External and removeable hard drive

[M0RPH]

I have this Genica removeable hard drive tray (Link) which works fine and all but I want to make it hot-swappable. So, what I want to do is install this thing into an external 5.25" USB enclosure, which would give me a hot-swappable, external and removeable hard drive setup. I'm wondering if anyone has done this and can tell me for sure it will work before I go and buy an enclosure. I'm worried that this tray might not fit in an enclosure, or might only fit in certain ones. It's 8.25 inches long, about 3/4 inch longer than a CD-ROM drive. Do you think it will work?

 

[Synomenon]

Looks like it's basically a 5.25" drive bay unit with a proprietary, removable tray for a 3.5" hard drive. It doesn't look like it converts the IDE port of the hard drive to USB. The removable part will probably only work with other drive bay units made for it and it probably isn't hot-swappable since it's still using the IDE interface.

 

[Blain]

If the HD rack is not "hot swappable" now, you can't make it that way.
The whole rack itself may fit an external enclosure. But the USB makes the unit "hot swappable" not pulling the HD out of it. I'd be worry about data corruption, simply pulling the HD out of the USB enclosure, still powered up.

 

[RebateMonger]

I own a bunch of the Genica housings/trays.

I doubt that it will fit into a typical external housing because of its length. It's the length of the hard drive PLUS the extra length for the connectors and rear fan. But I've never tried it.

I don't know if putting USB electronics on the rear end will make it hot-swappable or not. I've never tried this.

 

[M0RPH]

Well, it may not be technically hot-swapping because yes, I would have to power down the USB enclosure to swap drives. But that's much better than having to shut down and restart the computer as I have to do now.

The Genica housing is only 3/4" longer than a normal CD/DVD drive, so I'm thinking it will fit in some of the more roomy enclosures, I just have to find the right one.

 

[aznbomber]

I know this is an old topic, but I was wondering what you thought about using external hard drive racks. You may need to get a new set, but it would be able to help you accomplish what you want.

Take a look here for reference:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817715002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817198003