-MVP Deluxe with a Silicon Image controller. Actually, it has two SATA controllers, in a way. The southbridge provides both 2 IDE ports and 4 SATA II ports for internals. The Silicon Image extra controller on the mobo provides one internal SATA II and one eSATA port.

To OP: eSATA controllers are SURE to provide a couple of features of the SATA design that are not always implemented in internal SATA controllers. These include, particularly, support for hot-swapping. So you can do what you propose - just run a cable from an internal connector from the existing sATA controller out to an external enclosure. It will work, BUT it may or may not give you hot swapping. There's another feature that's iffy, too, but I can't remember. It may be support for longer signal cable length. Without that the cable out to the external enclosure might be long enough to give some trouble, I don't really know.
 
Yeah, first confirm hot-swap capability, otherwise the drive will have to be added/removed from device manager each time to avoid crashing Windows. The main advantage of eSATA is shielding so to avoid problems it would be advised to get a bracket with the internal ports on the inside and external on the outside (and optionally power too). If the mobo controller does not sport hot-swap then a Silicon Image based card with external port(s) can be used.
 
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