New Adaptec 1430SA 4 Port Serial ATA RAID Controller

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Adaptec-1430SA-4-Port-Serial-ATA-RAID-Controller_W0QQitemZ170265645853QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170265645853&_trkparms=72%3A1210|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

$88.24 with free shipping

 

(not related to seller)

I'll definitely pick one of these up next week on payday, maybe 2 (if they still have them left that is).

 

I'm contemplating this one

 

Rosewill Silicon Image RC-209-EX PCI External e-SATA x2/ Internal SATA x4 1.5G HDD Controller Card Supports RAID0/1/5/0+1/ or un-RAID modes - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132018

 

 

Nice find WeeboTech

Please let me know if it woks ok with unRAID and performance

 

Also. since you seem to be the hardware guru around here, as a general rule can PCI Express x4 cards also be plugged into PCI Express x8 or PCI Express x16

slots?  I am getting the feeling they can, but before I blow something up I thought I might ask

 

Also can external sata ports be re-routed back internally to drives, or do they differ from internal sata ports

 

Thanks again

 

 

as a general rule can PCI Express x4 cards also be plugged into PCI Express x8 or PCI Express x16

slots?

 

They can. (At least I have not seen a case whereby they cannot.)

 

Sometimes you will see something like  16X (4x electrical) which means the slot accepts 16X hardware at the physical slot level, but only operates electrically at 4X).

 

Also can external sata ports be re-routed back internally to drives, or do they differ from internal sata ports

 

Yes, you need special cables.

Two ways to do this. 1 special cable that is eSATA on one side and SATA on the other.

Then feed it through a slot somewhere.

 

Another way I did it was get an eSATA bracket, mount it in one of the open PCI slots.

Wire the internal part of the exteral bracket to the drive.

get a SHORT eSATA to eSATA cable and connect them.

 

Total lenght is a consideration.

 

 

I've been looking at that Rosewill for a week or 2, but be aware that the card only has 4 ports, period.  If you want to use the ESATA ports, you have to jumper the card and disable 2 of the internal ports...

 

(I have the 2 port version of this card now, with 2 internal, 2 esata, and 1 PATA, and it works fine with UnRaid on all the ports).

 

I'll probably go with the Adaptec (maybe 2), unless I decide to change out my mobo for something with more ports on the board (I can't seem to find any AMD AM2 boards with more than 7 ports tho, although that board also has 2 1x & 2 16x PCI-e slots, so adding more ports would be fairly easy).

 

 

I've been looking at that Rosewill for a week or 2, but be aware that the card only has 4 ports, period.  If you want to use the ESATA ports, you have to jumper the card and disable 2 of the internal ports...

 

(I have the 2 port version of this card now, with 2 internal, 2 esata, and 1 PATA, and it works fine with UnRaid on all the ports).

 

I'll probably go with the Adaptec (maybe 2), unless I decide to change out my mobo for something with more ports on the board (I can't seem to find any AMD AM2 boards with more than 7 ports tho, although that board also has 2 1x & 2 16x PCI-e slots, so adding more ports would be fairly easy).

 

 

I'm aware that 2 of the 4 ports are shared either internally or externally. I just like having options.

 

>> I have the 2 port version of this card now, with 2 internal, 2 esata, and 1 PATA, and it works fine with UnRaid on all the ports.

Which one is this? Can you provide link?

It's the RC-216.  Basically the same card, but 2 ports instead of 4, and 1 PATA header (will work with 2 pata & 2 sata/esata).  Seems to work pretty well, and their PCI dual PATA card works just fine as well (although I'm pulling that one from my machine, and I think maybe replace my mobo, a Abit A-M2HD I had laying around with a M2N-SLI Deluxe, more ports, and a muc better board ).

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132014&Tpk=rosewill%20rc-216