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From: Daddy on 22 Mar 2010 16:32
Christopher Muto wrote:
> Daddy wrote:
>> Daddy wrote:
>>> I have a spare 500GB internal P-ATA hard drive that I would like to
>>> make into an external USB 2.0 hard drive. I see lots of enclosures
>>> advertised for SATA, but very few for P-ATA. Not surprising, I suppose.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions for a reliable enclosure for a P-ATA drive are
>>> gratefully accepted. "Reliable" means I can count on it to work. An
>>> on/off switch would be nice.
>>>
>>> Daddy
>>
>> Thanks for the great suggestions. I neglected to mention that it's a
>> 3.5-inch drive.
>>
>> Daddy
>
> i like williams idea of the dual interface usb enclosure (sata/pata) in
> theory, but in reality its cost makes it impractical. off brands dual
> interface enclosures start at about $35, and the thermaltake unit
> mentioned lists for $60 but is no longer made and so hard to find at
> reputable dealers. besides, if/when you do need a sata enclosure it
> will not cost you much if any more to just buy the second enclose that
> is sata only.

If you spend too much on an enclosure...may as well spend a bit more and
buy a 'real' external hard drive.

If you spend too little...you compromise on quality and/or features.

Technology really sucks sometimes. :-)

Daddy
From: Ben Myers on 23 Mar 2010 01:57
On 3/22/2010 4:32 PM, Daddy wrote:
> Christopher Muto wrote:
>> Daddy wrote:
>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>> I have a spare 500GB internal P-ATA hard drive that I would like to
>>>> make into an external USB 2.0 hard drive. I see lots of enclosures
>>>> advertised for SATA, but very few for P-ATA. Not surprising, I suppose.
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions for a reliable enclosure for a P-ATA drive are
>>>> gratefully accepted. "Reliable" means I can count on it to work. An
>>>> on/off switch would be nice.
>>>>
>>>> Daddy
>>>
>>> Thanks for the great suggestions. I neglected to mention that it's a
>>> 3.5-inch drive.
>>>
>>> Daddy
>>
>> i like williams idea of the dual interface usb enclosure (sata/pata)
>> in theory, but in reality its cost makes it impractical. off brands
>> dual interface enclosures start at about $35, and the thermaltake unit
>> mentioned lists for $60 but is no longer made and so hard to find at
>> reputable dealers. besides, if/when you do need a sata enclosure it
>> will not cost you much if any more to just buy the second enclose that
>> is sata only.
>
> If you spend too much on an enclosure...may as well spend a bit more and
> buy a 'real' external hard drive.
>
> If you spend too little...you compromise on quality and/or features.
>
> Technology really sucks sometimes. :-)
>
> Daddy

The only real functional difference between a "real" external hard drive
and one that you put together yourself is that you have to find your own
backup software to use, rather than whatever comes with the "real" one.
The "real" ones use real 2.5" or 3.5" PATA or SATA, just like one you
assemble yourself.

One other difference is that you can choose the brand of drive that you
put inside, thereby avoiding the dreaded Maxtor drives and any other
brand of drive you do not want... Ben Myers
From: Mike S. on 23 Mar 2010 09:17

In article <ho9l7n$8l7$1(a)news.eternal-september.org>,
Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:
>On 3/22/2010 4:32 PM, Daddy wrote:
>> Christopher Muto wrote:
>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>>> I have a spare 500GB internal P-ATA hard drive that I would like to
>>>>> make into an external USB 2.0 hard drive. I see lots of enclosures
>>>>> advertised for SATA, but very few for P-ATA. Not surprising, I suppose.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any suggestions for a reliable enclosure for a P-ATA drive are
>>>>> gratefully accepted. "Reliable" means I can count on it to work. An
>>>>> on/off switch would be nice.
>>>>>
>>>>> Daddy
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the great suggestions. I neglected to mention that it's a
>>>> 3.5-inch drive.
>>>>
>>>> Daddy
>>>
>>> i like williams idea of the dual interface usb enclosure (sata/pata)
>>> in theory, but in reality its cost makes it impractical. off brands
>>> dual interface enclosures start at about $35, and the thermaltake unit
>>> mentioned lists for $60 but is no longer made and so hard to find at
>>> reputable dealers. besides, if/when you do need a sata enclosure it
>>> will not cost you much if any more to just buy the second enclose that
>>> is sata only.
>>
>> If you spend too much on an enclosure...may as well spend a bit more and
>> buy a 'real' external hard drive.
>>
>> If you spend too little...you compromise on quality and/or features.
>>
>> Technology really sucks sometimes. :-)
>>
>> Daddy
>
>The only real functional difference between a "real" external hard drive
>and one that you put together yourself is that you have to find your own
>backup software to use, rather than whatever comes with the "real" one.
> The "real" ones use real 2.5" or 3.5" PATA or SATA, just like one you
>assemble yourself.
>
>One other difference is that you can choose the brand of drive that you
>put inside, thereby avoiding the dreaded Maxtor drives and any other
>brand of drive you do not want... Ben Myers


Some thoughts after shopping, reaing user reviews, using, having
enclosures fail, and the like:

1. Cooling. Common wisdom says that, especially for drives that run hot, a
fan-cooled enclosure will keep the drive cooler and prolong its life. That
said, I see plenty of reports about fans crapping out after weeks to
months of continuous use; there are also plenty of comments about aluminum
enclosures without fans that dissipate heat well enough.

2. Power. Common wisdom says that a dual-voltage (5V/12V) external power
supply can deliver adequate power more easily than the alternative - a 12V
wall wart and having the enclosure derive 5V internally from that input.
That said, I see plenty of reports about data loss - or worse - because
the DIN plug used with dual-voltage supplies fits so loosely that the
slightest movement (or none at all) is enough to jar it loose. Contrast to
the tight coaxial plug used for most 12VDC wall warts. Also, if the
external PS fails, it is far easier to replace a 12VDC coaxial wall wart
than a proprietary dual-voltage supply.

3. Position. For reasons I can't figure out, the standard orientation for
3.5" enclosures now has the enclosure standing on its edge. The base is
often narrow enough that the risk of the drive falling over is
non-trivial. As long as the base can be removed, my standard procedure is
to lie the enclosure flat and put large rubber feet on the bottom. Why can't
manufacturers accommodate that?

4. Mounting. There are a zillion different approaches to securing the
drive in the enclosure, and attaching the electrical connectors. Some are
less secure than others; some use internal cables that are too short, and
some present such a tight fit that one's first impression is that the drive
is too big to mount without damage. Some enclosures also secure the drive
in non-standard or unexpected ways; e.g. plastic tethers, the screw holes
on the _bottom_ of the drive, or simple friction (as in a docking station,
the drive is held in place solely by the electrical connectors at the
back). Your needs/results may vary.

5. Stability. One reads plenty of reports about drives auto-disconnecting
from Windows, often at the worst time (i.e. during a large file transfer)
or having data integrity issues. Followups to these reports, when
available, sometimes point to driver issues which are not the fault of the
enclosure, but others still leave questions.

From: Cmplx80 on 23 Mar 2010 09:29
Mike S. wrote:
> In article <ho9l7n$8l7$1(a)news.eternal-september.org>,
> Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:
>> On 3/22/2010 4:32 PM, Daddy wrote:
>>> Christopher Muto wrote:
>>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>>>> I have a spare 500GB internal P-ATA hard drive that I would like to
>>>>>> make into an external USB 2.0 hard drive. I see lots of enclosures
>>>>>> advertised for SATA, but very few for P-ATA. Not surprising, I suppose.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any suggestions for a reliable enclosure for a P-ATA drive are
>>>>>> gratefully accepted. "Reliable" means I can count on it to work. An
>>>>>> on/off switch would be nice.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Daddy
>>>>> Thanks for the great suggestions. I neglected to mention that it's a
>>>>> 3.5-inch drive.
>>>>>
>>>>> Daddy
>>>> i like williams idea of the dual interface usb enclosure (sata/pata)
>>>> in theory, but in reality its cost makes it impractical. off brands
>>>> dual interface enclosures start at about $35, and the thermaltake unit
>>>> mentioned lists for $60 but is no longer made and so hard to find at
>>>> reputable dealers. besides, if/when you do need a sata enclosure it
>>>> will not cost you much if any more to just buy the second enclose that
>>>> is sata only.
>>> If you spend too much on an enclosure...may as well spend a bit more and
>>> buy a 'real' external hard drive.
>>>
>>> If you spend too little...you compromise on quality and/or features.
>>>
>>> Technology really sucks sometimes. :-)
>>>
>>> Daddy
>> The only real functional difference between a "real" external hard drive
>> and one that you put together yourself is that you have to find your own
>> backup software to use, rather than whatever comes with the "real" one.
>> The "real" ones use real 2.5" or 3.5" PATA or SATA, just like one you
>> assemble yourself.
>>
>> One other difference is that you can choose the brand of drive that you
>> put inside, thereby avoiding the dreaded Maxtor drives and any other
>> brand of drive you do not want... Ben Myers
>
>
> Some thoughts after shopping, reaing user reviews, using, having
> enclosures fail, and the like:
>
> 1. Cooling. Common wisdom says that, especially for drives that run hot, a
> fan-cooled enclosure will keep the drive cooler and prolong its life. That
> said, I see plenty of reports about fans crapping out after weeks to
> months of continuous use; there are also plenty of comments about aluminum
> enclosures without fans that dissipate heat well enough.
>
> 2. Power. Common wisdom says that a dual-voltage (5V/12V) external power
> supply can deliver adequate power more easily than the alternative - a 12V
> wall wart and having the enclosure derive 5V internally from that input.
> That said, I see plenty of reports about data loss - or worse - because
> the DIN plug used with dual-voltage supplies fits so loosely that the
> slightest movement (or none at all) is enough to jar it loose. Contrast to
> the tight coaxial plug used for most 12VDC wall warts. Also, if the
> external PS fails, it is far easier to replace a 12VDC coaxial wall wart
> than a proprietary dual-voltage supply.
>
> 3. Position. For reasons I can't figure out, the standard orientation for
> 3.5" enclosures now has the enclosure standing on its edge. The base is
> often narrow enough that the risk of the drive falling over is
> non-trivial. As long as the base can be removed, my standard procedure is
> to lie the enclosure flat and put large rubber feet on the bottom. Why can't
> manufacturers accommodate that?
>
> 4. Mounting. There are a zillion different approaches to securing the
> drive in the enclosure, and attaching the electrical connectors. Some are
> less secure than others; some use internal cables that are too short, and
> some present such a tight fit that one's first impression is that the drive
> is too big to mount without damage. Some enclosures also secure the drive
> in non-standard or unexpected ways; e.g. plastic tethers, the screw holes
> on the _bottom_ of the drive, or simple friction (as in a docking station,
> the drive is held in place solely by the electrical connectors at the
> back). Your needs/results may vary.
>
> 5. Stability. One reads plenty of reports about drives auto-disconnecting
> from Windows, often at the worst time (i.e. during a large file transfer)
> or having data integrity issues. Followups to these reports, when
> available, sometimes point to driver issues which are not the fault of the
> enclosure, but others still leave questions.
>

I'll comment on 3 (Position).
If the drive is in a fan-cooled enclosure, it probably doesn't matter
whether it's vertical (on edge) or horizontal (flat). However, if there
is no fan, a vertical position will definitely favor convective cooling
if properly vented at top and bottom.

Frank
From: Daddy on 23 Mar 2010 10:22
Ben Myers wrote:
> On 3/22/2010 4:32 PM, Daddy wrote:
>> Christopher Muto wrote:
>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>> Daddy wrote:
>>>>> I have a spare 500GB internal P-ATA hard drive that I would like to
>>>>> make into an external USB 2.0 hard drive. I see lots of enclosures
>>>>> advertised for SATA, but very few for P-ATA. Not surprising, I
>>>>> suppose.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any suggestions for a reliable enclosure for a P-ATA drive are
>>>>> gratefully accepted. "Reliable" means I can count on it to work. An
>>>>> on/off switch would be nice.
>>>>>
>>>>> Daddy
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the great suggestions. I neglected to mention that it's a
>>>> 3.5-inch drive.
>>>>
>>>> Daddy
>>>
>>> i like williams idea of the dual interface usb enclosure (sata/pata)
>>> in theory, but in reality its cost makes it impractical. off brands
>>> dual interface enclosures start at about $35, and the thermaltake unit
>>> mentioned lists for $60 but is no longer made and so hard to find at
>>> reputable dealers. besides, if/when you do need a sata enclosure it
>>> will not cost you much if any more to just buy the second enclose that
>>> is sata only.
>>
>> If you spend too much on an enclosure...may as well spend a bit more and
>> buy a 'real' external hard drive.
>>
>> If you spend too little...you compromise on quality and/or features.
>>
>> Technology really sucks sometimes. :-)
>>
>> Daddy
>
> The only real functional difference between a "real" external hard drive
> and one that you put together yourself is that you have to find your own
> backup software to use, rather than whatever comes with the "real" one.
> The "real" ones use real 2.5" or 3.5" PATA or SATA, just like one you
> assemble yourself.
>
> One other difference is that you can choose the brand of drive that you
> put inside, thereby avoiding the dreaded Maxtor drives and any other
> brand of drive you do not want... Ben Myers

Agreed all around. For the extra money I can buy a portable drive that
runs off bus power. (I have this "thing" about minimizing the amount of
wires in my system.) Sure, it may not perform as well, but that makes no
difference to me in this case.

Don't get me wrong...I appreciate everyone's advice.

Daddy
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