'Loose' components - Will this work?

Slogan

Slogan

Slogan

Soldato
Joined
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I've got two SATA hard drives and a power supply.

That's all I have. No motherboard, case etc.

I want to take data from the SATA drives, into my MacBook Pro. I have ordered an Express eSATA card for my MBP to help do this.

Two questions stem from this really and I'm not sure of the answers:

1) Will I be able to power the hard drives with my power supply and access the data via the sata connection between drive and MBP? I assume I can but wasn't sure if I'd need a caddy or something.

2) Secondly, what sort of 'enviroment' should I have when doing this? I realize powering up components without a case isn't ideal but I've known a few people to run their complete machines without cases so I know it can be done.

I just don't want to have any static-ness etc wreck any components for what should be a brief spell of data exchange.

Thanks.
 
Any you would recommend? I did look at caddies to be honest but wasn't 'that' impressed by any of them. They seem like ugly looking things. :p

A little box that would hold about 4 drives and allow me to connect them in various connection types (USB 2.0/Firewire/eSATA) would be brilliant but I think they're tied down to a particular connection.
 
Got this. Just needed one that could hold, 1. Takes SATA & IDE & its got SATA out & USB :)



Currently have a 160GB SATA1 hard disk in there :cool: Using USB but tested SATA/eSATA & its about another 10~15MBps faster :eek:

Not an expert on the ones that hold more than 1 hard disk. Also, they seem expensive!
 
That's not a bad one actually. Looks tidy enough.

Shocking if the e-SATA is only that much quicker. :eek:

I think I prefer the look of the out and out externals. The likes of the My Books are stackable and they just look better overall.
 
Slogan said:
Shocking if the e-SATA is only that much quicker. :eek:
Click to expand...
Sorry, that was meant to be a good :eek:

USB is around 22MBps (note the B not b) therefore eSATA's almost 37MBps :) I find it fast & also the HD I'm using is a very old Maxtor SATA1.
 
I got one of these kits off ebay. Very handy.

Allows you to attach a 2.5 and 3.5 inch ide or SATA hard drive via usb.

4134hvgsmflss500ax4.jpg
 
hp7909 said:
Sorry, that was meant to be a good :eek:

USB is around 22MBps (note the B not b) therefore eSATA's almost 37MBps :) I find it fast & also the HD I'm using is a very old Maxtor SATA1.
Click to expand...

Should be faster than that surely.

USB 2.0 is 480MB/s which is 60MB/s, the HDD itself will be at least 60MB/s so that doesn't cause a bottleneck.
 
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Not all HDs can hit 60meg/sec average throughput. If it's an older 5400rpm drive with 2meg cache that hasn't been optimised then I'd expect lesss.
 
Energize said:
USB 2.0 is 480Mbits/s which is 60MB/s, the HDD itself will be at least 60MB/s so that doesn't cause a bottleneck.
Click to expand...
Wikipedia said:
Though Hi-Speed devices are commonly referred to as "USB 2.0" and advertised as "up to 480 Mbit/s", not all USB 2.0 devices are Hi-Speed. The actual throughput currently (2006) attained with real devices is about half of the full theoretical (60 MB/s) data throughput rate. Most hi-speed USB devices typically operate at much slower speeds, often about 3 MB/s overall, sometimes up to 10-20 MB/s. The USB-IF certifies devices and provides licenses to use special marketing logos for either "Basic-Speed" (low and full) or Hi-Speed after passing a compliancy test and paying a licensing fee. All devices are tested according to the latest spec, so recently-compliant Low Speed devices are also 2.0.
Click to expand...
So basically another 'marketing' speed :mad: Therefore, for 'real life', the speeds I'm getting are very good.

EDIT: Some proper tests here.
 
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At all. If external storage takes twice as long to backup data, I might as well backup to another pc on the network. Actually, I might make a caddy where I can just slot a hdd into the 3.5" bay on the front of the case.
 
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hp7909 said:
Got this. Just needed one that could hold, 1. Takes SATA & IDE & its got SATA out & USB :)



Currently have a 160GB SATA1 hard disk in there :cool: Using USB but tested SATA/eSATA & its about another 10~15MBps faster :eek:

Not an expert on the ones that hold more than 1 hard disk. Also, they seem expensive!
Click to expand...

I am using this Icy Box as well (exact same model with Seagate 400GB SATA 7200.10) and I get Average reads (in HDTach) for USB2 35MB/s and eSATA 64MB/s (which is the full speed)....The only draw back (if you call it that), is that to change from USB2 interface to eSATA you have to open up the Icy Box and change a connector. However, I think with This one from Akasa, you don't have to open it up to change it (but do check for yourself that this is correct). :)
 
Energize said:
At all. If external storage takes twice as long to backup data, I might as well backup to another pc on the network. Actually, I might make a caddy where I can just slot a hdd into the 3.5" bay on the front of the case.
Click to expand...
Fair point.

But you must admit the main advantage of external is maneuverability?

Only thing I don't like about the IcyBox is the power brick! Its about the size & weight of latest (c. 2006-7) laptop one's.
 
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I have an IcyBox, but I do not like the completely enclosed ones like the others have, as it means that drives can get rather hot.
I have one of these, but without the LEDs, it has mesh which allows the heat to remove it'self better, and there is no fan so no loud noises from that, only noise is seeknoise from my old 200GB Seagate Baracuda 7200.7. It's an IDE drive, and I have it running on FireWire, and it's much quicker than USB (which the caddy also has on the back).
There is no taking it apart to chose the output either, just plug in whatever you like and off you go.

-=EDIT=-

Firewire
HDTune_Benchmark_ST3200822A-FW.png



USB
HDTune_Benchmark_ST3200822A-USB.png





InvG
 
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