Cases... what did you choose?

[outsider]

For a while now I've been looking for a case for my unraid system (running 5 drives).

I have not found any case that I deemed suitable.. I'm still using a full tower case, and find it cumbersome, since it's so large....

The thought has even crossed my mind of designing my own case out of plexiglas, not fot the transparency but for the fact that it's relatively easy to work with. I may actually do this if I can't find anything suitable.

I am looking for something compact that houses 6-8 drives (or something that will take one or two 4 in 3 cages), and takes a micro, or even better a Mini-ITX board.

I recently came across this:

http://www.via-itx.com/via-nsd7800.html

 

Looks pretty good, but what happends if the board goes caput.... It's an embedded VIA mobo with 8 SATA ports, and it's not cheap.

Not so good...

So I guess my search continues...

 

Anyone find anything out there?

[toonz]

Like a lot of people here I've chosen the CoolerMaster 590.

Haven't moved my system to it yet, it only arrived late last week.

[Adrian]

Yeah, CoolerMaster 590 is a great case, it's what I have.

[prostuff1]

I run my server in a Rocketfish case I got for a very good deal from my local BestBuy.  From my understand and reading the case is a Lian Li case that was rebranded for BestBuy.  It is a nice big case that I will be able to expand and fill with drives.  If/When it is time to get a new one it will probably be a Norco

[WeeboTech]

Mini-ITX board.

I recently came across this:

http://www.via-itx.com/via-nsd7800.html

 

Sweet. There are plenty of small systems available. I use a Norgo DS-520G. There is a rebranded version of it for around $350 on eBay.

Can't remember the keywords or links, perhaps a search on the board will find it.

I also built a mini itx machine with 4 drives using the chenbro es43069 chassis.

 

In the end I use a coolermaster centurion 590 with an abit AB9 PRO. not as small an power efficient as the mobile processors however it with 9 removable trayless sata drives it seems as I run out of space, there is a larger drive available to replace and grow into incrementally.

 

There's a little bit of extra setup and local case modes (with "tape") to cover some vents. When done correctly it can use 4 120MM fans and have great airflow to keep your drives cool.

 

[Chris Pollard]

I've got a Coolermaster 590 and its an excellent case, can get 15 drives into it if you use 5 into 3 caddys.  I've outgrown it now however so I'm either going to get a Norco 4220 or if I can find one, a second hand Lian-Li PC-343.  Think they stopped making them, no UK supplier has them

[Nyago123]

I am looking for something compact that houses 6-8 drives (or something that will take one or two 4 in 3 cages), and takes a micro, or even better a Mini-ITX board.

 

I recently came across this:

http://www.via-itx.com/via-nsd7800.html

 

Looks pretty good, but what happends if the board goes caput.... It's an embedded VIA mobo with 8 SATA ports, and it's not cheap.

 

Do you have a requirement that the case be smaller than even a standard desktop?

 

For the case that you found, I'd be less worried about the mobo dying than I would be about unRAID compatibility... I suspect it would work but there are no guarantees (I didn't check the unRAID HCL). 

 

As for me, I eventually want to get an Antec 1200 and stuff it with 5-in-3s. 

 

[Rajahal]

I went with the Antec p180.  I give it a B+.  It's not the ideal unRAID case, but it's pretty good.  It has good cooling and excellent cable management, it holds 6 HDDs natively, and has 4 x 5.25" slots which could hold another 6 HDDs with the addition of 2 x 3-in-2 drive cages (so 12 HDDs possible capacity).  My server is currently packed with 8 HDDs; I'm not using drive cages, just simple 5.25" to 3.5" drive brackets.  It certainly is not small or lightweight, but it is rather attractive - I don't feel like I need to hide it away in a closet or basement.  The best part about the case is how quiet it is...if it weren't for the small blue power LED (I purposefully disconnected the HDD LED, since I don't really need a light flashing all the time when I'm watching a movie or streaming music), I wouldn't ever know when my server was on.  I already owned this case when I found out about unRAID, so I didn't choose it specifically for unRAID.  Still, its a decent choice, especially if you can find it cheap (I paid about $100 for it).

 

If I were to build a new unRAID server today, I would probably go for the CoolerMaster Centurion 590, due to its overwhelming popularity on these forums, and its quite reasonable price.

 

Also, if money weren't an issue, and I wanted an unRAID server to be small and look sexy as hell, I would build it in an Antec mini p180.  I helped my friend build his desktop computer in that case, and I must say it is the best looking and the best functioning case I have ever had the pleasure to work with.  It is slightly louder than the full size p180 (most likely due to the monstrous top-mounted 200 mm fan), but its still far quieter than most cases I've dealt with.  Plus the inside is black, how cool is that?

[razmajazz]

Lian Li PC-K12B

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2031.msg36399#msg36399

[Guest wolfdv]

Norco 4020

 

[fitbrit]

Another Centurion 590 here, but if I had to do it again, I'd invest in the Norco 4220, or 4020. As it is, I will have 12 drives in the Centurion and 8 in two x4 bay eSATA boxes.... once the bugs with 16+ drives are worked out.

[dlmh]

Lian Li PC-A17.

 

Has 9x 5.25" bays that'll give you up to 15 drives with 5-in-3 bays, but I stuck with the supplied 3-in-3 bay and added another two 4-in-3 bays from Lian Li. It has great ventilation, the bays have good vibration absorption qualities and it looks great too