Installation and Operation (continued):
The below left image shows the PCB with integrated SATA data and power connections. You simply insert a drive and slide it onto these connectors; no cables required. The below right image shows the low profile 80mm fan which blows air onto the PCB side of the hard drive. The eleven bladed unit is from a manufacturer called Chiefly Choice Co., Ltd., their model number CC8010S12L.
 
The next set of images shows a 250GB Maxtor Maxline III SATA 3Gbps drive placed into the Rosewill enclosure. After sliding it on to the SATA data and power connections, use four of the included screws to secure the drive to the frame. While the drive is flush with both sides of the enclosure, there is room for the fan to move some air under, and in front of, the drive for cooling.
 
With the drive in place, the next step is to replace the plastic side panels and secure each with one screw. Then place the top cover on so the screw holes line up with those in the frame, and use the four screws to lock it into place.
With the drive assembled and all cables in place, it is time to see how it works. Whether connecting via eSATA or USB 2.0, the host system's Windows Vista Home Premium operating system detected the drive and had it available for use in no time. While performance testing will follow, tests of the basic functions all passed. The switches, LEDs, and data transfer connections were all functional out of the box. There was just one problem which required a bit of extra investigation.
The cooling fan made an annoying ticking sound, which really wasn't going to be acceptable for long term use. Flipping the switch back and forth a few times, repositioning the drive, and a few taps on the enclosure did nothing, so I took the whole thing apart. With the fan still connected electrically, but removed from the enclosure, it was nearly silent. But as soon as it was screwed back in, the noise returned. Flipping the fan over, turning it 90 degrees, and leaving the screws a bit loose did nothing. Other than leaving the fan turned off, there seemed to be no quick fix for the noise.
|
|
