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SATA to USB connector problem

I bought a SATA to USB3.0 connector for an external HD and just realized the maker's OS designation is Windows, not Mac. Plugged it -- with the HD attached -- into my Macbook Pro and got the message "the disk you inserted cannot be read" so I reformatted the drive on Disk Utility to Mac OS extended journaled. Ran verify and repair disk and all seemed to be OK. But when I tried to run a Time Machine backup to it, the backup failed and the message said the disk was ejected improperly. This happened twice. My question is, are these dongles specific to an OS -- Windows, Mac, etc. -- or can they be reformatted. Hope someone can help.

Regards

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2), mid-2012 13-inch, 4gb RAM

Posted on Mar 8, 2014 4:57 AM

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45 replies

Mar 8, 2014 5:06 AM in response to Cunnla

Is this just a cable? If so, it should be universal. Personally, I prefer a good enclosure to any sort of cable or 'dock'... I've six different enclosures that I purchased from OWC and have never had a problem with one.


The problem may be that the SATA controller just isn't that great... maybe you should return it it and buy a decent enclosure?


Clinton

Mar 8, 2014 5:23 AM in response to Cunnla

A SATA to USB adapter is not OS specific. They work on any computer no matter what operating system is installed on them and even if there is no operating system installed on the internal drive. The drive connected to the computer with one of these adapters will show up in the base system, BIOS or EFI, as an attached device.


In all honesty an enclosure is nothing more than one of these style adapters with a case to mount the drive in. The electronics inside the adapter case and in a Drive Enclosure case are exactly the same thing.


If the adapter you have is USB BUS powered that is more than likely your problem. Your Mac notebook USB port isn't putting out enough power to fully power up the drive and or keeping it powered up during the Time Machine Backup process.


That is why I always suggest getting one of these adapter, or even an enclosure, that has it own AC power supply. Otherwise you are never sure if the system is suppying enough power from the USB port to properly power the drive you have connected to the adapter or enclosure.


So if the adapter you have does not have its own AC power supply I suggest you get one that doess come with an AC power supply.

Mar 8, 2014 5:26 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

Yes, it's a cable with a SATA connector on one end and USB3.0 on the other and with an AC adapter. Not so easy to return it. I have two USB3.0 enclosures I got from OWC, no problem with them. I took the drive out of one of them and hooked it up to the dongle with the above result. When I put it back in the OWC enclosure had to format it again, but it's OK now, Time Machine backs up to it. Planning to get another external HD and see what happens with that. Just wondering why the maker specified Windows OS.

Regards

Mar 8, 2014 5:32 AM in response to Cunnla

Since it has its own AC adapter you should be fine. The adapter is not the problem. Try the other USB port on your Mac and see if you still get the error about the drive being disconnected improperly. If you do that means there is either something wrong with the adapter, doubtful, or somethig wrong with your Mac USB ports.


If you don't get that error when connected to the other USB port then it is clearly something wrong with that particular USB port and you should have Apple look at the system and have it repaired. Could be a loose connection inside the port or to the logic board.



Cunnla wrote:


Yes, it's a cable with a SATA connector on one end and USB3.0 on the other and with an AC adapter. Not so easy to return it. I have two USB3.0 enclosures I got from OWC, no problem with them. I took the drive out of one of them and hooked it up to the dongle with the above result. When I put it back in the OWC enclosure had to format it again, but it's OK now, Time Machine backs up to it. Planning to get another external HD and see what happens with that. Just wondering why the maker specified Windows OS.

Regards

Mar 8, 2014 5:34 AM in response to Cunnla

Cunnla wrote:


I bought a SATA to USB3.0 connector for an external HD and just realized the maker's OS designation is Windows, not Mac. Plugged it -- with the HD attached -- into my Macbook Pro and got the message "the disk you inserted cannot be read" so I reformatted the drive on Disk Utility to Mac OS extended journaled. Ran verify and repair disk and all seemed to be OK. But when I tried to run a Time Machine backup to it, the backup failed and the message said the disk was ejected improperly. This happened twice. My question is, are these dongles specific to an OS -- Windows, Mac, etc. -- or can they be reformatted. Hope someone can help.

Regards


To help you I need to get some clear information.


"SATA to USB3.0 connector", "external HD" and "these dongles" . When you say "dongle" I asome you mean the "SATA to USB3.0 connector".


Am I right your external HD has gote a E-SATA connector on it? What make and model is it?

Your "SATA to USB3 connector" is marked for use with Windows? and you call it a dongle (witch is something else)

After re-formatting the external HD (not the "dongle" you can't re-format a connector) the message was "disk was ejected improperly"?


If this is all right then it may be (in no order these idears will help):


1) The connector should be "E-SATA to USB3.0" most external HDs are E-SATA "External-SATA" and not SATA

Exchange the SATA connector for a E-SATA one.


2) The connector was disconnect from the computer and reconnected without properly ejecting it, before Time Machine was run

Make shoure you eject and disk you connect to the USB port befor disconnecting them.

Two ways of doing this:

ONE: if the disk appears on the Desktop drag it to the Trash befor unpluging it.

TWO: in finder right click it and click on "Eject".


If this error happens again then run "repair disk again"



3) The "SATA to USB3.0 connector" IS! windows specific. May be;

Get a replacement.

What make and modle? and I'll try an check.


I hope this helps and sorry for the spelling I am dyslex....

Mar 8, 2014 5:39 AM in response to TopSteve

First off none of these SATA to USB adapter or enclosures are Operating System Specific. They work on all computers, as I stated above. All that adapter does, and even in an Enclosure it has the same type of Adapter, is convert the connection TYPE from SATA at the Drive End to USB at the Computer end. The same thing is done whether it is an Adapter or an Enclosure.

Mar 8, 2014 5:51 AM in response to LowLuster

LowLuster wrote:


First off none of these SATA to USB adapter or enclosures are Operating System Specific. They work on all computers, as I stated above. All that adapter does, and even in an Enclosure it has the same type of Adapter, is convert the connection TYPE from SATA at the Drive End to USB at the Computer end. The same thing is done whether it is an Adapter or an Enclosure.

YES that is why in my third option I put "IS!" I was try to show my suppprise, but I did have a PCMCIA E-SATA card that only works with Windows. Yes I know that's old and has been droped but I have a old PowerBook that can use PCMCIA.

Mar 8, 2014 6:11 AM in response to TopSteve

Hi Steve

Thanks for your suggestions and for corrrecting my misuse of the word "dongle."

You said "and you call it a dongle (witch is something else)" and on checking it out, looks like you're right. I was assuming it was any gadget that plugs into the computer and kind of "dongles" from it.

Regards

Mar 19, 2014 10:57 PM in response to LowLuster

Just to update. Got the new hard drive and the same thing happened as described in my first post. There is nothing wrong with the Mac's USB ports. The adapter was one of those with just a cable with USB at one end and SATA on the other end, plus AC power adapter. Tried the new drive in a box-type USB/SATA adapter and it worked fine. So I sent the other one back. Browsing the Web, found that some makers of these devices specify Windows only, and others mention Mac OS X as well, as being compatible, and yet others don't bother designating any OS. I even saw one that said the device would work as USB 3.0 on Windows, but only as USB 2.0 on Mac OS X. So, if I ever buy another cable-type adapter, I will play safe and go for one that includes Mac OS X in its compatibility specs.

Mar 20, 2014 3:57 AM in response to LowLuster

That's what I thought too, when I ordered the device, and why I didn't check, or didn't notice, the vendor's statement in product information that it was for Windows. Anyway, I sent it back as defective and am getting a refund.

Strange that so many vendors or makers put out this kind of statement in their product specifications.

Mar 20, 2014 6:48 AM in response to LowLuster

LowLuster wrote:


The operating system does not matter one bit. No USB device is Operating System Specific. USB is universal, it is hardware based.


That's like saying a certain SATA cable will only work on a Windows or a Mac computer but not both.


So it was the particular SATA to USB adapter you got, that unit, that was defective.

You right about USB but the adapter is a diffent matter esp as Cunnla says it's powered.


Maybe there is some firmware or driver needed in/by the SATA to USB adapter that IS OS Specific. Like the some softmodems(USB) and TV recivers(USB).

Mar 20, 2014 11:16 AM in response to TopSteve

There shouldn't be any software required for a SATA to USB Bridge adapter. All the adapter is doing is changing the SATA connection type to USB type. Yes that does include a electronic circuit board to convert from one to the other but once the change is made the signal coming out of it is USB which is Universal.


The AC adapter is only for supplying electrical current to the drive so it doesn't have to rely on the USB port to power up the drive.


I suspect the OPs problem was with a defective adapter and I doubt it would of worked on a Windows PC

SATA to USB connector problem

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