Smallest case that fits 8x 3.5" drives

[JAG87]

Can anybody point me to the smallest case, tower or rackmount (as long as there is no bare metal showing) that can fit 8x 3.5" drives? My file server motherboard is Flex ATX, so even smaller than mATX. I just want the smallest foot print possible.

I've been googling this to death and I can't really find anything smaller than a regular mATX case, but I still have to put 5.25" adapters to get 8 HDDs in there.

Thanks for any help

 

[kleinkinstein]

Why 8? An even # of hdd's is bad luck. Is 7 enough? 21TB should be if you go with a fist full of 3TB Barracuda's. My favorite box is the PC-Q25

[UPDATE] Now $90 for silver with promocode EMCJNHE47

 

[JAG87]

The thing is I have 2TB drives, and I'm in no mood to migrate the data to 3TB drives.

Thanks for the suggestion, that is a superb box. Actually the smallest I've seen so far that can fit 7 HDD. I have to investigate if I can fit a FlexATX board in there. I may have to either switch 3 of the 2TB to 2x3TB, or trim some fat and get rid of a drive.

Anybody else know of anything comparable that fits 8 drives?

 

[SithSolo1]

LIAN LI PC-V354B isn't drastically bigger than the PC-Q25 and also has 7 internal 3.5" bays PLUS::

An external 5.25" you could stuff a 3.5" in
Room in the bottom for 2.5" drives (or if you get crafty I bet you could stick a 3.5" between the PSU and the mobo on the bottom of the case.)
Takes mATX boards

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112300

 

[infoiltrator]

Do not mention FLEX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811352007

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811146076

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811146084

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811108423

 

[llee]

If you're willing to use compromise by using one 5.25" to 3.5" adapter, check out the Lian Li PC-A04. Be sure to use the promo code.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112315

Lian Li also has another case, the PC-V354 that is more expensive, but also more compact.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112300

 

[JAG87]

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll keep the case suggestions in mind.

I'm looking into perhaps ditching the server and moving to a couple of WD My Book Live, since basically all the server does is file sharing. That should reduce the foot print by a lot and also power consumption a little bit.

 

[ND40oz]

The thing is I have 2TB drives, and I'm in no mood to migrate the data to 3TB drives.

Thanks for the suggestion, that is a superb box. Actually the smallest I've seen so far that can fit 7 HDD. I have to investigate if I can fit a FlexATX board in there. I may have to either switch 3 of the 2TB to 2x3TB, or trim some fat and get rid of a drive.

Anybody else know of anything comparable that fits 8 drives?

It holds 8 or 9 easily, 10 if you want to really have things tight and the wiring gets messy. The 2 bottom mount 3.5"s can have a 3.5" drive stacked on top, getting you 9.

Bracket like this will let you stack 2 3.5" drives, just take off the black rubber mounts for the 5.25" and you can fit 2 side by side in the bottom.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MM52T35/

 

[techpun]

the lian li case is very nice.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I run a 6x2tb server using the Lian Li case. It's very nice. I went full tower for a bit but decided to come back. It's a well built case.