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makeshift external eSATA II connection

M

mooseyfate

Member
makeshift external eSATA II connection

Required:
- SATA II internal hard drive (just an example drive)
- Geeks USB 2.0 to SATA + IDE (2.5 / 3.5 / 5.25") Cable Adapter (just the power cord part)
- SATA II to eSATA cable
- eSATA connection on your computer
- Motherboard that supports SATA II

Plug the 4 prong Geeks power adaptor into your hard drive. Plug the SATA II to eSATA cable into your hard drive and eSATA port.

Would this work? Having never used SATA (but about to switch over), it's hard for me to know. This would give me a connection for every possible scenario I would run into.


NOTE: This is related to another post, but I thought it was off topic enough to start a new post outside of the "hot deals" area.


 
Yes, it will work. I've done it with a similar case. However! As long as the cable to the external device originates on the motherboard, it is seen by the system as an internal drive, and you can't turn off write caching. That caused constant delayed write errors, so I put the drive back inside with a direct connection to the mobo's SATA port. End of problems.

To get a proper eSATA port, you should use a separate card with it built in to the backplane. (eSATA.)
 
Excelent. The more I thought about it, the more I thought it would work.

It may not be the best solution for me after all though. I was going to use this solution for an external backup. I guess if I only plugged it in when doing the backup, it would be ok. But a couple external enclosures would make that backup data on the disk more safe. And that is kind of the point of backing up after all.

But still, this seems like such a useful tool that I don't need now, but could come in very handy some day. And the eSATA cord would be a nice addition to the kit.

Thank you much!

Manual: The fact that I didn't know this just shows my limited knowledge 🙂
"Before using this device with any of your storage devices, please be aware that this product is designed to be used in a temporary situation. This adapter does not use any drive enclosure to protect the drive mechanism from damage due to electrostatic discharge. We highly recommend placing the drive mechanism on a static safe work surface, one that you may have readily available would be a mousepad. Turn the mousepad over so that its rubber bottom surface is able to be placed underneath the drive you are attaching."
 
@corkyg

Is it potentially harmful to run an SATA cable from the motherboard to outside of the case to connect random SATA things?

I know we were talking eSATA, but I'm just curious. I'll be getting a piece of hardware that comes with one of those eSATA brackets anyways, but just want to know for the day I get experamental.
 
No, as a matter of fact there are backplane adapters made just for that purpose - they have a cable to the mobo STATA port, and then connectors in back for external power and data cable, (SATA.)
 
Yeah, I was just wondering if those brackets included some sort of shielding interface. I saw someone really breifly mention it somewhere (I think here).

But cool, thanks for clearing that up corkyg!
 
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