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HD Enclosure

merlinx
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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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Yes, thats the one.

Which one, exactly? As Ross mentioned, there are three choices:
  • USB - usually USB 2.0
  • Firewire - also known as IEEE-1394a, or iLink (Sony's name for firewire)
  • USB/Firewire combination - which offers both connection types mentioned above
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merlinx

merlinx

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Thanks ActuaryTm but thre are so many choices. I have a 5.25" drive. Any sugestions? I do like the ones with the light. Dont know much about these things. Do they overheat? Do they need a fan? Sorry for all the questions, any help would be appriciated.
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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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I have a 5.25" drive.

Slightly confused.

 

You made mentioned of a Western Digital 160GB drive above. Likely that is a 3.5" internal desktop drive.

 

You can use said drive in either a 3.5" or a 5.25" enclosure. The decision should be based on how often you plan to use the enclosure (sparingly for mobile backups, 24/7 mostly stationary usage carried between a few machines, constantly carried, etc), and how mobile you would like it to be (fit in a purse/baclpack/laptop bag, carried in a briefcase, etc). Obviously there is a size differential between the two size enclosures, and weight differences as well. 3.5" enclosures typically use a proprietary brick-like power adapter much like a notebook uses, while most 5.25" enclosures use a standard power supply cable indentical to those employed by desktop machines. Also, most 5.25" enclosures include a fan while their 3.5" counterparts do not.

 

A bit more about your usage and mobility desires will make it easier to offer a suggestion.

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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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Thanks guys. As for the drive I have It is a regular HD for adesktop computer. Is this a 5.25 or a 3.5? I thought the 3.5 were laptop hD. Excuse my ignorance. Thanks.

Jason:

 

Will try to simplify:

  • 5.25" - Generally internal desktop optical drives (CD, DVD, CD-RW, DVD+/-R/RW)
  • 3.5" - Generally internal desktop hard drives
  • 2.5" - Generally internal notebook hard drives
If you read the above short paragraph in my previous reply describing the differences between 5.25" and 3.5" enclosures, and then explain how often you plan to use the enclosure and how mobile you would like it to be, I think it would help us help you quite a bit.

 

I own literally a dozen different enclosures of varying size made by several manufacturers. It's difficult to offer advice however until I know a bit more about how you plan to use your new enclosure.

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merlinx

merlinx

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OK so I do have a 3.5 HD and what I'm looking for is a 3.5" USB 2.0 or a FireWire Combo Aluminum enclosure. Size would preferably be the smaller the better. As for use, I will not use it that much really, just for backups or to use between computers once in a while. Just looking for a price around $20 with a light bar of some type and something that will not burn up my hard drive. I am in education and sometimes data needs to be transfered but not more than once or twice a week.
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Scott

Scott

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OK so I do have a 3.5 HD and what I'm looking for is a 3.5" USB 2.0 or a FireWire Combo Aluminum enclosure. Size would preferably be the smaller the better. As for use, I will not use it that much really, just for backups or to use between computers once in a while. Just looking for a price around $20 with a light bar of some type and something that will not burn up my hard drive. I am in education and sometimes data needs to be transfered but not more than once or twice a week.

I like this one at geeks.com. Remember to use the coupon "GOTTADEAL" to save an extra 10%

 

If you want firewire/USB, they have one for $34.50 here

 

The second one is a "Geek Special" though, so the coupon won't work. Still, <$40 is a good price for a nice compact dual format enclosure.

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i-bystander

i-bystander

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I like this one at geeks.com. Remember to use the coupon "GOTTADEAL" to save an extra 10%

 

If you want firewire/USB, they have one for $34.50 here

 

The second one is a "Geek Special" though, so the coupon won't work. Still, <$40 is a good price for a nice compact dual format enclosure.

How about a combo with a fan? Is the second one from Geeks good enough without a fan?
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Scott

Scott

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How about a combo with a fan? Is the second one from Geeks good enough without a fan?

It depends on what you want to use it for, and what type of HDD you put in it.

 

If you are going to use a cooler running 5400RPM drive, it will be fine.

 

If you want portability and don't plan on having it connected all the time, it should be fine with a 7200RPM drive.

 

If you want an enclosure that is going to be in constant use, you really don't want to skimp on the price. As always... you get what you pay for.

 

No matter what, I suggest getting an aluminum case as it will conduct the heat away from the drive much more efficiently.

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i-bystander

i-bystander

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It depends on what you want to use it for, and what type of HDD you put in it.

 

If you are going to use a cooler running 5400RPM drive, it will be fine.

 

If you want portability and don't plan on having it connected all the time, it should be fine with a 7200RPM drive.

 

If you want an enclosure that is going to be in constant use, you really don't want to skimp on the price. As always... you get what you pay for.

 

No matter what, I suggest getting an aluminum case as it will conduct the heat away from the drive much more efficiently.

Yep, looking for something with a fan hopefully... will be using a 7200RPM drive.

 

(On an unrelated note, I added a second drive (7200RPM) to my desktop, and it's running quite hot. Any suggestions - aside from replacing the case?)

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merlinx

merlinx

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I like this one at geeks.com. Remember to use the coupon "GOTTADEAL" to save an extra 10%

 

If you want firewire/USB, they have one for $34.50 here

 

The second one is a "Geek Special" though, so the coupon won't work. Still, <$40 is a good price for a nice compact dual format enclosure.

Alright odered the first one you suggested, thanks
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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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Just looking for a price around $20

That's certainly a tough budget. Would definitely suggest USB 2.0 only (as opposed to a USB 2.0 & IEEE1394 combination), as they are typically more inexpensive. Also, as it appears you won't be physically transporting the enclosure often, also consider a 5.25" enclosure. Thought it seems somewhat contrary to logical thought, 5.25" enclosures are often cheaper than their 3.5" counterparts. Depends greatly on the make and model, of course.

 

Even though it appears you've selected an enclosure (have been gone the past few days), here are a few suggestions in the case you or others are conitnuing to look:

A few brief summary notes regarding the list above. Have personally owned at least one model of each of the manufacturers above, and feel safe recommending each as inexpensive enclosures. You may notice the list above includes a number from the refurbished section of Newegg. Stock selection changes quite rapidly in the refurbished section, but one can often find outstanding deals on enclosures. Have personally purchased a total of six refurbished enclosure from Newegg and have yet to have a single problem. Finding a "hot deal" however is very much hit or miss in comparison to the regular priced stock.

..with a light bar of some type and something that will not burn up my hard drive. I am in education and sometimes data needs to be transfered but not more than once or twice a week.

Any rationale behind "the light bar"? On a budget enclosure, expect such a feature/embellishment to be left off.

 

As for heat issues, aluminum v non-aluminum, fan v no fan, etc: personally run 3.5" IDE 7,200 RPM drives in nearly all the enclosures I make use of (have a few SATA enclosures now, so not all are 3.5" IDE 7,200 RPM). If cost is no object and/or one wishes to have the additional features of aluminum heat dissipation and a fan, then by all means purchase an enclosure offering such. However, for those on a budget and certainly those who will implement such an enclosure for sporadic periods of use, choosing one heat dissipation feature is often more than enough - and often times is overkill, to be honest.

 

Case in point: have four 5.25" stacked enclosures each housing 200GB drives running 24/7 resting atop a 400SC server. Of the four, all are constructed of metal/plastic (in other words, not aluminum) with only one model having the benefit of a fan. At their highest temperatures, said drives reach 35-40°C (most temperature monitoring applications offer access to the S.M.A.R.T. drive data in such enclosures), which is well below any tolerance limits. The average operating temperature of said drives is typically 30-35°C - again, for drives under quite frequent daily use.

 

Though obviously ambient temperature plays a factor, the casual end-user need not be hugely concerned with heat issues. Do suggesting keeping a close eye on the temperature the first few uses however until some sort of operating temperature indication is reached.

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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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OK, I'll bite. What's the best deal on a 3.5" USB/FireWire Combo Aluminum enclosure (preferably with a fan)? Would that be the Venus DS3?

Fans are often not included in 3.5" enclosures. The reason behind this is quite simple - the power supply resides outside the enclosure in the form of a power brick adapter. Less heat inside the enclosure requires less heat dissipation.

 

Believe the AMS Venus is one of the few models that offers both a fan and aluminum construction. There may be a Kingwin model that offers the same.

 

My advice would be to instead consider a 5.25" aluminum enclosure. Nearly will include a fan, offer better ventilation (more airspace around the drive itself), and will be considerable less costly. Remember that nearly all 3.5" enclosures require either a power adapter or a power brick, which is of course separate from the enclosure itself. Often the perceived space saved by opting for the smaller enclosure is lost with the inclusion of a power adapter/brick/etc, as most 5.25" enclosures use a standard power supply power cord.

 

It all depends of course on one's mobility desires. For those carrying the enclosure often, would have to weigh the benefits with the cost.

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i-bystander

i-bystander

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Great advice, Homer! Is portability (weight/size) the only issue against a 5.25" enclosure? How about the extra space? I've never had an enclosure, but I assume the hard drive would be screwed down, no? Is it shock-resistant then? You know, as in, it wouldn't move around if I "shake" it or something like that? :)
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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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Is portability (weight/size) the only issue against a 5.25" enclosure?

I would say so, yes. To some, that's extremely important. If opting for an aluminum enclosure however, the weight differential would be quite small.

How about the extra space? I've never had an enclosure, but I assume the hard drive would be screwed down, no? Is it shock-resistant then? You know, as in, it wouldn't move around if I "shake" it or something like that? :)

Yes. Screwed down, in general. How a 3.5" drive is attached in a 5.25" enclosure varies by manufacturer and model. Typically, screw holes in the bottom of the IDE drive are utilized.

 

Nothing will be loose inside and rattling around in an unsafe manner, if that is the question.

 

As far as shock-resistance, the outer casing and inner construction generally allows for that. A few inexpensive rubber washers from any hardware store (for use between the drive and enclosure) might be advisable if you are particular "rough" on your electronics.

 

Aside from dropping the enclosure out a three story window however, the drives are typically well protected during normal use.

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ActuaryTm

ActuaryTm

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My apologies in taking so long to respond to these inquries - have unfortunately been quite occupied as of late.

So, what's the best deal you'd recommend, good sir? :)

Any sort of budget? Also, any decision as far as 5.25" v 3.5" (wasn't clear from the last response if you'd decided one way or the other quite yet) ?

 

Recommend checking the Newegg refurbished section often. Definitely hit or miss, but some excellent deals to be had there.

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