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eSata interface + Ext HDD File Arrangement Settings

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TifaLockhart:
Hi, I've been using usb2.0 for most of my external hdd's and the transfer speed has been bugging me for quite awhile, especially since the size of the hdd's just gets larger by the year. I've been considering for some time now on whether to switch to a esata interface which sadly isn't built into my pc. Hence before I do anything further, I would like to know what sort of hardware I would need (spare slots, power cables etc), what sort of esata interfac
*
* e I should get.

Freedom Kira:
The eSata port will be built into the case. It just has a SATA cable that plugs into one of your SATA ports. Much simpler than USB.
So, if you want to put eSATA into your computer, you'd have to get a case that supports it, change your case, and connect the eSATA port to a SATA port.

I take it this means that eSATA devices require external power. I've never actually used one before.

NaRu:
You dont have to get a case that has one. You can buy Esata cards too. They do take up a sate port on your mobo. So if you are using it all it wont help you. If you are worried about speed just get USB 3.0 card and get external drives that support it.

USB 2.0 max speed is around 50MB/s
USB 3.0 max speed is around 625MB/s

datora:
.
What NaRu said: look into USB 3.0.

Basically, if you have free PCIexpress slot ... esp. @4x ... get an expansion card with 2 or 4 USB 3.0 ports.  You can get an external enclosure for an internal hard drive for ~$35 from newegg.com, for example:

Rosewill RX358 RX-358-U3B Full Aluminum Cover, metal tray 3.5" Black USB 3.0 External Enclosure

You can put ANY SATA hard drive into this case and transfer data @USB3 speeds (meaning: use your current external HDs without immediate need to buy new ones).

Not to say that eSATA is bad or anything.  Sometimes there are issues with it showing up as a drive, or dropping out of visibility, usually solved by reboot or something equally trivial.  I have seen some rare complaints about more hair-pulling glitches, but not sure about credibility of n00bish user or not.

Anyway, for consideration, the USB will be far more universal and pretty much the same transfer speed.  It will connect to virtually anyone's USB 2.0 ports on any computer (linux, Mac, etc.) for much wider compatibility (@USB2 speeds) and nice profit when you hit systems w/ USB3.

TifaLockhart:
Most of my external harddrives are already using a 3rd party casing which supports usb2.0 and esata. I'm nt sure how usb3.0 works but given the options I thought since esata is comparatively faster and the hdd I intend to get is 2-3tb, esata seems to be the better choice. What I would like to know is whether esata interface supports pci slots since my pciexpress has all been taken up.

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