Support for Hot-swap SATA?

[t_ski]

I just got an external enclosure that uses eSATA. It says to make sure the board supports hot-swap functionality before using it as so. I can't find the info in the manual, but AFAIK hot-swap is a feature of SATA 3.0G, which the Ultra-D is supposed to support. Can anyone verify this information for me? I just want to play it safe before I ruin a perfectly good drive (or mobo for that matter). Thanks

[t_ski]

Anybody have any suggestions?

[uneedav8]

The NF4 chip does support hot swapping on the sata controller....thats why the hard drives show up in the safely remove devices icon on the windows taskbar. The eSATA drives are usually made to connect to eSATA PCI controller cards or new motherboards that have the eSATA connector on the rear I/O plate. My guess is that you would use the hot swapping on the NF4 to connect one of those removable 5.25 bay enclosures. It seems like you will need a eSATA PCI controller card or a MB that has an eSATA connector to use that external enclosure of yours.

[wardog]

It seems like you will need a eSATA PCI controller card or a MB that has an eSATA connector to use that external enclosure of yours.

 

Na. There are now rear panel brackets that act as a pass-through for just this. But in this config it's limited to one drive per MB channel/connection. I believe what you're thinking is an eSata card that does Port Multiplier duties.

[uneedav8]

Na. There are now rear panel brackets that act as a pass-through for just this.

 

Your right

 

http://www.satacables.com/html/sata-pci-brackets.html

[t_ski]

Yep, I've got one like this:

 

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/ind...5b039c95ad8c01d

 

I'm hoping to hook it up to the board instead of having to buy a PCI or PCIe card to use with it, especially since it may be only temporary.

[wardog]

I'm hoping to hook it up to the board instead of having to buy a PCI or PCIe card....

 

There's no reason it shouldn't support the NF4's hot-swap ability. Well, so long as the specs for SATA cable length isn't exceeded and the controller is able to communicate with the HD.

 

With that bracket all you're really doing is extending the cables electrical signal.

 

OT sorta. Now if the manufacturers could just settle on what connector style to use when a MB controllers SATA cableing leaves the case(via bracket) to an external device. The "L" style or the "I" style.

[t_ski]

Yes, I should be good on that. A quick google search showed the standard cable length is up to two meters. The external cable I have is about one meter, plus the bracket adds about 15".

 

And AFAIK, the standard is L-connector for internal, and I-connector for external.

 

http://www.sata-io.org/esata.asp

 

Thanks for the input, guys

[wardog]

And AFAIK, the standard is L-connector for internal, and I-connector for external.

 

Yea, I mentioned that OT thing there specifically for you. Most of the sub $10.00 SATA brackets do not conform and actually have external "L" type connections.

 

Scroll the link uneedav8 provided above. You might call/email P-PC's if the linked one is the one you have on order and not yet recieved.

[t_ski]

No, I have it already. I purchased mine from another forum menber on [H], so it may be different than the one on P-PC's. However, mine does have the I-type connector on it.

 

Hopefully I can get thies done tomorrow. Between upcoming final exams, a broken washing machine, and two review projects, I'm slightly backed up..