Something for your computer repair toolbox

[marulee]

Wicked...very nice..

I should get one of this...

Thanks.

 

[mooseyfate]

Originally posted by: QueBert

The Vantech has a SATA header for people who don't have MB's with eSATA ports on them, which is most people. So you wouldn't have to run the SATA cable from your MB outside your case. Just to the bracket, then run a SATA cable from the encloser to the bracket. 30 bucks is a awesome price for that. It's a very well built unit, I want to order it myself.

I can't imagine there being any reason why running a SATA cable from your case to an external SATA encloser would be harmful, I am plenty PC Ghetto and it sounds along the lines of a "mod" I would attempt

The Vantech I linked to is for a user who wants the flexibility of connecting SATA or USB. Both plugs are on the back. For your main computer, it comes with a SATA to eSATA bracket. So for me, when it's connected to my main computer, it will be eSATA. But I have the flexibility to pretty much any computer with the USB option. How cool is that? Just ordered it.

The off topic post I linked to above has additional support that plugging straight into an internal SATA port is fine.

 

[voigts]

I just bought a different one of these from a Fatwallet thread: http://www.acortech.com/Generic_SATA_or_IDE_2.5_and_3.5/partinfo-id-3219646.html . Use coupon code acor005 for an additional 5% off.

$13.25 shipped.

 

[Zepper]

Multi-drive unit at the Geeks: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=HDD

They expect the power from the USB port to be adequate for the 2.5" drives - wrong!
Use one of these too: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HD-108&cat=HDD

.bh.

 

[Rapier]

In for the geek's one...

 

[nycdude]

nice tool.

I have separate one for ata and sata. An all in one is nice.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Multi-drive unit at the Geeks: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=HDD

They expect the power from the USB port to be adequate for the 2.5" drives - wrong!
Use one of these too: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HD-108&cat=HDD

.bh.

It comes with it's own PS.

 

[Esquire]

i'm geek 4 one

thanks

 

[mooseyfate]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Multi-drive unit at the Geeks: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=HDD

They expect the power from the USB port to be adequate for the 2.5" drives - wrong!
Use one of these too: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HD-108&cat=HDD

.bh.

Thats why i like the Newer Tech one (mentioned earlier)

 

[Zepper]

P.O.,

AFAIK, no way to connect the PS that comes with it to a 2.5" (notebook drive) w/o using a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter that breaks out the power connection so you can plug it in.

.bh.

 

[mooseyfate]

Originally posted by: Zepper
P.O.,

AFAIK, no way to connect the PS that comes with it to a 2.5" (notebook drive) w/o using a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter that breaks out the power connection so you can plug it in.

.bh.

There is a way to connect the PS that comes with the Newer Tech version to a 2.5" notebook drive. It's pictured on their website (linked to previously), or in the manual you can download from their website.

 

[nomadh]

Originally posted by: RandomFool
Is this backwards compatible with usb 1.1? I'd like to get one of these to use on my laptop until my power supply comes back from RMA but my laptop is old, p3 700 with 1 usb slot.

Seems to do usb 1.1 and 2.0 fine. Works with my old and new pc and I see the speed diff.

 

[CLiu]

I need one for a CD writer that writes double-size CDs (Sanya??). I have some CDs written with that writer and the format is obsolete. Which one of these are definitely compatible with CD, DVD writers? I've read responses that they don't work with CD/DVD drives.

Thanks!

 

[nomadh]

Old thread but still a good deal. My geeks one can usb boot hard drives and CD /dvd. I nearly positive I also wrote a cd and a dvd with it. For $15 or so I'm happy with it. The only prob is the 2 1/2" power prob mentioned above.

 

[Creig]

Very handy tool. Thanks for the heads up, Kaido. I ended up getting the Coolmax CD-350-Combo from Newegg for $30 shipped. A little bit more expensive, but it has a 2nd USB connector for those 2.5" drives that won't operated on the 500mv supplied by a single connector.

 

[palehorse]

in for another one @ computergeeks.com... my old one doesnt have SATA... so, as usual, I cant resist the upgrade.... DOH!

 

[Univac]

Looks like all the geeks codes ended yesterday

Ordered the one in the OP.
Same price as getting the two parts for 2.5" drives from the geeks,but tidier .

Thanks for all the info everybody.

 

[Lucky]

this thing was a real PITA working with a 3.5" drive. Windows xp would not recognize the drive most times. Just as an unknown USB Device. There are a couple tricks that i read on the net - plugging in the molex power after the computer in on and the usb is plugged in - but it still took about 2.5 (frustrating) hours to even access the drive, and I could not duplicate that effort on will. From what I've read, my experience is not that uncommon. I'd avoid this product.

edit: I'm referring to the newer technology POS.

 

[tealk]

Yeah I think I got this thing off Ebay for like $16 shipped......so this is Ice Cold!

 

[Univac]

I just received the newertech one. It no longer seems to have the power connection for the 2.5" drives.
It pulls the power from the usb port.

The only reason i got this one was because it seemed like a simpler solution to the geeks one that uses two parts.

now to see how other world computing handles this...