Review this USB 2.0 to SATA Adapter

[NYJimbo]

Originally Posted by RegEdit

I've been using this USB to SATA adapter for a while now with no problems.

Not really sure how we are supposed to "review" it without buying it.

I've been using this thing :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812156017

for a few years now and never had a problem. I usually do smaller drives so I don't know if it makes any difference with drives over 1TB. It's pretty generic, there must be a half dozen that appear to be the same exact design so its probably being relabled from one supplier. It comes with its own external power brick for the power on the sata so thats nice.

[technibbling]

I prefer to cut the middle men out if at all possible ...connect straight to the motherboard if at all possible

[RegEdit]

Originally Posted by technibbling

I prefer to cut the middle men out if at all possible ...connect straight to the motherboard if at all possible

Are you saying that you don't use any adapter? Just connect as a secondary drive? If so, one thing I don't like about that method is that sometimes as error check of the drive is triggered at start up if the drive is marked as "dirty". Error checking is the last thing you want to do in data recovery situations.

[NYJimbo]

Originally Posted by technibbling

I prefer to cut the middle men out if at all possible ...connect straight to the motherboard if at all possible

Nice, but what is your solution when you can't "cut the middle men out" ?

[PCX]

Originally Posted by Cambridge PC Support

I try to avoid usb2sata, and prefer to connect a drive direct to the mobo or sata controller. It's much faster and more reliable.

Same here. I use a front loading bay, but I am running Linux, not Windows. Otherwise I use a docking station.

Originally Posted by Mr.Mike

I'm using an Arkview Docking station combo, meaning it handles IDE & Sata, and has ports for X-memory, SD and MS cards, and has two USB 2.0 ports. It also has be cool one-button backup feature. Works like a dream, in spite of the Newegg site reviews.

Been through 2 of those, both of them crapped out in less than a year.

[Mr.Mike]

Originally Posted by PCX

Been through 2 of those, both of them crapped out in less than a year.

I'm guessing yours gets more use than mine; I've got three different ones and just switch them around.

[300DDR]

FYI… lately I've been buying the StarTech USB 3 + eSATA "toaster" enclosures. The fan on the back is very handy, and USB3 is really fast (and esata is there also):

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-S...words=startech

If you want the most interface options, try Wiebetech (super expensive, and I've had maybe 2 out of 8 go bad in ~5 years, but still really nice):
http://www.wiebetech.com/products/UltraDock_v5.php

Of course, if hooking up a "bad" drive, you should NOT be connecting directly to mobo as others have said, Windows may try to repair them at startup and end up making them much worse (if not completely unrecoverable).

[PCX]

Originally Posted by 300DDR

Of course, if hooking up a "bad" drive, you should NOT be connecting directly to mobo as others have said, Windows may try to repair them at startup and end up making them much worse (if not completely unrecoverable).

+1 for that. Its one of the reasons why it so important to learn how to use Linux. The only time we really use Windows is for scans, FAB's and random misc things you can't do in Linux (can't really think of what those things would be at the moment).

[Cambridge PC Support]

Once you've done it once, then you keep an eye out for windows chkdsking and stop it. But otherwise I'm imaging or using gsmartcontrol or using Linux to copy the files off. I can't remember the last time I used usb2sata (or ide)

[bsod]

i have one of those it does its job and was pretty cheap. i like that its more portable than a docking station so its in my backpack with the laptop. ideally i would like a data recovery only workstation but we don't have the office space for it and i also like to be able to work from home sometimes too.