PRICE DROP!! FireWire AND USB2.0 Enclosure for External 3.5 HD for $$57 (was $69)

[RideFree]

Doh!

It's right in the top post!

Doh!

 

[DerProfi]

Has anyone seen a 5.25 inch combo USB 2.0 *and* firewire enclosure?

Compgeeks had this case yesterday. Of course out of stock already. $69.00.

Keep checking the forum. They will restock.

The USB/Firewire case at Compgeeks is USB 1.1, not 2.0

 

[Price2Rise]

Why does the 5.25" external case (Firewire and USB 1.1) say that you can't use 3.5" harddrives inside?? Any practical reason why this would be true??

 

[fishlet]

DerProfi, the USB 2.0/ Firewire case was OOS. They already pulled it up. You can only find the USB 1.1/Firewire case now.

 

[Eug]

<< Why does the 5.25" external case (Firewire and USB 1.1) say that you can't use 3.5" harddrives inside?? Any practical reason why this would be true?? >>


I noticed that the Firewire CD-RW case I got from CompuVest.com (not CompGeeks.com) has holes on the bottom that might work for 3.5" harddrives, but I doubt it would work with the 3.5-->5.25" converter rails. Maybe that's what they mean. The reason is that for my CD-RW to hold the thing in place it uses two holes on one side and two holes on the bottom of the case. With the rails you'd need holes on both sides of the case, which this doesn't have. Mind you it's moot (on my case) because for a 3.5" drive you'd probably be able to use the four holes on the bottom - just scrap the rails. Note that I've not yet tried this since I don't have an extra IDE drive lying around.

By the way, the CompuVest.com case looks identical but does have some differences:
1) No USB
2) Initio chipset, not Oxford 911. Fine for CD-RW, but will hold back the faster IDE drives. Oxford 911 has a max transfer rate of about 30+ MB/S whereas the other chipsets are usually in the 20 or less range (which is still quite OK for an external IDE drive, and more than fast enough for ROM drives).
3) Different colour
4) 2 Firewire ports instead of 3.
5) Costs $2 more. Doh! I hadn't seen the CompGeeks case until after I ordered the CompuVest one. But it works fine. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise since I already have an Oxford 911 chipset Firewire drive with my system. I wonder if Windows XP might get confused if I had two.

 

[Price2Rise]

Thanks Eug. I figured that it should work technically. . .just maybe not physically mounted.

Anyone actually put a 3.5" drive in the 5.25" enclosure? It would be great to be able to use it for a portable CDRW and HardDrive.

 

[2a]

HOORAY !!!

This 3.5 firewire/usb2 external case is back now !!

It was out of stock for a while there. I went to E*ay, found a guy selling a dozen of them for $85w/ship, and even though I was irked, I almost bought one from him (I forgot to bid). You might want to check out his auctions for some good up-close pictures.

I could only find a couple of other firewire/usb2 3.5 enclosures out on the web, but all were more expensive (including a NICE looking aluminum one for ~$135).

Anyway, I just bought two of these ($65ea.w/ship), and am pleased because they should work well with my new firewire/usb2.0 abit mobo and my firewire/usb laptop.

Anyway, get yours before someone else buys them *all* up (or don't, I no longer care now that I've ordered mine).


-- 2a

 

[MontyBurns]

This thing ROCKS! Highly recommended.

I love mine.

 

[lankia]

So, what's the deal with 3.5HD?? Can this enclosure hold a 3.5" HD? Has anyone tried this? Please let us know.

-lankia

[edit] Ooops, I posted in the wrong thread. I thought this thread is for the 5.25"/3.5" USB1.1./Firewire enclosure. My bad. But if anyone do know the answer to my questions, please comment. [/edit]

 

[MontyBurns]

lankia: Not sure what you're asking. This is an enclosure FOR a 3.5" HD. So of course it can hold a 3.5" HD....

 

[2a]

Price update:

compgeeks lowered the base price from ~$69 to $59.50


--2a

 

[Packy]

Damnit people, I'm trying to save my money so I can pay rent!

must resist... must resist...

 

[randomlinh]

it's more important to have somewhere to live than portable HD storage

 

[random]

YAY! back in stock!

 

[toolfan]

Looks like they raised the base price back up to $69. Luckily I ordered yesterday when it was lower. That price sure didn't last long. I am looking forward to getting this and slapping that 80GB Dell drive in there.

Thanks for the tip on this case... I was previously looking at much more expensive ones and am glad this came along.

 

[lankia]

2 questions:

1. Anyone know if there is a 5.25" Firewire/USB2.0 enclosure out there?
2. Has anyone put in a 3.5" HDD into the 5.25" Firewire/USB1.1 enclosure found on CompGeeks.com? Does it work??

-lankia

 

[merlink]

WOW! It's still "in stock and ready to ship!"!!!! (It was out of stock for quite a long time, before)

 

[Devistater]

<< 2 questions:

1. Anyone know if there is a 5.25" Firewire/USB2.0 enclosure out there?
2. Has anyone put in a 3.5" HDD into the 5.25" Firewire/USB1.1 enclosure found on CompGeeks.com? Does it work??

-lankia >>



1. I think so, take a look around, it seems like I saw one on one of the other hot deals posted about a drive enclosure.
2. Why would it not? Its like putting a 3.5 drive into a 5.25 bay on the computer, you just need a drive bay adapter. You can pick one up for less than a couple bucks at the nearest computer show, or pay a few more at the closest computer store.

 

[toolfan]

2. Why would it not? Its like putting a 3.5 drive into a 5.25 bay on the computer, you just need a drive bay adapter. You can pick one up for less than a couple bucks at the nearest computer show, or pay a few more at the closest computer store.

At the bottom of the description for that enclosure it states... "NOTE: This Case will NOT Work with 3.5'' Drive Adapters (for 3.5'' Drives)".

 

[MontyBurns]

Back to the enclosure in question:

I love this thing. However, I'm getting some odd vibration noise from my drive. Anyone else having this problem? It appears to be something in the case rattling, but I've taken it apart a couple times and I still can't figure out what is happening. I've got a WD 120 gig drive in there.

Anyway, drive works great, lightning fast.

 

[Devistater]

<< 2. Why would it not? Its like putting a 3.5 drive into a 5.25 bay on the computer, you just need a drive bay adapter. You can pick one up for less than a couple bucks at the nearest computer show, or pay a few more at the closest computer store.

At the bottom of the description for that enclosure it states... "NOTE: This Case will NOT Work with 3.5'' Drive Adapters (for 3.5'' Drives)". >>



That's pretty stooopid of them... but I have no idea how they would prevent it. I mean if a 5.25" drive will fit in there, how could they prevent the adapter from fitting in there being as the adapter is designed to fit into a 5.25 space?

 

[VisionsUCI]

got mine today.. and it looks great. time to put in my 120gb dell hd

 

[toolfan]

My enclosure arrived today and I installed an 80GB WD in it. I too am getting a strange vibration noise from it. It is slightly higher pitched than my case fans, and goes in and out. It is quiet for a second, then gets noisy for a couple, then quiet, then noisy. Pretty annoying to say the least.

Otherwise, it seems to be pretty nice. I am formatting the drive now, so I can't comment on the speed yet.

 

[lankia]

Devistater, I have been looking around for a 5.25" Firewire/USB2.0 enclosure without much luck. If you happen to see a link to it, would you please linkified it?? Thanks.

VisionUCI and Toolfan, were you guys able to fit in your (presumably) 3.5" hard drive to this enclosure?? With or without a bay adapter?

-lankia

 

[Ginta]

lankia, I've been looking for the same thing too.
The closest I've found so far is Lacie does sell a external cdrw drive that uses Firewire/USB2.0. So the enclosures do exist, just no one seems to be selling them seperately yet.