Have an esata motherboard header but my case doesn't have an esata port

[Krazykid1117]

My motherboard (a bantry crb lenovo proprietary) has an esata header, but my case has no esata port for me to connect it to and I want to be able to use it. What can I do? Is there an adapter that takes up an expansion slot that could take advantage of the header?

 

[GhislainG]

You probably want something like this: http://www.koolertek.com/computer-parts/pc/PCI-eSATA-Bracket-I-Type-External-L-Type-Internal-Connectors-247p1208.htm

 

[Ubrales]

The above bracket cable plugs into an existing SATA port, not to the eSATA header on the motherboard. It will function very well if you have a spare SATA port on your motherboard.

 

[GhislainG]

The above bracket cable plugs into an existing SATA port, not to the eSATA header on the motherboard. It will function very well if you have a spare SATA port on your motherboard.

I have several motherboards with a an eSATA header, but it looks like any other SATA port; the only difference is it's hot swap and I connect the front panel eSATA cable to it.

 

[Ubrales]

The above bracket cable plugs into an existing SATA port, not to the eSATA header on the motherboard. It will function very well if you have a spare SATA port on your motherboard.

I have several motherboards with a an eSATA header, but it looks like any other SATA port; the only difference is it's hot swap and I connect the front panel eSATA cable to it.

I have that on a Dell and that port is marked "eSATA" - On other desktops the front panel eSATA cable connects to any SATA port of my choice on the motherboard.

 

[GhislainG]

You mean Dell provide an eSATA connector on the motherboard?

 

[Ubrales]

You mean Dell provide an eSATA connector on the motherboard?

Yes, the Dell Optiplex 755 has a dedicated port on the motherboard marked "eSATA" - the other ports are marked SATA0, SATA1, etc..

I obtained the eSATA bracket from my Rosewill external enclosure that included an eSATA bracket for the model that was for SATA II and eSATA. - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182247&cm_re=3.5%22_external_enclosure-_-17-182-247-_-Product

The older model (SATA II) included the eSATA bracket as well as the eSATA cable.

 

[GhislainG]

I also have a motherboard with a dedicated eSATA port, but it has a standard SATA port header.

 

[Ubrales]

I also have a motherboard with a dedicated eSATA port, but it has a standard SATA port header.

Maybe Dell marked it as "eSATA" to help operators on the assembly line plug in the eSATA bracket to the correct designated port. Not all of Dell's desktops come with eSATA brackets at the rear. The port does look like a normal SATA port.

 

[GhislainG]

Then the bracket that I linked would also work on the Dell.

 

[Ubrales]

Then the bracket that I linked would also work on the Dell.

Yes, absolutely!

 

[Bearmann]

I may be mistaken, but I think that a true eSata port has a signal booster to carry the signal over a longer distance, i.e. beyond the distance from one end of the case to the other. You can get adapters that convert a standard SATA port to an eSATA connection, and they usually work fine, like the one I am currently using. They lack the signal booster, however, so the cable length that you can use with that port is more limited.

 

[Ubrales]

I may be mistaken, but I think that a true eSata port has a signal booster to carry the signal over a longer distance, i.e. beyond the distance from one end of the case to the other. You can get adapters that convert a standard SATA port to an eSATA connection, and they usually work fine, like the one I am currently using. They lack the signal booster, however, so the cable length that you can use with that port is more limited.

Thanks for this explanation. This is probably why Dell marks the designated port "eSATA" on some of their motherboards.

 

[Bearmann]

You're welcome. I hope that I didn't mislead you, but I'm 99% sure that is correct.

 

[Ubrales]

You're welcome. I hope that I didn't mislead you, but I'm 99% sure that is correct.

Makes sense! I love using the eSATA option over USB 2 and USB 3.

 

[Bearmann]

I like it too, and it frees up those USB ports so I can use them for other things if necessary.