In the search for an affordable USB external hard drive case, I had to scour the dingier stores of Hong Kong and haggle with a bevvy of shopkeepers. In the process, I found out a lot about the differences in between a good external hard disk case and a bad one. Here I will discuss some of my suggestions.
Laymen frequently look down upon external hard drive cases - because it is just a shell, a metal casing, while the "fine parts" of a handy hard drive lie within. Yet somehow, the selection of an external hard drive case is in fact the most difficult part of creating a DYI external hard drive.
The primary factor is that the case is what forms your fresh external hard drive, and if you selected a terrible one, functionality could take a blow. Choosing an external hard drive case is relatively challenging, but in Hong Kong I broke the guidelines down to the following make sure's:
1. Confirm the hard drive fits inside the case. Seems like a no-brainer but you'd be amazed how frequently beginners miss wondering about this approach. Do you possess a 3.5" or 2.5" hard drive? If you possess a 3.5" one, don't attempt to cram it in a 2.5" drive case. The outcomes might prove disastrous.
2. Make certain the internal interface goes with your hard drive. An external hard drive case serves as a bridge amidst your hard drive and the outside world, so ensure that your SATA hard drive receives an external hard drive case along with a SATA internal interface. (Or PATA hard drive with a PATA internal interface). Many new hard drives these days use SATA, however please make sure.
3. Make sure the external interface is to your liking. Do you wish it to be firewire or plain-vanilla USB? Or even the antique serial port? The cool thing about creating your own external hard drive is that you can modify everything about it. Some of the present hard drive cases have many external interfaces, so that may be an alternative if you can't decide.
There you have it: A distilled point-by-point breakdown of selecting an external hard drive, focused on my Hong Kong jaunt. Wish this helps.
