Review this USB 2.0 to SATA Adapter

[RegEdit]

I've been using this USB to SATA adapter for a while now with no problems. I was reading just a few bad reviews on Amazon, although I suspect people are blaming the adapter for what REALLY is a failing drive. What do you all think? Is there a better adapter?

 

[Kitten Kong]

I can't review this one Reg, as I have never used it.

In the past however, I have used a usb - ide/sata adapter. This had the connections for both 2.5 and 3.5 devices. (Only used this onsite). Never had any issues with the device.

In the workshop however, I have a dedicated all in 1 hdd docking station, which I adore with a passion.

I also have a external drive caddy, which also holds 3.5 ide, and sata ports. Only issue with that, is the little connector which holds either the molex, or the sata power. The molex one has come loose a couple of times.

 

[joydivision]

I also use a docking station too, they are cheap and mine have been very reliable. I have a couple of them.

Never had an issue with any of them.

 

[sassenach]

Add another vote for a docking station. My Akasa only does SATA but is powered by eSATA for speed or USB 2 for non booting access..

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[RegEdit]

Wow. Everyone is using docking stations. Are they somehow more reliable? Are they able to process data faster?

 

[Mr.Mike]

Wow. Everyone is using docking stations. Are they somehow more reliable? Are they able to process data faster?

I don't know about "faster" but they sure are convenient.

 

[joydivision]

Yeah they are very handy, specially with laptops where you simply cannot hook a second SATA drive to it easily.

 

[Encrypted Existence]

In the workshop however, I have a dedicated all in 1 hdd docking station, which I adore with a passion.

Hey Nige. What make/model is it? Also, does it support 2.5"/3.5" IDE drives as well?
I am currently using 2 Calvary SATA 2.5"/3.5" duplicator/docks. I also have a USB 3.0 NewerTechnologies universal adapter that supports SATA as well as IDE connections. I really love the StarTech front load drive bays though.

 

[NYJimbo]

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/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156017

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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-...=UTF8&qid=1341272149&sr=8-4&keywords=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]

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.