3.5 HDD ON SLIDE-IN TRAY

[win7few22]

Can I get win7 to recognize a 3.5 Hard Disk installed on a "slide-in" Tray(drive removable) on my Tower computer after boot-up when it is inserted? This is connected to SATA port on motherboard-----I have no e-sata ports on back of my computer, so I'm guessing my motherboard doesn't allow SATA to be auto-recognized like USB.

 

[TrainableMan]

I don't have a slide-in tray but I have 2 internal SATA plugs wired to a back panel plate with 2 eSATA connectors and my drives are recognized when I turn on either of my eSATA docking stations in my 5 year old computer so I would expect it to be possible in your relatively new I7. Perhaps it's a BIOS setting you need to tweak?

 

[win7few22]

Options - maybe

Thanks Trainableman, I'm not sure if I know how to tweak my bios-------Is this "plate" something you attach to the back of your computer to make a direct connection to the SATA ports on your motherboard, allowing you to use it as e-Sata or is there a card connected to it. Adapter cards are available to add E-sata ports, but I don't think they have connectors on the card to attach something that is "Internal". The "Tray" has a Sata connector on it that connects to the 3.5 Hard drive when you "Slide" it in. A SATA cord then goes from IT to the motherboard. Also, no more room for adapter cards for me since my two slots are filled with USB 3.o cards.

 

[TrainableMan]

It slips into an available slot on the tower but instead of plugging into the PCI slot on the mobo you just run the cables to SATA connections inside but it is basically the same type thing your slide-in does.

Does your computer recognize the slide-in drive if it is installed prior to boot up?

Your BIOS controls things like the boot order etc and you access it when the computer is first turned on by pressing a specific key which varies from computer to computer, generally a function key or the delete key (there is normally a message on the screen telling you what key to hit to access the system BIOS). Make sure your drive is plugged in and let the BIOS scan for harddrives, normally you can set them to AUTO so it finds whatever is plugged in. Unfortunately the actual BIOS screen varies a bit from motherboard to motherboard but you can get some idea by running a search on youtube for BIOS settings.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I have a question of my own.

Would selecting "Enable Plug-n-Play OS" have any effect on this question?
Would setting IDE/SATA mode to SATA have any effect?

I've not made any changes to these settings myself, so I don't know.

 

[win7few22]

Trainableman- yes, drive is recognized at boot, but if inserted after boot, it is not. Not hot swappable------- and yes my drive has same access to mobo as your plate. I've seen that setup. Lookout---I'm now going to my bios, see ya later. Instructions that came with slide-in case said--if no esata ports on back of computer, no Hot-swap capability on mobo. Did find esata pci adapter with internal connector???

 

[TrainableMan]

Instructions that came with slide-in case said--if no esata ports on back of computer, no Hot-swap capability on mobo

This is not always true because mine IS hot swappable and did NOT originally have any eSATA connections. And the plate I added has NOTHING to do with it being hot-swappable.

They DO make plates that actually utilize the PCI slot on the MOBO and add esata ports but this is NOT what I did; mine just worked plugged directly to the SATA connectors on the MOBO.

Hopefully a setting in the BIOS will make yours work. For example, if you have those Clifford mentioned maybe you want to try them.