Windows bootup trouble with external hard drive hooked to eSATA port

I just recieved a Iomega 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Professional Hard Drive model # 34527
yesterday. With my computer turned off I hooked the drive up to my cases front panel eSATA port. When I turned my computer on I went into the bios to see if the drive registered there. It did, but my 2 internal hard drives weren't showing up. I exited the bios and hit the reset button to do a hard restart Windows 7 wouldn't boot to my internal C; drive, so I unhooked the eSATA cable from the cases front panel just long enough to see tha starting Windows screen and plugged it back in. This worked fine, but the Iomega instructions say to have the drive plugged into the eSATA port before powering on the pc. Has anyone else had this problem using eSATA ? Is this normal ?

I don't have an answer but since it's new, maybe you could pop off a support request on Iomega.com.

Thanks TrainableMan. It works fine hooked up to my USB 2.0 port, so I guess it's just eSATA being wonky. I did look on Iomega's site when I got it. All there software that come's with it has to be downloaded. RestrospectHD doesn't even work with Vista or 7 still. There other software for the drive caused BSOD's , so it was uninstalled and I'm using Windows Backup now.

esata speeds can be as much as 5 times that of usb 2.0 so it is preferable to use esata. My esata connection is really just an adapter that then plugs in to my internal sata connectors so it functions as internal but I turn it on and off whenever I please and rarely boot up with it turned on. When I do happen to reboot while it is on then I do see a screen displaying my drives that I don't see with it off but then it passes and boots fine.

What you probably should do is look at your boot order in BIOS and make sure your internal that has your OS on it is at the top of the list.

The first backup I did was with eSATA and it took 6 hours. I then formatted the drive and did a backup using USB 2.0 and it also took 6 hours for the initial backup.

Use Macrium Reflect Free backup software. Much better and very fast.

I'd raher stick with Windows Backup for now. After the first full backup, it's backup's now only take30-40 minutes now. Plus, I'm eventually going to get a MSI or Asus 890FX mobo in 4-5 months. Both have USB 3.0, so I'll get a USB 3.0 drive for backups at that time. I think the drive in this Iomega may be 5400 rpm. as it appears to be smaller than my Maxtor OneTouch 2 I used on XP 3 computers ago. This drive's case stands atleast 1 inch lower than the Maxtor did and that had a 3.5" 7200 rpm drive. Had to destroy it because Seagate bought Maxtor and wouldn't produce Maxtor drivers for Vista. Dantz owned Retrospect back then and it wouldn't work in Vista. Iomega includes that in it's downloads for this drive and it obviously isn't compatible with Windows 7 as there download site refuses there own product key for it to download. There other software that would download and install caused BSOD's after there installs. I uninstalled both programs and haven't had any BSOD's yet.

Even when I was using an external hard drive with a USB 2.0 connection, using Macrium Reflect Free, the backup only took about 8-9 minutes. Using an eSATA connection now, it only takes about 4 minutes! So your reasoning to wait for a USB 3.0 mobo makes no sense.

With my eSATA Sans Digital external dual enclosure with two Samsung F1 series hard drives, no special drivers are needed if the bracket or connection you're plugging it into connects directly to the SATA ports on the motherboard. I was having problems though that sometimes both drives wouldn't get recognized with that type of connection so I put in a Dynex eSATA PCI-E card with the Sil 3132 chipset, which uses a Sil 3132 specific driver. With that setup the startup is quicker with the external drives and the throughput is faster too.

I have never known any external hard drives themselves needing drivers, regardless of whether they use a USB 2.0 or an eSATA connection. External hard drive enclosures and the respective internal electronics don't need special drivers, at least that I know of. Also, the size of the drive's enclosure makes no difference unless it's a 2.5" drive versus a 3.5" drive, but that's a significant size difference.

Then again, I don't waste my money on brand-named external hard drive enclosure packages because they are more expensive and software-specific for the backups. It's best just to buy a good external hard drive case and then a good brand of hard drive and install it in the external case. That way if the drive goes kaput or the case, either one may be easily replaced. Plus the quality is usually better too.

i'm not going to argue. However my post was about eSATA problems, not backup software or the times they take to finish. Case solved.