Does this exist?

[grangervoldemort]

Does a box exist, like a RAID box, into which you can insert drives BUT use these drives via USB as with a RAID?

BUT I want to be able to use the drives separately; NOT in RAID and not as one big drive which involves spanning the data across many drives. I want to be able to use them as you would if you plugged them into the motherboard.

[LukeSavenije]

we call that a nas. HDD boxes do exist, but believe me when I say those aren't cheap

[grangervoldemort]

Just now, LukeSavenije said:

we call that a nas. HDD boxes do exist, but believe me when I say those aren't cheap

How do you setup a NAS to operate as I described?

 

Would the drives show up as individual drives in Windows 10?

[Jurrunio]

a NAS with RAID disabled and drives showing up as separate partition, sure.

[Jurrunio]

Just now, grangervoldemort said:

How do you setup a NAS to operate as I described?

 

Would the drives show up as individual drives in Windows 10?

Some NAS allows you to plug a computer directly to it through USB and pull data that way, but usually they are connected to the router or switch to allow wireless access.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, grangervoldemort said:

How do you setup a NAS to operate as I described?

 

Would the drives show up as individual drives in Windows 10?

well, that would be with a ethernet cable. but you don't have to have a NAS, an old computer working as that works too

[grangervoldemort]

1 minute ago, Jurrunio said:

a NAS with RAID disabled and drives showing up as separate partition, sure.

Separate partition? I want the drives to behave and show up as normal individual drives with data going to the drive I put it on and not being spanned across drives.

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, grangervoldemort said:

How do you setup a NAS to operate as I described?

 

Would the drives show up as individual drives in Windows 10?

I would be an i3 3100 HP Pro desktop in a full size ATX tower for $110 off Newegg.  Pack that thing full of drives, and use it as my NAS for the cheapest way.  They are on sale right now for like 100-120...Im thinking of getting one for this exact case as my NAS I Have now isn't very large or upgradable.

 

 

[COUPER MILLAR]

You could also just get a nice USB hub and plug in a grundle USB external HDDS. Cheaper than a physical NAS and since you dont want any RAID function just as practical. 

 

A NAS is usually mapped over your local network (Network Attached Storage). Depending on how you format them each drive in the NAS could be mapped individually.

[Jurrunio]

Just now, grangervoldemort said:

Separate partition? I want the drives to behave and show up as normal individual drives with data going to the drive I put it on and not being spanned across drives.

1 partition per drive and as much partitions as you have drives, what's the problem with that?

[COUPER MILLAR]

@Tristerin If you live anywhere near a state university look into their electronics surplus! I have picked up 3 HP 8300's for $50 each all I had to do was add storage and additional ram as needed. 

[grangervoldemort]

Just now, Tristerin said:

I would be an i3 3100 HP Pro desktop in a full size ATX tower for $110 off Newegg.  Pack that thing full of drives, and use it as my NAS for the cheapest way.  They are on sale right now for like 100-120...Im thinking of getting one for this exact case as my NAS I Have now isn't very large or upgradable.

 

 

I am getting rid of my FULL ATX and getting a MID TOWER for my new build. I need to save space. Not get yet another Full tower!

Check my sig to see what I have. I also have limited SATA ports on my PC.

 

Situation is I have 2x 2TB, 2x 1TB and I will be getting 1 or 2 8TB drives.

 

Now I don't know if I should try to sell the 2TB and 1TB drives or keep them in a enclosure as I am describing for use. Not sure if I would get much for them despite 3 of them being barely used.

[Tristerin]

this is the one Im thinking of buying before 5 day sale is up and doing what you are talking about - I have a bunch of mech drives I don't use that will fit nicely in this thing for 105 shipped.

https://flash.newegg.com/Product/N82E16883288388

[Tristerin]

Just now, COUPER MILLAR said:

@Tristerin If you live anywhere near a state university look into their electronics surplus! I have picked up 3 HP 8300's for $50 each all I had to do was add storage and additional ram as needed. 

I do actually good thought.  Im a homebody though so Newegg is my best friend LOLOL

[grangervoldemort]

2 minutes ago, COUPER MILLAR said:

You could also just get a nice USB hub and plug in a grundle USB external HDDS. Cheaper than a physical NAS and since you dont want any RAID function just as practical. 

 

A NAS is usually mapped over your local network (Network Attached Storage). Depending on how you format them each drive in the NAS could be mapped individually.

What is a grundle? 

[Tristerin]

Just now, grangervoldemort said:

I am getting rid of my FULL ATX and getting a MID TOWER for my new build. I need to save space. Not get yet another Full tower!

Check my sig to see what I have. I also have limited SATA ports on my PC.

 

Situation is I have 2x 2TB, 2x 1TB and I will be getting 1 or 2 8TB drives.

 

Now I don't know if I should try to sell the 2TB and 1TB drives or keep them in a enclosure as I am describing for use. Not sure if I would get much for them despite 3 of them being barely used.

So you need to invest in a good NAS box imho.  Small, can do more than just USB attached HDDs to your home network etc.

[grangervoldemort]

Just now, Tristerin said:

So you need to invest in a good NAS box imho.  Small, can do more than just USB attached HDDs to your home network etc.

Shouldn't I sell the old drives?

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, grangervoldemort said:

Shouldn't I sell the old drives?

nah. I wouldn't buy second hand harddrives. and here they are going to be of good use. just get a nice second hand pc, put the drives in and run in next to your system. a dualcore i3 or even a core2dual machine is just fine in this case

[COUPER MILLAR]

4 minutes ago, grangervoldemort said:

What is a grundle? 

grundle
Noun
(plural grundles)

(slang) A group of objects, lots.
For a grundle of ideas, go visit the website

[grangervoldemort]

1 minute ago, LukeSavenije said:

nah. I wouldn't buy second hand harddrives. and here they are going to be of good use. just get a nice second hand pc, put the drives in and run in next to your system. a dualcore i3 or even a core2dual machine is just fine in this case

The drives wont always be on and in use. Hence why I have the Lian Li power switch (check my sig).

 

So I don't understand how and why it's worth spending money on a crappy old PC to then use that to store and organise files?! 

 

What would be even more ideal is a box that lets all 4 drives sit in there with individual power switches on them so I can turn on the drive I need and not all of them,

[LukeSavenije]

1 minute ago, grangervoldemort said:

The drives wont always be on and in use. Hence why I have the Lian Li power switch (check my sig).

 

So I don't understand how and why it's worth spending money on a crappy old PC to then use that to store and organise files?! 

 

What would be even more ideal is a box that lets all 4 drives sit in there with individual power switches on them so I can turn on the drive I need and not all of them,

I thought of a bacukup setup. but be ready to spend some money then. I actually have a lacie 5big laying around which would do that in some way. by just pulling out when hotswapping is on. but that one costed the company I got it from 2000 bucks

[grangervoldemort]

4 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

I thought of a bacukup setup. but be ready to spend some money then. I actually have a lacie 5big laying around which would do that in some way. by just pulling out when hotswapping is on. but that one costed the company I got it from 2000 bucks

... Why could I not find a box that does what I am explaining? My motherboard and case setup with the power switch already let me do this. Didn't cost £2,000. 

[LukeSavenije]

1 minute ago, grangervoldemort said:

... Why could I not find a box that does what I am explaining? My motherboard and case setup with the power switch already let me do this. Didn't cost £2,000. 

Because as far as I know those things are enterprice hardware. and enterprice hardware has it's premium

[Tristerin]

7 minutes ago, grangervoldemort said:

The drives wont always be on and in use. Hence why I have the Lian Li power switch (check my sig).

 

So I don't understand how and why it's worth spending money on a crappy old PC to then use that to store and organise files?! 

 

What would be even more ideal is a box that lets all 4 drives sit in there with individual power switches on them so I can turn on the drive I need and not all of them,

Because this is accessible from anywhere in the world if you know what you are doing.  Has extreme amounts of expansion compared to buying a NAS box.  And can do so much more than just be storage.  And its cheaper than a NAS Box.  And can do more...sure its a little bigger but its what I suggest.

 

My Media Center backbones as a small NAS, and I have a 2 USB drives hooked as NAS on my router.

[grangervoldemort]

Just now, Tristerin said:

Because this is accessible from anywhere in the world if you know what you are doing.  Has extreme amounts of expansion compared to buying a NAS box.  And can do so much more than just be storage.  And its cheaper than a NAS Box.  And can do more...sure its a little bigger but its what I suggest.

 

My Media Center backbones as a small NAS, and I have a 2 USB drives hooked as NAS on my router.

I do not need to access it from anywhere in the world. You are also going to be VERY limited by the internet connections. My upload speed here is 0.7. Download is 12. Try uploading 120GB video files at 0.7mbps. 

 

I didn't ask for any of those extra things you mention. 

 

I stated very clearly what it is I need in terms of requirements.