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#1
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds.
Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. -- Pete Cresswell |
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#2
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. My thoughts based on doing similar things with industrial equipment: (Assumes that you are in the USA and have normal split (2) phase 230v / 115v /115v power.) Make sure that both machines are on the same power phase (A or B). If there is a floating ground and one comp is on side A and the other on side B, then 230v could be run through the machines. If you are positive that both are on the same power side then you could wire them together with a solid wire for anti-static purposes. Use a shielded sata-3 data cable with locking connectors. Keep the power and data cables separate. Power cable can be whatever but shielded would be nice. Keep away from electronic lights (florescent, CFL, LED, etc.). I don't know anything about the micro sata that you posted. |
#3
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. This is the smallest one I could find. This appears to be a hot-swap box which you could mount near your Technician Machine for drive testing. I'm hoping the tray is the same kind you're using, but I don't know that for sure. http://www.norcotek.com/product/ss-300/ Paul |
#4
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
Per Paul:
This is the smallest one I could find. This appears to be a hot-swap box which you could mount near your Technician Machine for drive testing. I'm hoping the tray is the same kind you're using, but I don't know that for sure. http://www.norcotek.com/product/ss-300/ Yeah... I saw that one too. I have a question in on the Amazon page to confirm that it will fit in the two adjacent empty bays that I have available..... and I am 99.9% sure it takes the same trays. -- Pete Cresswell |
#5
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
In message , Paul in Houston TX
writes: (PeteCresswell) wrote: I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. My thoughts based on doing similar things with industrial equipment: (Assumes that you are in the USA and have normal split (2) phase 230v / 115v /115v power.) [I'm learning about US power; here we have 3-phase as normal - about 415 volts, with 220-240 on the phases. But normal houses don't have the 3-phase, just one of them.] Make sure that both machines are on the same power phase (A or B). If there is a floating ground and one comp is on side A and the other on side B, then 230v could be run through the machines. If you are positive that both are on the same power side then you could wire them together with a solid wire for anti-static purposes. As _I_ read Pete Cresswell's question, he wasn't thinking of connecting the two machines together - he was just wanting a way of hot-plugging (and -unplugging) the drives without having to (un)do four screws each time - i. e. having something like USB pluggability, but with SATA and SATA-power. If I'm right, then _my_ answers would be more along the lines of worrying about the connectors wearing out, maybe using a short length of extension cable to reduce that, and so on. Use a shielded sata-3 data cable with locking connectors. Keep the power and data cables separate. Power cable can be whatever but shielded would be nice. Keep away from electronic lights (florescent, CFL, LED, etc.). I don't know anything about the micro sata that you posted. -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. - Ayn Rand, quoted by Deb Shinder 2012-3-30 |
#6
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
"PeteCresswell" on 2017/01/21 wrote:
I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. Why not get a bracket plate with a SATA connector on it (e.g., http://tinyurl.com/zwoexbk)? Works if you have an unused card slot on the mobo and in the case. Of course, if you have an unused card slot (not obstructed by other cards) then you could install an SATA card that has an eSATA external connector. You likely have a PCI-e X1 slot that has no use to you so you could stick a SATA card in it (e.g., http://tinyurl.com/gnbhuj3 or http://tinyurl.com/ja5cazd). Since the drive on a sled has connectors for both data and power, just where are you going to get power when hooking to the eSATA card blank or daughtercard in your PC? |
#7
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Paul in Houston TX writes: (PeteCresswell) wrote: I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. My thoughts based on doing similar things with industrial equipment: (Assumes that you are in the USA and have normal split (2) phase 230v / 115v /115v power.) [I'm learning about US power; here we have 3-phase as normal - about 415 volts, with 220-240 on the phases. But normal houses don't have the 3-phase, just one of them.] Make sure that both machines are on the same power phase (A or B). If there is a floating ground and one comp is on side A and the other on side B, then 230v could be run through the machines. If you are positive that both are on the same power side then you could wire them together with a solid wire for anti-static purposes. As _I_ read Pete Cresswell's question, he wasn't thinking of connecting the two machines together - he was just wanting a way of hot-plugging (and -unplugging) the drives without having to (un)do four screws each time - i. e. having something like USB pluggability, but with SATA and SATA-power. If I'm right, then _my_ answers would be more along the lines of worrying about the connectors wearing out, maybe using a short length of extension cable to reduce that, and so on. Just my thoughts from experience. It's generally not a good idea to hook a/c powered devices together without first determining if they are on the same phase. An easy way to test is to turn off the breakers on one side of the panel. If both devices turn off then he MAY be good to go. If the Norco bay is a/c powered and he leaves the hdd in the Norco and Sata plugs it into another a/c powered unit of any kind via a longer cable then there is a chance of burning everything out. 7 pin sata cables have 3 ground wires which will effectively connect the two machines together. We had a contractor make that mistake with a $14k piece of equipment a few years ago. The only item left usable was the case. |
#8
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
On 1/21/2017 7:57 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. I have a slide-in SATA bay on the 24-7 PC, but unscrewing the 4 little screws that hold the drive in the NORCO sled every time is getting old. I am thinking maybe just a long SATA + Power cable hanging out of the d24-7 PC's case. Something like this: http://www.satacables.com/micro_sata_cables.html in the 36" flavor. Then I just plug it into drive's connectors without removing it from the sled. Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. I've had good luck with trayless SATA drive bays. I have a couple of external ESATA hard drives. SATA isn't designed to be used externally. ESATA has the same pinout, but different connector. I imagine it's designed to constrain EMI and static discharge. I worry about connecting directly to the motherboard, especially without some static dissipation near the cable end. A chassis mounted ESATA socket might be a safer option. The chassis mounts that I have don't include power, so that doesn't solve that problem. I got some PCIe ESATA cards that I'd feel much better about using, but I don't have a spare PCIe slot. Seems to work fine, but I fear that the outside power supply might create static discharge or power glitch issues. Back in the day, I killed a motherboard by plugging in a centronics printer. I thought I'd been extremely careful about static discharge. Been very wary about hanging motherboard interfaces out to the real world. If you're careless with trayless drives, you may be able to kill the drive with static, but the motherboard should stay safe. What I'd like to see is a USB3 port that masquerades as a SATA port so you could boot windows from it. |
#9
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
In message , Paul in Houston TX
writes: J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: In message , Paul in Houston TX writes: (PeteCresswell) wrote: I have a 20-bay Norco case with proprietary drive sleds. Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive. [] Make sure that both machines are on the same power phase (A or B). [] As _I_ read Pete Cresswell's question, he wasn't thinking of connecting the two machines together - he was just wanting a way of hot-plugging (and -unplugging) the drives without having to (un)do four screws each time - i. e. having something like [] Just my thoughts from experience. It's generally not a good idea to hook a/c powered devices together without first determining if they are on the same phase. An easy way [] I guess we've probably bored the OP such that he's given up reading the thread so won't tell us. But when he said "Periodically, I want to remove a drive, take it over to my 24-7 PC, and run tests on the drive.", it sounded to me like he _wasn't_ wanting to connect together the two machines, just find a way of removing without having to do the screws every time. Your - and Paul's - warnings about connecting together machines are of course valid. (And interesting to a UK reader: within _domestic_ premises here, we're nearly always on only one [220-240V] phase, though the neighbour is probably on the next phase, so unwise to interconnect across the garden fence!) -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf so that the vendors can "serve you better". As if you were a tennis ball, I guess. - Wolf K, in alt.windows7.general, 2014-7-21 |
#10
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
Per J. P. Gilliver (John):
it sounded to me like he _wasn't_ wanting to connect together the two machines, just find a way of removing without having to do the screws every time. Correctamundo... -- Pete Cresswell |
#11
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per J. P. Gilliver (John): it sounded to me like he _wasn't_ wanting to connect together the two machines, just find a way of removing without having to do the screws every time. Correctamundo... Ah ha! I misread. Sorry for the confusion. |
#12
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
On Sat, 21 Jan 2017 10:57:49 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote: Does anybody see anything wrong with this idea? I'm thinking something around static discharges and the exposed SATA connector. I am doing it all the time. The spare SATA drive is just kept on top of the PC with long cables whenever I check that drive. -- Archer |
#13
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
In message , Paul in Houston TX
writes: (PeteCresswell) wrote: Per J. P. Gilliver (John): it sounded to me like he _wasn't_ wanting to connect together the two machines, just find a way of removing without having to do the screws every time. Correctamundo... Ah ha! I misread. Sorry for the confusion. I would suggest getting short extension cables (male to female, or if they don't exist, a cable plus a back-to-back - if _those_ don't exist, you're stuck!), to reduce the wear on the ones you use - AFAIK, even good SATA connectors aren't really designed for more than about five to ten matings. I don't know about the power rather than data ones, but I'd expect the same applies there. (The idea of the extension cables - or whatever - is to be sacrificial, i. e. to be replaced when necessary after a few cycles, so that the hard-to-replace ones only go through one cycle per cable, rather than every time you [dis]connect a drive.) -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read." - Groucho Marx |
#14
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
On Mon, 23 Jan 2017 20:55:39 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
wrote: I would suggest getting short extension cables (male to female, or if they don't exist, a cable plus a back-to-back - if _those_ don't exist, you're stuck!), to reduce the wear on the ones you use - AFAIK, even good SATA connectors aren't really designed for more than about five to ten matings. I don't know about the power rather than data ones, but I'd expect the same applies there. 5 to 10 is a pretty small number. I usually see it written as 50. Then, too, it's just a number they're supposed to hit in order to meet the spec. I have cables here that I'm sure have been disconnected and reconnected much more than 50 times. -- Char Jackson |
#15
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SATA cable just hanging outside of PC?
Char Jackson wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jan 2017 20:55:39 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote: I would suggest getting short extension cables (male to female, or if they don't exist, a cable plus a back-to-back - if _those_ don't exist, you're stuck!), to reduce the wear on the ones you use - AFAIK, even good SATA connectors aren't really designed for more than about five to ten matings. I don't know about the power rather than data ones, but I'd expect the same applies there. 5 to 10 is a pretty small number. I usually see it written as 50. Then, too, it's just a number they're supposed to hit in order to meet the spec. I have cables here that I'm sure have been disconnected and reconnected much more than 50 times. It's 50 for SATA and 5000 for ESATA, and 5000 for metal USB barrels. The numbers are in a sense, "orders of magnitude". The message is, don't use your plastic SATA cable as a doormat. The numbers are selected so you'll remember "ESATA is pretty damn good", "SATA, less so". The cables on my test machine (cycled at least once a day for over a year), are now well past the 50 cycle number. The trays in the Antec Sonata face outwards, which is why it's so easy to add or remove drives as needed. And then the connectors see more action than they would in an ordinary computer case. That's one feature I really really like. But you do need a right-angle connector, so you can close the door without fear. Paul |
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