SATA/eSATA help

The item you have is an adapter plate that simply converts a standard mobo SATA port's pin connector to an eSATA connector. It also conveniently gives you a neat way to get a cable from the mobo inside the case out to an external device.

Before you start, go here:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/m [...] 310G&LOC=3

and click on "User Guide" to get the manual that describes how to open and work inside your case. At the back of your computer there are a few slots covered with metal pieces held in place by one screw each. Normally when you're adding an accessory card you remove one and mount the card in the PCI slot inside; its end plate replaces the blank cover. In your case you will not mount anything in a PCI slot - just replace the blank cover with the adapter plate. The you have to plug the end of the cable inside onto a SATA port pin set on the mobo. The manual says there are four of these. One of them will already be connected to your hard drive. Use a different one. The manual suggests there may be extra cables already installed on these ports for drives you don't have yet. If that is so, you may have to remove one to plug in your adapter's cable.

Technically, these adapter cable systems MAY not provide complete eSATA functions, depending on what the mobo makers did in their SATA port controllers. In practice, they usually work just fine with no trouble. You might have to pay attention to a "Safely Remove Device" icon on your lower right before shutting off and disconnecting the external backup system. That is just to make sure any file-writing operation is complete, with all the files closed cleanly, before disconnection.