Need system to hold 10 hard drives

[Danny]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated about 10 hard drives.
Mostly IDE, some SATA.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Maybe there are better solutions?

(1) Can I get an extension cabinet to house and power the extra
drives and connect that extension to my main PC?

(2) Would a server work for me? I don't know about servers and
usually think of database when I think of servers. How complicated
would it be?

Any other possible solutions?

 

[Arno Wagner]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated about 10 hard drives.
Mostly IDE, some SATA.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Maybe there are better solutions?

(1) Can I get an extension cabinet to house and power the extra
drives and connect that extension to my main PC?

Difficult because of cable length restrictions (IDE 45cm, SATA 1m).

(2) Would a server work for me? I don't know about servers and
usually think of database when I think of servers. How complicated
would it be?

There is no fundamental difference between servers and workstations.

Any other possible solutions?

You may want to look at server cases, as the large ones
have more space for drives.

Arno

 

[calypso]

There is no fundamental difference between servers and workstations.

Oh, but there is!

Workstations have AGP/PCI-Ex port ment for graphics card, servers don't...


Just kidding...


--
"Zelens li gumau pozdravlju ?" upita fasadao kolje zekoo zdere.
"Nisam ja nikog bombardiro !" rece cetka pusi "Ja samo tornadoog letija coravm !" By runf

Damir Lukic, calypso@_MAKNIOVO_fly.srk.fer.hr
http://inovator.blog.hr
http://calypso-innovations.blogspot.com/

 

[calypso]

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Install FreeNAS and use those drives for storage over the network... You'll
need Gigabit Ethernet adapter and some P3 or older P4 with 512MB RAM for
that...

(2) Would a server work for me? I don't know about servers and
usually think of database when I think of servers. How complicated
would it be?

NAS is network attached storage, I think it is best for your needs...

--
Francuza cupa na atletskoj stazi napusen Francuzo izbacuje
popodne. By runf

Damir Lukic, calypso@_MAKNIOVO_fly.srk.fer.hr
http://inovator.blog.hr
http://calypso-innovations.blogspot.com/

 

[Bernard Peek]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated about 10 hard drives.
Mostly IDE, some SATA.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

You could buy a full tower case which would have space for a lot more
drives. If you run out of connections on the motherboard you could add a
PCI expansion card that will allow you to connect more disks. Although
this is possible it's probably not cost-effective.

You have two other choices. You can put some of the disks into USB or
e-SATA boxes that are plugged into your PC. Alternatively you can use
NAS - Network attached Storage.

USB or e-SATA external disk boxes are the simplest solution, you can buy
boxes which will hold between 1 and 4 disk drives. Single drive boxes
are the commonest.

NAS requires your PC to have a network card and you may also need a
network switch. These are reasonably cheap, and you may already have
them.

There are two choices for NAS. You can buy NAS devices to hold your
disks, typically these devices each hold two disks. The alternative is
to use a second PC as a NAS server, the FreeNAS software is perfectly
adequate and reliable if you choose this option but there are other
alternatives too. There are other advantages to having a second PC as a
NAS system. If you install a general-purpose Linux or Windows system you
can use it as a backup machine and a print-server to take some of the
load off of your main machine.

 

[Rob Morley]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated about 10 hard
drives. Mostly IDE, some SATA.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Maybe there are better solutions?

(1) Can I get an extension cabinet to house and power the extra
drives and connect that extension to my main PC?

Put the drives in USB caddies, hot swap as required rather than running
all the drives all the time.

(2) Would a server work for me? I don't know about servers and
usually think of database when I think of servers. How complicated
would it be?

You could get a full tower case with enough bays for your drives, and
fit a few IDE/SATA cards in your existing motherboard if you have free
expansion slots.

Any other possible solutions?

Get a couple of large fast hard drives and copy all the stuff you
need onto them - much less hassle and neater.

 

[Rod Speed]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated
about 10 hard drives. Mostly IDE, some SATA.

It may make more sense to discard the smaller ones that try to use them all.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

You'll likely find that it will cost you less to buy say a
new 1TB drive than to buy a box to put them all into.

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Maybe there are better solutions?

Yes, usually just buy a 1TB drive etc and discard the IDEs.

(1) Can I get an extension cabinet to house and power
the extra drives and connect that extension to my main PC?

Yes, but they can cost more than say a 1TB drive.

(2) Would a server work for me?

Yes, but that would cost more than a 1TB drive too.

I don't know about servers and usually think of database
when I think of servers. How complicated would it be?

Very simple to setup, but will cost more than say a 1TB drive.

Any other possible solutions?

Yes, just buy a 1TB drive.

 

[mr deo]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated about 10 hard drives.
Mostly IDE, some SATA.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Maybe there are better solutions?

(1) Can I get an extension cabinet to house and power the extra
drives and connect that extension to my main PC?

(2) Would a server work for me? I don't know about servers and
usually think of database when I think of servers. How complicated
would it be?

Any other possible solutions?

Buy a new 1tb drive and put it all on the single drive, the amount you will
save in running cost will pay for it quickly.

 

[Mickey Mouse]

I am a home user on XP pro and have accumulated about 10 hard drives.
Mostly IDE, some SATA.

My PROBLEM is that I would like to have 6 or 7 of these online.

FOR WHAT?

I only know straightforward PC hardware such as my desktop system
that has room for a few hard drives. So my solution was to get a new
PC with a motherboard that could attach more hard drives than usual.

Maybe there are better solutions?

I've got a couple of old motherboards laying around. I could send them to
you
and you could daisy chain them together. what the hell are you doing?
Prepairing to link up to NASA?

(1) Can I get an extension cabinet to house and power the extra
drives and connect that extension to my main PC?

Yes, you have my permission but ask mom first.
No, I suggest you get a new house to house all the hardware, like you
did with the new motherboard and pc.

(2) Would a server work for me?
Any other possible solutions?

I don't even think a therapist would work for you.

Mickey

 

[Arno Wagner]

Oh, but there is!

Workstations have AGP/PCI-Ex port ment for graphics card, servers don't...

Just kidding...

Hehe. You had me there for a moment.

Arno

 

[mr deo]

Yes, you have my permission but ask mom first.
No, I suggest you get a new house to house all the hardware, like you
did with the new motherboard and pc.

Dont make fun...
I got price quotes last year for having multiple fibre plugs put into each
room ;P..
Seems the biggest cost is the Switch & NIC...
soon, not yet, soon..

 

[Mickey Mouse]

Dont make fun...
I got price quotes last year for having multiple fibre plugs put into
each
room ;P..
Seems the biggest cost is the Switch & NIC...
soon, not yet, soon..

Sorry, your post didn't indicate to me what you were doing. I'm afraid I
couldn't resist.
It was all said in fun and not to degrade you. Hope all goes well for you.

Mickey

 

[Flasherly]

Rod is correct, a 1 TB drive is less than $90in most locations.

Standard pricing and apart from sales, that's Hitachi, Samsung, and
can be, depending on whose review, a quandary over who's offering the
best warranty service and reliability -- WD, Seagate, again depending,
perhaps with more second tier support within a 3-year warranty
timeframe, although also and additional to prices that can be
substantially more for remaining(?) 5-year warranty models. I'm
looking at anything up from 750G, and it's becoming a bit more
difficult to narrow in on, than the last 750G 5-yr Seagate I bought
for $99, assembled in Thailand. Coupled to catching me off guard when
Seagate dropped their standard 5-yr. warranty on many models last
week, on Newegg, to 3-years. I'm game for a $90 1T, though not just
any ol' 1T -- something a little sweeter on the company reputation
side coming from a longevity angle, or promising models that needn't
be invested with all the latest and greatest SATA technology.

 

[mr deo]

You could buy a mb that has

2 x ide
2 x raid ide
4 sata

assuming you would need a cd or dvd rom on one of the ide`s that would allow
you to fit 11 hard drives

my gigabyte ga 81875p deluxe would allow that

my replacement for it, an asus p4c800 deluxe, has only one raid ide so i can
have 9

3 on the normal ide`s
4 on the sata`s
2 on the raid ide

i have 6 at the moment all running fine!

i am using an inwin full tower case which would allow room for 8 or 9
drives.

Why would anyone buy a new motherboard?
You can buy SATA and IDE controller cards.
4 port Sata would run you about 70 quid, 2 port IDE(133) can be had for
about 25 quid.
The cards can move with you as you change systems (Until said slots are
outdated) and they tend to help if you swap drives a lot or want to test
faulty drives.
I can see someone wanting possibly 4 drives in a raid configuration, I dont
see why anyone would want 9, 10, or 11 drives!.. A 1TB drive can be had
for £85 or 1.5TB drives for about £130. The only reason you might need 14TB
of data is if your storing BD-Movies, but still, it's a LOT of movies.

 

[Rob Morley]

I didnt go specifically for a mb that would run all those drives but
I wanted a decent board and it came with all those facilities. So you
have a drive to begin with then add another then someone gives you
one then you win one at an astonishing price on ebay etc etc and if
you have the facility why not use them.

Because it's a lot less efficient - more energy consumed, more load on
the PSU, more heat to dissipate, more partitions to organise, slower
access, bulkier - than a couple of large drives?