requirements: laptop esata

[kevincrocker]

I've been out of the hardware arena for a while now so getting back into it is daunting.

Have: ThinkPad T60 laptop

Need: external Hard drive

Which means (I think): an eSATA Express card + external 3.5" eSATA enclosure + eSATA hard drive (preferably 500Gb or 750Gb)

Can this be done?

what combinations would be good?


so far I've found: Roswill 605 Express card, ICY Dock enclosure but I haven't found a eSATA hard drive yet

 

[rockchalk]

The main difference between eSata and Sata is the connector (there are also slight electrical signaling differences that allow eSata to go longer distances). You can buy even Sata/ eSata converter cables that have no active components-- just wires from one connector to the other.

Your eSata enclosure should connect to a regular Sata drive. That's how all of the ones I've seen work.

One thing to note about those "slight electrical signaling" differences I mentioned above. A number of enclosures on the market will direct the hard drive's Sata connection out the back. The won't have a bridge chip to "boost" the Sata signal to eSata levels. As a result, if you use cable lengths that are beyond the Sata spec lengths (believe it's 1m) but still within eSata spec lengths (believe that's 2m), you will likely get intermittent nastiness that could include data corruption and/ or crashes. If you stay under 1m, you should be fine either way.

 

[kevincrocker]

Thanks. I had to make a decision so I opted for the following:
Roswell 605 Express card, ICY Dock external enclosure, WD Caviar SE16 750Gb 3.5" drive.

This all works flawlessly.