e-sata with Macbook Pro

[Freyqq]

hmmm....

gb/s = giga BIT per sec = 1000/8
gB/s = giga BITE per sec = 1000

still..theoretical vs maximum. While the transfer rate can reach that speed, the hd speed is a limiting factor, as is cpu lag, etc

 

[northernmunky]

If anyone else already has this sort of configuration how about someone posts posts a benchmark using something like Drive Genius 2 or something? Then we'd have our definitive answer!

I have a WD MyBook Studio with eSata, I'm running it over Firewire800 on a Macbook Pro at the moment and currently editing a rather large HD project, so I'd like to know if eSata has any significant improvement if going over eSata on a PCIexpresscard. If so I'm going to go out and get one tomorrow...

 

[RGunner]

eSata is the way to go..

if you can do eSata, do it.

http://www.macgurus.com/raid/raidmain.php

 

[Inconsequential]

I have a eSATA card.

Benchmarks have it as 40mb/s

However When I first got the drives I did some testing using a 2Gb video file:

Internal 7200RPM 160Gb --> eSATA Card --> 2.5" 7200RPM 200Gb = 50Mb/s
Internal 7200RPM 160Gb --> eSATA Card --> 3.5" 7200RPM 500Gb = 50Mb/s

(Seems the internal got maxed out here!)

External 7200RPM 500Gb --> eSATA Card --> 2.5" 7200RPM 200Gb = 60Mb/s

However now as the 200Gb 2.5" only has 40Gb free and the 500Gb only has 150Gb free its down to 40Mb/s from and to anything.

eSATA kicks ass, apart from the cables, they really REALLY suck.

 

[Eric L]

This is a timely discussion as I was going through this myself. I used XBench and saw the following:

Internal drive = 31MB/sec
Seagate Free Agent (7200) external USB = 28MB/sec
Same Seagate eSATA through PNY Expresscard = 44MB/sec
WD Passport 320GB = 33MB/sec
(these are all uncached read, 256k)

When I copy a single 1GB file from internal to external, they all copy 41-45 sec.

Any theories?

 

[e12a]

If you believe performance is a little slow, try using different drivers. Do you know which ones you have installed at the moment?

 

[Eric L]

I downloaded the driver posted on Griffen's site

http://www.griffintechnology.com/software

because PNY's doesn't specify Mac or PC.

http://www2.pny.com/support/support_landing_subcat.aspx?SectionID=1158&RootSectionID=1156&TypeID=5

I should mention that under the Hardware info on my MBP, PCI cards, Slot, it says "PCI Slot 5". Griffen says that it should say "Expresscard slot" (?) The driver calls itself "SATARaid5Manager"

I am a little disappointed that it isn't faster. I wish my firewire (400) drive was still with us so I could XBench that.

 

[joey4127]

Quick question...How do you actually connect an external eSATA HD?

 

[Eric L]

eSATA is the external connection version of SATA (which is an internal connector). Many of us here use this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...esata&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1188561324563

to plug into the ExpressCard slot on the left side of your MBP

You must have the proper driver installed before your computer will recognize to, however.

 

[e12a]

I downloaded the driver posted on Griffen's site

http://www.griffintechnology.com/software

because PNY's doesn't specify Mac or PC.

http://www2.pny.com/support/support_landing_subcat.aspx?SectionID=1158&RootSectionID=1156&TypeID=5

I should mention that under the Hardware info on my MBP, PCI cards, Slot, it says "PCI Slot 5". Griffen says that it should say "Expresscard slot" (?) The driver calls itself "SATARaid5Manager"

I am a little disappointed that it isn't faster. I wish my firewire (400) drive was still with us so I could XBench that.

You could be using the wrong driver. Is the card you have advertised as a RAID card? Does it say RAID anywhere on the box? there are 2 versions of the card, one with RAID enabled and one without, or the "base" version.

If you want RAID, you have to have RAID firmware flashed to the card, as well as the RAID driver. If you instead have a Base version, you need to use the non-RAID driver.

It seems that the griffin is indeed RAID, but if you buy the PNY expresscard it is not meant for RAID so you need to download the base driver. This might help performance and stability.

So in summary:
-2 Types of 2-port eSATA expresscards
1. RAID
2. "base" (non-RAID)
-Difference between the two lies simply in what firmware is flashed at the moment (most if not all 2 port eSATA expresscards use the Silicon Image 3132 controller, capable of RAID, but only enabled via firmware)
-2 versions of drivers, which are paired to their respective card, either RAID or non-RAID.

and yes, it is normal for the card to show up as a PCI card because that is what bus it is using.

I have the PNY card with the 1.1.9 driver installed. Transferred a 6.66 GB disc image in just over 3 minutes to my external.

 

[Eric L]

I deleted everything spotlight could find related to raid5 and silicon image, etc and restarted, then I installed the base driver from silicon image
http://www.siliconimage.com/support/supportsearchresults.aspx?pid=32&cid=3&ctid=2&osid=3&
and restarted again. I ran XBench and got the same speed results as before. Writing the 1GB file from internal went a little faster (34 sec vs. 41 sec). It would seem that I am getting nearly 2GB/min which seems on par with what most get in real-world write speeds.
It's interesting that XBench didn't notice a speed improvement.