Question on mounting hard drives.

[uzor]

I've been thinking off and on about building a ground up costom case for my comp, and one thing I'm undecided about still is the HDD mounting mechanism. Should they be up front middle/bottom aligned with the case (classic style), mounted sideways at the top? sideways at the bottom? somewhere else entirely? What do you think?

 

[Asian Dub Foundation]

classsic style for me

 

[wiretap]

Sideways in the front like the armor jr add on kit for the WD 150 Raptor so you can see it spinning. =)

 

[Susquehannock]

^$#W^$%TRG*IUGB*^%_()K_)K)*YF

 

[uzor]

Thanks for the replies so far. For those just looking, go ahead and vote even if you don't leave a comment.

Susquehannock, what advantage are you seeing in that mounting mechanism?

 

[CompuDrew]

Another vote for classic style.

 

[kuyaglen]

sideways in the front, just like the hdd cage in the superlanboy.

 

[MrSlacker]

Here is how mine is mounted

 

[Happy Hopping]

I thought the best design is to mount hard drive at the bottom of your case because heat rises, and your front fan will then push the heat that rises up, and then the rear fan do the rest. If your hard drive is elsewhere, then you can't get that benefit.

 

[Susquehannock]

>>>>>
Susquehannock, what advantage are you seeing in that mounting mechanism?
>>>>>

Did not see your question before .... sorry.

Advantages? ...... nothing major but here are a few of my opinions, and couple things others
mentioned which I hadn't thought of.

Please feel free to share your thoughts & critisisms. Have another design in mind & would
appreciate the input.
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~Practical~

1] - easy to mount right behind bottom front intake fan

2] - rack has open design so air travels freely around drives

3] - hotter side of BOTH drives face toward center where airflow from front inttake fan is greater

4] - drives face opposite directions so lateral forces act against eachother helping to eliminate harmonic & mechanical
vibrations in the rack

5] - rack has only two mounting points - Easy to dampen vibrations

6] - both mounting points at one of the most solid parts of the case - the bottom.

_____________________________________________

~Asthetics~

1] - drive position places the more interesting side of drive toward window
_____________________________________________

Would also add that in the past I had two Raptors in one of those racks which are among the
most noisy & hot running HDD's. = Cool & quiet.

images again for convenience ~ -rack1- ~ -rack2-