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eSATA is so confusing!

Forum Storage : Hard Disks - eSATA is so confusing!

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DJ898   01-11-2008 at 05:10:10 AM

I am going to be using a 500 GB to 1 TB external drive (eventually) exclusivly for backups.
2 quick questions:
1. Do I really need eSATA or is USB 2.0 good enough?
2. Do I need an add-on card? I really need eSATA (if I need to) because 1m isn't long enough for me. I have free SATA ports on my mobo (Asus Maximus Formula) but I have read that if you really want to use eSATA (with the length) you must have dedicated eSATA ports. Is that true?

Any help would be appreciated

DJ

Message quoted 2 times
------------------------------ Asus Maximus Formula Q6600 G0@ 3.43 GHz Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme w/fan
PNY 8800 GT 4GB Corsair PC2-6400C4 4-4-4-12 2x WD Caviar SE16 500 GB in RAID 0
Plextor DVD-RW Drive Antec Nine Hundred PC Power and Cooling 750 Silencer
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rockyjohn   01-11-2008 at 06:07:51 AM
- 0 +

1. You can use a USB drive - but eSATA will be 2 to 3 times as fast. Also be careful which eSATA drive you select. I bought a Semantec Free Agent on sale cuz I thought I was safe with that brand. But read this recent review - it also compares USB.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/0 [...] rd_drives/

2. You can get external eSATA ports that connect to your mobo eSATA connector rather than an add-on card - although they do use up a space on the back of the case. Here is a two connector example (I don't know enough about them to recommend one over another - this is just an example)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812119021

Reply to rockyjohn
DJ898   01-12-2008 at 11:16:12 PM
- 0 +

Does that convert the signal because I thought the Maximus formula didn't have eSATA ports. So do I just need that kind of thing or do I need an add-on card?

------------------------------ Asus Maximus Formula Q6600 G0@ 3.43 GHz Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme w/fan
PNY 8800 GT 4GB Corsair PC2-6400C4 4-4-4-12 2x WD Caviar SE16 500 GB in RAID 0
Plextor DVD-RW Drive Antec Nine Hundred PC Power and Cooling 750 Silencer
 Reply to DJ898
hFIKz   01-13-2008 at 12:05:40 AM
- 0 +

I use both eSATA and USB on my 750gb external. I mostly use USB as I dont have to switch off my pc to use esata. Only time I would use eSata is if I'm transferring thousands of documents that are over 20gbs.

Transfering 5gbs took me under 2-3 min, dont remember but its fine with me. esata for large backups and usb for quick gb transfers access.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to hFIKz
purplerat   01-13-2008 at 12:52:19 AM
- 0 +

hFIKz wrote :

I use both eSATA and USB on my 750gb external. I mostly use USB as I dont have to switch off my pc to use esata. Only time I would use eSata is if I'm transferring thousands of documents that are over 20gbs.

Transfering 5gbs took me under 2-3 min, dont remember but its fine with me. esata for large backups and usb for quick gb transfers access.


Why do you have to turn off your PC for eSata? Isn't it hot swappable? I know regular SATA is as long as you use external power.

------------------------------ GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 v2.0
Intel Core2 Q6600 @ 3.3Ghz
4GB OCZ Reaper DDR2 800 @ 915Mhz
EVGA 8800GTS 512MB G92
Reply to purplerat
xxsk8er101xx   01-13-2008 at 01:54:42 AM
- 0 +

eSata is great if you understand how it works.

eSata is more than 2 or 3 times faster. It's Significant enough to warrant it's use over USB. You don't need to turn off your PC to detect eSata, simply going to device manager and then scan hardware will detect the drive.

I use a 750GB drive connected using eSata for backups. I don't have any problems. Just remember to turn off indexing.

DJ898 wrote :

I am going to be using a 500 GB to 1 TB external drive (eventually) exclusivly for backups.
2 quick questions:
1. Do I really need eSATA or is USB 2.0 good enough?
2. Do I need an add-on card? I really need eSATA (if I need to) because 1m isn't long enough for me. I have free SATA ports on my mobo (Asus Maximus Formula) but I have read that if you really want to use eSATA (with the length) you must have dedicated eSATA ports. Is that true?

Any help would be appreciated

DJ


Reply to xxsk8er101xx
DJ898   01-13-2008 at 07:19:27 AM
- 0 +

Ok I will use eSATA but my next question is what do I have to use to get an eSATA port? Can I just use the adapter rockyjohn suggested or do I need to get an add-on card? I don't think my Maximus formula has an eSATA port so any advice is appreciated

------------------------------ Asus Maximus Formula Q6600 G0@ 3.43 GHz Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme w/fan
PNY 8800 GT 4GB Corsair PC2-6400C4 4-4-4-12 2x WD Caviar SE16 500 GB in RAID 0
Plextor DVD-RW Drive Antec Nine Hundred PC Power and Cooling 750 Silencer
 Reply to DJ898
loosscru   01-15-2008 at 03:34:25 PM
- 0 +

like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812119021 with 11 inch cables

or 15 inch cables http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812226003

this one has power too, if you need it http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817994055
don't quite know about the length issue you are talking about though.


Message edited by loosscru on 01-15-2008 at 03:41:36 PM
Reply to loosscru
Crashman   01-15-2008 at 04:12:18 PM
- 0 +

DJ898 wrote :

I am going to be using a 500 GB to 1 TB external drive (eventually) exclusivly for backups.
2 quick questions:
1. Do I really need eSATA or is USB 2.0 good enough?
2. Do I need an add-on card? I really need eSATA (if I need to) because 1m isn't long enough for me. I have free SATA ports on my mobo (Asus Maximus Formula) but I have read that if you really want to use eSATA (with the length) you must have dedicated eSATA ports. Is that true?

Any help would be appreciated

DJ



1.) Like everyone said, eSATA is a whole lot faster than USB 2.0.

2.) You might prefer to use a card. While SATA and eSATA signals are the same, the voltage is slightly higher for eSATA. The reason the voltage is slightly higher is for use with longer cables. The difference in voltage is small enough to make the two work together, but large enough to make a difference in maximum cable length.

Reply to Crashman
DJ898   01-16-2008 at 02:59:26 AM
- 0 +

crashman you answered my question because the 1m limit on SATA is too short for my comp and so thanks for the clarification that I do actually need an add-on card if I want the greater length of eSATA. Is this right? Any other things I should know?

Thanks for all of the help :kaola:

------------------------------ Asus Maximus Formula Q6600 G0@ 3.43 GHz Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme w/fan
PNY 8800 GT 4GB Corsair PC2-6400C4 4-4-4-12 2x WD Caviar SE16 500 GB in RAID 0
Plextor DVD-RW Drive Antec Nine Hundred PC Power and Cooling 750 Silencer
 Reply to DJ898
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