Swapping Hard Drives

[WilliamP]

I had read of a contraption that would enable you to swap out hard drives. I am looking for a way to do that. I have a Dell 8200 and would like to see if it would be possible. What is it called and where can I get it?

[Blackspear]

One such device is called a "Removable Hard Drive Bay" they are not "Hot Swappable" but very useful, there are many manufacturers such as Lian Li, make sure you have at least 1 fan, though 3 is better.

[Jimbob1989]

-{ Quote: "One such device is called a "Removable Hard Drive Bay" they are not "Hot Swappable" but very useful, there are many manufacturers such as Lian Li, make sure you have at least 1 fan, though 3 is better." }-

Are they the cases where you can insert an internal hard drive and it makes it usable as an external hard drive?

Jimbob

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "Are they the cases where you can insert an internal hard drive and it makes it usable as an external hard drive?" }-No these are internal, you can also purchase external USB and Firewire Hard Drive bays, if you are looking at this method then I would suggest a "Laptop" Hard Drive as it is far smaller and more robust.

Cheers ;D

[WilliamP]

Thank you all for the replies. Would what I want to do work? I have 2 hard drives installed. C drive is my system drive and F is for storing digital pictures. I want to be able to install a hard drive and Ghost an image of my system to it. Then be able to remove the drive. I have a DVD Rom drive and a CD-RW drive. I have a Plextor DVD-Cd burner PX 712 that I could use to free up a bay. Would I be able to do this?

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "I have a DVD Rom drive and a CD-RW drive. I have a Plextor DVD-Cd burner PX 712 that I could use to free up a bay. Would I be able to do this?" }-Usually you will have an additional bay, most Cases have a minimum of 3, thus you can add it into the 3rd bay. I run the same configuration, well mine has 4 bays and the 4th bay I have an additional Removable Bay which has my C Drive in it.

Cheers ;D

[WilliamP]

I did some googleing and found Storcase but they are kind of expensive. Looks like they are nice though.

[Blackspear]

Try here as well: http://www.lian-li.com/product.php?pcid=33&secid=70

Cheers ;D

[WilliamP]

To what cable do you connect the third hard drive?

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "To what cable do you connect the third hard drive?" }-
Primary Master = C Drive
Primary Slave = Removable Drive
Secondary Master = DVD Burner
Secondary Slave = Combo CDRW/DVD Drive

Cheers ;D

[WilliamP]

Blackspear I already have two hard drives installed. My C drive is my system drive F drive is my storage drive. I have a CD-RW drive and a DVD Rom.drive. I have a DVD -CD burner to put in. Could I put the removable hard drive in where the DVD Rom. drive comes out?