Is THIS my answer to mixed SATA storage?

John_Cline wrote on 10/27/2008, 2:27 AM

Bob,

A device that mounts in a 5.25" bay that has a cooling fan and allows you to easily slide a bare SATA drive into it would be ideal. The problem with SATA or eSATA solutions is that they aren't hot-swappable except in Vista. XP doesn't seem to be very good about hot-swapping SATA drives unless there is some trick that I don't know about.

As far as the Vantec and Thermaltake "toaster" docks, I just put it where there is no chance it will be accidentally knocked over. The BlacX is pretty heavily weighted on the bottom and it has a wider base than the Vantec. It would be pretty hard to knock it over.

I generally use it with the USB2 interface if I'm only going to use the drive for a short while, it's certainly a lot slower than SATA, but I can pop drives in and out without rebooting every time. If I'm going to be working with the drive for any length of time or need to transfer large amounts of data, I shut down, insert the drive and reboot using the eSATA port. I also have a Kingwin SATA drive bay that I use all the time, but it uses removable trays instead of just sliding in a bare drive. I only have about five trays for fifty drives, but I've gotten really quick with swapping drives in and out of the tray. The Kingwin also has a cooling fan and I use it when I'm going to be working with that drive for an extended length of time.

Grazie wrote on 10/27/2008, 2:32 AM

Hmmmm....

http://www.storagedepot.co.uk/Enclosures-and-Cases/sc884/p815.aspxSo, it could be this: Icy Dock Trayless Mobile Rack for 3,5“ SATA HDD's[/link]

Good points John.

Grazie

John_Cline wrote on 10/27/2008, 2:42 AM

Grazie,

Brilliant, just what I was looking for, thanks! I don't know how I missed that one.

It doesn't have a fan, but I've got an Antec 900 computer case which moves a LOT of air through it and that particular IcyDock is an open design, so a dedicated drive fan probably isn't necessary.

farss wrote on 10/27/2008, 2:59 AM

That'd do it, there's several such units around at various pricepoints.
There's also the draw / caddy units which are pretty cheap and the drive is always protected, just a matter of deciding what suits you best.
Grazie,
if you've run out of SATA ports a SATA card is very cheap.

Addonics.com have a big range of controllers and drive bay thingies.

Bob.

John_Cline wrote on 10/27/2008, 3:06 AM

Hmmm, curious... IcyDock in the USA only has this trayless caddy, which has a fan:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994058

I'd also prefer that the front panel was black instead of brushed aluminum. Nevertheless, I just ordered one from Newegg.

Grazie wrote on 10/27/2008, 3:23 AM

Then this one?

http://www.storagedepot.co.uk/Enclosures-and-Cases/sc935/p732.aspx#SpecificationIcy Box Compact 2 bay external JBOD - WITH FAN!!![/link]

Grazie

Grazie wrote on 10/27/2008, 3:34 AM

Question, oh Wise Ones! This device, the Icy Compact 2 Bay external, allows for 2 SATA HDDs to be accessed via USB 2.0. How does/would my PC recognise the 2 drives separately?

TIA

Grazie

farss wrote on 10/27/2008, 4:33 AM

The USB interface can mount multiple drives / supports a hub e.g. plug in one of those 25-all-in-one USB card readers and Windows can create a drive letter for each one of the slots.

Problem I see with that unit is it's USB2 so it's going to be a bit slow, especially if copying files from one drive in the box to another drive in the box.

Bob.

DSCalef wrote on 10/27/2008, 9:34 AM

Try the Addonics Snap-In SATA rack. I have 8 of them spread over 3 computers, and love them. Snap in a bare drive, turn the lock and it turns on. No rebooting, hot swappable.

$26.95 each.

[Link=http://www.shopaddonics.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=AESNAPMRSA&eq=&Tp=]

Laurence wrote on 10/27/2008, 9:56 AM

How about this for a really simple approach:

http://www.techfresh.net/sata-hard-drive-cradle/

Jay Gladwell wrote on 10/27/2008, 10:14 AM

That is an interesting alternative!

Thanks for sharing.

EDIT: It appears no one in the US carries it.

Jeff_Smith wrote on 10/27/2008, 11:40 AM

John,
It does not appear that the security lock turns off the drive like the Addonics, Is that right? Is the hard drive always running? What hard drive would you suggest, I seem to recall you like seagate?
Thanks, Jeff

Jeff_Smith wrote on 10/27/2008, 11:55 AM

I deleted my message seems that tray only works with their 4 bay drive kit, I went to a local computer store and bought a vantec SATA EZ Swap kit for $40.

John_Cline wrote on 10/27/2008, 3:09 PM

Laurence, the dock for which you posted an image is identical to USB2-only version of the Thermaltake BlacX series. Newegg currently has the Thermaltake BlacX USB/eSATA version for $35.99 ($45.99 + $10 mail-in rebate) and free shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153071

Coursedesign wrote on 10/27/2008, 4:57 PM

I have a bunch of Icy Dock 559 trays, and can vouch for their consistently high quality.

If you have a motorized screwdriver, you can change drives in the tray in a few seconds (they're too expensive to have trays also for less frequently used drives).

Steve Mann wrote on 10/27/2008, 11:52 PM

"It does not appear that the security lock turns off the drive like the Addonics, Is that right? Is the hard drive always running?"

I have three of the Addonics units in my computers, like them a lot, I do. Bought them off the shelf at Micro Center.

The key only locks the door closed for security purposes. I don't even know where my keys are now. Yes, as long as the drive door is closed, the drive is running. If you want to stop it, open the door.

aldo12xu wrote on 12/7/2008, 10:37 AM

John Cline said:

"The problem with SATA or eSATA solutions is that they aren't hot-swappable except in Vista. XP doesn't seem to be very good about hot-swapping SATA drives unless there is some trick that I don't know about."

I have 2 external eSATA drives which I wasn't able to swap (ie. only 1 drive was recognized through the eSATA cable). Then I found this free program and now I'm able to swap through the eSATA cable, although I still have to reboot each time. I'm using Windows XP:

Hot Swap:
http://mysite.verizon.net/kaakoon/hotswap/index_enu.htm

However, after discovering this thread I went out and bought the Vantec docking unit. There are no issues with the USB connection. But the unit is not recognized using the eSATA connection, even with the Hot Swap software. I went into admin tools > computer management > disc management and there was so sign of it.

Would the Thermaltake docking unit be any different?

John_Cline wrote on 12/7/2008, 9:31 PM

Hot swapping eSATA drives is more a function of the SATA chipset on the motherboard rather than the capability of the external dock.

DavidMcKnight wrote on 12/7/2008, 9:46 PM

I agree, we just took two sata docks out of a server (connected to a pci-sata expansion card) and installed one in each of two editing boxes, connected to the MoBo sata ports. In the server & pci card arrangement they hot swapped all day long. But on this motherboard (MSI) they do not.

Grazie wrote on 12/31/2008, 12:48 AM

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/FWU2ESHDK/Is THIS the one for me?[/link] - I think it is very sweet!

* Lever eject
* USB/FW/eSATA
* Heavy Bottom! PLUS rubber feet!
* Up to 2tb HDs

I saw this in the "Xmas Goodies" thread. I'de ( pun there!) be interested in our chum's experience of it. And, as usual, the Yanks are way ahead of us in this stuff! I can't find it anywhere in the UK. Having it shipped over would probably DOUBLE the cost.

Anybody's thoughts will be appreciated.

Grazie

farss wrote on 12/31/2008, 2:19 AM

I've got two similar units.
The first one had an intermittent power connector that caused me no end of grief. Thankfully the disk itself seems OK after a full format.
Second one is better built but with both the disks get very hot and are obviously at risk of getting bumped etc.

For the few extra dollars I'm getting one of these units made by Addonics.
There's also a cheaper version that fits into a 5.25" drive bay. I'm pretty certain you can buy these in the UK, if not no problems for me to buy one locally for you although probably makes more sense for you to get one from a USA supplier like PC Connection who do ship world wide.

Bob.

craftech wrote on 12/31/2008, 7:24 AM

Try the Addonics Snap-In SATA rack. I have 8 of them spread over 3 computers, and love them. Snap in a bare drive, turn the lock and it turns on. No rebooting, hot swappable.
========================
I use what appears to be the same one sold by Monoprice

Their prices are hard to beat and the unit works very well. At $15.57 each, eight of them would cost only $124.56 + shipping.

John