"HDD Not Included"

[Ralf Maximus]

Found this gizmo, and it sure looks sweet:
http://www.geekstuff4u.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=630

For $46.79 US you get a desktop slot/holder for one 2.5" or 3.5" SATA disk drive.  Like me, you probably have a few surplused drives laying around, and swapping them in/out of a dedicated USB enclosure is too much of a hassle. 

I think I'll get one of these and see how it goes.  Can't beat 200GB removable media!

Or shoot, I'll line my desktop with 'em!  RAID 5 here I come!  Oh, wait... it's USB...

[tinjaw]

You can get the same functionality for much cheaper.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=usb++IDE+adapter&x=0&y=0

[Ralf Maximus]

Yep, but I've already worn out a drive harness -- those cabley things have a finite lifetime for abuse, it would appear.  And my harness can handle only 3.5 drives -- this one does both.

I also like this because it's self-contained and somewhat attractive, without having to fiddle with cables.  Just plug the drive into the slot.  Kind of like a cell phone cradle.

[Deozaan]

You really want your hard drive sticking out in the middle of the air? Have some decency and at least cover that thing!

Okay, so first sentence was serious. Second was a joke. I wouldn't like my HDD in open air. Something about it doesn't seem right.

[mouser]

I also think it's pretty cool looking.

[Lashiec]

You really want your hard drive sticking out in the middle of the air? Have some decency and at least cover that thing!

Okay, so first sentence was serious. Second was a joke. I wouldn't like my HDD in open air. Something about it doesn't seem right.

Like, instead of spilling your drink over the keyboard, you choose your newly acquired HDD. And you've just finished making a backup. And the HDD in your computer fails...

Hey, maybe someone will use it as decoration

[cranioscopical]

I think I'll get one of these and see how it goes.  Can't beat 200GB removable media!

If you do buy one, please let us all know what you think of it. 
It looks like a quick and easy way to move offline data between machines.

[tomos]

what about dust ??

[Deozaan]

Like, instead of spilling your drink over the keyboard, you choose your newly acquired HDD. And you've just finished making a backup. And the HDD in your computer fails...

Hey, maybe someone will use it as decoration

Exactly. Anyone who has kids has got to know something bad will happen to that HDD sitting out there in the open. I don't have any kids, but I have 16 nephews and nieces. Bad idea to have the thing open like that!

[Deozaan]

what about dust ??

It will get dusty in your PC case. And really, the thing is just in the "open air" inside your case. But the thing is, it's protected and held firmly in place by the case.

A little thing like this on your desktop is sure to get knocked around. Maybe someone would even trip on the cord. Too great a chance for damage to consider any of the other benefits such a device might bring, in my opinion.

[cranioscopical]

A little thing like this on your desktop is sure to get knocked around. Maybe someone would even trip on the cord. Too great a chance for damage to consider any of the other benefits such a device might bring, in my opinion.

Well, it's weighted (which means the shipping cost just about doubles the price).
For those of us without rampant kids or pets (and with some compressed air handy) it could be a great way to swap in and out a bunch of different HDs.
The risk to me would be grabbing the HD before letting it cool (recalling a recent experience when I took something from the oven, forgetting to use an oven glove).

[Carol Haynes]

Be good for temp control ... just watch where you put your fingers when it is in action!

[Darwin]

I like the look of it and must have one! Looks from the piccies that there is a sliding cover that protects the interface when there're not drives "inserted" (Darwin smirks chlidlishly...). Like Chris, I can really appreciate that this kind of interface will make swapping HD's around for backups and data access much more convenient. Begs two questions though, how does one store the drives when not in use and, following from some other comments in this thread, how long will one have to wait for a drive to cool down?!

I like the idea of the drive being air cooled like this - I have numerous 2.5" drives that I attach via USB enclosure. I've had three of them develop tics (you know that annoying grinding clicking sound) and faults from being left attached to my notebook on warm and humid days...

[Ralf Maximus]

Crap crap CRAP!

I went to order one, and shipping to the USA is $39.  That's almost the cost of the gizmo itself, so I'll pass until an American distributor starts selling them.

*sob*

[Carol Haynes]

For the UK market this looks a neat solution - hot swappable SATA 2 drive bay - but it mounts neatly in a 5.25" bay

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=218031&doy=24m10#overview

[f0dder]

The device in the first post would be very handy for 3.5" IDE drives, as those normally can't be hot-swapped... and I have a bunch of them lying around. Getting them in and out of a portable USB case certainly is hellish.

For SATA drives (which can hotswap), I'd definitely go for the device carol shows, since you benefit from full SATA speed, with less cable clutter and "fumble opportunities"

[Carol Haynes]

If you use the Maplin navigation line at the top there are a lot of possibilities - including an IDE solution which uses a cartridge approach and you can buy extra cartridges. Looks like a good idea and they would protect drives while not in use too.

see http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=23364&doy=24m10

[f0dder]

Carol, I have something similar for IDE drives, but that still doesn't take care of the hotplug aspect...