External HDD won't work with new SATA to eSATA cable

MarcLister · 11-02-2009, 18:19

I bought a SATA to eSATA cable for my external HDD today hoping to take advantage of faster transfer times. I plugged the cable into the IcyBox enclosure and my PC. eSATA on the PC and SATA on the Icybox. When I turned the external HDD on, it whirred a bit but didn't appear in Windows Explorer at all. Reverting back to the USB2 connection made the device appear as normal. And with the USB2 cable the HDD whirs louder and more meaningfully, if that is possible, as if it is booting up properly. The SATA to eSATA cable seems to make the HDD whir quieter and with less intent.

I'm using SATA disks inside my PC so the BIOS is obviously runing them OK. Any ideas why the SATA to eSATA isn't working?

Mark · 11-02-2009, 20:39

Does the BIOS recognise the disk when you plug it in via eSATA? It should. Chances are if it doesn't, you'll have to 'poke' the BIOS a bit to make it work.

Also, you did unplug the USB cable from the enclosure, didn't you?

MarcLister · 11-02-2009, 20:51

No it didn't. Previously it didn't even see the disk when it was connected via USB2. Now it does.

And yes I did remove the USB cable.

11-02-2009, 18:19	#1
MarcLister Absinthe Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leighton Buzzard Posts: 1,282	External HDD won't work with new SATA to eSATA cable I bought a SATA to eSATA cable for my external HDD today hoping to take advantage of faster transfer times. I plugged the cable into the IcyBox enclosure and my PC. eSATA on the PC and SATA on the Icybox. When I turned the external HDD on, it whirred a bit but didn't appear in Windows Explorer at all. Reverting back to the USB2 connection made the device appear as normal. And with the USB2 cable the HDD whirs louder and more meaningfully, if that is possible, as if it is booting up properly. The SATA to eSATA cable seems to make the HDD whir quieter and with less intent. I'm using SATA disks inside my PC so the BIOS is obviously runing them OK. Any ideas why the SATA to eSATA isn't working? __________________ Website (sod all on there!) \| MSN \| Email

11-02-2009, 20:51	#3
MarcLister Absinthe Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leighton Buzzard Posts: 1,282	No it didn't. Previously it didn't even see the disk when it was connected via USB2. Now it does. And yes I did remove the USB cable. __________________ Website (sod all on there!) \| MSN \| Email

11-02-2009, 20:39	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Does the BIOS recognise the disk when you plug it in via eSATA? It should. Chances are if it doesn't, you'll have to 'poke' the BIOS a bit to make it work. Also, you did unplug the USB cable from the enclosure, didn't you?