Mounting a IDE or SATA Hard Drive in a CDROM case

Mount your IDE or SATA hard drive in a CDROM case using DAP 100% Silicone Rubber. Then install it into a computer drive bay in the computer case.

Many computer cases do not have adequate room for hard drives. Take a look at how your hard drive is mounted in your case. Does your hard drive have adequate space for ventilation? Or is your hard drive jammed into a tight space? Do you have a secondary drive stacked on top or bottom of the primary drive? Is there space between the drives for ventilation? There should be plenty of free space for air to circulate around the drives.
Without ventilation hard drives will overheat. A well ventilated drive should not be hotter than warm baby milk.

In this video I show how to utilize your empty CDROM bays and CDROM cases to mount a drive into. You can either move a drive from a cramped and poorly ventilated area of your computer case to the CDROM bay or you can make the CDROM case for your primary drive.

I've incorporated a fan onto the top of the CDROM case. This method has the drawback of taking up two drive bays instead of one. Chances are that this fan is not needed for normal computer operation. If your computer has a case fan or two then mount the drive without the addition of the fan. Check to make sure you have air flow coming in or out of the CDROM drive holder after completing the build. Only a slight breeze of air is required to keep the drives ventilated.

The fan and hard drive are mounted with DAP brand 100% silicone rubber sealant. Because everything is mounted in silicone, it is easy to slice off the silicone to remove the drive or fan. The silicone will form a strong bond on the drive all the way down to the case. Silicone only the outer walls of the drive to the blocks and bottom of the CDROM case. The blocks that I use for mounting the drive are made from silicone. The silicone blocks will suppress noise or slight vibration of the drive. If you do not have blocks create your blocks by putting a dopple of silicone in their place, let cure then trim.

Make sure there are at least a couple of millimeters between the bottom of the drive and the bottom of the CDROM case for ventilation of the drive.

Best Always!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Computer
• Instruction
• Hard
• Drive
• Mounting
• Install
• IDE
• SATA
• CDROM
• Enclosure
• Case
• Bay
• technology

[FinkFonkFunkaal]

Some CDROM cases are two inches too long. Measure and then hack saw the remainder off. The drive will fit and there will be plenty of room for air circulation and cables. File and tape over the edge of the freshly cut end to make it safe. Some cases do not have screws to hold the top and bottom together, use clear shipping tape to hold them securely. There are millions of inoperative CDROMS to be used. Read sidebar for more information. Best old parts utilization video on YouTube!

[whiskeyify]

I want to use this as a back up drive, one that I can move around in my office. I was thinking maybe I could pull a power supply from an old pc and use it to power the drive. 

[FinkFonkFunkaal]

@whiskeyify You can do it. Good idea.

[BOGUSURFER]

Seems like a lot of effort for something so botched and scruffy, I can't help wondering why not just install the HDD into one of the 3.5" bays?

Ever heard of drill bits and screws?

[FinkFonkFunkaal]

What is to drill and screw? Why waste your time drillin'? We live in the modern age of adhesives.

[rockbutt123]

you know, i think this is the first time ive seen an instructional video where the person doesnt talk and shows exactly what the person should do step by step, although the gluing was very boring it did show the viewer step by step what to do. i cant say that for the other millions of videos out there that suck. they either explain what something does but doesnt show it, and that sux. very well done,

[FinkFonkFunkaal]

Thank you for the compliment.

[sammyRN1]

Easy way is to buy a full size case, that can house like 8 hard drives.

[brian15961]

good idea.

[abdur50]

why wont you include youe voice instead of music, music just lifting off the mind from you hand

[hakera19973]

don't u ever see a hot glue gun

[smiletogreet]

my godness too much work and too messy glue you fill in ! you are not thomas Edison Correct ? On the earth who has too much time to do this work ?

[DonJuanDeMarco2]

I stayed for the harmonica :)

Wait a minute-tuh.. this harmonica appears to be narrative to the video !?

Bravo bravo !

[psychostalker95]

lamest music ever

[TheMagnificent03]

dud this harmonica crap is really annoying