I had an older SATA controller lying around and was hoping to be able to use it, but my system won't recognize it.  It is a Rosewill RC-218 PCI Express SATA II Controller Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132018) and I have it connected to an ASUS M4A785-M (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131595).  I have the controller connected to the PCI Express x16 (obviously only taking up some of the slots) since it won't fit in the PCI Express x1 slot.  So I'm guessing that is the problem?

 

If this controller can't work in my motherboard, is there a cheap controller that will?  Something like this? (Although I'd prefer even cheaper) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124064

See here.

Thanks PeterB.  I do have all of the jumpers set to disable the external esata ports (1-2 closed on all jumpers).  I'm just wondering if this card and my mobo don't play nice since I'm connecting it to the x16 port.

I just looked in the manual of my ASUS M4A785-M mobo, and in the PCI Express x16 section it states:

 

This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI Express specifications.

 

Could that mean the x16 slot will only recognize graphics cards?

I just looked in the manual of my ASUS M4A785-M mobo, and in the PCI Express x16 section it states:

 

This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI Express specifications.

 

Could that mean the x16 slot will only recognize graphics cards?

 

Some x16 slots only support graphics cards, this could indeed be the case.

Some x16 slots only support graphics cards, this could indeed be the case.

 

That would definitely suck because then I'd be limited to x1 controller cards only.