Hello. 

 

So my unraid setup is working great.  I have no complaints about it and everything is cool.  I am however out of SATA connections on my mobo.  I am trying to add a Startech 2 port eSata controller to my system.  With it I was hoping to add an SSD that I could run a VM or two on.  My problem is that I can't figure out how to install the drivers (if I even need to) to get the card or SSD to show up.  The card shows up as "unknown device, unknown vendor" in my BIOS, so at least it sees something.  Any advice would be really appreciated.  Thanks!

You can't install drivers. You need to use a card whose chipset is supported. That said, most simple SATA cards are. What model Startech card are you using? Is it one with jumper links that you move to select either internal or external ports, like this one?

It's This one.

That one uses the Marvell 9128 chip, which is supported but read this thread: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=40683.0 as it's on the list of affected chips.

 

I'm curious that you're using an eSATA card and not a regular internal one. What are you connecting to it?

 

It might not be properly identified by the BIOS but unRAID should recognise it, so post your diagnostics zip.

 

I've got a 120g SSD into This. The only reason I decided on that was because I don't have any internal HDD bays left.  I guess it would have made just as much sense to put the SSD inside the tower and just velcro it down or something. 

That should work. How are you powering it? Post your diagnostics zip. We need to know if the eSATA card is being recognised and the relevant module loaded.

Here is the zip file.  And it's powered over a USB connection. 

dan-storage-diagnostics-20160820-0935.zip

Well, unRAID is seeing the controller:

 

02:00.0 SATA controller [0106]: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88SE9128 PCIe SATA 6 Gb/s RAID controller [1b4b:9128] (rev 20)

Subsystem: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88SE9128 PCIe SATA 6 Gb/s RAID controller [1b4b:9128]

Kernel driver in use: ahci

Kernel modules: ahci

 

When you say

 

it's powered over a USB connection

 

do you mean that it's simultaneously connected to a USB port and an eSATA port? That isn't allowed. You can only use one of the interfaces on the external enclosure at any one time.

It has either an eSata connection or a USB, however it is also powered over a USB connection that does not transfer data.  Similar to how you can plug a chromecast into a TV's USB port for power. 

You could plug the USB lead into one of those mains power adapters that people use for charging their phones, tablets, Kindles, etc. But as soon as you plug it into a computer USB port it will form a data connection that will conflict with the eSATA connection.