Testing ExpressCard slot

Sounds like I have the same issue. I have a Dynex 2-port eSATA II ExpressCard Adapter and I have it plugged into my MacBook. There appears to be a new icon on my device bar in the top right of my screen that looks like an eSATA connection. When I click on it, it offers me a 'Power Off Card' option. However, the light on the card is not on and the hard drive that I have attached to it does not seem to be recognized. I have already installed the driver that came with the ExpressCard and I was hoping that would be it.

This is the fourth post on this topic. Can someone answer?

-Thanks-

In my case, I used my Seritek eSATA Express card with two external drives with no problem for six months, even though the lights on the card never came on. So I'm not sure that the lights are a reliable indicator of functionality. Now, however, I am all of a sudden having problems reliably accessing data on the drives, which work fine when connected via firewire. On another post, I have asked for suggestions as to utilities for testing the Express card. Will keep you posted if I hear anything there.

Well, looks like my problem was that I did not have the eSATA cable completely plugged in to my ExpressCard. I wiggled the cord a little and realized it wasn't in there all the way, a gave it a firm push and it clicked into place. As soon as that happened, everything started working again. Silly me!

Anyway, I am sure that you guys have all tried that by now and your problem is perhaps a little more subtle. Sorry I don't have anything more to offer.

I just purchased the same e-sata II expresscard adapter, but can't get the driver which i downloaded from the website to install. did you have any problems, and where did you get the driver from? any suggestions?

I received a FirmTek installation disk from OWC. I think that I had to update the software before installation. The instructions for installation of the card and drives were incompetent and contradictory. Insertion into the card slot is tricky because of the weakness of the slot detents, and the card rebounds out of the slot if pressed too hard. In addition, the power lights on the card never did come on, making it hard to determine if it was installed properly. I believe that in the end after installing the drivers I had to reboot with the card in the ExpressCard slot for it to install properly. Once the icon for the card showed up in the status bar, I then installed the drives. If you are having getting the drives to be recognized, before attaching them, make sure that the drives are on and spooled up. Once everything is installed, I found it best to shut down the computer with the drives on and connected, rather than trying to eject them. On restarting, I find it best to have the card and drives connected to the computer and spun up before booting up. Once all the initial kinks were worked out and I was absolutely rigorous in following my start up and shut down procedures, everything worked as smooth as silk and very effectively, for about six months.

I have found the Dynex driver to be flawed. I was able to find a driver at http://www.american-media.com/support/downloadDDDS2350S.html that works just fine. You need to download the BASE Driver for PCI-E Sil3132 (32-bit). The express slot is basically a PCI slot so this driver works.

I just got an Apiotek Combo USB+Firewire400 ExpressCard adapter, and I can't get it to work either on my Macbook Pro.

Simiar issue here. I have a Lacie Sata II card that apeear to not be getting power. How to troubleshoot?

The problem that I referred to in my earlier post turns out not to have been with the express card, but with the external drive's power supply.