Faster USB backup drive?

Guest2 · 9 Oct 2009 at 09:28

I have a lacie enclosure with a 1TB WD green inside. Is it possible to make the transfers to/from it quicker? Or is this just a limitation of USB2

Would it help if i changed the setting from quick removal device to 'optimized for speed'

bledd · 9 Oct 2009 at 09:35

limit is around 30mb/s for USB2

for quicker access, get one with an esata like the icybox 390 and use esata -full speed of the drive

Guest2 · 9 Oct 2009 at 09:44

bledd. said:
limit is around 30mb/s for USB2

for quicker access, get one with an esata like the icybox 390 and use esata -full speed of the drive

Could you also use USB2 to connect it, as i now use the drive with my WDTV aswell.

How much are these icybox 390? never even heard of them

Thanks

bledd · 9 Oct 2009 at 09:58

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-030-BT&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=72

they were a lot cheaper, but the exchage rate died

has USB2 and esata, I assume/advise you only connect one at a time, I use a mixture of both, depending which PC I'm on

It's a godsend coming from older USB2 only boxes

Guest2 · 9 Oct 2009 at 10:17

£32 for something to sit a drive in? Looks interesting though. But how does it connect to sata, wouldnt i need to drill a hole through my computer or something to connect it? Supposed i could drill a hole for the connection in the back of my pc and have it connected to a sata all the time, then just leave the wire hanging out when its moved around.

Would connecting it to the motherboard through sata mean it loses its 'quick removal' properties?

edit - is it sata 1 or 2?

bledd · 9 Oct 2009 at 10:21

sata in ahci mode = quick removal ability

can either buy an esata pci(e) card, or get a cable that turns sata into esata (through pci plate or front mounted plate)

Guest2 · 9 Oct 2009 at 10:37

cheers, computer is jam packed with stuff so cant get a pci card. will look at getting one of those cables if i decide to get one. Guessing sata in ahci mode is still a lot faster than USB mode

bledd · 9 Oct 2009 at 10:38

full speed sata

if you switch your pc to ahci, you have have to reinstall windows

it is better than normal mode mind

Guest2 · 9 Oct 2009 at 11:44

bledd. said:
full speed sata

if you switch your pc to ahci, you have have to reinstall windows

it is better than normal mode mind

If its in ahci allowing quick removal ability, surely wouldnt it be slower than normal mode.

Dont think ive reinstalled windows in over 4 years! I tried but then got annoyed with getting up to the state it is now

can it be ran in none ahci mode and just put the plug, or will it cause write delays or failures of the drive?

johnerz · 9 Oct 2009 at 12:53

Not sure with esata (never owned one) but normal sate is hot swoppable by removing the power first then the data and fitting the date before the power in the way back in

AbsenceJam · 9 Oct 2009 at 13:10

You don't need AHCI to swap an SATA disk, you can just use Hotswap! which won't remove a drive that's in use. Only benefit to AHCI is that the drive will appear without you needing to scan for hardware changes (can do this in Hotswap too).

You don't need a PCI slot, it's just a bracket. So long as you have a spare slot on the back you're good or you can run out an SATA>eSATA cable.