External FW & USB HD Problems 1788
jimtehma (e-mail isn't checked) A couple things about Linux I forgot to add in my previous post: Check if your cd-dvd-rom drive is operating in DMA mode...
Thanks for the info Pat. I don't think it will work with my enclosure. I have no idea what chipset I have as Vantec won't talk to me or anyone else who emails them.
Despite my disappointment with the SATA mode, the USB mode works fine so I don't need another enclosure. I have two enclosures. The other is a ThermalTake and it works fine in USB mode. In fact, even if SATA mode worked I'd probably opt for USB anyway as to use SATA I have to reboot, enable the SATA port in the bios, boot into Windows and use the enclosure, then reboot to the bios and disable the SATA port otherwise you get reminder messages at each boot that a SATA port is not connected. It may be different with other computers. I have a Dimension 8400. So USB mode is much more convenient and probably "faster" for me if you add the rebooting time. At least I can use a SATA HD in the enclosure. The ThermalTake uses IDE HDs.
I'd be interested to hear what transfer speed you get (for large files) with USB and Firewire modes. USB gives me around 23 MB-sec and SATA was 47 MB-sec. Transferring multiple small files gives a much lower rate.