Can't get e-sata to work

[DarrellS]

I tried to get an external HDD enclosure to run on e-sata when I first got this board in May but had no luck. I figured it was because I didn't have a Sata drive in the enclosure at the time but I bought a Seagate FreeAgent Pro yesterday and bought a e-sata to e-sata cable today and still couldn't get it to work.

After looking around on the internet, someone had suggested connecting to the purple Raid connectors and although I can see the drive now, I can't copy anything to it without it freezing up and if I try to play files that are on the drive, they stutter really bad and my computer slows to a crawl. I have no problems with Firewire (it takes a minute or two to read the drive) or USB.

What do I need to do to get external sata to run on this board?

[aedipuss]

i don't think that board has an esata port. it isn't the same as a m.b. sata connector. unless you put an add-in pci esata card in, it won't work.

[DarrellS]

The board has eight Sata connectors on the board. Six are yellow and two are purple. The board also came with an adapter that uses two of the onboard Sata connectors and a power source. From my understanding of everything I've read, there is no difference between Sata and e-Sata. The only difference is the connector.

After reading the forum on the Seagate site, it seems that the Seagate FreeAgent Pro is a defective product and Seagate has no interest in fixing the e-sata problem. Anyone thinking of buying this drive for it's e-Sata capability should look for another drive because this drive does not support e-sata like Seagate advertises.

http://forums.seagate.com/stx/board/message?board.id=freeagent&thread.id=356&view=by_d...cending&page=1

[aedipuss]

no, esata is not compatible with sata. eSATA, standardized in 2004, provides a variant of SATA meant for external connectivity. It has revised electrical requirements in addition to incompatible cables and connectors.

a sata port cable from the motherboard to the back panel allows connecting a bare sata drive outside the case, it does not provide an esata port. there's a difference.

[KBeee]

Have you checked your sata ports are enabled in BIOS on your MB?
Sometimes you need to check that RAID is not enabled for the ports you're using.
I've got a Gigabyte MB too, and I've had no problems connecting 3 different eSATA HDD enclosures to it via the eSATA bracket, though I don't use the 12V power socket on the bracket.

[DarrellS]

The Seagate screwed everything up so. Firewire stopped working and eventually, the drive would not turn on. The power switch (it's not a switch, it's just a place on the base that you touch and it's supposed to magically turn on and off but it hardly ever does anything) stopped working completely.

I took it back and got a Western Digital but I still can't get Firewire or Sata to work. I've been trying to fix crap that the Seagate screwed up for hours. Windows said I had a catastrophic failure.

I looked in BIOS and...

SATA/AHCI Mode is disabled
SATA Port 0-3 Native Mode is disabled
Onboard H/W 1394 is enabled
Onboard SATA?IDE Device is enabled
Onboard SATA/IDE Control Mode is set to IDE

Not sure what to do. I've tried both the yellow and purple connectors and I connected a SATA to e-SATA cable from the board to the WD and still no go.

[redwudz]

I have three computers that I have added eSATA PCI backplane sockets to that are connected to regular SATA sockets on the motherboard, and they all work fine with external eSATA drives. AFAIK, the main difference with the eSATA specification is the different voltages to allow longer cable lengths (2 meters compared to about 1M for SATA) and better shielding for the same purpose, and of course different external connectors. But the adapters may not work with all eSATA drives, especially when using 2M cables.

Electrical requirement differences between eSATA and SATA:

Minimum transmit potential increased: Range is 500–600 mV instead of 400–600 mV.
Minimum receive potential decreased: Range is 240–600 mV instead of 325–600 mV.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

[budz]

This is from your mobo manual:

"For SATA device in external enclosure, you only
need to connect the SATA signal cable. Before connecting the SATA signal
cable, make sure to turn off the power of the external enclosure."

I dunno if that would help you but figured I'd mention it anyway.

[KBeee]

SATA/AHCI Mode (Advanced Host Controller Interface IIRC) should be enabled, but I can't remember the other settings used on my Gigabyte DS5 MB. Perhaps you could try changing SATA Port 0-3 Native Mode to Enabled, and Onboard SATA/IDE Control Mode is set to IDE to SATA?

[redwudz]

If you enable AHCI from BIOS on a installed system, you will have to make a registry change first or it won't work. AHCI registry mod: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976 Otherwise ACHI is best activated in BIOS before installing the OS.

[DarrellS]

If you enable AHCI from BIOS on a installed system, you will have to make a registry change first or it won't work. AHCI registry mod: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976 Otherwise ACHI is best activated in BIOS before installing the OS.

I'll try that later and see what happens.

I tried KBeee's advice last night and at first it wouldn't boot so I went back into BIOS and changed my Boot drive as the first drive and it booted up but I got the dreaded Windows found new hardware and Windows couldn't install new hardware messages.

I'm pretty sure that this board did not come with a RAID disk to install before the OS. I know the Intel board I had did but I don't have a floppy for this board. I'm pretty sure that this is why most people with this series of Gigabyte board are having problems with e-sata.

Looking at the manual, I need to make a floppy disk but my A:\ is missing now. Seems to be a typical problem with XP (God, I hate this OS).

[Krispy Kritter]

Unless you are using RAID, there is no reason to create a floppy or load the drivers. Just ensure RAID is disabled in the BIOS.

[DarrellS]

When I get some time, I'll reinstall XP on a different drive, installing the drivers that I downloaded from Gigabyte beforehand. I'm pretty burnt out on it right now. The MS registry trick is not for XP so I didn't see the file in the registry. By changing BIOS settings, I could either get C:\ and CDROM and no SATA drives or startup could see my three SATA drives but could not load the OS since it couldn't see my boot drive, no matter how many times I kept changing the boot drive to my Maxtor. I have a feeling that my problem is that I have my OS on an IDE drive. The AHCI controller can't see my IDE drive.

If someone has the same board as me and could post their BIOS settings, it might help but I doubt it since everything I've tried so far has been futile.

[raptor333]

When I get some time, I'll reinstall XP on a different drive, installing the drivers that I downloaded from Gigabyte beforehand. I'm pretty burnt out on it right now. The MS registry trick is not for XP so I didn't see the file in the registry. By changing BIOS settings, I could either get C:\ and CDROM and no SATA drives or startup could see my three SATA drives but could not load the OS since it couldn't see my boot drive, no matter how many times I kept changing the boot drive to my Maxtor. I have a feeling that my problem is that I have my OS on an IDE drive. The AHCI controller can't see my IDE drive.

If someone has the same board as me and could post their BIOS settings, it might help but I doubt it since everything I've tried so far has been futile.

Hi there,
We work with SATA/ESATA/Hot Swapping/External Drives on a daily basis and this is how we do it for the Intel Controller.
1. First though, your motherboard does not have ESATA.
2. It has 8 internal SATA connectors that takes SATA to the outside of the case by means of and external bracket & SATA cable.
3. ESATA is when you have a SATA port on the mother board normally in the area where you find the lan / audio / firewire /usb connectors. This inside of this connector (plastic tab) is straight & not L shaped like those onboard.
4. Install the bracket & connect the cable to one of the orange ports. These are Intel ICH9R and usually give the best performance. The 2 purple connectors are Gigabyte propriety it seems & I have not worked with them before.
5. First flash your BIOS to the latest version to address any issues the board may have. (These days they all have issues.) Try and flash it using the BIOS Flash utility in the BIOS itself.
6. Set your BIOS to AHCI mode. (Integrated Peripherals > sata raid /ahci mode > enabled then sata port 0-3 native mode > enabled
7. save the BIOS, reboot and go back to the BIOS.
8. Set your boot order, the DVD Writer from which you will install windows 1st boot device & your operating system drive as the 2nd boot device.
9. Now, for AHCI to work you need to install a driver at the beginning of the Windows install process (F6) this can be done using a stiffy drive or Slipstreaming the driver onto your XP prof. install CD in which case you no not have to use F6. when prompted.
10. You need the following downloads to do a proper install and make AHCI work reliably.
a. Intel Inf. from Intel, try Version 9.0.0.1007 (this should be the 1st thing you install when Windows loads for the 1st time.)
b. Intel Matrix Storage Manager > stor_all32_f6flpy32_8.6.0.1007_pv (size 202kb) (initial Windows install see paragraph 9)
c. Intel Matrix Storage Manager > stor_allos_8.6.0.1007_pv (size 22955kb) (this is the Windows AHCI utility) Install after Inf.
d. HotSwap! 4.1.1.0 (Google it)
11. If you have a stiffy drive extract the contents of > stor_all32_f6flpy32_8.6.0.1007_pv to the stiffy and when prompted at the beginning of the Windows install (when asked) hit F6 a couple of times and after about 60 seconds you will be prompted to supply a driver (follow the on screen instructions, think you must press S to supply a additional driver) choose the driver from the list. Intel® ICH9R/DO/DH SATA AHCI Controller & continue with the Windows install.
12. If you do not have a stiffy you will have to integrate the driver into your Install CD using NLite. Google it and download V 1.4.9.1 (to use this DotNet 2 must be installed)

Sorry I have to go out urgently, if you are still interested we can continue later…………..

[aedipuss]

i already told him he doesn't have esata onboard. i have similar gigabyte ep35 chipset board. a sata drive in an external case works fine hooked up to the backplane connector but it's not for esata drives.

darrells you must have the rare v1.1 of that board as it's the only one that came with that connector. v1.0, v2.0, and v2.1 don't include it.

from your manual it's an external sata bracket, not esata.

[raptor333]

many ESATA drives/housings also work with this board setup (bracket) as you get cables that are SATA on one end and ESATA on the other end.
Vantec/Visio/Western Digital My Book etc...

[DarrellS]

9. Now, for AHCI to work you need to install a driver at the beginning of the Windows install process (F6) this can be done using a stiffy drive or Slipstreaming the driver onto your XP prof. install CD in which case you no not have to use F6. when prompted.

I'm sure this is where the problem is since I didn't load a RAID driver before installing Windows. This board did not come with a RAID disk and I didn't think I needed the driver anyway since I was not going to run RAID.

I'll print out your post and use it when I reinstall Windows. I'll probably buy a smaller SATA drive to put the OS on instead of this IDE drive. That way I can go back to two DVD Writers on the IDE controller.

What is strange is that I could see the Seagate FreeAgent in Explorer from the J-Micron controller. I just couldn't do anything with it and it kept freezing my system. Neither the WD MyBook or CoolMax encloser could be seen.

[DarrellS]

darrells you must have the rare v1.1 of that board as it's the only one that came with that connector. v1.0, v2.0, and v2.1 don't include it.

I have the GA-EP35-DS3P Rev.2.1 with the latest BIOS update.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128083

Package Contents

Driver Disk
User Manual
Rear I/O Panel Shield
IDE/PATA Cable
FDD Cable
4 x SATA Cable
eSATA Cable & Power cable
eSATA Bracket

[raptor333]

"What is strange is that I could see the Seagate FreeAgent in Explorer from the J-Micron controller. I just couldn't do anything with it and it kept freezing my system. Neither the WD MyBook or CoolMax encloser could be seen."

a common problem I have encountered myself a few times (you did load the J/micron controller driver) ? in any case don't bother with J/Micron just use the Intel controller (yellow/orange (much better and less hassles) as I have found J/Micron or Marvell to cause other problems as well.

You are welcome to mail me if you need futher assistance or links for the downloads. Some of these I could also mail to you as the are quite small in size.

[redwudz]

I have a Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R MB and it came with a eSATA socket bracket, not the 'L' shaped internal socket type. But it does plug into an internal SATA socket, so it may not be eSATA compliant as to the eSATA voltage specifications and cable lengths. And it works fine with my eSATA external drives.

EDIT: DarrellS, sorry about the AHCI link, I didn't notice that was just for Vista. Apparently with XP, it may be a bit more complicated to enable AHCI with an already installed OS. And probably not worth the effort just for 'hot plugging' capability. It's easy to implement when you install the OS, at least with Vista. You just enable it first in BIOS, then install the OS and it works, even with my optical drives. I never had to use any driver discs, just installed the regular MB drivers after booting into Vista.

[DarrellS]

I bought a 160GB SATA drive yesterday (the guy was out of 80GB drives) for my operating system, loaded the Intel AHCI driver from the floppy that I downloaded from Gigabyte and loaded XP. Hooked up the WD MyBook and nothing happened so I rebooted with it plugged in and still nothing happened. I was looking for the window asking me what I wanted to do which never popped up but thinking it was just a SATA drive hooked to the SATA controller, it should be visable in Windows Explorer so I opened it up and sure nuff, there it was, WD MyBook. I didn't have to do anything in BIOS to make it work. All it needed was the AHCI driver installed before the OS.

I hooked a e-SATA to SATA cable to my Coolmax external encloser with an IDE drive inside but it wouldn't read it. I assume that I need a SATA drive in the enclosure for it to work but I don't have an extra one laying around. I'll pull one out of my PC later to see if it works with the enclosure.

What was weird, before I installed the SATA drive as my boot drive, I could transfer data from the MyBook to the PC at 35Mbps with USB but could only transfer 22Mbps to the MyBook from the PC. I could also only transfer files inside my PC at 22Mbps. Now I can transfer files inside my PC and to the MyBook using USB at 35Mbps and using the e-Sata cable can transfer at 55Mbps. Not quite as fast as I thought it would be but over twice as fast as before. Definately worth the hassle that I went through to get it to work.

[dmr1]

redwudz, I noticed that you have the same mobo as I (ep45-ds3r) and that you're using eSATA drives.

I'm having a problem getting my system to recognize my eSATA drive (WD MyBook) if going through the eSATA bracket. If I connect eSATA (drive side) to the SATA header directly (using esata to sata cable) it comes up just fine. I had Gigabyte send me a new bracket and I've tried two eSATA cables but no luck. Also tried with and without AHCI enabled.

Any ideas.

Thanks

[redwudz]

I plug in my Fantom eSATA drive, then reboot. The OS (Vista) says it's installing drivers, then the drive shows and works normally.

Is your external drive formatted? Probably is because it works on the internal SATA connection.

You could check your Device Manager, and Computer Management. Rclick on My Computer>'Manage>Storage>Disk Management' and you should see the drive there. If none of this works, then you have another problem. eSATA uses the same wiring, just the connector is different. (And as mentioned, the eSATA voltage and cable length specifications are different.

[dmr1]

I'm thinking that the problem is with the specification. I read some where, just not sure where, that people have experienced similar problems and by switching there drive to eSATA 1 (as appose to eSATA 2 - or something similar to that) that they were able to get things working but at a slower speed.

I guess I was just hoping that you encountered a similar problem and might have a quick fix.

Thanks for responding.

[RabidDog]

Have to say .. using an external enclosure via e-sata (not built in) on a Gigabyte M/b and its working fine. SAta M/B to E-sata back bracket to E-sata enclosure..No drivers or problems, def faster than USb2.0. (6x?) No raid drivers needed to be installed
Boot drive priority is set in BIOS.
I am also using a mixture of Ide & sata Hrd drives internally, cant remember which one the OS is one.

True E-sata is hot-swappable, many external E-sata drives aren't.

[dmr1]

Wish it was for me. Working with Gigabyte and Western Digital to solve this one.

Very odd though... everything works just fine if I connect my external drive directly to the motherboard via eSATA to SATA cable. I have AHCI enabled on the motherboard so I too have Hot Swapping capabilities -- but again, only when connected directly to the motherboard. As soon as I go through the eSATA bracket the drive is not recognized....what up with that! I thought the bracket was a passive device, simply extending my motherboard SATA.

[redwudz]

The bracket is a passive device. Is your eSATA cable longer than 1 meter? (37" or so?) Long eSATA cables only work reliably with a true eSATA connection or PCI card. It seems you have tried different eSATA cables, so, other than that, I'm not sure what the problem might be.

[dmr1]

Just reporting back... my problem solved.

Can't believe it was took such a low tech. fix.

The eSATA cable at the drive end simply need to be trimmed back. I've included a link to one of may sites where this problem was reported -- it also includes a picture... you know what a picture's worth.

The short cable connector (see picture from the link that follows) combined with Western Digitals My Book series of external drives, is was prevented a proper connection. If I was using a different manufacturers cable I may have never experienced this problem.

Link: http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/580140-esata-drive-not-recognized-2.html

Thanks redwudz for your input.

[redwudz]

Thanks for the information. This may help others with a similar problem.