Hard drives in Dell T3600?

[Bjonness406]

I just got an Dell T3600, but there is no rom for hard drives (only 2 at the bottom).

Anyone has an idea on how I could add harddrives to it?

 

I have an Fractal R5, would it be possible to use that case for the motherboard? Have anyone tried something like that?

 

 

 

Some more photo here: https://kelvinreview.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/dell-precision-t3600-workstation-review/

[ashman70]

So you likely have room for 1-3 drives in the upper 5.25' bays, you may have to get rails for them. This motherboard may fit in another case but because their is no backplate the position of the USB ports, network ports etc would probably be non standard and the power supply may not fit either and Dell uses non standard power supplies, by this I mean no standard in their physical size.

[Bjonness406]

So you likely have room for 1-3 drives in the upper 5.25' bays, you may have to get rails for them. This motherboard may fit in another case but because their is no backplate the position of the USB ports, network ports etc would probably be non standard and the power supply may not fit either and Dell uses non standard power supplies, by this I mean no standard in their physical size.

I think I could fit 2 drives there, but I want to be able to have more than 4 drives in total

The biggest problem I see to have this motherboard is that it is not straight at the back, but it sticks out there the I/O is (look here)

I have an other PSU I could use.

 

https://kelvinreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/t3600_review_11.jpg[/img]

https://kelvinreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/t3600_review_14.jpg[/img]

https://kelvinreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/t3600_review_13.jpg[/img]

[ashman70]

These are not ideal systems for lots of hard drives unfortunately, if you cant return it then perhaps you should look into high capacity drives such as the Seagate 8TB drive, they work well with UnRaid although are a little expensive.

[hernandito]

You could also get an second case just for the hard drives, like:

 

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=452&area=en

 

Then you run something form a Supermicro AOC-SASLP sata adapter card to the external case using a few of the breakout cables that work with that card.

 

There is also this tiny board, also from Supermicro, that emulates a motherboard in terms of all the case connectors... I wish I had the link.

 

Not an elegant solution... but an option for you.

 

Or something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111455&cm_re=raid_case-_-16-111-455-_-Product

 

Probably not a R/W speed demon...

[Bjonness406]

These are not ideal systems for lots of hard drives unfortunately, if you cant return it then perhaps you should look into high capacity drives such as the Seagate 8TB drive, they work well with UnRaid although are a little expensive.

Got it for free, so I can't return it then 

 

You could also get an second case just for the hard drives, like:

 

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=452&area=en

 

Then you run something form a Supermicro AOC-SASLP sata adapter card to the external case using a few of the breakout cables that work with that card.

 

There is also this tiny board, also from Supermicro, that emulates a motherboard in terms of all the case connectors... I wish I had the link.

 

Not an elegant solution... but an option for you.

 

Or something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111455&cm_re=raid_case-_-16-111-455-_-Product

 

Probably not a R/W speed demon...

Good suggesting with the silverstone case, but it cost 230 dollar here in Norway, which I think is to much just to be able to use some hard drives.

 

 

I already have a fully working machine, but since I got this for free I was hoping someone would have an idea, so I could use the ECC reg ram, and the E5 with HT (I have an Intel 3570, in an Fractal R5 case now).

 

[hernandito]

That second case I linked is $60 US... looks like it has a power supply and everything. Only needs an eSata out from your Dell.

 

 

[Bjonness406]

That second case I linked is $60 US... looks like it has a power supply and everything. Only needs an eSata out from your Dell.

Woops, I see that I forgot to answer this part 

 

A case like that would cost me 140 dollar here in norway, pluss an esata card, and would be slow compared to 1 sata to each drive. Maybe I could have two 2 drives cases (1 esata for 2 drives, instead of 4 drives), but that would cost me 190 dollars (two cases) + esata card.

 

I think this would get to expensive for me compared to buying a brand new 2011 atx motherboard (300 dollar for singel socket), which I also would get more sata ports on.

 

But thanks for the suggestion Everything helps