Case that holds about 8 hard drives and cools them properly?

[rhyx]

Looking for a case that can hold around 8 hard drives and keep them cooled properly. It doesn't need to be rackmountable but that is always a plus.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811152062

Above is a Supermicro case that I am currently thinking is the front runner. Does anyone else know of any other well designed cases?

Any comments on this Supermicro?

 

[MustISO]

I would suggest reducing the amount to 6 drives as it would be easier to find a case. Just buy larger drives if you're after a certain amount of storage.

 

[Zepper]

Stacker STC-T01 with an extra device module. Any case with 4, 5 or 6 HDD bays and add a cage for 4 more like the CM Device Module or the Lian Li EX-34 or the new Silverstone CFP51 cage. The Antec NineHundred with some extra HDD cage. Finding a case with 8 or more HDD bays as standard equipment is very difficult. The Silverstone SST-TJ05 has six in the rack and two on the arm. Some of the Lian Li have room for 12... Some Chenbro cases have room for two hot-swap cages but you didn't say you wanted that type as the cost goes up greatly. And the Aerocool Masstige/Zero Degree have room for a couple of add on cages. And some of the Maxtop Domino series have room for two cages.

Also check the XClio Windtunnel - thread is down the page a bit.

.bh.

 

[rhyx]

Money isn't really an issue as that Supermicro is at $300 already. The number of drives is mainly so I can scale as drive prices get cheaper. It does need to be able to hold an EATX motherboard. This box is purely a file server, no need for anything goodies. I just have had good luck with Supermicro in the past with SATA backplane barebone systems.

Hot swap isn't really necessary but would work fine. I don't really like the Lian Li cases as they are aluminum and not quite as strong as the Supermicro steel cases.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Supermicro 5-in-3 enlclosure. I have one of these in my Lian Li G70b case. Enough room for 11 hard drives and 3 optical drivers.

 

[Zepper]

Look seriously at the XClio Windtunnel in the thread in this section. EATX mobo ready, 6 HDD rack as standard, has five 5-1/4" bays open for further HDD expansion etc. Heavy metal and plenty o' cooling. It'll definitely impress the buds while saving you a goodly packet of green

.bh.

 

[krotchy]

Lian-Li and Silverstone both make bay expanders than use a dedicated 120mm fan to cool 3-4 hard drives. Using a case like the Lian-Li PC-101 you can get 6 HDD's in the bottom with a dedicated fan blowing across all 6. However if you want to cut this down (I did this on one build with a longer than normal Power Supply) You can take a PC-101, remove the right HDD rack, add in a 34 Expander, and get 7 HDD's cooled directly by 2 120mm fans total.

The big question as far as my suggestion is concerned. Is do they need to be hot-swappable?

 

[simonnance]

Lian-Li V2000+

12x3.5" internal!

damn well built case too!

 

[MerlinRML]

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo
Supermicro 5-in-3 enlclosure. I have one of these in my Lian Li G70b case. Enough room for 11 hard drives and 3 optical drivers.

These 5-3 enclosures are the key.

I have a few of the Supermicro cases you're looking at, and I like them well enough. They're roomy to work in, solidly built, and provide a decent amount of drive capacity. However, the case is nothing all that special. It just has a lot of 5.25 bays and uses these 5-3 enclosures. You could achieve the same thing with virtually any case that has 6 5.25 open drive bays.

So if you like this particular case, it will do you well. However, if you're interested in any other case, you have the option as long as it has enough 5.25 bays.

 

[tylerdustin2008]

Here is a case that holds exactly 8.

Then the next in line is 12.

And all of these hold 7.

 

[rhyx]

They do not need to be hot swappable. I don't really like the layout of the XClio and the Supermicro does have the advantage of being rackmountable in the future.

The Lian Li that holds 12 is tempting but Aluminum always makes me worry about it getting bent. Supermicro cases are solid as anything.

 

[krotchy]

Originally posted by: rhyx
They do not need to be hot swappable. I don't really like the layout of the XClio and the Supermicro does have the advantage of being rackmountable in the future.

The Lian Li that holds 12 is tempting but Aluminum always makes me worry about it getting bent. Supermicro cases are solid as anything.

Lian-Li's upper end cases use very thick aluminum. You would have to drop kick to bend most of em.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

lian li v2000b, holds 12 HDD's in a well vented case
no the aluminum in the lian li will not bend unless you hit it with something hard

 

[Zepper]

iStar 10000 series. Just saw a couple of their PSUs over there a 400 and a 500 watter, both with full-range autosensing AC and aPFC. Nice prices for PSUs with those features. Anyone tried them?

.bh.

 

[imported_OrSin]

Antec 900 holds 6 at base and can hold another 3 if mounted in optical drive space.
Its cheaps and cools the 6 very well. Since it has a top blow hole teh 3 in optical slots should be good ti. If not you can buy cheap drive bay fans for them from anywhere.

So even with a single optical drive you got 8 easy. If you go with this setup set all fans to low and see if you need more. I got 4 drive and an OC 7900 and my case temp are very low and I dont even use 1 of the fans

 

[Eos]

I just bought an Ultra Grid ATX (AT-FS/FT forum) that holds 5 drives with a 120mm fan blowing directly on the hard drive rack, plus another 120mm out back pulling hot air out. I'm hoping this will be the cool running, large capacity case I've been looking for.

 

[skubidoobie]

 

[skubidoobie]

I have a Thermaltake Kandalf with 2 iCAGEs for my 5 HD's. So 6 total with those 2, and the drive cage that goes in front of the PSU is another 3, and they also have a bay insert that adds another HD slot. Then you still have room for your rom's and floppy on top of that (11 total drive bays in the front of Kandalf/Armor series), works for me!
Sorry about double post, dunno what happened there lol.

 

[Zepper]

The iCage isn't very efficient, holding only 3 HDDs. Others hold 4 HDDs in the same space.

.bh.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: simonnance
Lian-Li V2000+

12x3.5" internal!

damn well built case too!

I've got that case. Its an extremely nice case, with plenty of space. Pricey though, very pricey.