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Released on July 21, 2011. Core i5 or Core i7 Processor. Thunderbolt. This unit is also used to run the Mac mini Server configuration.

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Connecting To Internal SATA

I currently have a mid 2011 Mac mini and an external HDD case with four drive bays. It's connected via USB 2.0 which can be painfully slow. The case also has esata which of course doesn't help me either.

What I was wondering is if I were to pop the mini open could I run an eSATA to SATA cable into the mini where the optical drive used to be?

Basically connecting my external drives directly to the logic board and making all my drives show up as internal. I'm just trying to gain some more speed as I transfer large files quite often.

My other option is to hope for a thunderbolt adaptor or a refresh of the mini with a USB 3.0 interface. Then I'll just upgrade the case

Thanks guys!

Answer this question I have this problem too

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I don't understand. Why you don't use directly the thunderbolt connection?

Or use a dock BELKIN Thunderbolt Express Dock

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Mistrato - Great product, but, his model doesn't have Thunderbolt only the new '12 models do.

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1st - Internal SATA port wont support port multiplier, so for it to see more than one drive is impossible!

2nd - To bring the internal SATA out as eSATA, it requires some works, Look here: http://katastrophos.net/andre/blog/2006/...

But you can see all the drive via FireWire, which surely beats the USB2.0

Get thsi bridge from DATOptic.com

http://www.datoptic.com/sata-to-usb-fire...

Connect your box to this bridge via eSATA to SATA cable, then connect to you FireWire port...

All 4 drives should show up.

Good Luck

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