I have 4 externel/internal 2.5" HDDs that are all different capacities but all the same speed 5200rpm. I would like to daisy chain them together to make one big drive. Is this possible and if so how do I do it, is there an enclosure that I can put them all into? I would be using USB 3.0 to do it as my laptop does not have firewire port. In all I would say if put together I would have about 4TB of storage. Also this is on a Windows laptop.
Solved Daisy chaining multiple HDD?
- Thread starter Brandon Byrnes
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Assuming you pc has a network port, You could use a nas and use JBOD or basic mode, but for 4GB it's hardly worth it. There are usb enclosures that work similar to a nas but again for 4GB hardly worth the effort and expense. Better off just buying a 4GB drive and a enclosure for it.
Another thing too, if you were to combine all 4 drives you already have into a total of 4GB, what happens if 1 drive dies???? Remember if that 4GB of data is valuable to you what backup plans do you have.
I once lost my data and now have several 4 bay qnap nas's, no raid just plain simple volumes on each nas box, with 2 of the nas boxes backing up my original nas box, and importantly 2 nas boxes offline at all times to maintain security, and 1 nas box offsite.
Yep I'm paranoid, but my data is safe.
Got a little off track there, but something to think about anyway
Another thing too, if you were to combine all 4 drives you already have into a total of 4GB, what happens if 1 drive dies???? Remember if that 4GB of data is valuable to you what backup plans do you have.
I once lost my data and now have several 4 bay qnap nas's, no raid just plain simple volumes on each nas box, with 2 of the nas boxes backing up my original nas box, and importantly 2 nas boxes offline at all times to maintain security, and 1 nas box offsite.
Yep I'm paranoid, but my data is safe.
Got a little off track there, but something to think about anyway
also on the same page as @gus.
much simpler to get a drive with your needs and budget in mind and whack it either in a USB enclosure or NAS unit.
also, like Gus, I have a NAS, just a 2-bay, and other USB drives that back that up.
but to answer your question, yes, you can put all those laptop drives into a NAS box and go from there.
much simpler to get a drive with your needs and budget in mind and whack it either in a USB enclosure or NAS unit.
also, like Gus, I have a NAS, just a 2-bay, and other USB drives that back that up.
but to answer your question, yes, you can put all those laptop drives into a NAS box and go from there.
Actually you did say TB, not GB, it was me who stuffed it up the bytey things
. BUT my input remains sound I believe.After looking at NAS boxes on Amazon, it looks like you are right. Considering the prices it would probably be cheaper if I just bought a 4TB drive. When it comes to just buying a multi-drive enclosure it looks like it may run me around $100.00, which is almost exactly how it would cost me to purchase a 4TB drive. So in conclusion i'm probably going to just buy a 4TB drive and just transfer everything over to that.
One more question though, since NAS boxes use Ethernet for the data connection I'm assuming it's faster then USB 3.0 right? I wonder why we don't see ethernet drives since it's so much faster then USB, it would be nice the have a ethernet thumb drive.
One more question though, since NAS boxes use Ethernet for the data connection I'm assuming it's faster then USB 3.0 right? I wonder why we don't see ethernet drives since it's so much faster then USB, it would be nice the have a ethernet thumb drive.
lots of variables to consider.
I'm assuming you are talking gigabit Ethernet. (but there are faster ones)
The theoretic limit of USB3 is 5Gbps and gigabit ethernet, as the name implies, is 1Gbps.
your typical 7200rpm SATA HDD has 6Gbps bandwidth.
bottlenecks are typically at the read/write stage at the hard drive level - protocol overheads, latency, spin rates and many more.
for example, you'll see a 2 1GB files transfer as fast or faster than 1000 1MB files despite the total size being copied is halved due to the file system having to manage 1000 files being updated in the Master Fiole Table (just to mention one of the overheads).
but, all in all, if transfering from PC to external drive, USB3 would be my preference.
I'm assuming you are talking gigabit Ethernet. (but there are faster ones)
The theoretic limit of USB3 is 5Gbps and gigabit ethernet, as the name implies, is 1Gbps.
your typical 7200rpm SATA HDD has 6Gbps bandwidth.
bottlenecks are typically at the read/write stage at the hard drive level - protocol overheads, latency, spin rates and many more.
for example, you'll see a 2 1GB files transfer as fast or faster than 1000 1MB files despite the total size being copied is halved due to the file system having to manage 1000 files being updated in the Master Fiole Table (just to mention one of the overheads).
but, all in all, if transfering from PC to external drive, USB3 would be my preference.
One of the advantages of ethernet is that you only need the device you are read/writing to powered up, so you don't need other pc's turned on to read or write to a nas. Theres also no moving NAS boxes around like you might with USB as NAS are available anywhere the network is. Both USB and network devices have their place and you can access a NAS from anywhere outside the home without any pc's turned on.
My NAS boxes have usb ports as well.
As Bruce says the file sizes have a dramatic affect on transfer speeds, so speeds will vary with both.
If you ask 10 people their opinion about this you will 11 answers, and fanboys will come out of the woodwork. Best to do your own research to find what suits you best. Having said that we will help, where possible, with whatever question you have.
For simplicity USB will work for you, and its portable if that matters.
NAS is convenient, not hard, but requires a little setup time.
Also remember if you have 4TB of data on a USB/NAS drive you still haven't got a backup strategy, because one day Mr Murphy will step in and you will lose your data unless it's backed up. Just ask me how it feels.
My NAS boxes have usb ports as well.
As Bruce says the file sizes have a dramatic affect on transfer speeds, so speeds will vary with both.
If you ask 10 people their opinion about this you will 11 answers, and fanboys will come out of the woodwork. Best to do your own research to find what suits you best. Having said that we will help, where possible, with whatever question you have.
For simplicity USB will work for you, and its portable if that matters.
NAS is convenient, not hard, but requires a little setup time.
Also remember if you have 4TB of data on a USB/NAS drive you still haven't got a backup strategy, because one day Mr Murphy will step in and you will lose your data unless it's backed up. Just ask me how it feels.
Great guys thanks for the advice. I most likely will just go with buying a large external HDD, since i'm a cheap xxxxxx. Thanks for the help guys.
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Hope the info helps you out, do remember to backup though. Will mark solved.
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