Esata to USB converter problems

[anecdote]

I have a Cavalry 2TB Raid 5 external storage system. It came with a esata PCI Express card for my PC. This works perfectly and have never had a problem with it.

I bought a Esata to USB converter so I can backup my laptop to the array. However when I plug the cavalry into my laptop using the converter it says it needs to format the drive.

I could not find any drivers for a esata to usb converter.

Please advise how I can read this esata drive setup using USB.

Am I suppose to install the PCI controller drivers onto my laptop?

Thank you,
--Anec

 

[nukemaster]

It almost looks like the raid on that device is done on the PCI-E controller.

Almost looks like the enclosure uses a multi-port sata hub.

If this is so, the laptops usb ESATA controller may have no clue how to use this raid set.

Why not just plug the laptop into the network with the desktop and use windows(or whatever os you use) file sharing to share the E-SATA box and then just push the files over the network?

 

[anecdote]

Thanks Nuke for the reply.

The backup software that I have, in fact both of them Mcaffee and Windows will not do a complete system backup over the network. It must be an attached drive. It will let me do a partial backup(primary files) but not a complete system. Unless I am missing something.

Keep the suggestions coming. I really want to mirror my laptop to a folder on the raid 5.

--Anec

 

[nukemaster]

Does the software with the PCI-E card have a raid manager? that would confirm that the card is in fact doing all the work.

I am sorry I do not normally do image backups(i used to, but ghost no longer seems to work with raid volumes. it works, but its in windows not its own environment like it used to be) so I can not comment on that.

How do you restore it? if windows is lost does it use a boot disk like ghost used to?

Does it allow you to backup to ANY drive that has a letter? if that is the case you can just map a network drive.

Its worth a try.

To map a network drive, do the following.

-Right click on (My)Computer and select "Map Network Drive"

It works the same in Vista and XP(2000 and even 98)

-In the next window give the drive a letter and a network location. If both computers have the same password the driverletter$ can be used

I used my MCE machine for this example. Remember to make sure you have write permissions on the drive. If you have the same login and password on the 2 machines it will be auto granted to you

-Check out whats in my computer now

 

[MrLinux]

If you connect the drive to the LapTop and right-click to get properties, does it say what size it thinks the drive should be?

 

[Slobogob]

A very sound suggestions.

 

[anecdote]

I will try this over the next couple of days. but if I remember correctly, to do a full system backup it cannot be a networked drive.

I'll test it out.

--Anec