On 05/05/2008 in message <O7GdnX4gPtmzW4PVnZ2dnUVZ_uCdnZ2d@xxxxxx> pbl
wrote:
Quote:
>I need to get a new external HDD for my laptop and I'm thinking of getting
>an eSATA drive. My question is this: Can any HDD be turned into an eSATA
>drive by housing it an enclosure which has an eSATA port or is there
>something special about SATA drives? I'm not sure whether I should buy an
>already enclosed SATA or buy the HDD and the enclosure separately (cheaper
>option). Thanks for your help.
A good external enclosure is the ANTEC MX-1 EC, it's on Amazon UK at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ANTEC-COOLED.../dp/B000PJ4JDK
It does USB2 and eSATA and has a built in fan for cooling, you need to add
your own HD. You also need an eSATA connection on your laptop so make sure
you do (I would think they are rare on laptops).
Whether or not eSATA will work depends on how your computer is set up. If
you want hot plugging you need to have your SATA ports set up in the BIOS
as AHCI. If they are set up as ATA or Normal or Off (depending on the
terminology used in your BIOS) then you won't get hot plugging, although
turning the PC off, plugging the eSATA drive in and then turning the PC on
again should allow you to see the drive.
Changing to AHCI on an already installed system is not trivial, although
it can be done. If you want to do it then post again and people will point
you to the various guides that exist. Don't just change your BIOS settings
whatever you do or you may not be able to boot your PC!
PS - You should set Windows mail to post in plain text to newsgroups.
--
Jeff Gaines
Damerham Hampshire UK