I have an Intel BOXDH55HC LGA 1156 motherboard that has 6 SATA ports, 2 of them are labeled eSata, but have the normal SATA connector.  If I am using these for my internal drives, is there anything special I have to do other than connect a normal SATA cable to the drive and the motherboard port?

 

The eSata ports are the red ones in the attached picture.

 

thanks,

Murray

They should behave just like any other SATA port.  I would bet that they actually are regular SATA ports, but that the manufacturer labeled them as such so that you would hook up your case's front-side eSATA ports there.  It is essentially just a cosmetic thing, functionally they should be identical to every other SATA port.

They should behave just like any other SATA port.  I would bet that they actually are regular SATA ports, but that the manufacturer labeled them as such so that you would hook up your case's front-side eSATA ports there.  It is essentially just a cosmetic thing, functionally they should be identical to every other SATA port.

That's what I thought. Thanks!

This is correct - I am already using one of the 'eSATA' ports on my DH55TC (mATX equivalent to the HC ... my HC mobo is in my ubuntu desktop machine) for an internal drive in my unRAID server.  I have done nothing special to make use of the port.