Docking station problems

**Easto** · 01-02-21, 07:03 PM

I have an older ThermalTake docking station. I bought a eSATA backplate which I have connected to SATA port 7 on my Mobo. I've enabled Hot Swappable for that port in the BIOS. Everything seems to be working except for these anomalies. Maybe I'm just not wrapping my head around it properly but...

If there is power to the docking station but no drive inserted the computer will not boot. If I leave the power off until I'm in Windows, then insert a drive and turn on the power the drive is not showing in Disk Management or File Explorer. The only way to get it to work is to have a drive inserted and the docking station power turned on before starting my computer. I'm guessing that this is so that the BIOS can recognize the drive. Doing it this way everything is shown as expected.

I really don't want to run it this way. I was going to use it for backups. At the end of the night insert the drive and turn on the power and do my backups. I didn't want the drive exposed to my computing session all day and possibly lose that drive or data due to a malware or ransomware attack.

**Easto** · 01-02-21, 08:23 PM

From what I can figure out I'm going to have to start the computer each monr8ing with the backup SSD installed in the docking station and then remove it during the day and then reinsert it at the end of the day to make my backup.

**Mark** · 01-03-21, 08:26 AM

i use one of these and love it..........

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=sg21-20&psc=1

**Philip** · 01-03-21, 09:17 AM

Easto sounds like a lot of hassle. With the docking station powered on and no drive in it, does the BIOS show it in the list of bootable devices? If so, you should be able to disable it there, and make sure your proper SSD is the first bootable device, not some "External drive" before it. If that doesn't work, I'd just change the docking station.

That's very cool Mark, now I want one lol.
I use one of these (mine is all-black color)..... https://www.amazon.com/WAVLINK-Dual-...F8&tag=sg21-20

Seems they have a new version for only $15 too: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...s2&tag=sg21-20

**Easto** · 01-03-21, 10:20 AM

Thanks guys. I did check that the Docking station with a Drive in it was recognized in the bios upon first boot. As said, if the power is on and a drive is installed from the start... it works as expected. It will work with the USB connection (at any time) but this is an older model and does not support USB 3. I was hoping and expecting when using eSATA I could just turn the docking station on at the end of the day, insert a drive, run my backup routines and shut everything down.

Under devices and printers it does show as a SATA/USB Combo. I'll play around in the BIOS a bit more, but if no luck I'll be looking for a different solution. I am leaning in the directions that this is an older station and is ready for the heap. For now I'll do my backups using the USB connection.

**Mark** · 01-03-21, 10:37 AM

maybe under disc management see if you can initialize the drive after bootup ?

i'm just throwing ideas out there

**Easto** · 01-03-21, 10:38 AM

I'm sure it's my current docking station. Under USB whether I'm trying a WD spinner or a Cruical SSD I'm only seeing 37mbs transfer speeds no matter which port I hook it up to on my mobo.

**Easto** · 01-03-21, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Mark

maybe under disc management see if you can initialize the drive after bootup ?

i'm just throwing ideas out there

I will take a look. I don't really need blistering transfer speeds since this will only be doing incremental backup which shouldn't be big at all. I'd just like to get a bit more performance. When the eSata is turned on during boot I can see 175mbs from the WD spinner and that would be fine.