External Hard Drive enclosure advice

[BobaFettK]

Now that I have a huge SATA hard disk on my superPC, I have no use for my old IDE drives that are lying around. However, I wouldn't mind using them for portable storage to transfer large files between the PC and my laptop. I was thinking of getting an external IDE HD enclosure. Any recommendations? I'd like to keep it below $40.00, and I'd love to be able to swap out drives without having to disconnect, power down, or unscrew anything. Thanks!

[RickyTick]

Hey Bob, I haven't seen you around much lately. Hope your doing well.

I use a Western Digital My Books external hard drive on my wife's laptop, and that's really all the experience I have with externals. Just googling around and looking on newegg, I found this.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817145026

This one does both SATA and IDE. Seems like that would make it more versatile. idk

There seemed to be many more options for just IDE enclosures, but I really don't know what to tell you. Sorry I'm not much help.

[The Wise Monkey]

There are loads of external enclosures on newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010090092%204025&bop=And&SrchInDesc=ide&Page=1

This one is hotswappable as you asked:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817145133

[BobaFettK]

Thanks, guys. I was also looking at this one, which says it is "hot pluggable." Is that the same as hot swappable? This one also works with SATA, which seems like an added bonus. What do you think?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817729002

[The Wise Monkey]

I think that means the same thing. Since they mostly connect via usb, it is just the same as removing a very large usb stick.

[Cirndle]

So you have a spare IDE drive?

In that case an enclosure are cost effective. I have one I don't know if you would like it, but here is the link on where to buy it.

You can also just use an adapter, cheaper, no unscrewing, but drive sits out in open vulnerable.

IDE/SATA to USB adapter Good review, really cheap under $25 shipped.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3276554&CatId=2777

Ultra Hard drive enclosure: Good reviews ( I had the early version of this one, still works to this day, and daisy chaining works good on them.) Only supports IDE. $39.98 without shipping.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1800603&CatId=2777

Hope this helps.

I would go adapter if your not a casual user, meaning you know how to treat a hard drive, but for ruggedness, I would say ultra is the way to go, they have a good warranty as well. Mine still works bought 3yrs ago.