GA 890GPA-UD3H and esata?

[bfunk2010]

I want to build my first PC and I am looking at buying the 890GPA-UD3H board. Latest chipsets, etc. but it doesn't have a rear esata port nor does it indicate it supports esata. However, in the GIGABYTE Guide AND on a MAC forum it appears that you can change some settings for the jmicron chip (GSATA) to enable esata. Before I buy the board I want to confirm:

1. Is this board capable of providing esata?

2. If it can provide esata, what would I need to provide an esata port on the back of the PC? I see esata brackets, some say they are powered and others are not.

If the board cannot support esata, I will probably buy a similarly featured ASUS M4A89GTD Pro/USB3 that includes esata.

I plan to load Windows 7 and use an AMD triple core processor. Later, I may add a PVR so any thoughts on that would be great also.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[bilbat]

Every board with SATA ports 'supports' eSATA! There is no specific difference to an eSATA, other than the 'plug-in' end of the port - all it means is external SATA. If you can, it's usually best to configure the controller for the port you intend to use as AHCI, because of the simple utility of having 'hot-plug' on the eSATA - means you don't have to plug 'er in, and reboot, to have the drive recognized. Also, once configured as AHCI, the drive will appear in the 'Eject' dialog - and you have to remember to eject it, before removing it - lets the OS 'flush' the drive's cache buffers before the 'disconnect', preserving your data...

 

[bfunk2010]

Every board with SATA ports 'supports' eSATA! There is no specific difference to an eSATA, other than the 'plug-in' end of the port - all it means is external SATA. If you can, it's usually best to configure the controller for the port you intend to use as AHCI, because of the simple utility of having 'hot-plug' on the eSATA - means you don't have to plug 'er in, and reboot, to have the drive recognized. Also, once configured as AHCI, the drive will appear in the 'Eject' dialog - and you have to remember to eject it, before removing it - lets the OS 'flush' the drive's cache buffers before the 'disconnect', preserving your data...

Thanks for the clarification. Now that you've explained that part of it, I am guessing that I would need a powered esata bracket if my external esata drives do not have their own power supply. Is that correct?

Thanks again!

 

[bilbat]

I am guessing that I would need a powered esata bracket if my external esata drives do not have their own power supply. Is that correct?

That is correct. One nice thing about the GB eSATA bracket/cable combo is that you can just 'toss in' an drive laying around loose - maintenance, recovery, backup, what have you...

 

[bfunk2010]

Best answer selected by bfunk2010.

 

[turk_1000]

Go to Newegg and check out the docking stations and external HDD enclosures. You can get them with both USB2 and eSATA. There are some out for USB3, but I do not know if there are any with both USB3 and eSATA. I use powered enclosures with fans. I have heard some people say the drive will get hot in a docking station if you leave it too long. If you look at the design of some of them you will see they don't give the drive much room to breathe.

Remember to buy the correct cables. eSATA does not have the L shape. It is straight across. The descriptions I've seen use I for eSATA and L for SATA. For example an internal drive would use a cable with L's on both ends.

 

[bilbat]

Good point about the heat - you can see what I've done to this USB enclosure:

Drilled seventeen holes - had a two-speed fan in it, but hardy anywhere for air to the fan - convection takes care of it, now - 20°C drop!