Hot swapping Sata drives?

Triggaaar · 22 May 2014 at 13:02

I have a Cooler Master CM 690 II case, which has an external SATA docking station on the top. When the PC is on, I can just slide an HDD on, and access it.

But should I just pull the drive out when I'm done with it, and plug another in, or should I go into Device manager and disable the drive first (or something else)?

Thanks

Mirmo · 22 May 2014 at 13:08

Just remove them mate. However if you're worried about it there is software you can install that lets you power them down so they're not still spinning when you take them out.

I don't bother though.

wazza300 · 22 May 2014 at 13:10

might need to enable hotswap for the sata ports in the bios

I just unplug mine but I have a power switch on mine

Triggaaar · 22 May 2014 at 13:10

Mirmo said:
Just remove them mate. However if you're worried about it there is software you can install that lets you power them down so they're not still spinning when you take them out.

I don't bother though.

Thanks for the reply.

If they're designed to be removed while spinning, that's good enough for me. If you're not really supposed to do that, then I'd rather stop them spinning. I believe they're supposed to be hot swappable, but I don't know if that means just pull it out while spinning?

wazza300 said:
might need to enable hotswap for the sata ports in the bios

Ah, don't remember seeing that option. And god knows I've been in there enough.

wazza300 · 22 May 2014 at 13:12

what motherboard? some have it some earlier boards don't

might work ok without it idk never tested

Triggaaar · 22 May 2014 at 13:22

Thanks for the replies.

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P6X58DE/

wazza300 · 22 May 2014 at 13:23

if the drive shows up in windows then you should be fine plugging it in and out

leigh_boy · 22 May 2014 at 13:44

you need to enable hot swap or you will quickly kill the drive if your going to take it out

Triggaaar · 22 May 2014 at 14:02

leigh_boy said:
you need to enable hot swap or you will quickly kill the drive if your going to take it out

I've just been through every part of the bios. There is nowhere that mentions hot swapping.

So I have no idea if that means I can or can't do it.

I can certainly plug in, remove, and plug in drives at will, and it works, but I don't want to risk damage to the drives, so I only want to do it if I'm supposed to. Any idea how I can check?

Triggaaar · 22 May 2014 at 14:19

In Windows there's a 'safely remove hardware and eject media' icon, and the drive does not show up there (even if I use Device Manager to disable or uninstall the drive). If I plug a USB stick in, that does appear there. And the only other drive that does, is my SSD C: drive.

Should I try this:
http://mt-naka.com/hotswap/index_enu.htm#download

Triggaaar · 22 May 2014 at 14:33

Triggaaar said:
Should I try this:
http://mt-naka.com/hotswap/index_enu.htm#download

Ok, tried that. Uses 2 MB of memory, and gives me a hidden icon on the taskbar, and it seems to work well. Click the icon and it lists all my drives, and after selecting one, tells me when it's ok to remove it. And the drive stops spinning.

Happy days.

Mirmo · 22 May 2014 at 14:34

The mobo doesn't have to support hot swapping specifically. As long as it supports and has AHCI enabled you're fine. (With the case in OP that is!)