eSATA?

can you install games on an eSATA connection to an external HDD?

 

Yes, you can...you can even install your game on usb stick as long as you have enough space

 

I run all my games on eSata hard drives. Works like a charm

 

@Cinner, what enclosure/ExpressCard are you using with your MBP? I've not heard promising reports, especially concerning ExpressCard eSata cards and their drivers...

 

I'm using beautiful Vantec Nexstar 3 eSata/USB enclosures, with a generic and very cheap expresscard eSata card I got on Ebay (Hong Kong). Since most of those cards seem to use the same hardware/layout, I just downloaded the OS X driver from another brand, which works great And Windows recognizes it as a generic eSata card through Windows Update, so no installation required. I've been using the card for about a year on two different laptops, and never had a problem.

 

Can you boot from an eSATA drive?

 

Sure you can boot from it. But you have to have it configured as your bootable partition/drive.

eSATA is same as a regular SATA connection, except that it allows for outside the box connections.

 

Wow! That's great!

You could have a true independent drive dual boot solution then eh?

 

so basically you could run a 10,0000 RPM hard drive off an eSATA connection onto ur laptop? Wow

 

This may be true in some certain instances, but if your eSata connection is through an express card adapter (or something similar), then you likely won't be able to make it bootable (unless by chance your BIOS allows booting via express card.)

 

Good point, I'm going to have to check that out.

 

Yeah, unless there is a boot option in BIOS for EC or PCMCIA...it will not work.

 

odin243, do you think this one would work?
Asus F3Sa

 

However, I haven't looked into it, but I assume on models with built-in eSata you can boot from the external drives.

Work for what?

 

Been there...
Yes and no
Yes, you can do it
No, you don't have the performance advantage because the transfer rate of e-sata for now maks. only 3x mbps or +- the same as damn-ed USB thats why i use fire wire which can get 4x mbps

Boot from network?

 

Ummm, actually no. eSata has the same bandwith and transfer speed as Sata300, more than 3 times that of Firewire 800 and more than 6 times that of Firewire 400.

 

eSATA should be no different than an internal SATA port as it should be tied to the same bus. If it is through an expresscard slot, it would be limited to that device's top speed.

Unfortunately eSATA is a connection standard and not a transfer rate standard like USB 2.0 includes (480 Mbps). There are supposed to be different SATA and eSATA connectors, where eSATA cables are supposed to be slightly more durable. But problem with that is either cable will fit either connector.

 

I'm sorry but you don't know what you're talking about. My external eSata disks are faster and perform better than my build-in hard drive. Also, look up some benchmarks. eSata is very, very fast, especially for notebooks.

 

Can someone please check this system and tell me if the eSATA configuration would be bootable or not, provided the BIOS has that option?
Asus F3Sa

Thanks!

 

This might be true for early devices labeled "eSata", but I'm pretty sure after it was standardized a few years ago, the standards included provisions to maintain a transfer rate standard.

It appears to feature built-in E-SATA, so I see no reason why it wouldn't be bootable, provided it's enabled in the BIOS.

 

Thanks, that's pretty exiting. I've always used modular multiboot systems for my desktops, and to have that option on notebook is awesome.