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Go to StarTech.com2 Port Mini PCI Express Internal SATA II Controller Card
Add 2 SATA ports to a small form factor or embedded system, through a Mini PCIe slot
Product ID: MPEXSATA22I
- Two independent SATA channels
- Fully compatible with SATA revision 1 & 2 hard drives (HDD), Solid State Drives (SSD) and optical drives (CD/DVD/BD)
- Built-in RAID support (JBOD, BIG, 0, 1)
- Full length Mini PCI Express form factor
- Support for large capacity SATA drives through a 48-bit LBA
- Compliant with PCI Express Mini Card specification 1.2
- Support for Legacy Command Queuing (LCQ) and Native Command Queuing (NCQ)
- Plug-and-Play and hot-swap compatible
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May be in stock with partners
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Overview
The MPEXSATA22I 2-Port Mini PCIe to SATA Controller Card lets you add 2 SATA 3Gbps connectors to a small form factor or embedded system, through a Mini PCI Express (Mini Card) expansion slot.
Perfect for upgrading the capabilities of a system that would typically have a very limited number of internal ports, the Mini PCIe to SATA controller card is compatible with all types of Serial ATA devices, including hard drives (HDDs), Solid State Drives (SSD), and optical drives (CD/DVD/BD).
A versatile solution for internal storage applications, this PCI Express to SATA controller card features built-in RAID support (JBOD, BIG, RAID 0, RAID 1), and is backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
The StarTech.com Advantage
- Maximizes space-efficiency by adding two independent SATA ports through Mini PCI Express, an ideal solution for embedded systems and very small form factor systems
- 48-bit LBA support for large capacity hard drives and built-in RAID for either performance or redundancy
- Backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support
Applications
Add additional SATA ports to systems with mini PCI Express slots, such as some mini-ITX and smaller boards
Add RAID support to small form factor or embedded system builds
Technical Specifications
Warranty Information | ||
---|---|---|
Warranty | 2 Years | |
Hardware | ||
Bus Type | Mini PCI Express | |
Card Type | Embedded | |
Chipset ID | Silicon Image - SiI3132 | |
Interface | SATA | |
Ports | 2 | |
Performance | ||
LBA support | 48-bit | |
Maximum Data Transfer Rate | 3.0 Gbps | |
Port Multiplier | No | |
RAID | Yes | |
Supported RAID Modes | BIG (Spanning or Concatenation) | |
JBOD - (Just a Bunch of Disks) | ||
RAID 0 (Striped Disks) | ||
RAID 1 (Mirrored Disks) | ||
Type and Rate | SATA II (3 Gbps) | |
Connector(s) | ||
Connector Type(s) | 1 - Mini PCI Express x1 (52 pin) Male | |
Internal Ports | 2 - SATA (7 pin, Data) Plug | |
Software | ||
OS Compatibility | Windows® 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10 Windows Server® 2003, 2008 R2, 2012 Mac OS X® 10.6 to 10.11 Linux 3.5.x to 4.4.x LTS Versions only Note: The MPEXSATA22I does not support RAID when used in a Linux operating system |
|
Special Notes / Requirements | ||
Note | The MPEXSATA22I does not support RAID when used in a Linux operating system | |
System and Cable Requirements | Full length Mini PCI Express slot | |
Environmental | ||
Operating Temperature | 0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F) | |
Storage Temperature | -65°C to 150°C (-85°F to 302°F) | |
Physical Characteristics | ||
Product Height | 4 mm [0.2 in] | |
Product Length | 50 mm [2 in] | |
Product Weight | 7.8 g [0.3 oz] | |
Product Width | 30 mm [1.2 in] | |
Packaging Information | ||
Shipping (Package) Weight | 131 g [4.6 oz] | |
What's in the Box | ||
Included in Package | 1 - Mini PCIe SATA Card | |
2 - SATA cable - 50 cm | ||
1 - Driver CD | ||
1 - Instruction Manual |
Compatibility








Windows Server® 2003, 2008 R2, 2012
Mac OS X® 10.6 to 10.11
Linux 3.5.x to 4.4.x LTS Versions only
Note: The MPEXSATA22I does not support RAID when used in a Linux operating system
Accessories
6in SATA Serial ATA Cable
This high quality SATA cable is designed for connecting SATA drives even in tight spaces.
12in SATA Serial ATA Cable
This high quality SATA cable is designed for connecting SATA drives even in tight spaces.
18in SATA Serial ATA Cable
This high quality SATA cable is designed for connecting SATA drives even in tight spaces.
24in SATA Serial ATA Cable
This high quality SATA cable is designed for connecting SATA drives even in tight spaces.
36in SATA Serial ATA Cable
Connect and position SATA drives easily - designed for larger cases
12in Latching SATA Cable
Latching SATA connectors, for securely fastened hard drive installations.
18in SATA to Left Angle SATA Serial ATA Cable - F/F
Make a left-angled connection to your SATA drive, for installation in tight spaces
18in SATA to Right Angle SATA Serial ATA Cable
Make a right-angled connection to your SATA drive, for installation in tight spaces
Product Support
Drivers & Downloads
Driver(s):
-
[Sil3x32] eSATA Controller Card Non-Raid.zip
Windows 32bit: 1.0.22.4
Windows 64bit: 1.0.15.6
Macintosh: 1.2.5.0
Linux: 1.0.6.0 -
[Sil3x32] eSATA Controller Card Raid Drivers.zip
Use this if you want to use RAID with this card
Windows: 1.5.19.0
Macintosh: 1.7.5.0
Linux: 1.0.9.0
Manual(s):
-
MPEXSATA22I.pdf
English
Compliance Letter(s):
Data Sheet(s)
- MPEXSATA22I_Datasheet.pdf
English
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
Although you can adapt a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) drive to connect to a standard SATA controller card, the card must support SAS commands in order to communicate with SAS drives. SAS drives have a different command set that is not present on SATA controllers.
This SATA controller card only supports standard SATA drives.
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This device does not support the ATA Packet Interface (ATAPI) protocol. ATAPI is required for optical drives, including CD-ROM drives, DVD-ROM drives, and Blu-ray players. Because this device does not support ATAPI, optical drives are also not supported over any IDE, SATA, or eSATA connections.
For a list of products that do support ATAPI, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/hard_drive_controllers_atapi_support.
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Note: Not all StarTech.com devices support each of the RAID modes described below. For more information on the RAID modes that your device supports, refer to the manual or the StarTech.com product page.
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is a virtual disk technology that combines multiple physical drives into one unit. RAID can create redundancy, improve performance, or do both.
RAID should not be considered a replacement for backing up your data. If critical data is going onto a RAID array, it should be backed up to another physical drive or logical set of drives.
The following are terms that are normally used in connection with RAID:
- Striping: data is split between multiple disks.
- Mirroring: data is mirrored between multiple disks.
- Parity: also referred to as a checksum. Parity is a calculated value used to mathematically rebuild data.
Different RAID levels exist for different application requirements.
Refer to the following table for the list of RAID modes offered by some StarTech.com products:
RAID mode | Description | Operation | Advantages | Disadvantages | Recovery |
RAID 0 | Striped disks | Data is split evenly between two or more disks. | Large size and the fastest speed. | No redundancy. | If one or more drives fails, this results in array failure. |
RAID 1 | Mirrored disks | Two or more drives have identical data on them. | A single drive failure will not result in data loss. | Speed and size is limited by the slowest and smallest disk. | Only one drive is needed for recovery. |
RAID 3 | Striped set with dedicated parity | Data is split evenly between two or more disks, plus a dedicated drive for parity storage. | High speeds for sequential read/write operations. | Poor performance for multiple simultaneous instructions. | A single drive failure will rebuild. |
RAID 5 | Striped disks with distributed parity | Data is split evenly between three or more disks. Parity is split between disks. | Large size, fast speed, and redundancy. | The total array size is reduced by parity. | A single drive failure will rebuild. |
RAID 10 | 1+0; Striped set of Mirrored Subset | Four or more drives are made into two mirrors that are striped. | Larger size and higher speed than RAID-1, and more redundancy than RAID-0. | No parity. | Only one drive in a mirrored set can fail. |
JBOD | Just a Bunch Of Disks | Any number of drives are accessed independently by the operating system. | Software RAID modes can be used. | Hardware RAID may have better performance. | N/A |
Big | Spanning or Concatenation | Data is written on one drive until it is full, and then the next drive(s) until it or they are full. | Creates a very large and simple array. |
No redundancy. |
N/A |
Clone | RAID 1 + Spare |
Two drives have identical data, plus one drive is used for rebuilding in case of a primary array failure. |
Seamless operation when one drive fails in a RAID-1 array. | Spare drive is not accessible to the user. | Only one drive is needed for recovery. |
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Installation
Before you install the device, make sure that your operating system is current (for example, the most recent service pack is installed).
- Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website at www.startech.com/Support. The part number and product ID are on the product packaging.
Note: Windows usually saves the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, C:\Users\your_name\Downloads).
- After the download is complete, right-click the zip folder that you downloaded, click Extract All, and complete the instructions.
- Press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open the Device Manager.
- Right-click SCSI and RAID Controllers, which will have a “!” or “?” next to it to indicate a driver issue.
- Click Update Driver.
- Click Browse my computer for driver software.
- Select the Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer option.
- On the Select your device’s type from the list below screen, click Show All Devices, and click Next.
Note: The Select your device’s type from the list below screen does not appear on all systems. If you do not see this screen, skip this step.
- Select the Have Disk option.
- Browse to the extracted folder from Step 2.
- Open the Windows folder.
- Open the Manual Drivers folder.
- Open the folders as appropriate for your system type and hardware.
Note: To view your system type, click Start. Right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
- Click the SI3132.inf file. Click OK, and then click Next. Additional device listings will appear in Device Manager.
- Complete steps 4 to 11 for each of the new device listings.
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How to
To confirm that Windows detects your expansion card, complete the following:
- Press the Windows key+R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
- In Device Manager, under the appropriate heading, confirm that your expansion card is listed and that there isn't an exclamation mark next to it. For example, a USB controller card would be under Universal Serial Bus controllers.
Your expansion card is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your expansion card, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
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To confirm that the Mac OS detects your expansion card, complete the following:
- Click the Apple icon.
- Click About This Mac.
- Click More Info or System Report.
- Under the appropriate heading, confirm that your expansion card is listed and that there isn't an error. For example, a network card would be under Ethernet Cards.
Your expansion card is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your expansion card, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
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In order to use a hard drive plugged into a hard drive controller card as your operating system, you need to install the operating system onto the hard drive while it is plugged into the expansion card. To do this, complete the following:
Note: Not all hard drive controller cards have drivers that allow you to install the operating system onto the hard drive. All of the hard drive controllers that display this FAQ include this capability.
Before you begin, consult the documentation that came with the motherboard to make sure that the motherboard or BIOS supports booting from an expansion card.
- Back up any data on the hard drive.
- Make a copy of the drivers from the website onto a floppy disc, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive. The drivers that you download depends on the operating system that you want to install.
- Install the hard drive controller card onto your motherboard.
- Plug the hard drive into the controller card.
- Turn on your computer and open the operating system install wizard.
- Before you select the hard drive that you want to install the operating system onto, select the option to install third-party drivers.
- Point the driver installer to the floppy disc, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive.
- Install the drivers.
- Select the hard drive on the hard drive controller card as the location where you want to install the operating system.
- Complete the on-screen instructions to finish installing the operating system.
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Troubleshooting
When you troubleshoot issues with a hard drive controller card, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
-
IDE, SATA, and eSATA cables
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Hard drives
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Hard drive controller card
To test your setup components, try the following:
-
Use the IDE, SATA, or eSATA cable, hard drive, and hard drive controller card in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
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Use a different IDE, SATA, or eSATA cable, hard drive, and hard drive controller card in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
-
Test each cable individually.
-
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the hard drive and hard drive controller card, it is recommended that you do the following:
-
To open the Device Manager, press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter. Check the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers (for IDE) section, or the Storage controllers (for SATA) section.
-
Do one of the following:
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If you do not see the hard drive controller card in Device Manager, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#pci-pcie-cannot-boot-os-or-detect-windows.
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If the device is listed with an error, reinstall the drivers by completing the instructions on the website.
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If the hard drive is listed with unallocated space, the hard drive needs to be formatted. Right-click unallocated and click New Simple Volume. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reformatting.
Note: Formatting a hard drive erases all of the data on it. Make sure that you back up all of your data before you reformat the hard drive.
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To check Disk Management, press the Windows key + R, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter. Check to see if your hard drive is listed.
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If the hard drive is listed as healthy but does not have a drive letter, for example, C:, right-click healthy and click Change Drive Letter and Paths. Click Add, assign a drive letter, and click OK.
Note: A formatted hard drive does not show up in Computer or My Computer until it has a drive letter assigned to it.
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In order to rebuild a RAID array, you need to replace a physical drive with an identical drive on the same RAID controller. Although standard RAID levels are generally agreed upon throughout the industry, the implementation varies between manufacturers. RAID arrays are typically not accessible when they are moved to another controller, and data may be unrecoverable if the drives are out of order or have been formatted or accessed by another RAID controller.
If a RAID controller has failed, you should get the exact same model of RAID controller.
Note: If a drive or drives were damaged, it is possible that the RAID array may be permanently unrecoverable.
RAID should not be considered a replacement for backing up your data. If critical data is going onto a RAID array, you should back up the data on another physical drive or logical set of drives.
Rebuild a RAID array
With the following RAID modes, recovery is possible using the same StarTech.com product. Refer to the following table for the appropriate method to use to recover your RAID array.
RAID mode | Max # of failed drives | Procedure |
RAID 1 | Only one drive is needed for recovery. |
The array will rebuild and is accessible during the rebuilding process. |
RAID 3 | Single drive failure will rebuild. |
Note: Do not change the order of the drives.
|
RAID 5 | Single drive failure will rebuild. |
Note: Do not change the order of the drives.
|
RAID 10 | Only one drive in a mirrored set can fail. |
Note: Do not change the order of the drives.
|
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* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
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