Using spare optical drive space for an extra HD

[robinp]

Well, I eventually opted to buy a new Mac Pro. I would like to install a 5th hard disk into it for windows. I assume this should be much easier than with the old model as I understand the optical drives are now SATA, so routing the cable shouldn't be difficult.

What I would like to know is what kind of brackets would be required to fix a 3.5" HD into a space normally used for a 5.25" optical disk space.

Thanks

[robinp]

Is this the kind of thing required: http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=402X

[aibo]

You can put 2 there using this:
http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?Category=2761&RequestTimeOut=500

[dannymarr]

You can put 2 there using this:
http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?Category=2761&RequestTimeOut=500

That's awesome! Thanks for posting that.

[bigbossbmb]

You can put 2 there using this:
http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?Category=2761&RequestTimeOut=500

we don't know if that will work since we don't know if there are two extra SATA ports on the motherboard now that the optical drives are SATA.

[robinp]

You can put 2 there using this:
http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?Category=2761&RequestTimeOut=500

that's pretty cool, but quite a bit more expensive, but still, it might be worth it! Thanks

[nanofrog]

we don't know if that will work since we don't know if there are two extra SATA ports on the motherboard now that the optical drives are SATA.
It would have to have 6 SATA ports, as it can hold a max. of 6 SATA drives. (2 ODD's & 4 HDD's). So if the 2nd optical bay is available, it would also have an open SATA port on the board.

Simple logic, but it makes sense. I doubt there's any more than that, as the case can't hold the drives, and board real estate was probably too precious to do so.

[robinp]

It would have to have 6 SATA ports, as it can hold a max. of 6 SATA drives. (2 ODD's & 4 HDD's). So if the 2nd optical bay is available, it would also have an open SATA port on the board.

Simple logic, but it makes sense. I doubt there's any more than that, as the case can't hold the drives, and board real estate was probably too precious to do so.

that seems pretty logical, so would the brackets that I posted a link to do the job do you think?

[nanofrog]

that seems pretty logical, so would the brackets that I posted a link to do the job do you think?

Those brackets should work. :)