Replaced E7450 mSATA drive, but can't use it with external enclosure

Welcome to the Dell Community @bgthoreson 

Are you using this caddy???

Best regards,

U2

@bgthoreson 

Sorry but it will not work.

You must remove the mSATA from the caddy and find an mSATA to USB external enclosure.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/External-mSATA-SSD-to-USB-3-0-SuperSpeed-Converter-Adapter-Enclosure-Case/293111017565?hash=item443ec7305d:g:Ew0AAOSw7kFecwbv

I have tried to test and DOD erase them just connecting it using a SATA to USB connector.

Sorry it will not work.

I have hundreds of the extra caddies.

Best regards,

U2

@U2CAMEB4ME  I'm not sure why you'd claim that an mSATA to SATA caddy can't be used with a SATA to USB adapter.  There's no reason that would be inherently impossible.  As the OP pointed out, the caddy worked fine to turn that mSATA SSD into a regular internal SATA device used by a regular internal SATA controller, so it should do the same for a SATA to USB adapter that expects a regular SATA device.

@bgthoreson  If you've only tested SATA to USB adapters that rely on USB power, one possibility is that USB power isn't enough for both the SSD and the electronics built into the caddy.  There are powered SATA to USB adapters/enclosures since those are required for using 3.5" drives (desktop-class), but they're less common these days.  I have one by StarTech that can operate with or without external power, so that when using a device that doesn't require such power, you don't have to connect its included wall adapter. But it's quite a bit more expensive than typical USB-powered adapters.

@U2CAMEB4ME  I guess there's always the possibility of something weird/proprietary going on, but mSATA SSDs work functionally identical to 2.5" SATA SSDs.  mSATA is just a standard for physical size and pin mappings, but the data interface works the same way.  And as a result, there are lots of mSATA to SATA bridge boards to facilitate that type of connection.  So if whatever caddy the OP is using can be physically connected to a SATA port on a SATA to USB adapter, it doesn't make sense to me why it wouldn't WORK like a regular SATA SSD at that point -- unless maybe there's a power issue as can exist when using 3.5" drives with such SATA to USB adapters, as I mentioned.

@jphughan 

The caddy in question is for the E7440/E7450.

If you take the caddy "Pictured above" with the mSATA drive still mounted and use a SATA to USB it will not work!!! "Not Detected"

I just upgraded my Sentinel and I have a bucket of E7450 drives to test.

Most of the time I would have one of the tech's remove the mSATA drive and use a mSATA to USB to test them.

That's why I have hundreds if not thousands of just the caddy.

In the past I have used Sentinel and MHDD and both have not detected the mSATA without removing it from the caddy???

I'll let you know what I find on Monday,

Best regards,

U2

Good morning @jphughan  and @bgthoreson 

As I stated not claimed, if the mSATA drive is in the E7440/E7450 caddy it will not be seen if using any SATA to USB connector.

It must be removed and you must use an mSATA to USB enclosure. "FACT"

As stated I new I had a bucket of E7440/E7450 mSATA's to test.

When connected and the mSATA is still in the caddy Sentinel and Disk Manager do not see the mSATA.

This was from experience not just a "Claim" that's why as I stated I have hundreds if not thousands of just the caddies as the mSATA must be removed to be tested and erased.

Best regards,

U2

@U2CAMEB4ME  Out of curiosity, did you try any SATA to USB adapters that had external power connected rather than just relying on USB bus power?

I tried the caddy in my T3610 using the internal power and data cables with no luck so it's got to be a caddy issue. I've got a msata convertor showing up tomorrow so I'll know more by late Tuesday. 

@jphughan 

No I have never tried.

As the power requirements for the mSATA is 3.3V ~ .7A

Most regular HDD's require 5V ~ .75A~1.25A

I use the same setup for all.

After testing around a million drives over the last 20 years I can safely say it is not a power requirement.

.

@jphughan  If you live in the US I can ship a few for you to do some testing.

Regards,

U2

@U2CAMEB4ME  I understand the typical power requirements, but the mSATA to SATA adapter board might be the unknown here that changes the power requirements, which is why I asked if you had ever tried a powered adapter such as one that you'd use if you were trying to get a 3.5" SATA disk connected via USB.  There has to be something that accounts for your findings, because mSATA to SATA bridge boards exist and are designed to cause an mSATA SSD to be usable just like a regular SATA device -- and SATA to USB adapters are designed to handle regular SATA devices, which is what the mSATA to SATA adapter should be creating.  So it just doesn't make sense that these Latitude adapters would work perfectly fine when installed internally but would be impossible to get working through a SATA to USB adapter.  The Latitude adapters aren't using some sort of proprietary connector within Latitude systems, after all.  They're just connecting to SATA, so it shouldn't matter whether that SATA port is located inside a Latitude laptop or a SATA to USB adapter.  And the only difference I can think of here is the amount and/or voltage of the power available.  A SATA power connector has pins for 3.3V, 5V, and 12V.  So maybe the Latitude adapter is designed to use a voltage level that your unpowered adapters aren't providing.  In that case, total wattage wouldn't be relevant here.

You really don't have a powered SATA to USB adapter to try?  Don't you ever need to connect 3.5" SATA drives via USB?

@jphughan 

Sorry but I had another project that needed to be sorted.

CF-31W MK4 MIL BIOS with BIOS password and BIOS microcode set to not allow WiFi and Bluetooth.

Thanks to Grub and Python I can now reset any CF-31 MK4 BIOS password and enable the WiFi and Bluetooth.

Now back to the mSATA.

I was able to remove my Master Driver drive from its enclosure. “It is the only one I have that has a separate power source.”

I clipped some of the plastic tips from the mSATA caddy and was able to fit it.

Then tried connecting it to one of my test beds and there was no difference.

After reading your last reply “3-4 times” I may have something.

Let’s see.

Regards,

U2

@bgthoreson 

How many wires does the power cable have in the T3610???

Is one of the 4~5 Orange???

Regards,

U2

@U2CAMEB4ME  I really don't know, but a difference in the power rails that are provided seems like the only possible answer here.  Even if you don't have a powered USB to SATA adapter, what about installing the caddy into a desktop PC?