External Hard Drive
http://live.pirillo.com/ – Internal hard drives take up space, and sometimes computer cases just don’t come with enough space to support more than one or two drives. Zoomrix wants to know if it is safe to install a hard drive without properly mounting inside the case.
Generally, installing hardware without properly mounting it could result in serious problems. Having a hard drive sitting in the case should be ok, but there could be problems with static electricity, so you may wish to wrap it in a static bag.
If you want to actually connect the hard drive to your machine, Chris recommends picking up a hard drive enclosure. A drive enclosure is usually a metal box which surrounded the hardware and provides two functions: protects the drive from outside elements and reduces the chance of electric shock and static buildup.
If you don’t have a 3.5" bay, but you have a spare 5.25" bay, you may want to consider getting a 3.5" adapter for your open bay. This will reduce the number of 5.25" bays you have open, but you’ll be able to mount your 3.5" drive internally.
So, if you’re looking to install a hard drive in a machine that doesn’t have the space, consider getting an enclosure: it will protect you and your hard drive.
15 Comments
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November 13th, 2007
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Chuck
May 24th, 2007
at 4:57am
I wouldn’t recommend wrapping a hard drive in anything (i.e. static bag) heat will probably become an issue. Definitely get an adapter or “rail kit” for the drive, they’re really easy to use….
Chuck
May 24th, 2007
at 4:57am
I wouldn’t recommend wrapping a hard drive in anything (i.e. static bag) heat will probably become an issue. Definitely get an adapter or “rail kit” for the drive, they’re really easy to use….
Kit Kennard
May 24th, 2007
at 6:19am
Chris – I have heard there are hard drives specifically to work better, last longer (heat issues) as well as work more reliably in external enclosures, is that true?? Will a firewire connection to an EHD work faster or better than a USB connection??
Avery J. Parker
May 24th, 2007
at 11:49am
As a constant tinkerer with old systems I’ve left many a hard drive “unsecured” in the case in a workshop/workbench situation… all my own test boxes, but would NEVER consider doing that with someone elses. Truly if you have no space in your machine to add a new drive, look for an external enclosure (USB/FIrewire) or…. for the speed of an internal drive look at an external sata enclosure *(and if necessary a sata adapter for the PC.) I think the last esata enclosure I got was easily under $50 and if it saves you the nightmare of “oops it slipped loose and shorted out _____” it’s worth it. USB/firewire are ok speedwise (and comparable), but esata outperforms them both.
Avery
Eduardo Dias, from Brazil
May 24th, 2007
at 2:19pm
Using a WRAPPED UP hard drive? I am sorry, but you goofed up big time on this one, pal. Never EVER wrap anything around a powered-on HD. External enclosures are OK, provided they supply some cooling too.
Both Firewire and USB enclosures are almost as fast as an internal unit, but I wouldn’t use one as a boot device all the time.
As for storage, it is ice to have them on only when needed; and do not forget to “unmount” them before turning them off.
I keep my media collection on an external unit, and only turn it on when needed, so MTFB will not be an issue.
Eduardo Dias, from Brazil
May 24th, 2007
at 2:20pm
Ops, that should read MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures, for the non-geek of us). See? I can goof up nicely too!
chuck E
August 29th, 2007
at 5:07pm
I had a hard drive loose in my machine and went to plug it in without shutting down the machine, now its not able to be read but stilll heats up. Do you think all my information is history???
chuck E
August 29th, 2007
at 5:07pm
I had a hard drive loose in my machine and went to plug it in without shutting down the machine, now its not able to be read but stilll heats up. Do you think all my information is history???
Gcrdcn
September 12th, 2007
at 3:31pm
I have had many (4) external harddrives crash, they were the 3.5′”…Get the 2.5″ laptop HD and install it in a USB case. The 2.5″ usb does not need and external power supply (most times) and can take moving around (I carry 100 gigabites in my pocket). Be careful wit all ext. HD. they don’t like to be moved around.
Anon
February 19th, 2008
at 9:23am
“you may wish to wrap it in a static bag”
Wha’? Are you kidding me? Why don’t you do that with that with your drive and let us know how that works out for you.
In the meantime, those considering this who don’t know better, do not wrap your drive in anything and try to use it. That’s just asinine, and frankly irresponsible for this guy to suggest you even try it.