External HDD enclosure rant

[I LOVE ED]

Has anyone used things like these...



... and have used it for a long time?  It seems that those that I have come across ends up with problems powering the harddrive it's carrying.  Its power supply would be enough to power its USB driver circuit but not the drive itself.  I've used 3 of these and all "died" with the same problems, with one actually killing a drive.  I actually went as far as powering the drive from my PSU just so I can use it (I don't have a spare IDE slot).  The last one I had worked the last time I used it.  And now that I decide to turn it on, another "dead" enclosure.  I shouldn't have thrown that spare PSU I had that I used to experiment with back when I was still modding.

[GideonX]

I have a Vantec enclosure that's been operational for almost two years, no problems so far *knock on wood*.

[YucA]

i had one for a while, i want to say it was a Maxtor enclosure and drive.  The drive crapped out on me two times in one year.  After the third issue within the 2nd year i just said to hell with it, and its still sitting in my electronics pile o junk...

I did score one of these a few weeks ago, and its been working just fine...  It's gotten pretty good reviews aswell.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153066&cm_re=blacx-_-17-153-066-_-Product

They have a few different models.  I got the basic single sata drive / usb; but they also have one with usb/esata and dual hdd support.  I have had this connected to my ubuntu HTPC, carrying ALL of my music and movies.  Drive doesnt seem to overheat at all, and only spools up when the drive is mounted, which is something i have encountered to have been a major problem with the old enclosure i was originally talking about.  That POS would just get plugged in to its power source and the drive would be spooling up the entire time.... Hatred!

[urgannagru]

I had quite a few different 3.5" enclosures, and all were junk in some way or another. Inadequate cooling, constantly dismounting, corrupting drives, shorting out, usb connectors breaking...

Then I decided to go with a 2.5" enclosure. Wow what a difference. I've yet to have one fail on me. In fact I have had several break but keep working. They don't require an extra power brick, they're tiny, they're cool, and they're silent.

Plus, chances are you move around the external enclosure. 3.5" drives weren't made to be moved around nearly as much as 2.5" drives are.

*disclaimer: by enclosures, I mean empty enclosures, not one of those pre-made dealies. Stay away from those, especially the WD ones, as if they were the plague.

[I LOVE ED]

It doesn't look like there's one that's self powered for 3.5" IDE drives.  It's just weird that they all seem to die the same way.

[snow veil]

You're likely getting a cheap power adapter with the 3.5" enclosure and that's killing the drives is my guess.  I haven't used an enclosure long term but have used a usb->sata/ide connector on multiple occasions with success

Often times manufacturers will skimp on transformers to meet the bare minimum requirements and as we all know sometimes it's just better to have a little bit of leeway.

Gaston: This is where you're supposed to plug your AWESOME LINKSYS NAS SYSTEM for its incredible reliability and amazing price. :p

[I LOVE ED]

I do have this universal power brick where the output voltage can be set.  An experiment awaits!

[pinkpanther]

I've used both 2.5" and 3.5" externals for some time.

Most of the ones I have are 2.5" form factor.  These work very well, but you have to stick with quality ones.  I have 4 or 5 Vantec/Nexstar units (between several jobs and home).  They work very well.  Some of them are 4 or 5 years old and still working fine.  They run the gamut of IDE/SATA, USB/ESATA/Firewire.  I have only one 3.5" form factor with an older IDE drive in it.  It's also a Vantec.  I use it to back up my server about once a month.  I've had it for about 2 years now. 

I've heard of them dying though.  I think, like the others, you have to get quality ones.  Vantec is really good.