E-sata: is it normal that the drive must be powered up before the pc?

[Black Panther]

I have an external HDD on e-sata. If I don't turn it on before I power my pc the computer doesn't see it, so I'd have to shut-down and restart the pc again.

Is this the way it should be?

 

[slyfox2151]

if you open up device manager and scan for changes, does it find the drive then?

 

[Black Panther]

if you open up device manager and scan for changes, does it find the drive then?

That way yes. But I'd have to do that every time. Otherwise if I try to access the drive without scanning for changes the drive isn't seen. Not like a USB drive where it is seen the moment is is plugged in.

 

[cyriene]

Is the Esata port IDE or ACHI?

I've swapped hard drives from my esata enclosure while the pc is on and didn't have to do any special scan to see the harddrive. I have the esata controller set to achi mode though.

 

[Black Panther]

Is the Esata port IDE or ACHI?

I've swapped hard drives from my esata enclosure while the pc is on and didn't have to do any special scan to see the harddrive. I have the esata controller set to achi mode though.

How can I check?

Will setting the esata to ahci interfere with my internal ssd?

 

[HalfAHertz]

How can I check?

Will setting the esata to ahci interfere with my internal ssd?

There should be an option in the bios. Sounds to me like some power management option is disabling automatic polling and the OS cannot detect the device.

 

[scaminatrix]

Will setting the esata to ahci interfere with my internal ssd?

In my experience, you have to re-install OS when switching from IDE to AHCI (when your boot drive is on the controller).
But, E-SATA is (IMO) well worth the hassle.

 

[Maelstrom]

Like others have said, you need to change it from IDE to AHCI so you can turn the drive on after the computer has been turned on and have the OS see it. If you do switch to AHCI, you will need to reinstall the OS.

 

[streetfighter 2]

Like others have said, you need to change it from IDE to AHCI so you can turn the drive on after the computer has been turned on and have the OS see it. If you do switch to AHCI, you will need to reinstall the OS.

1. | Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. | Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. | If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. | Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci 5. | In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. | In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. | On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor
8. |Restart and change IDE to AHCI in the BIOS

(source)

Never tried it myself but I've seen it mentioned in many places on the interwebz (I only posted the first google result).

Having an e-sata drive without AHCI enabled is an oxymoron.

 

[sneekypeet]

I would look deep into the Advanced section. Not too sure about your ASUS board, but I can control my hard drive IDE/ACHI and my eSATA IDE AHCI separately (just looked, your board supports e-SATA in the rear I/O). So if I change my eSATA config it has nothing to do with the OS drive, thus no need to reinstall

The exception is if you are using this off the front panel headers that are plugged into your SATA ports on the mobo. My explanation covers if you have an e-sata port on the rear I/O

 

[lemnad]

1. | Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. | Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. | If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. | Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci 5. | In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. | In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. | On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor
8. |Restart and change IDE to AHCI in the BIOS

(source)

Never tried it myself but I've seen it mentioned in many places on the interwebz (I only posted the first google result).

Having an e-sata drive without AHCI enabled is an oxymoron.

I have used this method a couple of times. It worked fine for me. I installed the OS with the SATA as IDE and trying to change it to AHCI in the bios after the fact windows would not load.

 

[Black Panther]

My explanation covers if you have an e-sata port on the rear I/O

Yes it's in the rear I/O

 

[sneekypeet]

Did you find the eSATA switch in the bios? ..going to google images to see if I can find it.

 

[Maelstrom]

1. | Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. | Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. | If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. | Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci 5. | In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. | In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. | On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor
8. |Restart and change IDE to AHCI in the BIOS

(source)

Never tried it myself but I've seen it mentioned in many places on the interwebz (I only posted the first google result).

Having an e-sata drive without AHCI enabled is an oxymoron.

Thanks, didn't know you could do that, makes things so much easier .
How is e-sata without AHCI an oxymoron? I've run e-sata drives in IDE mode before, though it was with a laptop/using front e-sata port on a desktop.

 

[cyriene]

There are ways to switch the main os drive from IDE to ACHI because I have done it in the past.
In fact, I don't think with Vista or 7 you need to do anything because I know I have done BIOS resets where I have forgotten to switch from IDE to ACHI and it still booted into Windows and did its 'found new hardware' thing.

There is an option in the BIOS to change the options for the various controllers on the mobo. I have no ASUS board experience, but all my Gigabyte's BIOS have an esata or similar option.

 

[streetfighter 2]

How is e-sata without AHCI an oxymoron?

The whole point of using e-sata is that it's a buttload faster than USB. Having to stop what you're doing and restart so the drive is picked up (somewhat) negates the speed advantage. It's not truly an oxymoron, but I so rarely get to use the word that I'll take any chance I get.

 

[Maelstrom]

The whole point of using e-sata is that it's a buttload faster than USB. Having to stop what you're doing and restart so the drive is picked up partially negates the speed advantage. It's not truly an oxymoron, but I so rarely get to use the word that I'll take any chance I get.

I see what you mean, and if you do a bit of searching, I bet you can find some oxymoronic phrases and use them to your hearts content .

 

[Crap Daddy]

You can check in the bios if AHCI is enabled. I am pretty sure it is. As far as I understood it alows hot swapping and that is what you need with an e-sata drive. I have an external on e-sata through an adapter connected to sata header on the mobo and I/O rear panel. I'm not sure to remember but I think that I had the same thing, if the external HDD is powered off then the OS doesn't see it. But one question, why do you power it off? I never do, the external HDD is shutting down automatically when there is no signal (the computer is shut down)