Thread: HR2x / HR34 External Hard Drive FYI/Support (eSATA)

This feature is officially considered a test/beta feature - CSR reps cannot help with questions on external hard drives.

That said, we can!

I've been using esata drives on two HR20s for months now, and loving it!

Here are some things you should know:

1. Not all cables are the same, not all work, and most drives don't come with one. Here is a reliable cable I am using that only costs $16 with 2 day shipping:

Product Details

2. One drive solutions are available up to 750gb, trippling your as-built storage. Seagate has a reliable line called FreeAgent that also has a 5 year warranty and good pricing:

Seagate Technology - FreeAgent™ Pro




3. Larger multiple drive solutions are possible using a drive enclosure. Two 750gb drives would be 1.5TB! These are setup usinga RAID-0 configuration. It is important to ensure any enclosure uses eSATA and the internal drives 'should' be SATA.

Lets hear other's solutions, or any questions for those considering the drive upgrades.

Good info,
Thanks Masterdeals

I am one that is looking into this type of thing and I am always looking for a good deal.
I would like to get into either a 1 TB or 1.5 TB set up.

Anyone have any suggestions ?

also are the ESATA cables all the same as far as what fits.
I saw the Western Digital site specifically stated that they only use the I to I cable, would this be true with all E SATA drives ? Making the other cables to be used for other applications ?

Jimbo

Originally Posted by masterdeals

I know dbstlk has an extensive thread on esata support for the HR20, but we need an FYI thread here.

As with the test software, esata should be considered a test feature - meaning there is no support and the standard could change.

With that said, I've been using esata drives on two HR20s for months now, and loving it!

Here are some things you should know:

1. Not all cables are the same, not all work, and most drives don't come with one. Here is a reliable cable I am using that only costs $16 with 2 day shipping:

http://http://www.mwave.com/mwave/vi...1&RSKU=4165021

2. One drive solutions are available up to 750gb, trippling your as-built storage. Seagate has a reliable line called FreeAgent that also has a 5 year warranty and good pricing:

Seagate Technology - FreeAgent™ Pro




3. Larger multiple drive solutions are possible using a drive enclosure. Two 750gb drives would be 1.5TB! These are setup usinga RAID-0 configuration. It is important to ensure any enclosure uses eSATA and the internal drives 'should' be SATA.

Lets hear other's solutions, or any questions for those considering the drive upgrades.

Masterdeals,
For some reason the link for the cable is not working any longer., even after I edited the addl. http.

Here is a working link :

Product Details





Jimbo

I would point to the suggestion: if you have disk enclosure with eSATA interface and HW what allow create RAID (0,1,5,10,etc) you shouldn't worried about HDD native interface - those disks could be IDE[PATA], SATA, SCSI, FO, etc.
So far, there are ppl using 5x750 GB = 3.75 TB for HR20 with HW RAID support.
Other note - HR20 doesn't support Port Multiplier. Avoid enclosures what require the feature.

I am in the hunt for a 1 TB solution myself. I was actually thinking about starting a thread too but was gonna do it when I got the drive myself. Good job masterdeals. See thats why I singled you out. You are on the ball!

Originally Posted by Jimbos

Masterdeals,
For some reason the link for the cable is not working any longer., even after I edited the addl. http.

Here is a working link :

Product Details

Jimbo

Thanks Jimbo, I fixed the linik

Originally Posted by Brewer4

I am in the hunt for a 1 TB solution myself. I was actually thinking about starting a thread too but was gonna do it when I got the drive myself. Good job masterdeals. See thats why I singled you out. You are on the ball!

Fujitsu announced production of 1GB individual drives is starting soon. They are finishing the prototype stage. I think if you wait another six months or so you can get 1TB drives that are single drive instead of two drives in an enclosure. i.e. better heat / reliability.

Originally Posted by masterdeals

Fujitsu announced production of 1GB individual drives is starting soon. They are finishing the prototype stage. I think if you wait another six months or so you can get 1TB drives that are single drive instead of two drives in an enclosure. i.e. better heat / reliability.

Western Digital has a 1TB drive at Costco, but I believe it is actually two 500GB drives in one enclosure. It is a good price, though, $344, I think.

Originally Posted by raoul5788

Western Digital has a 1TB drive at Costco, but I believe it is actually two 500GB drives in one enclosure. It is a good price, though, $344, I think.

Really ????
Now thats more like it, I was looking at the W/D 750 and it was $ 279 at BB, although I'd like to go larger.

Thanks raoul, I'll look into it.
Alot of these I've been seeing come with a USB connection only, so you have to watch that issue.

raoul,
is this the one your referring to ???
I see nothing about having the correct connections on it, maybe I have the wrong one ???
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11207504&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|84|31022|31023&N=4013468&Mo=20&pos=1&No=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=31023&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10626-Cat31022&topnav=

Jimbo