Does this even exist?

[wildbill001]

In the next month or so I'm hoping to build up a new machine for the home. The plan is to use AMD 8120, Gigabyte 990x-UD3 (forget the exact model designation) 32gb RAM and 2.5TB of disk-space (2 x 1TB and 1 x 500gb disks) This will be my Virtual workhorse for my home lab.

I got to thinking, however, that by adding a nice video card, this could be a screaming video-editing system. The problem is that ESXi 5 will not/does not support 1394interface which I still need for my DV camera. So, why not just swap out disks between Windows and the ESXi setup?

I'm looking for a case or something that would allow me to do just that as easily as possible. For example, power-down, open the front or side of the case, push a button/lever or whatever to release drive, slide it out. Now slide in new drive(s) with different OS, power-up and away I go.

Does something like this exist and if so, what terminology would I search for?

TIA

Bill W

 

[chx]

Huh? Why you can't dual boot? Otherwise, SATA switch? No need to move drives just switch them? http://www.usbgear.com/computer_cable_details.cfm?sku=SW-SATA2X4&cats=189&catid=188,189 if you insist on switching drives then http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994044 you want an internal SATA rack.

 

[Cube]

I didnt read the entire thing and did not read it that good but did see you wanted to swap hard drives.



You want a hotswap hard drive bay?


http://youtu.be/kztiseGvvis


these come in all sizes and types some cases have them built in like my corsair 8000d can swap out 4 hard drives and its mounted in the front.

you can do this with out turning off the PC but I always turn it off anyway just to be safe imparanoid about data loss.

http://blog.corsair.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/800dgallery4.jpg

I do this to change between windows 7 and windows XP and windows 98..... sure you can do DUAL boot but on my x79 machine it has problems with windows xp it has to run it in "IDE mode" because the x79 chipset does not have windows xp AHCI drivers its less hassle to just keep a harddisk with windows xp on it and take out the windows 7 so that is what I do its a pain to set up the dual boot on x79. I also have a linux harddisk this pretty much makes it a whole new machine everytime I change the hard disk.

corsiar also sells extra hard disk caddys you can but more than 4 but you can only use 4 at time still but you wont have to take harddisk out of the caddys. there is 2 non hotswap harddrive bays too for a raid setup or something.



http://www.corsair.com/en/pc-cases/obsidian-series-pc-case/obsidian-series-800d.html

 

[wildbill001]

That Antec bay-adapter thing looks exactly like what I need. Price is right too!

Why not hot-swap? Well, it may be possible on the new system but it didn't work so well on my current system due to issues with the mb BIOS.

Thanks all!

Bill W