Attaching 3.5" disks to WL-HDD

[brubber]

In the thread http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=906 some people have been discussing the option to attach 3.5" disks to a WL_HDD

I think this a very appealing option, and I have been looking to find the necessary hardware to make it work. I do not (yet) own a WL-HDD, so it would be nice if someone who does own a WL-HDD can check whether the hardware selected below would do the job.

Furthermore I would like to know if it would be possible to add basic RAID functionality (mirroring) to the WL-HDD firmware and perhaps a tool similar to SWAT to manage Samba

http://www.cablesonline.com/44pinmalidc2.html gender changer

http://www.cablesonline.com/182dr44la40d.html female 44 pin / 2* female 40 pin / 4 pin power connector

http://www.cablesonline.com/idehardrivme.html (2*) (removable) harddrive case with fan

http://www.cablesonline.com/6in525ypwers.html 5.25 " y power cable (6", maybe 12" would be better)


If ordered from the above site the whole package would cost around 37 USD, however shipping to NL would be 45 USD, and probably some amount of (Dutch) VAT and perhaps other taxes (anyone familiar with buying online from US shops?)

Does anyone know a (Dutch / European) shop where you can buy these or similar things for a reasonable price?

If this is no option we may reduce the price buy buying together with a number of people to reduce the price. Anyone interested?

[Styno]

Nice idea brubber.

But the casings....2 internal 3.5" removable brackets...that doesn't have the looks at all!

Isn't this a better idea? http://www1.alternate.nl/html/nodes_info/t5st01.html

I know its for scsi, but it certainly has the looks and space for both HDD's and WL-HDD hardware.

Just trying to be helpful...

[brubber]

Nice idea brubber.
But the casings....2 internal 3.5" removable brackets...that doesn't have the looks at all!

Isn't this a better idea? http://www1.alternate.nl/html/nodes_info/t5st01.html

Sure! Looks are bad.

I only looked for the cheapest (9.5 USD) removable case with a fan at that specific shop.

Since it is a removable case, you can easily load into any computer case with a 5.25" bay.

Just wish there was a shop like this in NL / EU

[Styno]

Just wish there was a shop like this in NL / EU

Conrad Electronics?
(www.conrad.nl or .de)

Oh, and the VAT stuff: If the customs service intercepts your package, they will charge 19% VAT. No other taxes apply.

I've heard that if you let the shop print 'GIFT' (as in 'present') on the package no taxes have to be paid, but I don't guarantee that of course.

[Antiloop]

Conrad Electronics?
(www.conrad.nl or .de)

Conrad, Compricon and Intronics don't have it.. (pointing at the 2,5inch gender changer)

[brubber]

Since it is:

1. Difficult to get the necessary hardware
2. Only a few people are interested
3. R/W Speed of WL-HDD2.5 is way too low for my purposes

I will no longer pursue this idea.

Thanks for your responses anyway.

[Antiloop]

Since it is:

1. Difficult to get the necessary hardware
2. Only a few people are interested
3. R/W Speed of WL-HDD2.5 is way too low for my purposes

I will no longer pursue this idea.

Thanks for your responses anyway.

I agree,

In mean time I received an old defective 2,5inch HD where I ripped of the 2,5inch MALE connector

perhaps before I begin to solder a 3,5inch cable to it, the WL500gx will be out already and the HDD will stays in it's usb2 case

[tinman]

Heh,

i got all the cables and connector but it didnt work. I found out, the
pin 1 on the WL-HDD is pin 2. It was bad idea to buy "2.5 inch drive to 3.5 connecor" cable, it must be "3.5 inch drive(s) to 2.5 connector" and of course both female.

Well, durnig testing i have broken the 2.5 connctor on the WL-HDD and
after 3 hours work solder station ( is this right one word ? ) i got 3.5 inch connector on my WL-HDD. Well, no more 2.5 inch drives, but i works fine.
Sometimes the WL-HDD loses the hdd config after cold start, so no drives mounted on status page.But a simple http://IP/SaveRestart.asp works fine as warm start.

[Spot]

Heh,

i got all the cables and connector but it didnt work. I found out, the
pin 1 on the WL-HDD is pin 2. It was bad idea to buy "2.5 inch drive to 3.5 connecor" cable, it must be "3.5 inch drive(s) to 2.5 connector" and of course both female.

Well, durnig testing i have broken the 2.5 connctor on the WL-HDD and
after 3 hours work solder station ( is this right one word ? ) i got 3.5 inch connector on my WL-HDD. Well, no more 2.5 inch drives, but i works fine.
Sometimes the WL-HDD loses the hdd config after cold start, so no drives mounted on status page.But a simple http://IP/SaveRestart.asp works fine as warm start.

Hi Tinman,

I'm very enthousiastic by your results but I'm wonderring how/where you take the power for your 3.5 drive?

[brubber]

Hi Tinman,

I'm very enthousiastic by your results but I'm wonderring how/where you take the power for your 3.5 drive?

From 4 pins of the 44 pin connector??

@Tinman: What hardware did you use? Did you get a gender changer somewhere? Where did you get your stuff?

[tinman]

Well, i found on ebay a old SCSI Streamer with integrated Power supply and one 3.5 " slot ( something like http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=5161109017 ).

It is possible to use AT-BUS-HD 2,5" DATENADAPTER from www.Conrad.de and a custom 3.5 ide cable. Customization is easy:

1. Open the ide cable plug and pull off the cable from the plug
2. Split the cable to 20 paired cables
3.Turn around each pair
4. Pull in the cable pairs in the plug and close the plug.

I think the little problem that i get with the hd mounting on reboot is the power plug configuration :

1 . I have pluged the 5V from the Stream powersupply to the external wl-hdd power plug.
2. The 3.5 hdd get the power ( 5v and 12v ) from the streamer power supply.

This configuration makes impossible for the wl-hdd logic to start the hdd delayed. This delay is needed to reset and initialize the ide chip. Anyway, it work , but warm reboot is neded after each cold start. I think it is better to use the 5V for the 3.5 hdd from the 44 pin adapter and not from the streamer power supply directly. The 12V is not importatnt for the wl-hdd logic, so shutdown via web works fine ( of course only the wl-hdd 'mainboard' and the 3.5 hdd ). The streamer power supply cant be shuted off in this way.
Maybe i will develop a little extra hardware logic to put off the streamer power supply.

[Antiloop]

Well, i found on ebay a old SCSI Streamer with integrated Power supply and one 3.5 " slot ( something like http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=5161109017 ).

It is possible to use AT-BUS-HD 2,5" DATENADAPTER from www.Conrad.de and a custom 3.5 ide cable. Customization is easy:

1. Open the ide cable plug and pull off the cable from the plug
2. Split the cable to 20 paired cables
3.Turn around each pair
4. Pull in the cable pairs in the plug and close the plug.

uhm.. no offence

http://www1.conrad.de/scripts/wgate/...5&~target=area

and how do you connect this wrong gendered connector to the WL-HDD ?
you need a male 2,5" connector which is not present at the datenadapter

edit: nevermind it seems you have soldered a 3,5inch connector directly to your wl-hdd

[signed]

uhm.. no offence

http://www1.conrad.de/scripts/wgate/...5&~target=area

and how do you connect this wrong gendered connector to the WL-HDD ?
you need a male 2,5" connector which is not present at the datenadapter

edit: nevermind it seems you have soldered a 3,5inch connector directly to your wl-hdd

I think i found something, this is what u were looking for right?



http://store.yahoo.com/priorityelect...ahadradto.html

Okay, it's the wrong one, i think it's the other way around. sorry.

[tinman]

well, Conrad.de have a pin??? ( what is the word for stiftleiste :P ) ..

STIFTLEISTE 2 X 20 / RM 2
Artikel-Nr.: 739219 - U0

40 pin is ok, we need only 40 pin ( if the hdd get the power directly from power supply ).

And indeed, i hve the 3.5 connector now dirctly on my wl-hdd board, but the custom cable still needed, no matter what kind of connector i have.

[signed]

This time i found the right ones.
I also found a load of info about the connectors.
Look for Cabletype: C.01220.
There are also cables to connect 2 3.5" HDD's (should that be possible?)


http://www.unitechelectronics.com/idecables.htm