[SOLVED] Can an external hard drive enclosure be used as a permanent solution ?

[izaini]

I have a 20 TB 7200RPM HDD that doesn't fit in my case. Would using a usb enclosure for it work as a permanent solution? This drive will be used frequently as the storage for a media server.

If so, are there any recommendations for an enclosure that handles heat well and can handle a 20TB drive?

 

[USAFRet]

I have a 20 TB 7200RPM HDD that doesn't fit in my case. Would using a usb enclosure for it work as a permanent solution? This drive will be used frequently as the storage for a media server.

If so, are there any recommendations for an enclosure that handles heat well and can handle a 20TB drive?

Yes.
It is far more susceptible to getting knocked off the desk, though.

What case do you have?

 

[izaini]

Yes.
It is far more susceptible to getting knocked off the desk, though.

What case do you have?

I've got quite a big desk haha.

I have the NZXT H5 Flow and the mounting bracket on the back doesn't screw into my new drive because the screw holes don't line up. Only the bottom half or the top half can screw in.

 

[USAFRet]

I've got quite a big desk haha.

I have the NZXT H5 Flow and the mounting bracket on the back doesn't screw into my new drive because the screw holes don't line up. Only the bottom half or the top half can screw in.

Tightly done, you only need to top or bottom half.

Of course, pictures would help.

 

[MWink64]

Would it work? Maybe. Would I recommend it? No.

USB enclosures can be fine for occasional use but I'm not a fan of them for continuous use. There are a whole host of potential issues, ranging from heat, to overly aggressive power management, to flaky bridges that cause corruption. If you do go with it, make sure you keep good backups.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

I've been using the same 4 ready-to-use external hard drives for more than 10 years and they're still in use.
3 x WD ones and an Hitachi one, each with the same data on them for belt-and-braces data security.
The important thing is to not just rely on one, have two more as backups.

When one fails, replace it ASAP and copy data across to it from one of the others.
Remember that and they are perfectly acceptable for long-term data storage.