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I know that I can't connect the SAS drive (a Seagate Exos X16 ST12000NM002G) directly to the motherboard as the motherboard doesn't have a SAS controller so I'll need to get a PCIe SATA controller card. I've got a PCIe SATA controller card that's got two drives connected. One SATA can be removed by it's replacement with the SAS drive (not into the SATA controller card) and the other can be moved to an external SATA drive enclosure.

What cables will I need to get to connect the data connection from the controller card to the drive and for the power from the SATA power cable to the power connection on the drive?

Giacomo1968
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SpacePhoenix
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  • You may eant to check tjis post. I think you have said SATA in some places you meant SAS and its confusing. – davidgo Oct 31 '21 at 01:44
  • There are SATA to SAS cables. Seems you have more research to do before you have a question we can and – Ramhound Oct 31 '21 at 01:54
  • @Ramhound there SAS controllers can handle SATA drives, but not the way around. But I'm happy to be proven wrong if you can link me to a cable that can connect a SAS drive to SATA controller. (It will need some kind of active converter) – NiKiZe Oct 31 '21 at 02:56
  • Do you already have the drive? Which model is it? (Update your post with that info) There is some relevant answers at https://superuser.com/q/191681/250231 – NiKiZe Oct 31 '21 at 03:15
  • @NiKiZe model number and manufacturer added – SpacePhoenix Oct 31 '21 at 03:45

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To connect SAS drives you need a SAS controller.

Most (if not all) SAS controllers support SATA drives.

A SAS connectors/backplanes (SFF-8482) is compatible with standard SATA connectors.

So in the end, this becomes a question of what connector you have on the SAS card, and how to get that to "SAS connectors with power"

This answer relates to modern SAS, if it is old drive you need to be more specific on which version of SAS it is.

NiKiZe
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  • I already knew that I'd need to get a SAS controller card. By "backplanes" do you mean where the data cable plugs into the controller card? At the hard drive end a SATA cable is physically compatible. The drive is a new one so I'd assume that the version of SAS is whatever the newest version is – SpacePhoenix Oct 31 '21 at 01:23
  • The SAS connector to drive is then SFF-8482 (search on the net for images) that connector fitts both SAS drives, and SATA drives. What you need at the other end depends on the card. Likely something along the lines of https://www.amazon.se/CableDeconn-Mini-SFF-8087-SFF-8482-kontakter-SATA-str%C3%B6m/dp/B010CMW6S4 – NiKiZe Oct 31 '21 at 03:06
  • any idea if they do an L shaped version of the connector as there's limited space between the connector on the hard drive and the case side panel – SpacePhoenix Oct 31 '21 at 04:46
  • Maybe searching for "SFF-8482 L shape" would answer that, but it also a question about where you can by from. But that is bordering on "recommendations for products or services" and is oftopic. – NiKiZe Oct 31 '21 at 08:29
  • I've bought a SAS controller card. Will I be able to have most of the drives running off the SATA ports on the motherboard, with the SAS drive and the remaining SATAs running off of the SSAS controller. At present 2 drives are running off a SATA controller card as two SATA ports on the motherboard don't work (don't know if they're duff or if it's just because I can't connect the cables into them properly due to where other stuff is located (access to them)) – SpacePhoenix Nov 02 '21 at 09:56
  • Yes you can use multiple controllers in the same system, You might want to check where you get the best performance. – NiKiZe Nov 02 '21 at 12:09
  • Got the SAS controller card installed, Windows is seeing it. The SAS drive is connected up but is not seen by windows. The SAS connector at both ends is properly in place with a SATA power connector plugged into the back at the drive end (into the back of the SAS connector on the cable). Is there something that I need to enable in Windows (Windows 10) for it to be able to see the SAS drive? – SpacePhoenix Nov 07 '21 at 21:31
  • Usually you will see the controller detecting disks during bootup. There is nothing special needed to see the disk, but remember that it probably don't have any partitions on it. – NiKiZe Nov 08 '21 at 03:29
  • When I've got more time I'll try disconnecting and then reconnecting the cables to it. At this point I'm tempted to get a normal SATA drive of the same capacity and with the SAS drive, looking at using it for a NAS at a later date. I'll have to turn quick boot off to see if anything is detected by the controller, nothing shows for the disk in disk management (in Windows) – SpacePhoenix Nov 08 '21 at 10:08