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Vantec Nexstar 3 esata not working

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:22 pm
by andrewg_oz
I recently purchased a Vantec Nexstar 3 (NST-360SU) to use as an eSata QRAID1 with my TS-109 Pro. The drive in the Vantec is a Samsung HD501LJ jumpered to force SATA1 (1.5Gb/s).

In general, when I connect the Vantec to the Qnap, the Qnap eSata starts blinking orange and doesn't stop. The web management tool reports "No disk". However, if I reboot the Qnap, then during bootup the eSata stops blinking and stays steady for a while. If I immediately check the eSata status, it indicates a drive is there, but not the capacity or manufacturer. After short while, the front eSata light on the Qnap starts blinking again and the web manager reports "No disk".

The Vantec connects just fine to my PC via eSata with Windows XP or Knoppix (5.1.1). It also connects just fine to my PC and the Qnap via USB, but I really wanted to use the eSata with the Qnap... :(

Are there any propects for getting the eSata working?

Re: Vantec Nexstar 3 esata not working

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:13 pm
by andrewg_oz
Another question, while I think of it.

If I configure the Nexstar as a USB QRAID, will there be any problem switching to eSata later? Assuming I get eSata working, that is!

Re: Vantec Nexstar 3 esata not working

Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:21 pm
by Tbreak
andrewg_oz,

I had the same situation as you. I found that the eSATA cable supplied with the Vantec was a loose fit in the socket of the TS-109. By using a bit of twist wire, I could make the fit more secure and the eSATA disk would remain visible. However my need is to be able to remove the external drive on a regular basis and after a while this became too much trouble. I now use the USB connection. I guess there is a speed trade off, but it's just easier.

Re: Vantec Nexstar 3 esata not working

Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:11 pm
by dzimmerman
I have one of these HDD caddies too, and I discovered that the problem is entirely with the ESATA cable supplied with the Nexstar unit :cry: . The ESATA cable wouldn't push all the way into the TS109pro, and I discovered that the easy solution was to angle trim the plastic that blocks the connector from pushing all the way in, with a steak knife. This took me about 30 seconds, and the connector will now fit fully into the ESATA socket, and works 100% of the time :D .
After initially thinking the TS109pro had a faulty ESATA connection, I can now work without problems, and am happy with both my TS109pro, and the Nexstar 3.

Re: Vantec Nexstar 3 esata not working

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:56 pm
by andrewg_oz
Thanks for that report dzimmerman. I had also tried trimming the cable, but that hasn't worked for me. What is your firmware version?