HDDs manufactured with windows?

T

toddfx

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Before I dive into attempting a window'd HDD mod myself, I'm trying to find some options for HDDs that are manufactured with windows in them already. I know of the WD Raptor X , but are there any others out there? Ideally I am looking for a 2.5'' drive, too. The 2.5'' Raptor does NOT have a window, to my knowledge.

I've done a fair amount of searching but haven't turned up much of use.

Aside from HDDs with a window, any ideas of other "funky" hard drives? I'm just looking for something out of the ordinary, really. Using a SSD without a case crossed my mind. I just want to showcase the inner workings and also add a sort of un-expected touch.

PCIe based storage also sounds pretty neat, but those options are all quite expensive.
 
Use Plexiglas/Lexan to make your own. If you get a cheap IDE or small Sata they won't cost much(especially used). cut the plastic to the dimensions of the top, sand & buff the sides if you want. Carefully superglue the top on.

1. put superglue on top of bare brive and place the plastic top on
2. place the top on the drive and secure with rubberbands horizontal and vertically. Use thin superglue SPARINGLY along the edge where the plastic and the drive meet. The thin viscicity will cause a capillary action to occur and it will seep into the space between the plastic and the metal.

If the drive get warm there is a chance the metal will expand but the plastic won't. FIX - If you are handy with a dremel, drill holes in the plastic that correspond to the ones on the drive and mechanically secure the plastic to the drive.

Sometimes you just gotta DIY
 
hcforde said:
Use Plexiglas/Lexan to make your own. If you get a cheap IDE or small Sata they won't cost much(especially used). cut the plastic to the dimensions of the top, sand & buff the sides if you want. Carefully superglue the top on.

1. put superglue on top of bare brive and place the plastic top on
2. place the top on the drive and secure with rubberbands horizontal and vertically. Use thin superglue SPARINGLY along the edge where the plastic and the drive meet. The thin viscicity will cause a capillary action to occur and it will seep into the space between the plastic and the metal.

If the drive get warm there is a chance the metal will expand but the plastic won't. FIX - If you are handy with a dremel, drill holes in the plastic that correspond to the ones on the drive and mechanically secure the plastic to the drive.

Sometimes you just gotta DIY
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If that's the case, I would NOT use that drive for anything other than eye candy. Odds of contaminants getting inside the HDD are high with that one.
 
I came in here thinking this was about hard drives with Microsoft Windows already pre-installed on the hard drive. lol
 
Zepher said:
I came in here thinking this was about hard drives with Microsoft Windows already pre-installed on the hard drive. lol
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qft

also, is it really safe to open a drive outside a cleanroom or at least a dust-free cabinet?
 
s0rce said:
also, is it really safe to open a drive outside a cleanroom or at least a dust-free cabinet?
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It's not safe at all. Heads fly just a few nanometers above the disk surface, a particle of dust can be up to 1000 nanometers in size. Just a few particles of dust on the platter can be enough to damage the heads over time.
 
Zepher said:
I came in here thinking this was about hard drives with Microsoft Windows already pre-installed on the hard drive. lol
Click to expand...

Haha yeah that is why it is so hard to search for on the interwebs! When you search for anythign with "window" it brings up crap about being compatible with Windows and stuff. So that is why I am asking here :)

The WD Raptor X is an example of a PRODUCTION hard drive that comes STOCK with a window in it:

22-136-011-03.jpg


Just having a hard time finding alternatives. Could it simply be that no others exist?
 
toddfx said:
Haha yeah that is why it is so hard to search for on the interwebs! When you search for anythign with "window" it brings up crap about being compatible with Windows and stuff. So that is why I am asking here :)

The WD Raptor X is an example of a PRODUCTION hard drive that comes STOCK with a window in it:

22-136-011-03.jpg


Just having a hard time finding alternatives. Could it simply be that no others exist?
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buy an SSD and take off the outside to expose the nand!!!!!!! you could even deprocess the ICs but you'd probably break it
 
AFAIK there are no other hard drives with 'windows' in them. It's really just another failure point, and serves no purpose other than looking pretty (to some). Even WD abandoned the idea with their next generation of Raptors. If you want the look, find a Raptor X and install that, you don't even need to use it for anything. Then get a proper hard drive and install that underneath/behind it.
 
toddfx said:
What whole thing exactly? The modding of a HD window yourself? Yeah I know, that is why I am asking about alternatives
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WD Raptor X, circa 2007, they had the clear window, was essentially a 150GB Raptor.

EDIT: damn, he ^ beat me to it! :p
 
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You are exactly right I was making the suggestion for eyecandy ONLY.
I just want to showcase the inner workings and also add a sort of un-expected touch.
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I was going mainly off of this statement. Taking the cover off also voids the warranty of ANY drive. That was why I was also suggesting a used drive. The clean room thing IS important for the protection of data, but if you take the top off and replace it quickly is a relatively clean area without a fan or air conditioner blowing the risk is minimized. I did this once to demonstrae to a group of kids what a HDD looked like as it is the only moving part in a computer. (Other than fans)

A window on a HDD is something the modding community does not see a need for so why would manufacturers do it for the general public. I have seen some at trade shows though (DEMO UNITS FOR EYE CANDY) but that was years ago.

Looks like EBAY has a couple with 7 months of warranty left for about $60 each. Sites have 'em new for $150 and UP. Which would you rather spend? the time or the money?
 
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I read somewhere that when you don't have a clean room, the best you can do is the bathroom. Before starting the operations, make some vapor with hot water and wait till it dissipates, it should help minimize dust particles in the air.
 
Thanks for the comments guys. I've seen some people use a DIY modded drive like this as a HDD activity monitor rather than an actual data storage device, so I think I may explore that option. It will give me the opportunity to open one of my old 2.5'' drives, and will pose far fewer risks.
 
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