SATA III to USB 3.0 converter?

I would like to convert an existing SATA III connection to a USB 3.0 port. Specifically, I am thinking of replacing my notebook's optical drive with a USB 3.0 port.

Maybe I have it backwards, but all the existing adapters seem to be intended to go the other way. Also they require an external power source, which certainly is a no-go for a notebook.

A lot of the mid-to low-price notebooks seem to have either USB 3.0 or Bluetooth but not both. Many have no USB 3.0 at all. I'm brainstorming ways to add USB 3.0 to an existing notebook, since Intel apparently has no plans to release mobile chipsets with built-in USB 3.0 anytime soon.

How about converting an internal SATA port to an eSATA port? That is just a matter of wiring, but again, such an adapter designed for use in a notebook doesn't seem to exist.

I guess one could buy a SATA-to-eSATA cable such as this one:
http://www.nextag.com/Tripp-Lite-SATA-to-584508635/prices-html?nxtg=32ea0a1c0516-FAF4817B0E92D4D3
and coil it up inside the space left by removing the optical drive. Would be kind of inelegant, but should work. I might have to try it.

 

Does your laptop have an ExpressCard slot? It would be a lot easier to find Expresscard-to-USB3.

 

Unfortunately no, it does not have an ExpressCard slot. Only a multi-card reader (SD size) which is connected through USB (an internal USB 2.0 port no doubt).

The machine does have a Bluetooth module, which I suspect is occupying one of the mini-PCI Express slots (maybe the only such connection). I haven't been brave enough to open 'er up to find out yet.

 

Go to device manager and view devices by connection, no need to open anything. $1 says the BT will be connected by USB. Also I have never seen what you are asking for.... Also it's highly unlikely that the internal SATA connector will be a standard type. as depicted in your cable reference.

 

before you go lusting after a USB v3 on your machine, what do you have today or even in a year that will require it?

 

If you want the USB3 port for an external hard drive, why not just use eSATA (assuming you have an eSATA port)? It's just as fast, if not faster, than USB3 and right now it's much more common.

 

Right on the money! It turns out that there is a cable which makes the conversion easy. It's called "SATA male to eSATA cable," costs around $5, and is available lots of places online.

I believe that's what I'll do. Getting USB 3.0 on a notebook not already so-equipped is seemingly impossible, absent an ExpressCard slot. I just bought a new enclosure (long story) for my external HDD that does both USB 3.0 and eSATA.

Certainly, use of an external drive is about the only real need for USB 3.0, at present. Most USB devices simply don't need to move enough data to justify the change.

 

Device Manager doesn't actually tell me how the BT module is connected, but I'm sure you're right. USB connections are cheap (the HM-65 chipset can have 12) but min-PCI Express slots not so much. Also it would be ridiculous to devote a mini-PCIe slot to a BT module, given that BT 3.0 maxes out at 3 Mbit/s.

The cable I linked to originally won't work, but I did find a cable that will let me plug an eSATA device into the optical drive's SATA port, as detailed in my last post.

 

SATA has always been received with mixed reviews. Relatively few people have heard of it and even few know what it's good for. I'm surprised that it's still going after all this time. On the other hand, USB is know by anybody that's ever used a computer.

 

Cable I linked to above won't work either, but I'm still looking for one. Apparently notebook optical drives use a "Slimline" or "Micro" SATA connection, so I need an adapter that hooks to the data side only. Still looking and will post when I find same. Should work in any notebook that uses a SATA optical drive, which is almost all of them.

 

Ah, wut???

 

External drives my good man. But it was non typically stated. I should have said eSATA connection port, which is what I meant.

 

What? Any citations of your claim that SATA is like that?

Also, almost nobody knows that USB is nothing more than a smaller Serial port.

 

The word "Serial" in the name of USB kind of gives it away.

Occasionally I transpose the second and third letters, and get confused looks from people wondering why I am talking about a Swiss bank.

FWIW, I found a cable that appears as if it will plug into the data side of a slimline SATA socket on one end, with an eSATA socket on the other end:

You can get 'em at CPUStuff.com: http://www.cpustuff.com/esata-panel-mount-to-male-sata-with-screws.html

I stumbled upon that item while reading up on ways to add eSATA to an iMac.

 

Received the internal slimline SATA to eSATA socket cable today. It works!

I now have a space where the notebook's optical drive once was. I bought the 10" adapter cable, so it's long enough to use when needed, but short enough that I can tuck it neatly in the opening when not in use.

It still looks kinda horrible, so I'll probably make a blank or filler piece. I might be able to use the plastic bezel from the original optical drive, if I can figure out a way to attach it (Small hinges? A gasket of some kind?).

Here's the reason I went to all that bother. Using a USB 2.0 port:


Using the newly-created eSATA port:

Not only is the speed vastly superior via eSATA, but SMART monitoring is possible. Who needs USB 3.0?

update2: Unfortunately, it appears the HM65 chipset does not support eSATA hotswap. Despite using the HotSWAP! utility, I cannot get the eSATA drive recognized if the machine is already powered up. I can, however, unmount it using HotSWAP! after startup.