Acquired a i7 usff optiplex. No 3.5" bay. USB to external?

Holbs

Holbs

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May 1, 2019
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I recently acquired a 9020 usff (ultra slime form factor) i7-4770 computer to replace my monster 9020 MT (mid tower). But, the usff has 1 x 2.5" and 1 Slimline dvd bay. I currently use a 3.5" 8 tb wd purple in my mid tower. Was thinking of removing the DVD and using the sata / power cords on the 3.5" (there could be a concern about power requirements, shall see). Then occured to me, I wonder if I can convert the 3.5" to a simple USB external. How would this affect recordings if done thru external USB?
 
Holbs said:
I recently acquired a 9020 usff (ultra slime form factor) i7-4770 computer to replace my monster 9020 MT (mid tower). But, the usff has 1 x 2.5" and 1 Slimline dvd bay. I currently use a 3.5" 8 tb wd purple in my mid tower. Was thinking of removing the DVD and using the sata / power cords on the 3.5" (there could be a concern about power requirements, shall see). Then occured to me, I wonder if I can convert the 3.5" to a simple USB external. How would this affect recordings if done thru external USB?
Click to expand...
USB external is not a reliable connection
 
Awww phoey. And k. Thought so cause too easy of answer , will see if swapping out dvd to 3.5" works regardless.
 
Holbs said:
Awww phoey. And k. Thought so cause too easy of answer , will see if swapping out dvd to 3.5" works regardless.
Click to expand...

For those following the discussion, in addition to the very small case and no 3.5" drive bay:

usff - watch out, many of those models iirc also had lower performance cpus ( laptop versions )
 
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As I understand it for usff's and mini's, the CPU little guys just have a lower wattage consumption but same performance as other CPUs. Lower wattage because the PSU is smaller due to smaller peripherals.
I am not a computer guy so I can very well be totally wrong.
 
Holbs said:
As I understand it for usff's and mini's, the CPU little guys just have a lower wattage consumption but same performance as other CPUs. Lower wattage because the PSU is smaller due to smaller peripherals.
I am not a computer guy so I can very well be totally wrong.
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Hi Holbs,

Check the exact CPU model and compare with other models of that CPU.

Often the laptop CPUs use less power due to the CPU not doing as much "work". ( example check core counts on i7 laptop CPUs vs i7 laptop CPU versions )
 
I could understand a laptop CPU being less powerful. But these are desktop CPUs in the usff's and mini's, right?
 
Holbs said:
I could understand a laptop CPU being less powerful. But these are desktop CPUs in the usff's and mini's, right?
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Hi @Holbs

Most of the very small case computers use laptop components to reduce the size of the box along with reducing the thermals and power.

This typically includes a lower power laptop version of a CPU.
 
i7-4770 isn't a laptop CPU. The same CPU was used in all the larger versions in the same generation Dells. I've got a mini-tower with the 4770. Another thing to look at is the CPU generation. Performance was fairly flat in gen 3 through 7, then took a big bump in generation 8. I've got the Fenderman endorsed laptop with a gen 8 i3 and a mac mini with a gen 8 i5. The performance of both is way better than what I expected. If in doubt, pull up the benchmark scores.
 
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tigerwillow1 said:
i7-4770 isn't a laptop CPU. The same CPU was used in all the larger versions in the same generation Dells. I've got a mini-tower with the 4770. Another thing to look at is the CPU generation. Performance was fairly flat in gen 3 through 7, then took a big bump in generation 8. I've got the Fenderman endorsed laptop with a gen 8 i3 and a mac mini with a gen 8 i5. The performance of both is way better than what I expected. If in doubt, pull up the benchmark scores.
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Hi @tigerwillow1

indeed the i7-4770 is not...

however Intel did make a number of i7 4770x chips:
i7-4770HQ
i7-4770K ( a very nice one to have.. )
i7-4770 ( the "normal" 4770 )
i7-4770R
i7-4770S
i7-4770T
i7-4770TE

sometimes folk selling used PCs do not fully qualify the CPU model when they sell the PC on ebay / craigslist / etc..

The point being, often the micro "desktop" mobiles have mobile components, and that includes mobile CPUs
 
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Would an external eSATA drive be more reliable over USB and provide the needed storage?

I've heard they're VERY fast but have never implemented one. Even my DirecTV DVR has an eSATA port.

PCIe eSATA card for PC about $30, external eSATA 3.5" enclosure with power supply, about $30.

Just a suggestion and something to think about...maybe with someone with more hands-on external eSATA drive experience can enlighten this thread and blow the idea out of the water.
 
TonyR said:
Would an external eSATA drive be more reliable over USB and provide the needed storage?

I've heard they're VERY fast but have never implemented one. Even my DirecTV DVR has an eSATA port.

PCIe eSATA card for PC about $30, external eSATA 3.5" enclosure with power supply, about $30.

Just a suggestion and something to think about...maybe with someone with more hands-on external eSATA drive experience can enlighten this thread and blow the idea out of the water.
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Hi TonyR

Many of these micro box sized systems do not have PCI daughter board slots. Perhaps it as an eSATA port?
 
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There is a slot on the MOBO called PCI MINICARD. From my google searching, some say NOT possible for this interface to be SATA related as the design was made for wireless cards only. Some say uSFF connector will support an mSATA drive. My WD Purple HD is not mSata however :(
This weekend, I will be removing the sata DVD with my WD Purple and see what happens (have read concerns about 12v and power, so will see how this goes)
 
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once I figure this out as possible or no go, I'll make a suggestion for the Cliff Notes to add case size/form factor in the CPU section
 
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Depending on how many sata ports it has I would go all ghetto and run longer power and sata cables outside and strap the hard disk outside if need be

Provided the PC isn’t in view who cares.
 
Hooked up a spare 3.5" 7200 RPM HD to the mini-ATX power cable and the SATA cable. Boots up fine. The power cable is a 15 pin HD to 4 pin DVD. Have to order 15 pin to 15 pin as will have SSD as main hard drive and Western Digital purple 8TB as storage.
And, case modification! The purple hard drive will have to sit out of the case. Duct tape anyone? :)
 
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I also will try out putting the WD Purple into external drive case and use USB for storage. As Fenderman says, unreliable but I'll give it a shot. Maybe tech has improved lately for USB to make an option 1. Option 2 will be attaching HD to SATA cable & power and then adhere to case or something.
 
IAmATeaf said:
Depending on how many sata ports it has I would go all ghetto and run longer power and sata cables outside and strap the hard disk outside if need be

Provided the PC isn’t in view who cares.
Click to expand...

Lika dis power supply thingy ?

duct-tape_PC_expansion.jpg
 
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