OT: Anyone using removable hard drive racks with success?

dmcmeans wrote on 7/31/2003, 1:53 PM

I was thinking of buying an external firewire/USB shell for my extra hard drives, but in light of the possible problems mentioned recently by others in the forum, I'm looking again at just using removable racks.

I intend to use the extra hard drive for offline storage/project swapping so not having is available at all times isn't an issue.

Has anyone used removable HD racks? Any issues to look out for?

Thanks,

David

Comments

wcoxe1 wrote on 7/31/2003, 2:17 PM

I have two of them, and have never had a single problem. Essentially they are a standard hard drive mounted in a standard way, as far as the computer knows. You have to insert and lock BEFORE booting if it is IDE or EIDE, but if SCSI, I believe it can be hot swappable. The only problem with the removable racks (the ones I have) is that the outer container, which mounts inside the computer in a standard drive bay, may not have anything to attach to. Dells and Gateways are almost all "cage" mount now adays, and a standard drive, or drive holder, may not have anything to screw into. I can't find any old fashioned drive rails, which is what the removable racks mount on. They kids at the local computer chains don't even know what a drive rail is.

Luxo wrote on 7/31/2003, 2:30 PM

I have six removeable trays and I interchange them between two computers. I've never had a problem, but I'm paranoid about bumping or jarring them when removed from a drive bay. Anyway, caution advised, but I strongly recommend this solution. Like wcoce1 said, unfortunately they're not hot swappable under Windows XP (though strangely Win98 seems to offer this function).

I buy my bays and trays from Computer Geeks. Pretty good prices, and when buying a bay check out the special deals that pop up that you can add to your order -- it usually includes a discounted tray.

FWIW, these bays require you to lock the drive in with a key before it will boot, but you can fix that with a screwdriver. Just put the bay into the locked position, remove the silver rod that holds the tray in, and throw the key away. You still have to have the handle arm down and in the locked position for it to boot, but no need for the silly key.

the_rhino wrote on 7/31/2003, 3:38 PM

I don't know if Microsoft has fixed this yet, but when using Windows XP Pro, if I placed the hard drives back in a different order several times, XP thought I made a "hardware change" and I needed to call-in and reactivate Windows. I was using a RAID MB at the time with 4 removable drive trays. Between XP and my MB bios autodetecting HW changes, it was a pain.

The MS 1-800 people never gave me any problems, but I got tired of reactivating all of the time and switched all of my HDs to external USB 2.0 enclosures. I have found the external enclosures are a better option because I can instantly plug HDs into any computer I want in seconds. I like to use one computer to capture and the other to edit, and find that my external system is WAY faster than turning computers off and on and hoping I don't jar removable trays.

Right now my 3 USB 2.0 external drives are stacked next to my 3 mini Shuttle SFF computers. Each is assigned a drive letter and retains the same name when switched between the three computers.

dmcmeans wrote on 7/31/2003, 4:18 PM

Yeah, I have a Dell and have to overcome the drive rail issue to use my rack mounts. If I can find a way to insert screw threads into my rack mount in the right spot I'm in business.

Jay_Mitchell wrote on 8/1/2003, 12:26 AM

I know this question has been asked and answered a hundred times, already. But, here it comes again.

What is the best external firewire or Firewire USB combo drive setup to buy?

What is the difference between the Oxford 911 and 922 architecture?

I am editing on a laptop and need external storage and don't want any problems.

--Jay Mitchell

biggles wrote on 8/1/2003, 2:06 AM

I have an external case with firewire and I mounted a removable HD rack in this. I have had no problems at all - just turn off the power to the external case, slide one HD out and another in - turn the power back on and viola!

PS I am running XP on my PC.

FuTz wrote on 8/1/2003, 6:24 AM

exactly same as Biggles here...

tadpole wrote on 8/1/2003, 2:22 PM

I to thought of purchasing an external drive tray..
But after comparing price, it was about the same to buy an external USB2.0 drive as to buy a "tray" + harddrive

I figured it would be easier/safer just to go with the external drive system.

I have 3 external USB Maxtor drives - never had a problem with them.
Think you could pick up a 120Gig drive for about $220 nowadays

Couple of notes:
-Be sure you have USB 2.0!
-They don't have a "power on/off" - so what i do, is just have them all plugged into a seperate power strip.
-Work as a NICE "data brief case" .. I put all my mp3s on it, went over to my buddys house, plugged into his computer - wham bam transferred files to his harddrive np

On that note - that is why i opted for the USB2.0 version
There are firewire versions (which are probably faster connections speed) but not all computers have firewire ports - where as pretty much every system has USB ports.

my 2cents

wcoxe1 wrote on 8/1/2003, 6:09 PM

The reason I opted for the rack and tray removable system is because of so many complaints and problems and enclosure deaths involving those external USB and Firewire enclosures. Actually, I would RATHER have the external Firewire, but until they get more reliable, not a chance I'm going to play with them.

Besides, when they become more reliable, I can always take the drives out of the tray and put them into the USB 2.0 or Firewire box. I may put a rack and tray into a USB 2.0 box if I can find one that is easy enough to use so that I don't have to use a screw driver every time I want to remove and replace a tray.

For now, USB 1.0 would be the best you can hope for as a universal port on "everybodies" machine. In a few years, USB 2.0. Then, perhaps Firewire. Right not, USB 2.0 is still relatively rare, and Firewire exceedingly so.

As to the comments about having to treat the trays with utmost care not to bump them, well, it is the same kind of harddrive the the USB and Firewire enclosures as the trays, so they are equally fragile.

I went down to Harbor Freight, and for $6.99 bought a little black "brief" case, about 4 x 6 x 8 inches, picked up three pieces of dense gray foam that were the same thickness (together) as the interior. I put one, uncut, in the bottom. I took the center piece, which comes up to the lip of the open case, and cut out a rectangle the size of the drive tray. I put the third one into the top of the little case. They are a tight fit, I have to press down slightly to close it. Thought it was a reasonable idea.

I treated THAT with utmost care, too, until my three year old knocked it off the kitchen counter onto a marble floor. The floor has a nice dent in it. The drive is still fine. None the less, I am still careful with it. No point being stupid about it.