The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    eSata - Does it support Port Multiplier?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by luci5r, Jan 6, 2011.

  1. luci5r

    luci5r Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    28
    Messages:
    143
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Ave,

    I have the Alienware M17x-R2. Just setup 2 hard drives in a Sans Digital TR2UT-B raid box. It requires the eSata port on your PC to support Port Multiplier in order to see both drives.

    No matter what I do - I can only see one of the two drives. I even get the message from Intel Matrix Storage Console that "Only port 0 will be active".

    All this is leading me to believe that either port multiplier is not support or not turned on.

    Is there any solution for this?

    I've also tried using USB and it's still only seeing 1 drive instead of both. The only way it sees both drives is if I use 'STANDARD' setting on the box and keep the drives individual rather then RAID. That too only on USB - not eSata.
     
    luci5r, Jan 6, 2011
    #1
  2. jcaulley

    jcaulley Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    10
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Short answer, No. Sorry, I really wish it did.
     
    jcaulley, Jan 6, 2011
    #2
  3. luci5r

    luci5r Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    28
    Messages:
    143
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Well that sucks! $4,000 laptop and now I have to buy one of those eSata ExpressCard's that support Port Multiplier.

    Let me ask you a question - just because you might know the answer. This Sans Digital TR2UT-B Tower I have ... it has 4 modes ... Standard (Each disk comes up as individual) ... RAID0 (Stripping) ... Combine (BIG) ... Mirroring.

    How come I can't even see RAID0 or Combine with USB? Even with USB on those two modes I'm seeing only 1 drive. The only way I see 2 drives is if I choose Standard and use USB ... then I see both the drives come in individually. I'm trying to use RAID0 or Combine so I get one total 4TB space.

    Thanks anyways!!
     
    luci5r, Jan 7, 2011
    #3
  4. V3_Shae

    V3_Shae Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    23
    Messages:
    289
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Wouldn't it only show one drive in RAID 0? Or is the drive just not responding at all?
     
    V3_Shae, Jan 7, 2011
    #4
  5. luci5r

    luci5r Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    28
    Messages:
    143
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Well - yes, technically it would show only 1 drive; but it would show a combined space. I have 2 X 2 TB drives ... so RAID0 should show 4TB. It's only showing 2TB.

    After speaking with Sans Digital - it's apparent that the eSata on the M17x does not support "Port Multiplier" which is why space from only 1 drive is being read. Unfortunately, this unit - TR2UT-B does not support over 2TB via USB - which is why I can't seem more then 2TB when connected via USB.
     
    luci5r, Jan 7, 2011
    #5
  6. FXi

    FXi Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    345
    Messages:
    1,054
    Likes Received:
    130
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Might try to find an expresscard based ESATA that supports the multiplier.
     
    FXi, Jan 8, 2011
    #6