eSATA question

[rei]

Now after reading up on the official spec, I know eSATA ports output more juice and the external cables are shielded but...is there any harm in using one of the onboard SATA ports on my mobo (that does not specifically support eSATA or port multiplication)to go to a backplate exSATA port to use with an enclosure with a shielded eSATA cable?

I was originally looking to use a 4-bay SATA port replicator to expand on the limited capabilities of my smaller-than-microATX system but now it looks like the antiquated southbridge chipset (ICH7 on Intel 945GC) on this PC of mine doesn't support that feature.

So...I am basically looking to use another single eSATA drive then if it's highly likely my system won't see more than 1 drive since backing up/restoring 100GB backup to USB and 2.5 5400rpm notebook HDs is really really slow.

Looking for advice from more knowledgeable folks.

HOLY SHIT--10 years registered with Anandtech?

 

[Elixer]

You can get a simple eSATA Bracket. Should run around $5ish or so.
That is what most OEMs ship with their eSATA external drive units. (Like the Antec MX-1)

 

[RebateMonger]

Odds are your onboard SATA ports won't support hot-plugging. If you plug or unplug a drive while Windows is running, either Windows won't recognize it or it'll freeze your system. It all depends on the SATA chipset and the drivers installed.

I've always used PCI or PCI-E add-in SATA controllers with Silicon Image chipsets. Those have reliably performed hot-swapping on every Server 2003, XP, Server 2008, and Vista ssytem I've tried them on, using both SATA and eSATA connectors.

As far as the SATA vs eSATA connector, sure, you can use a cable with a SATA connector on one end and an eSATA connector on the other end. Works fine. I have several external SATA housings that came with both SATA-SATA and SATA-eSATA cables to allow them to connect to both types of plugs.

 

[cbn]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

I've always used PCI or PCI-E add-in SATA controllers with Silicon Image chipsets. Those have reliably performed hot-swapping on every Server 2003, XP, Server 2008, and Vista ssytem I've tried them on, using both SATA and eSATA connectors.

Can you name some brands that use this controller?

Best buy has a brand called "Dynex" that is a PCI-E eSATA card that fits in a PCI-E x1 slot? Would this be a good choice or should I buy something else?

 

[lopri]

With most motherboards adopting JMicron chipset, I think a JMB36x-based PCIe card would be safer than a SiI3132 card for support. Either way, you should be able to see which IC that Dynex card is using. Look for the biggest chip on the card and read the silk-screened logo.

 

[cbn]

Originally posted by: lopri
With most motherboards adopting JMicron chipset, I think a JMB36x-based PCIe card would be safer than a SiI3132 card for support. Either way, you should be able to see which IC that Dynex card is using. Look for the biggest chip on the card and read the silk-screened logo.

Do you know any brands that to use that chipset for PCI or PCI-E eSATA cards?

Thanks BTW. Yes my mobo uses JMicron for software RAID.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Just learning
Can you name some brands that use this controller?

They are QUITE common, in both PCI and PCI-E format. Dig into the specs for cards and you'll usually see what chipset they use.

I've purchased a $10 Rosewill PCI card from Newegg that uses a Silicon Image chipset. So far, I've used 3112-, 3132-, and 3152-based cards. Monoprice.com also carried a card that used the Silicon Image chipset. Granite Digital sells cards that use Silicon Image chipsets almost exclusively, since they seem universally hotswap-compatible.

 

[cbn]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: Just learning
Can you name some brands that use this controller?

They are QUITE common, in both PCI and PCI-E format. Dig into the specs for cards and you'll usually see what chipset they use.

I've purchased a $10 Rosewill PCI card from Newegg that uses a Silicon Image chipset. So far, I've used 3112-, 3132-, and 3152-based cards. Monoprice.com also carried a card that used the Silicon Image chipset. Granite Digital sells cards that use Silicon Image chipsets almost exclusively, since they seem universally hotswap-compatible.

Is there any downside to using a PCI eSATA card vs a PCI-E eSATA card?

Thanks