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eSATA brackets for Mac Pro

SDAVE

SDAVE

macrumors 601
Original poster
Can I use this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119021

Since the new Mac Pro's have the single slot 8800GT cards, the empty slot above the graphics card is empty so I can use this bracket and connect the sata connectors to the internal hard drive connectors. I have no PCIe slots left so a eSATA controller would be out of the question.

I also plan to get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111001

Will the onboard controller handle this at RAID 5 with the eSATA bracket?

Thanks!
 
SDAVE said:
Can I use this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119021

Since the new Mac Pro's have the single slot 8800GT cards, the empty slot above the graphics card is empty so I can use this bracket and connect the sata connectors to the internal hard drive connectors. I have no PCIe slots left so a eSATA controller would be out of the question.

I also plan to get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111001

Will the onboard controller handle this at RAID 5 with the eSATA bracket?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

The internal SATA interface does not have support for multiple port SATA.
It will only give you one hard drive per port. You'll need a eSATA PCI adapter with port replicator functionality. OS X itself does not support Hardware Raid. you can use this external setup for software raid supported by OS X.

Here's the Card I use:
http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/seritek-2se2-e/
 
Thanks for the reply.

I know, each port can be used for 1 drive. However, the RAID that I gave a link to is just one SATA port, you do the raid internally it has it's own chip.

I just wanted to know first hand. Looks like no one has done this, I did a bit of google searching...I gotta buy the bracket and try it myself and will post the results here, might help others save some $$$ or get over the grief of not having enough PCIe slots.
 
SDAVE said:
Thanks for the reply.

I know, each port can be used for 1 drive. However, the RAID that I gave a link to is just one SATA port, you do the raid internally it has it's own chip.

I just wanted to know first hand. Looks like no one has done this, I did a bit of google searching...I gotta buy the bracket and try it myself and will post the results here, might help others save some $$$ or get over the grief of not having enough PCIe slots.
Click to expand...

I have this eSata enclosure:
http://www.wiebetech.com/products/rt5.php
The Raid only works on Windows, but not on on OS X (given that a eSata PCI card is used). it's an os thing. Again, the internal SATA ports will only give you 1 sata per port. they do not replicate. you HAVE to use a Port replicating eSata adapter.
 
Btw. if you are planning on getting the bracket. Get one with L-shaped cables. they are much easier to plug onto the motherboard as the SATA ports on the motherboard is VERY close to the Fan enclosure.
 
@emag

Where would you get a bracket with L-Shaped connectors? I have looked around but can't find any.

Thanks!
 
Try this

I would recommend this

http://www.newertech.com/products/esata_cable.php

It is properly sized to fit, has the right-angle connectors and a VERY detailed installation manual. It's a little pricey but may avoid a lot of gotcha's.

I don't think the cables on the Newegg bracket are long enough (but could be wrong).

I used the Newetech and it was installed painlessly.
 
rshanahan said:
I would recommend this

http://www.newertech.com/products/esata_cable.php

It is properly sized to fit, has the right-angle connectors and a VERY detailed installation manual. It's a little pricey but may avoid a lot of gotcha's.

I don't think the cables on the Newegg bracket are long enough (but could be wrong).

I used the Newetech and it was installed painlessly.
Click to expand...

+1... I use the newertech extender and it works great. The newegg one is not long eough, I can tell you that right now, so dont even bother. The newertech extender is a pain to install, but its not hard, it just takes a bit of time.

as far as using multiple drives on it, I would almost think that an external raid enclosure with its own controller would work just fine because the onboard controller would deal with the raid, and with the individual drives, so the esata back to the mac should only see a "disk drive" of however much space is available... but I may be wrong. It sounds like it should work though
 
Thanks guys I will look into the NewerTech one. So nobody has really tried it....looks like I'll be the first.
 
eMagine said:
I have this eSata enclosure:
http://www.wiebetech.com/products/rt5.php
The Raid only works on Windows, but not on on OS X (given that a eSata PCI card is used). it's an os thing. Again, the internal SATA ports will only give you 1 sata per port. they do not replicate. you HAVE to use a Port replicating eSata adapter.
Click to expand...

Hmm maybe it's the RAID's problem? External enclosures have their own controllers and don't rely on the OS to build the RAID.
 
U320 Scsi??

SDAVE said:
Can I use this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119021

Since the new Mac Pro's have the single slot 8800GT cards, the empty slot above the graphics card is empty so I can use this bracket and connect the sata connectors to the internal hard drive connectors. I have no PCIe slots left so a eSATA controller would be out of the question.

I also plan to get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111001

Will the onboard controller handle this at RAID 5 with the eSATA bracket?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I just re-read this thread and looked at the drive enclosure you link. It looks like that connects to the computer via U320 SCSI and NOT E-SATA. Unless I'm looking at the wrong product, the rear panel of it has SCSI in/out ports and ethernet. I didn't see E-SATA. I think this box converts a computer (or server's) SCSI interface to use lower cost SATA drives. Again, might be wrong.

16-111-001-06.jpg
 
Another one of the port extenders that was recently released that has the right angle connectors and correct length cables is one from Sonnet Technologies- virtually identical to the newer tech ones mentioned but a little more expensive, so I am posting it just in case the other supplier is out of theirs! 😀

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/esataextendercable.html

Like the others when I asked Sonnet about it they confirmed that the logic board connectors would not support port multipliers but like the four standard internal drive positions the ports will support booting. To the best of my knowledge no PCIe eSATA card will support booting from their ports.
 
rshanahan said:
I just re-read this thread and looked at the drive enclosure you link. It looks like that connects to the computer via U320 SCSI and NOT E-SATA. Unless I'm looking at the wrong product, the rear panel of it has SCSI in/out ports and ethernet. I didn't see E-SATA. I think this box converts a computer (or server's) SCSI interface to use lower cost SATA drives. Again, might be wrong.

16-111-001-06.jpg
Click to expand...

My mistake, that was the wrong model I gave you. Here's the one I was looking at. It has 1 eSATA port and it is not a port multiplier, unless I'm wrong. Never have used eSATA raids.

xraydoc said:
I have one (http://www.newertech.com/products/esata_cable.php). Works great. Bit of a pain to get the cables installed, but once it works like a charm.

Be aware, however, that Windows via Boot Camp does NOT see the these two ports.
Click to expand...

I wasn't planning on using the 2 "hidden" ports, but I planned to use Bay 3 & 4 SATA ports which are empty right now. Bootcamp sees those drives because I also have a second drive in the Mac and Windows sees it.

Just wanted to make sure that the RAID would work. I'm sure I could get a single eSATA drive working but the RAID is the tough question 😱
 
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