[?] Native USB3.0 HDD to SATA or esata

[allenpan]

[?] Native USB3.0 HDD to SATA or esata

i just realize all my WD 500gb passport USB3.0 are NATIVE USB3.0 not SATA, and i need to run them as internal SATA or even eSATA...

seriously they are "NATIVE USB3.0", not SATA...

so i need USB 3.0 - >SATA/eSATA.....or somthing like that

 

[nsafreak]

That's interesting, so WD actually went through the trouble of making a different circuit board for their hard drives used in their external enclosures. Unfortunately I haven't seen a straight cable that will take USB to SATA and I'm guessing that those other pins are likely for power which you'll obviously need. I think you may well be out of luck.

 

[mfenn]

The hard drive clearly says "Serial ATA" on the label. :awe:

Is that black connector in the middle the mini-USB that sticks out of the case? If it is, nsafreak is right, they have integrated the SATA to USB bridge into the hard drive's circuit board, so you're SOL.

 

[Atreidin]

I found this on a cursory search:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/TUSB9261DEMO/?qs=%2fha2pyFadugfgyciHb0rA38Yg0ZcWZ6%252b2wn8%252begdcZHT%252boDTinhtKA%3d%3d

I have no idea if it would work, for one thing you'd have to make/find an adapter to connect 12v to the board.

SATA->USB3->SATA seems funny to me, I hope you get it to work. Reminds me of getting bored at work a long time ago and putting together a chain of 10 or so PS/2 to AT and AT to PS/2 keyboard adapters and messing with a coworker as he discovered his keyboard was oddly intermittent.

 

[allenpan]

wrong direction, it should be USB host -> SATA

 

[VirtualLarry]

I've heard of people cutting a SATA cable, and wiring the wires directly to the pinouts on the controller chip, bypassing the integrated SATA-to-USB converter on the board.

Perform at your own risk, obviously.

Edit: When is a Serial ATA drive not a Serial ATA drive? IMHO, SATA-IO org should clamp down on these hybrid interface drives, and not allow them to carry the "Serial ATA" logo on them.

Just like HDMI.org clamped down on obtaining HDMI cables that were HDMI-to-DP or HDMI-to-DVI.

 

[Grumpycrab]

Bit late to this thread(!). Is there a replacement circuit board to "convert" these stupid WD nativeUSB3 disks to SATA (in an attempt to repair what appears to be a faulty USB circuit)? Cheers.

 

[mfenn]

In theory, you could try swapping the board with a standard WD SATA drive board of the same exact geometry. It's a long shot though.