eSATA Issue

[OdiN]

Okay I have an Asus P5K Deluxe.

It has a JMicron controller with 1 PATA and 2 eSATA connectors.

I am running Vista Ultimate x64.

I have 2 300GB WD's in a RAID 1 array in a Thecus external storage unit, hooked up by eSATA.

It works, however, when I first turn it on, my system is frozen. Can't move the mouse, can't type, nothing. It stays like this for perhaps 40-50 seconds, then the it is back to normal responsiveness. The drive shows up and I can access it just fine and damn does it copy fast vs. the USB2 it used to be.

Does anyone else have this issue of the system seeming to lock up for a while? Any resolution?

I'm sure that hot swapping a HD onto a bus controller involves some BIOS crap that has to go on...but it just doesn't seem to me that it would need to do this.

Also, there is no "Safely remove hardware" for it apparently. When I turn it off, it doesn't freeze up like when turned on.

 

[Old Hippie]

I believe this is the same controller as my Abit IP35 Pro. Mine freezes for @ 5 to 10 seconds when the eSATA drive is started. My last Asus A8N-SLI deluxe also did this even with a PCI eSATA controller card. I'm running XP Pro.
Looks like this is a known Vista issue;

Intel ref. # 2519242 - eSATA hot plug may cause system to freeze during HD spin up-Windows Vista

My shorter freeze time is probably because I'm only using a single eSATA drive.
I have run across an experimental fix, and if I can ever find it again, I'll post a link.

Sorry I couldn't be any more help, but I resigned myself to just living with it.

 

[OdiN]

Yeah...it doesn't bother me too much now that I know what to expect and know that the system didn't really lock up.

Mine probably takes longer as it's in a RAID enclosure...both drives have to spin up, then the RAID controller has to do all its stuff. Maybe they will have a fix for it at some point. I don't mind it taking a while to show up as a drive, but would be nice not to lock up until that point.