MikeC wrote:Actually, you don't even need an eSATA enclosure; just use the bare drive to experiment. Start with a long data cable + a long SATA power cable extender. Connect the data cable directly to the mb and the power extender to the internal PSU. Then place the HDD on a bed of foam as far away from you as possible.... and see what happens. It will run hotter bare outside than inside the case (if there's been any effective airflow around it).
Chances are, you'll hear it unless the noise is blocked by the desk or something. Now try covering it with a u-section cover -- made of almost anything and lined with foam. Make it big enough to allow an 80mm fan to be fitted to one end of the tunnel that's formed when you cover the HDD. It might be quiet enough after this, but probably run very hot, but you can easily run a quiet fan at 5V by tapping off the power line you've run to the HDD, which will drop the temp by 10~15C.
Anyway, at the end of this experiment you'll know what you can expect when placing a HDD externally, and make it more permanent if you want. I doubt any eSATA external drive enclosure will be as quiet as this DIY jobbie -- they all have some resonance/vibration issues.
I have a Galaxy "Metal Gear Box" I've been using in USB2 but it does SATA also.Since I got this-they put out versions with a full eSATA, Pretty minor noise and the Alum sides seem to dissipate heat okay. eSATA basically allows a better cable,a plug that stays in-less internal resistance-better sheilding-so you get to use 6'. ESPECIALLY if I was going to put 2 HDDS or a Raptor in eSATA I'd mod up a box....probably undervolt an 800rpm Scythe as far as possible....use the power tap as mike suggests-or just splice off a 5v line ad make a 6' molex.
Double or triple the distance to the ear-have drives inside wood with a liner (no echo) and the housings isolated (many options) no straight soundpath...very slow fan.... I really think you COULD get a very quiet 2 Raptor Raid.
IMO eSATA and "Big Fans" are the latest things to emerge that are real good ways to make a quiet machine.
The trick with externals in general is to find both cooling and isolation.
Many enclosures do dissipate heat rather well by using Alu sides---but these can resonate- and if you furthur enclose (wood box) you can lose some of the heat exchange effect--which is why Mike mentions a fan.
It may seem counterproductive to ADD a fan....but a fan you strain to hear at 12" becomes a zero at 72" especially if the soundpath is not straight-line
Within a year,the cost of a 16G SSD will be down enough to be practical.
I could see a multi-boot setup with a partition having a slightly stripped down XP on the SSD,the stuff you use a lot...web surfing etc.
When that's all the session involves.....you don't even switch on the remote HDDs. No moving parts.
Remote....in that housing I describe....is a 76 G Raptor and a 500 G spinpoint T. The Raptor has a Stripped to the bone install of XP for hardcore games or heavy Audio or Video..whatever your "power User " thing is. Another partition may be a full Vista with all the bells and whistles. There's room for a Linux there too if you want or a 64 bit XP...whatever. The Acronis Boot Mgr lives on the small SSD. The Raptor however is just another bootable SATA.
The Samsung gives a whole lot of bulk storage. You can partition to your liking. There would be times it's left off. That the Raptor and Samsung are not running-not even idling,a % of the time can stretch out their life span a lot.
If you want to get real clever.....You do TWO of the 16 G SSD's as a SATA MIRRORED Raid. That makes your core unit,your boot mgr,maybe a small partition for key personal stuff...pretty bullet proof.
Anyhow.....that's a strategy I'm hoping to try someday.
Mike's DIY option is a decent start,and can be low $. Regular SATA just allows a 3' distance. eSATA doubles that and those extra inches are what cancels out the effective noise altogather.
If say you are at a desk....picture the housing on the floor...under the desk and all the way back. Meanwhile-it's in a thick walled box and a 600 rpm fan is in the rear or bottom. I'd use a 120 mm fan. Why not? All you need is what air you'd get at 500-600 rpm.
There IS some cost in getting one or 2 Externals---so you get to use eSATA at 6'....and you need to buy the 6' cable seperate.
