cheap eSATA for Mac Pros - anyone tried it?

M

mrWr0ng

Well-known member
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/678

So it looks like they're selling this backplate for Mac Pros, with a custom cable & installation instructions for $25. You basically route the cable through your case, plug it in to your existing empty SATA connectors on the motherboard, and you now have eSATA, which seems to be growing in popularity for external storage.

Has anyone tried this? Also, it mentions that you have to have your Mac Pro OFF when you plug in your eSATA drive, THEN turn on the Mac Pro in order to have it recognize the drives. Does anyone know if this is the case for all eSATA drives, a Mac thing or is it because of this plate instead of, saying, buying a PCI eSATA card?
 
I've got this exact setup on my Mac Pro. Install was a little bit tricky, but just follow the instructions carefully and you'll be fine.

As far as powering the drives, my understanding is that the system sees the connected drives just as it would any internally-installed SATA drives, making them not hot-swappable as with "eSATA" drives.

So, yes, I do as they say and make sure to turn the connected drives ON first, then power up the Mac Pro. I've been working this way for about three months now, and haven't had a single issue with it.

--SM
 
I didn't do this...but that is definately cool. What I did was attach a SATA cable to the logicboard on one of those connections and put another drive in the empty spot below my optical drive. Gah...I should have put TWO cables there, in case I wanted to add another drive. Get SIX inside this puppy.

But I like this cable and backplate too. Definately cool.
 
Really, it's a sweet setup, and the cables are designed perfectly to fit the spaces inside the Mac Pro. I've got the following drives set up in my system…

Internal
Bay 1: A-Drive = 250GB For System and Apps Only
Bay 2: B-Drive = 500GB For Project Files and Documents
Bays 3 and 4: C-Drive = Two 750GB Drives in Mirrored RAID For Media/Render Files

External: Firmtek eSATA 2-Drive Enclosure in Mirrored RAID For Portable Projects

Works for me so far, but I'd love to get a CalDigit hardware-based RAID product.

-SM
 
stephen, you're right, further research has discovered that the mac would see the eSATA as internal SATA drives, thus not hot swappable, but a PCI-based eSATA card would be able to hot swap drives.

I think I'll go for the cheaper one, since it's mostly just about having the option than the need.
 
Conceivably, I suppose it could, although if I ever had to take it in for service, I could easily remove the cables.

Of course, if Apple is monitoring this thread…

--SM
 
I wouldn't imagine it would void the warranty since you're supposed to be able to take the cover off and upgrade the insides (PCI cards, 4 HDD bays, graphics cards, even RAM). Although if you damaged something installing the cable, they probably wouldn't cover it.
 
Getting to those SATA connections on the motherboard entails removing the fans...something you don't do to upgrade anything in the system...not like with the older G5s. No, they aren't too easy to remove.
 
Man, I just installed it. That was seriously easy. I mean, you should be careful and use a consistent force without just trying to jerk them out, but the fans came out pretty easy, as did every thing else.

Took me maybe 10 minutes to get every thing out, and that was being careful. Maybe I lucked out, though, because it said in the instruction manual that sometimes Apple techs used lock-tite on the screws and made it impossible to get them out, but they came right out.
 
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