Just a quick note to say my Rosewill RC-605 has been working flawlessly for over 8 months now, have two external HD's attached, can highly recommend.
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E-sata Express card , which one actually works.
- Thread starter Guy Mancuso
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Rosewill RC-605 under Snow Leopard?
Say, DooDaaDame,
are you using that Rosewill RC-605 under Snow Leopard?
Just a quick note to say my Rosewill RC-605 has been working flawlessly for over 8 months now, have two external HD's attached, can highly recommend.
Say, DooDaaDame,
are you using that Rosewill RC-605 under Snow Leopard?
Just a quick note to say my Rosewill RC-605 has been working flawlessly for over 8 months now, have two external HD's attached, can highly recommend.
Same here....only 1 drive though. Not on SL yet.
I've used my BC338 twice under SL now with no problems, but that doesn't mean the problem is fixed. The first time using it, I played some music in quicktime for about an hour, then left the disk connected for a few hours but didn't use it (it kept spinning). The second time I just briefly connected it to delete a 50gb file. I didn't reboot either time using the card, and I powered off and ejected the card after use.
I'll have to test it with a large amount of data in many files some time. Most of the times it crashed before I was backing up some disk. I don't know if it is time, number of files, amount of data, heat, or something else that makes it crash, so it is hard to repeat.
I'll have to test it with a large amount of data in many files some time. Most of the times it crashed before I was backing up some disk. I don't know if it is time, number of files, amount of data, heat, or something else that makes it crash, so it is hard to repeat.
BC338 stopped working under Snow Leopard.
Say, M85476585, I believe your problems with the BC338 were only under Leopard, right? Not under Snow Leopard?
My BC338 originally worked fine under SL. After a while, however, it stopped working on two occasions. Since the second event, SL refuses to recognize the BC338.
Say, M85476585, I believe your problems with the BC338 were only under Leopard, right? Not under Snow Leopard?
My BC338 originally worked fine under SL. After a while, however, it stopped working on two occasions. Since the second event, SL refuses to recognize the BC338.
I had occasional problems with it in Leopard. Usually it would work just fine, but sometimes (maybe 5% of the time) it would cause a kernel panic after about an hour of using the disk.
I haven't used it enough with SL to know if it is any better.
I haven't used it enough with SL to know if it is any better.
I was backing up a disk today, and I got another kernel panic. I didn't reboot before using the BC338, I was backing up to the eSATA disk, and I had the disk I was backing up connected by Firewire 800. The disk being backed up was NTFS, and the target was an image on a HFS+ disk. I used the new image feature of disk utility to make the backup.
After rebooting and starting over, it worked just fine and the backup completed successfully. The total size is 90gb, and it probably took less than an hour, but I wasn't watching it.
I have a MBP4,1 and I was running 10.6.0 at the time.
After rebooting and starting over, it worked just fine and the backup completed successfully. The total size is 90gb, and it probably took less than an hour, but I wasn't watching it.
I have a MBP4,1 and I was running 10.6.0 at the time.
Just my two cents... I had the BC388 card for a couple of months and ran into enough Kernel panics that to be safe, I just gave up on it. Changed to a different card (Kanguru, because I mostly use it for eSATA thumb drives), and have had no problems since...
add
I'll just add that I have the BC338 and while it is quirky and SHOULD work plug and play, i don't have any problems IF I insert it when the system is down and boot up, use it, shut down, remove boot up. I have not had any kernel panics. It is a PIA for sure, but I really only use the eSata port for TM backups and weekly clones of the HD. So, I can manage the five extra minutes of time for bootup and such and the hassle since it really was only 10$ for the card and solution.
I'll just add that I have the BC338 and while it is quirky and SHOULD work plug and play, i don't have any problems IF I insert it when the system is down and boot up, use it, shut down, remove boot up. I have not had any kernel panics. It is a PIA for sure, but I really only use the eSata port for TM backups and weekly clones of the HD. So, I can manage the five extra minutes of time for bootup and such and the hassle since it really was only 10$ for the card and solution.
I'll have to try my 2 port PPA International card that also has a Jmicron chip. I used it before the BC338 without rebooting with no problems.
I would just leave the BC338 in all the time, except that it sticks out slightly (a millimeter), and when I put it in my bag, it tends to pop out. I prefer slots that can only eject the card with a button, like the PCMCIA slot in my old Dell laptop.
I don't like rebooting because I usually leave tons of stuff open. It also clears the inactive memory, which stores recently closed programs so they open faster. I have one program, that uses Java that takes 15-30 seconds to start after a reboot, but then only a few seconds when it is cached in RAM.
I would just leave the BC338 in all the time, except that it sticks out slightly (a millimeter), and when I put it in my bag, it tends to pop out. I prefer slots that can only eject the card with a button, like the PCMCIA slot in my old Dell laptop.
I don't like rebooting because I usually leave tons of stuff open. It also clears the inactive memory, which stores recently closed programs so they open faster. I have one program, that uses Java that takes 15-30 seconds to start after a reboot, but then only a few seconds when it is cached in RAM.
update
Just a quick update here:
I just did my first Snow Leopard backup, was about 15GB of data, took 3.5 hours. Ouch, I thought this thing was supposed to be FASTER.
Anyway, this was the longest the 338 had been in the drive doing its work and it had of course no kernel panics as usual.
I think if one does a reboot, it works fine.
Just a quick update here:
I just did my first Snow Leopard backup, was about 15GB of data, took 3.5 hours. Ouch, I thought this thing was supposed to be FASTER.
Anyway, this was the longest the 338 had been in the drive doing its work and it had of course no kernel panics as usual.
I think if one does a reboot, it works fine.
Can someone please summarize for me which card works with both Leopard and Snow Leopard?
Which one will allow for fast backups without problems and will allow you to boot from the external drive?
Which one will allow for fast backups without problems and will allow you to boot from the external drive?
AKE BC338 inconsistent under Snow Leopard
I can only conclude that the BC338 performs inconsistently under SL. Until the manufacturer AKE releases a new driver, buyers should steer clear of this ExpressCard.
__________________________
Here's my config:
* Ancient MacBook Pro, Core 2 Duo at 2.33 GHz, 17" screen, 3 Gb ram.
* OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard build 10A432.
* External hard drive enclosure: DataStorage (or MacPower) Pleiades model PD-S800+. DataStorage has changed the model #, but the enclosure is still sold. It has the following interfaces: 1 X eSata, 2 X Firewire 800, 1 X Firewire 400, 1 X USB 2.0.
Yeah, tivoboy, at first the BC338 worked for me under Snow Leopard. Note that I used the BC338 constantly, not just for backups. The BC338 stopped working after a while, and SL now no longer recognizes it as present, despite reboots. I've tried:
- rebooting while the card is inserted;
- removing the card and re-inserting it while SL is running;
- powering down the MacBook Pro, removing the MBP's power cord, inserting the card, powering up the external HD, then powering up the MacBook Pro; and
- powering up the MacBook Pro and then inserting the card.
I can only conclude that the BC338 performs inconsistently under SL. Until the manufacturer AKE releases a new driver, buyers should steer clear of this ExpressCard.
__________________________
Here's my config:
* Ancient MacBook Pro, Core 2 Duo at 2.33 GHz, 17" screen, 3 Gb ram.
* OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard build 10A432.
* External hard drive enclosure: DataStorage (or MacPower) Pleiades model PD-S800+. DataStorage has changed the model #, but the enclosure is still sold. It has the following interfaces: 1 X eSata, 2 X Firewire 800, 1 X Firewire 400, 1 X USB 2.0.
It sounds like you might have a defective BC338. Try contacting them for a replacement.
I doubt AKE will ever release a driver for the BC338. This card uses a jmicron controller, which has a driver built-into OS X. That's why it works without installing a driver if you just plug it in. Other controllers need a driver. AKE probably doesn't know much about the jmicron controller besides how to connect it electrically to an expresscard interface and an eSATA port.
If anything, jmicron or Apple will have to release a new driver, which would probably solve the KPs unless there is some kind of hardware problem with all the BC338s (which is doubtful).
I use this one...
eSATA card with dual outlets from Sonnet Tempo...
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-RecommendedHardwareMBP.html
Scoll down to the area discussing the Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard
Buy here..for $198 (much less than I paid)
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet Technology/SATAIIPROE34/
Works with SL as discussed here...
http://macperformanceguide.com/SnowLeopard-Compatibility-hardware.html
excerpt below...
Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34
Using version 2.1.9 of the Sonnet driver, I created a 2-drive RAID stripe (using Disk Utility) which worked in 32-bit kernel mode. Booting into 64-bit kernel mode the RAID stripe would simply not appear on the desktop, because the 32-bit driver does not load in 64-bit mode. See notes above on the 64-bit driver.
eSATA card with dual outlets from Sonnet Tempo...
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-RecommendedHardwareMBP.html
Scoll down to the area discussing the Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard
Buy here..for $198 (much less than I paid)
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet Technology/SATAIIPROE34/
Works with SL as discussed here...
http://macperformanceguide.com/SnowLeopard-Compatibility-hardware.html
excerpt below...
Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34
Using version 2.1.9 of the Sonnet driver, I created a 2-drive RAID stripe (using Disk Utility) which worked in 32-bit kernel mode. Booting into 64-bit kernel mode the RAID stripe would simply not appear on the desktop, because the 32-bit driver does not load in 64-bit mode. See notes above on the 64-bit driver.
I'm probably going to order the Sonnet Tempo card now that it works with SL; I was waiting forever for that "temporarily not recommended for Macs with more than 2GB RAM" disclaimer to go away!
Edit: The non-pro version
Edit: The non-pro version
I don't know about 10.6.2 specifically, but I have still had problems with SL. I've been using my BC338 more recently because my Firewire 800 enclosure died, but my workaround for the problem is just leave the card in the computer all the time, and if for some reason I have to remove it or it gets pulled out, reboot before using it.
(I have a MBP4,1 by the way. I don't know if the unibody ones behave any differently).
(I have a MBP4,1 by the way. I don't know if the unibody ones behave any differently).
Figure this out: BC338 working again.
Today I decided to try my BC338 again. It had stopped working over three months ago. What I did to test it was this:
If I figure out under what conditions the BC338 works and under what conditions it doesn't, or if the BC338 again stops working, I'll post another message on this forum.
Cheers,
洋鬼子
Today I decided to try my BC338 again. It had stopped working over three months ago. What I did to test it was this:
- The MacBook Pro was running with the ioGear model GPS702e3 eSata ExpressCard/34 in its slot, but not connected to an external HD.
- I right-clicked the mouse on the ExpressCard/34 icon in the menu bar and then clicked on Power Off Card.
- I removed the ioGear eSata card from the ExpressCard/34 slot. In its place, I inserted the BC338 card, with the eSata cable connected to a powered-down external HD.
- System Profiler then displayed the BC338 under Hardware » PCI Cards » Type: AHCI Controller (see the first attached screen shot by clicking the thumbnail).
- I turned on the power to the external HD.
- System Profiler then displayed the external HD, under Hardware » Serial-ATA » Serial-ATA Device Tree » Unknown AHCI Standard Controller » SAMSUNG HD103UJ (see the second attached screen shot by clicking the thumbnail).
- The application I used for testing was VMware Fusion, which has a Windows XP virtual machine running on the external HD.
If I figure out under what conditions the BC338 works and under what conditions it doesn't, or if the BC338 again stops working, I'll post another message on this forum.
Cheers,
洋鬼子
Attachments
If you can successfully complete a full machine Time Machine backup with this card I'll start to believe you. Until then it's far too flakey to be useful to be.
Today I decided to try my BC338 again. It had stopped working over three months ago. What I did to test it was this:
So now the BC338 is working again, contrary to m85476585's post of December 30th. Can this have something to do with the fact that I had updated SL to OS X version 10.6.2.? Damned if I know.
- The MacBook Pro was running with the ioGear model GPS702e3 eSata ExpressCard/34 in its slot, but not connected to an external HD.
- I right-clicked the mouse on the ExpressCard/34 icon in the menu bar and then clicked on Power Off Card.
- I removed the ioGear eSata card from the ExpressCard/34 slot. In its place, I inserted the BC338 card, with the eSata cable connected to a powered-down external HD.
- System Profiler then displayed the BC338 under Hardware » PCI Cards » Type: AHCI Controller (see the first attached screen shot by clicking the thumbnail).
- I turned on the power to the external HD.
- System Profiler then displayed the external HD, under Hardware » Serial-ATA » Serial-ATA Device Tree » Unknown AHCI Standard Controller » SAMSUNG HD103UJ (see the second attached screen shot by clicking the thumbnail).
- The application I used for testing was VMware Fusion, which has a Windows XP virtual machine running on the external HD.
If I figure out under what conditions the BC338 works and under what conditions it doesn't, or if the BC338 again stops working, I'll post another message on this forum.
Cheers,
洋鬼子
Just pulled mine out again earlier and just rebooted and now that volume is corrupt and needs to be repaired.
"Invalid key length"
I think I'll eventually be throwing it away since it's just not worth the risk anymore.
"Invalid key length"
I think I'll eventually be throwing it away since it's just not worth the risk anymore.
Mine works, but not reliably. If I put it in without rebooting, I will usually get a kernel panic after a few hours of continuous use. One time I got an instant KP with another eSATA card. It seems completely random when it will KP and when it doesn't.
I haven't had any problems rebooting after inserting the card. I have done incremental time machine backups this way, but I haven't tried a full TM backup yet. If I can find a drive with enough space, maybe I'll try a full TM backup some time (or does TM get confused when you back up to two separate disks?).
I agree that they are flaky, and I wouldn't use either of my eSATA cards (both jmicron) for anything important. I had stopped using them a few months back and switched to my Firewire 800 enclosure for everything, but that broke recently so I've been using the BC338 again until I get the FW800 drive replaced.
I haven't had any problems rebooting after inserting the card. I have done incremental time machine backups this way, but I haven't tried a full TM backup yet. If I can find a drive with enough space, maybe I'll try a full TM backup some time (or does TM get confused when you back up to two separate disks?).
I agree that they are flaky, and I wouldn't use either of my eSATA cards (both jmicron) for anything important. I had stopped using them a few months back and switched to my Firewire 800 enclosure for everything, but that broke recently so I've been using the BC338 again until I get the FW800 drive replaced.