Thinkpads Forum

Topic says it. I'd like to be able to hook up an external hard drive and maybe even a DVD drive to my T61 via an express card with eSATA ports. Anyone using one with Vista 64-bit?

Using a Thermaltake eSATA enclosure with a 750GB SATA drive with no issues, and a Belkin SATA II ExpressCard, with one of these retractable eSATA cables (for when I travel):
Link.
I should point out I'm using the full size dock when home, with an eSATA card in the PCI Express slot, so I don't have to use the Belkin sticking out the side. And either way I wire it, it spins down the drive for power/heat savings when the drive is not in use, just the way I like it.

Hope this helps!

PS: I'm on a T61p with Vista Ultimate 64 bit

MOD EDIT: Link modified for better scrolling.

Thanks for the info.

Have you tried hooking up a SATA optical drive. This is the only 5" eSATA enclosure I could find that is made for optical drives: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817716048

Now my concern is 64-bit driver support for that enclosure. It comes with a driver disk, but doesn't say if 64-bit is supported. I wonder if the driver is even necessary? I didn't need a driver for my external eSATA ICY DOCK hard drive enclosure. Maybe something to do with optical drive enclosures???

stallen wrote:Thanks for the info.

Have you tried hooking up a SATA optical drive. This is the only 5" eSATA enclosure I could find that is made for optical drives: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817716048

Now my concern is 64-bit driver support for that enclosure. It comes with a driver disk, but doesn't say if 64-bit is supported. I wonder if the driver is even necessary? I didn't need a driver for my external eSATA ICY DOCK hard drive enclosure. Maybe something to do with optical drive enclosures???

No special drivers needed, it just worked.

Wow, actually, I bought that same eSATA enclosure, thinking the LG GGW-H20L Blue-ray rewriter (and Blue-ray and HD DVD reader) would work nicely, but now I'm thinking I may just wait for the very attractive external equivalent LG GGW-E10L , see photos of them all here:

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=483

My noisy PC is kept in my basement, directly underneath my HDTV in my family room: the 6FT eSATA will just (barely) reach through the PVC conduit pipe I installed.

Yeah, from what i've read. The longer BD/HD drives will not fit in the galaxy external sata enclosure.

I'm sure something like this would work: http://www.satadrives.com/sadual5inbay.html

I have a T60p and can't say about the external enclosure you are looking for. I use the IcyDock MB559US for esata drives but it won't work with a DVD drive.
See it at http://www.amazon.com/MB559US-1S-Extern ... 242&sr=1-3

I am using the SIIG eSATA II ExpressCard and it's very efficient and easy to use. You can get it at http://www.pcconnection.com/ProductDetail?Sku=6290272
Good luck,
DenTP4rm

Glad to here about the SIIG ExpressCard! I actually ordered that from newegg yesterday. SIIG SC-SAE512-S1 eSATA II ExpressCard 54. Pretty good deal right now with a $20 rebate.
AND, I too have an ICY DOCK enclosure. Just a different model.

FYI, I have tried a (unrelated, non eSATA) 34mm ExpressCard and returned it due to barely any friction holding the card inside my T61p, with some wiggle. I have the 54mm Belkin eSATA card, somewhat tighter with no wiggle, but still, amazing how little holds these cards in.

Anybody find a good workaround? I'm tempted to add some masking tape to the edge or something, as I don't trust the card to stay in, if the cable is jossled for example (the eSATA cable holds well). I'd hate to corrupt a file or even the drive due to a mistake.

tinkererguy wrote:FYI, I have tried a (unrelated, non eSATA) 34mm ExpressCard and returned it due to barely any friction holding the card inside my T61p, with some wiggle. I have the 54mm Belkin eSATA card, somewhat tighter with no wiggle, but still, amazing how little holds these cards in.

Anybody find a good workaround?

A "good" workaround. No, but I was already aware of the 34mm wiggle issue when I found this mediocre workaround: http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachm ... 1175897309

I suppose the 54mm Express card is still a little loose because it has an empty PCMCIA slot right underneath it with nothing supporting it. I suppose one option would be to insert a PCMCIA card of some sort, having both slots occupied, and maybe they will support each other. Or, stick a piece of paper in there like the person in the link above. lol