External EIDE Harddrive rack

[Clark]

I need some advice on a hard drive issue that I have, and I'm hoping
this is the right place.

I have 3 different computers in my home, scattered from room to room,
connected by wireless-G. But the problem is that I have about 10 or
so hard drives, that I've accumulated over the last few years. All of
the hard drives are IDE or EIDE drives, all still work, and all
contain some amount (maybe) of useful data. Several of these hard
drives are not mounted but are sitting on my shelf.

I would like to be able to purchase a rack of some sort and mount all
of the unmounted drives in this external device, which I could then
carry, if needed, from computer to computer and reconect the
rack/drives so that I can organize my data and remove unwanted
duplicate data.

Is there a device that can do this? What do I need? A rack plus a
card that I have to install everytime I connect to a different
computer? Or can this be done by using an existing EIDE connection at
each computer, connecting that EIDE to the rack by another ribbon
cable?

If all of this does exist, where can I buy one and what are the
approximate costs?

Thanks very much for any insight you can give me.

Clark

 

[Noozer]

I would like to be able to purchase a rack of some sort and mount all

of the unmounted drives in this external device, which I could then
carry, if needed, from computer to computer and reconect the
rack/drives so that I can organize my data and remove unwanted
duplicate data.

Get a USB 2.0 IDE drive enclosure. A 3.5" one would do fine. A 5.25" would
also be able to house a CD/DVD drive as well. If all of your PC's have
Firewire, it would be the way to go. Only one drive per enclosure
unfortunately. I've never seen a USB/Firewire enclosure that will take
multiple drives.

 

[Clark]

Get a USB 2.0 IDE drive enclosure. A 3.5" one would do fine. A 5.25" would
also be able to house a CD/DVD drive as well. If all of your PC's have
Firewire, it would be the way to go. Only one drive per enclosure
unfortunately. I've never seen a USB/Firewire enclosure that will take
multiple drives.

Thanks for the response. The "one drive per enclosure" limit does
present a problem since I would like to be able to swap out drives
easily or mount multiple ones simultaneously.

How does that device work? Does it connect externally to the computer
via USB and then connects internally within itself to the drive via a
IDE connect? If that's correct, then I assume it has its own power
supply? Again, if I'm guessing correctly here, does that mean you can
perform a "hot swap" of a hard drive?

Thanks again,,

Clark

 

[Clark]

I see that someone is asking almost exactly the same question as I am,
except that he was a step or two ahead of me. It's in the Thread
"Usb Hard disk caddy".

I went to the Google link suggested there and read up on some of the
enclosures. So I'm starting to answer some of my own questions, with
the help of everyone here.

THANKS to all!!!

Clark

 

[Hank]

Get an empty 5.25 plastic drive case. That's a few bucks at a local used
computer parts store.
Get a hot swap drive bay with extra trays. Mount it in the case. Put the 3.5
drives in the trays.
Get the usb to ide gizmo on Ebay. Plug that into the 5.25 bay. It comes with a
power supply
with the molex connector on it. Mine came with a 2.5 drive adapter.

Now you can use the hot swap bay / case configuration to work the drives as you
need to.

I used an old gutted Tandy 5.25 floppy drive white case ($2.00 at a swap meet 5
years ago).
One hot swap drive bay with three extra trays ($15.00 at a surplus store). USB
to IDE cable
adapter w/power supply ($12.00 on Ebay - shipping included). I can put any 3.5
inch drive I
own into a tray, slip it into the hot swap bay, turn the key and do my data
duty. If you go retail,
then I feel for ya. NOBODY pays retail.

It's a lot easier than in the past......