CAN I use HDD without a mount? Aka laying flat on my pc bays!!!! Or will it damage it??

[WolfLoverPro]

I have a lot of space at the top but the hdd mounts I bought don’t fit so idk wtf I need why is it so wide? That is an ssd at the top but I’m trying to fit a new 2tb hdd but I place the ssd there so hopefully you can compare the size of that bay to that. You can see a it’s so wide for an hdd Do I need a special mount? Anyone know what size? 
 

I was wondering if I can just lay it flat where my ssd is but put the ssd somewhere else? Or use tape to tape it down? Lol 

 

also idk if this helps but I can take out my cd drive if the hdd can fit in them slots! Idk

 

MY HDD are at the bottom rack since it’s actually the right size so idk why top is so damn wide?

 

 

 

[Letgomyleghoe]

Should be fine, just make sure you don’t move it without removing the hard drive as it will slide around and get damaged.

[WolfLoverPro]

4 minutes ago, scuff gang said:

Should be fine, just make sure you don’t move it without removing the hard drive as it will slide around and get damaged.

Hmm ok. So just don’t knock the hdd or pc while gaming or pc on

 

why do u need to screw them then? I heard it can spin fast that it can break hdd but is that true? Idk what to do it’s 2tb so if it breaks that’s bad but wondering if it will be okay just loose or shall I tape it down maybe? But I’m guessing I have to lay it the way where all the electronics are facing up and not touching the metal bracket floor right?

[TempestCatto]

More than half the users on this forum have at least one drive mounted this way (myself included). Nothing wrong with it if your pc isn't going to be moved at all. If you do have to move it, just don't forget about the drive and take it out before hand.

[WolfLoverPro]

2 minutes ago, TempestCatto said:

More than half the users on this forum have at least one drive mounted this way (myself included). Nothing wrong with it if your pc isn't going to be moved at all. If you do have to move it, just don't forget about the drive and take it out before hand.

I’m going to be gaming on it so is that bad idea? 

[MartinKweh]

I literally have an ssd floating due to the stiff wires it is in lol.

[Letgomyleghoe]

1 minute ago, WolfLoverPro said:

Hmm ok. So just don’t knock the hdd or pc while gaming or pc on

 

why do u need to screw them then? I heard it can spin fast that it can break hdd but is that true? Idk what to do it’s 2tb so if it breaks that’s bad but wondering if it will be okay just loose or shall I tape it down maybe? But I’m guessing I have to lay it the way where all the electronics are facing up and not touching the metal bracket floor right?

It won’t spin so fast it moves, you normally screw it in to keep it from sliding so it doesn’t break the head or move it from the position it was in when it shut down. 

 

If you don’t mind aesthetics go ahead and tape it down for some protection from a bump.

[Automobili3XF]

I would advise against it if it were a traditional HDD, but since its an SSD, anything goes, there's no disc to be damaged due to possible impact and no exposed controller board to short out.

In short, you'll be alright.

[vb8t5]

I can say from experience it doesn't matter where it is sitting as long as it is in a "steady" environment and not going to be knocked around.

 

I've been building my own PC's since 2001 and I almost always only use two screws if I'm screwing in the HDD with the mounts, one on opposite sides. Never has one fallen out.

 

In leaving the HDD on its own I haven't ever had any issue due to the mechanical HDD sitting on the base of the tower if there is nothing causing additional heat, so in short worry less about it... it's all good.

[vb8t5]

Another idea from how it looks mounted, just grab some bluetak underneath in 4 little blobs and press the HDD down gently but firmly and it won't move an inch. Backyard fixes but hey if it works it works.

[Kisai]

24 minutes ago, WolfLoverPro said:

I have a lot of space at the top but the hdd mounts I bought don’t fit so idk wtf I need why is it so wide? That is an ssd so hopefully you can compare that to a hdd it’s so wide hdd Do I need a special mount? Anyone know what size? 
 

I was wondering if I can just lay it flat where my ssd is but put the ssd somewhere else? Or use tape to tape it down? Lol 

 

also idk if this helps but I can take out my cd drive if the hdd can fit in them slots! Idk

 

MY HDD are at the bottom rack since it’s actually the right size so idk why top is so damn wide?

 

 

 

 

A mechanical drive is supposed to be mounted because vibrations will move it. If it doesn't fit right in your machine, you don't have the right mounting equipment. A 2.5" drive needs to fit in a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter, and a 3.5" drive needs a 3.5" to 5.25" drive adapter. Some machines like Dell and HP have tool-less designs where you just stretch the adapter over the drive and then it fits into a larger adapter, and just some metal pegs hold the drive in.

 

A SSD has no moving parts, so you can pretty much just mount it with a zip-tie and it'll be fine.

 

[Mister Woof]

i had an 2.5" hdd just kinda hanging in midair connected to nothing on one of my old builds. it was perfectly fine

[TempestCatto]

1 hour ago, WolfLoverPro said:

I’m going to be gaming on it so is that bad idea? 

Nah. It'll be fine. Just remember to shut down your pc and remove the drive before moving your machine around.

[dizmo]

1 hour ago, Martin2132 said:

I literally have an ssd floating due to the stiff wires it is in lol.

SSDs are massively different than an HDD...

[SenKa]

Youre in the optical drive mounts, the narrower ones below it are for hard drives.

[TrainFan475]

The top space appears to be for 5.5'' optical drives, that's why it's big.

It should be just fine, my brother's ssd is taped to an empty hdd bay.

[Bitter]

I literally have had a hard drive on it's edge leaning against another PC case with the motherboard ontop of a cardboard box with the PSU on the carpet next to it for weeks at a time with no ill effects on anything. Just stick it to the case with velcro or something.

[ARikozuM]

Either leave it flat or attach it vertically with zipties. 

[Giganthrax]

Back when I used an older case without SSD mounts, I kept my SSD like that for a good month or so before the ebay SSD mounts arrived. As long as you don't carry your computer around or use it as a football, it should be fine. 

[Loote]

I've had an HDD in the bottom of my case lying on a damaged mousepad for many years and nothing bad happened to it, but the 5.25 -> 3.5 adapter is a cheap thing so you might consider that.