External HDD

[Bobsled]

Ok, a friend wants to add a 1TB external HDD to his computer. He bought a Maxtor that's pre-formatted for Mac and comes within it's own enclosure. Nothing but problems. After he re-formatted, Windows still doesn't see the drive (took him 13hrs to format). Anyway, I'm thinking buying an internal SATA 3.0 (Hitachi 1TB) and buying an after market external HDD enclosure. So, is this the best way to go? Any recommendations on brand and model of external HDD enclosure?

 

[Zepper]

Beware. The way the newer Hitachi drives handle the interface speed may not agree with some enclosures. Get specific compatibility confirmation before buying the enclosure. Hitachi drives' speed setting logic is entirely in the firmware - no jumper is available. They default to SATA 300 and negotiate downward if the interface chip is capable of it. To lock the drive to SATA 150 for some reason, you will have to have a SATA 300 controller and use the Hitachi Feature Tool software (must DL from the HGST.com site) to adjust the speed.

.bh.

 

[Old Hippie]

So, is this the best way to go? Any recommendations on brand and model of external HDD enclosure?

With an eye toward Zep's concerns, this is by far the best way to go. Get the Vantec MX-1, and live happily ever after. I've seen it as low as 40.00 + free shipping.

 

[Zepper]

Sorry, duplicate.

.bh.

 

[Zepper]

Says it's limited to 750GB drive. Or is that just because that's the largest there were when it was designed. Like I said, get specific compatibility OK for the Hitachi TB drive before buying as others have speed setting jumpers. Well, I checked the Antec site and the reason it was rated for 750GB is the one I guessed, now OKd for TB drives.

But you still have to be aware of that limitation of the Hitachi drives as it still may not be compatible with some machines to which you might want to hook it. True eSATA interface logic chips should also be capable of speed negotiation for SATA 150 controllers. Some early SATA 150 controllers can't negotiate and thus won't work with the Hitachi unless it has been preset to SATA 150 as mentioned earlier. Of course, the USB connection can be used in those cases.

The performance loss if you set the drive to SATA 150 is minimal, so you just might want to do so for optimum compatibility with the most SATA controllers. Once you get used to the transfer rate of SATA connected external drives, it's hard to put up with USB rates...

.bh.

 

[Bobsled]

thanks for the input guys. Yeah according to Antecinc.com, 750GB is still all it supports. With all these gotchas you've brought up, buying a retail 1TB w/ enclosure looks more attractive. But I will look into the other options as well.

 

[Bobsled]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Beware. The way the newer Hitachi drives handle the interface speed may not agree with some enclosures. Get specific compatibility confirmation before buying the enclosure. Hitachi drives' speed setting logic is entirely in the firmware - no jumper is available. They default to SATA 300 and negotiate downward if the interface chip is capable of it. To lock the drive to SATA 150 for some reason, you will have to have a SATA 300 controller and use the Hitachi Feature Tool software (must DL from the HGST.com site) to adjust the speed.

Now is this a problem that's unique to Hitachi or do other makes have the same problem (i.e. seagate, WD)?

Thanks.

 

[Zepper]

Antec's product page now says TB drives are compatible with the MX-1 as per my earlier message.

The feature settings in firmware is unique to Hitachi. Their more recent drives (including the 7k160 which I have) default to SATA 300 and will "play dead" if connected to a non-negotiating controller (early SATA 150 mostly - like my Via 7237 chip). Many a perfectly good Hitachi drive has been RMAd due to this new behavior. If you have access to a SATA 300 controller, just go ahead and lock it to SATA 150 for highest compatibility before installing it in the MX-1. As per my message above, the performance won't drop much and the compatibility will be higher. Really depends on how many different systems you want to connect with and how intolerable USB speed becomes to you once you've become accustomed to eSATA speeds.

.bh.

Though a recent Samsung SATA 300 drive has a jumper, it turns out that it didn't work... So you had to flash the firmware to lock it to 150. I would think that defaulting to 150 and negotiation to 300 would be preferable, but that may not jibe with the way that SATA controllers negotiate. Hitachi should have gone with a jumper like everyone else - a fact I've brought to their attention at least three times... As long as you are aware of it, everything is kosher, but Hitachi's consumer level (and/or techie level) docs still say they default to 150. And I've not seen any reseller's specs info state the correct info either. Did I hear: "Class action suit material?" .bh.

PS: This thread belongs in the "Peripherals" section. .bh.

 

[0roo0roo]

?
does it matter? even raptors max out around what? 75? 90? mb/s?

 

[Zepper]

I don't think SATA 300 will matter for 7200 RPM drives except for some synthetic benchmarks.

.bh.

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: Zepper

Though a recent Samsung SATA 300 drive has a jumper, it turns out that it didn't work... So you had to flash the firmware to lock it to 150.

Samsung has done away with the jumper configuration now too (however the pins still exist) but even though the default software setting is 300, they do autonegotiate down to 150 with olde timey controllers such as ICH5.

 

[Old Hippie]

Once you get used to the transfer rate of SATA connected external drives, it's hard to put up with USB rates...

I'll say! :thumbsup:

 

[Auric]

More like we are already used to regular ATA performance so 'tis difficult to accept less. After using removeable trays for years, I tried USB but promptly got rid of the hateful contraption and instead opted for a trayless internal dock which is nice for ze fiddle-free hotschwapability.