sata caddy system help

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dhphy
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Joined: Nov 3 2000

As recomended and used by forum members here some years ago and a system I adopted, my two computer systems have two HDD drives in caddies, one the system drive and one for video editing.
Also fitted to ADS external enclosures are the same internal caddies allowing the trays to be mounted in the computer or externally in the external caddies.

Two new computers I have had built recently have a number of HDD mounted in them but I would like to fit caddies to them.
The convenience of being able to use any disc (accept the system of course) in any computer and being able to connect any disc via the external enclosure was very convenient with the older computers.

While there is no shortage of choice for SATA internal caddies, I don't seem to be able to find an external 5.25" enclosure that will allow me to fit the internal SATA caddies in the same way as the older system.
There also doesn't seem to be (except for one manufaturer) that supplies internal removable caddies and an external removable enclosure that accepts the same trays.
A big gap in the market I would have thought unless I have missed something.

I'd appreciate any advice or direction that would allow the convenience of the older system.
Thanks in advance
Dave

harlequin
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Joined: Aug 16 2000

an external enclosure that accepts dvd drives ( full length 5 1/4" ) would help

you want an esata external box , which i think i have seen on ''scan '' website.

i'll go take a look

start here http://www.addonics.com/products/raid_system/ast2.asp

Gary MacKenzie

sepulce@hotmail.com ( an account only used for forum messages )

Thinkserver TS140 , 750ti Graphics card  & LG 27" uws led backlight , Edius 8

Humax Foxsat HD Pvr / Humax Fox T2 dvbt

dhphy
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Joined: Nov 3 2000

Hi Gary
Thanks for your reply
A full length 5 1/4" enclosure would do it I think and then I have the flexability to use any internal caddy system.
I have had a look but they seem pretty rare although it might be the search terms I'm using.

I found this one
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=664839

Which I think will do if I can't find another.

I did find one other, which was a make I new but only had esata output and I would prefer USB, but I can't rember what make now.

The Addoniucs looks interesting but a bit complicated. They look like they are only just setting up in the UK though as the UK website isn't functional yet.

Thanks for your help and addvice
Dave Hughes

harlequin
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Joined: Aug 16 2000

have a look at this @ http://www.store2go.net/shop/ultimatestorage/p/category/0706282586-MirrorDrive+I+RAID/

maybe a phone call to them could get a solution

maybe talk to scan too , the best external i have is a pyro case ( firewire ) , but it is only ide , not sata or esata.

Gary MacKenzie

sepulce@hotmail.com ( an account only used for forum messages )

Thinkserver TS140 , 750ti Graphics card  & LG 27" uws led backlight , Edius 8

Humax Foxsat HD Pvr / Humax Fox T2 dvbt

dhphy
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Joined: Nov 3 2000
caddy Progress

Progress report

External 5.25 Enclosures are very rare!
This was the best I could find
Jou Jye External SATA drive and ESATA and USB external connections: example here
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=664839

The internal caddies are Icy Box and are here
http://www.raidsonic.de/en/pages/products/mobile-racks.php?we_objectID=2576

The Jou Jye needed some extra holes drilled in the the base, which is within the external case of the same product so not seen. They were needed as the front of the internal caddy did not protude quite enough when using the pre- drilled holes.
Connected up and seems to work fine on USB.
The Jou Jye has a fan at the back which I have at the moment disabled because the Icybox has a fan at the front.

The rest of the caddies will be fitted into the PC.
A couple of observations about the Icybox.
The construction is such that the connections on the HDD itself slot into the outer casing of the caddy carrier. This allows the caddy to be quite short, in fact about an inch longer than a HDD. Made fitting to the external case a breezeas ther was loads of room.
A bit concerned that after a while the connections of the HDD will loosen if removed and replaced frequently.
Also the front fan on the Icybox is quite loud.

However I could do with a little more advice.

The Computer case is a Coolermaster CM Stacker and has has 5 HDD fitted, example of the case is here:
http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/cases/coolermaster/cmstacker/index.htm

HDD 1 - System, which is backed up by Norton Ghost on an external drive.
HDD 2 & 3 connected in a RAID 1 array on which important and frequently used files reside
HDD 4 & 5 to hold video project files and are the ones which will be removed most frequently.
However with all five drives fitted and the the noisy fans at the front, it is going to sound like a jet engine and might even start moving :).

The case itself has vey good cooling and the internal caddies, not yet fitted are of all aluminium construction. I'm not sure what the optimum temperature for HDD is, but if I disable the fans at the fromt of the caddies, and allow the (Very good and quite quiet) case fans to cool the system am I running a risk of premature HDD failure?

Also to save power and if I sould keep the fans in the internal caddies, I don't see a way of disconnecting them when the PC is on i.e. hot swopping.
External devices have the "safely remove" Icon on the task bar, but can't find the proceadure for removing the internal drives. OS windows Vista Ultimate by the way.
Any help, thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.
Dave Hughes

harlequin
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dhphy wrote:
However with all five drives fitted and the the noisy fans at the front, it is going to sound like a jet engine and might even start moving :).

The case itself has vey good cooling and the internal caddies, not yet fitted are of all aluminium construction. I'm not sure what the optimum temperature for HDD is, but if I disable the fans at the fromt of the caddies, and allow the (Very good and quite quiet) case fans to cool the system am I running a risk of premature HDD failure?

Also to save power and if I sould keep the fans in the internal caddies, I don't see a way of disconnecting them when the PC is on i.e. hot swopping.
External devices have the "safely remove" Icon on the task bar, but can't find the proceadure for removing the internal drives. OS windows Vista Ultimate by the way.
Any help, thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.
Dave Hughes

1. sound of fans : welcome to my world .... i have a 19" rackmount server ... only when you switch it off do you realise how ''noisy'' it was.

2. i would suggest any fans are left enabled.

3. to hot swap , you need internal cradles with that ability ...... i only see those in server solutions , not common purchase solutions.

Gary MacKenzie

sepulce@hotmail.com ( an account only used for forum messages )

Thinkserver TS140 , 750ti Graphics card  & LG 27" uws led backlight , Edius 8

Humax Foxsat HD Pvr / Humax Fox T2 dvbt

dhphy
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Joined: Nov 3 2000

Thanks Gary
It is when you turn them off that you realise that they are quite intrusive.

I thought Vista had the ability to hot swop built into the software somewhere.
It's not a problem just means turning off the PC to change them.

It shouldn't be a problem to leave the two video editing drives turned off if not in use should it?
Dave

harlequin
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vista may well have , i haven't seen it , and it may only enable with ''hot swap caddies'' installed , probably a small chip in them ( firmware )

leaving drives 'off' shouldn't be a problem , but not sure how easy to 'on' them with system up live

Gary MacKenzie

sepulce@hotmail.com ( an account only used for forum messages )

Thinkserver TS140 , 750ti Graphics card  & LG 27" uws led backlight , Edius 8

Humax Foxsat HD Pvr / Humax Fox T2 dvbt