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Better Cages for IDE Drives?

Posted by Cliff on from the more-drives-in-your-bays dept.

Bamfarooni asks: "No one uses 5.25" drives any more, but cases still come with a bazillion 5.25" bays. When you're trying to cram a couple of terabytes into a desktop server, cages like this and this let you reclaim some of that space. Unfortunately, all the really high density cages, like this one only come with SCA backplanes. Has anyone discovered a similar "5 drives in 3 bays" cage for IDE drives? Suppose there is a missed market opportunity here?"

3 of 8 comments (clear)

  1. Did you read your own links? by matthewg · · Score: 4, Funny

    One of the features in the product listed at the poster's first link, the 3ware RAID Drive Cage (RDC-300): "Compatible with ATA/100, 66, and 33"

  2. Come on! by cr0sh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you a hacker, or are you a HACKER?

    Grab your dremel (may or may not be needed), pop the case open, and cut away any intervening bay metal on the three extra bays. Slot the drives in vertically to get your five-in-three, possibly a lot more if you use laptop drives. You could even machine a couple of pieces of metal to slide in horizontally, add a couple of extra fans up front for cooling.

    You don't need to buy anything really to do this - you might even get away with an old bay cage from another case, mounted vertically in the same way.

    You didn't specify if you wanted such a thing for work machines or home system, so I am figuring on a home box here - I know this kind of hack wouldn't fly with the suits. But it is easily done on the home front.

    --
    Reason is the Path to God - Anon
  3. PC Power & Cooling by jmaslak · · Score: 2

    Try PC Power & Cooling. They have a 3 drive unit that fits in 2 5-1/4" drive bays. As an added bonus, it includes a fan on the front. Granted, there is no backplane, but this lets you mix SCSI, IDE, and whatever else you can fit in there.