My Book Essential 3 TB - USB 3.0 PCI-card with Asus Mobo - which card is actually working

I have a “My Book Essential 3 TB” WDBACW0030HBK-EESN connected to Asus Maximus II Formula, admittedly not one of the latest, but still it had a higher pricetag at the time.

That said, it has an eSATA connecter. One of WD drives also had eSATA: not compatible…

After reading quite a number of threads concerning non-working PCI card, I very much hesitate to just

randomly buy a card and see if it works. I could as well buy half a dozen of cards at the same time and

ask the shop if I cud return 5 of them if, by mere luck, one is working …

But maybe someone out managed to get everything working?

Thanks!

I think you can find one on the WD store, if they don’t have it call tech support to see if they can send you one. 

http://support.wdc.com/contact/contact.asp?lang=en

Thing is: WD Store only sells at USA.

Am waiting for tech support for their advice.

It is a bit weird that the gamble is left to the user without even giving a bit of a clue what best to look for.

WD produces product X

PCI card mfr produces Y

Mobo mft produces Z

Customer may sort out which combination is likely to work . . .

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Are you trying to install a PCI-PCIe SATA card?

I always use SYBA cards which use SiL chips, they are bootable. VIA chipsets cannot be booted, no Boot Rom.

SYBA cards, a 2-Port SATA card should be about 30 bucks, for a SATA 2 one. I don’t know if they make SATA 3, actually not even sure if they make SATA 2 ones but for most purposes, 1.5 GB/s transfer rate is good enough. I just moved over 400 GB of Data and it only took about 3 hours total.

Check NEWEGG they ought to have one, be careful to read the reviews before buying. If the reviews have more positive than negative, then it’s probably going to work for you. But you can always return them and get another.

Thank you.

After further investigation I think it is going to be a Silverstone SST-EC04-P.

Based on

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3886/~/compatible-and-incompatible-usb-3.0-pcie-cards-and-motherboards-for-the-my-book

NEC chipset may get best chances, I guess.

This card has a high score on Newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815256004

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Yes, that looks good! Can you boot from it? I always have to use the old PCI cards, because the motherboards I put them on are all old ones. Yah get that one. Two External SATA ports.

I am afraid I am unable to answer that question. Maybe you can find an answer on their website.

Frankly, installing hardware myself, is a bit of an ‘enterprise’ - I have my pc assembled and usually do not do any replacements or upgrades. Some people are replacing stuff blindfolded, I already tend to get nervous opening the  pc case…:wink:

Like with this card: it needs power thru a molex connector. So, I need to buy an extra molex cable.

Are they all the same?

If not, what specific cable do I need?

And after connecting it to the card, where do I put the other end?

questions questions …

ha!