# What fan-cooled external enclosure to get for 3.5" drive?



## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

As I posted elsewhere, my Bolt+ finally hit the all 4 lights blinking problem on Saturday (bought in April 2017). I ended up ordering a a replacement genuine TiVo Bolt wall wart to troubleshoot (which unfortunately, came out to $19.90 in total due to shipping and tax for a $7.99 adapter).

I'm not optimistic the original wall wart failing is the cause of the problem and suspect the stock 3 TB drive failed.

When it arrives in a few days, if the problem isn't solved, I want to be prepared on what enclosure(s) I should shop for/order pronto. I already know I want a non-shingled 3.5" drive like a WD Red Plus or Purple drive, probably 3 TB. Obviously, I want to avoid eSATA stuff and go straight from the TiVo mobo to the drive. And, I want the enclosure to power the drive, not the Bolt+.

My Bolt+ is on TE3 but for all I know, might be forcibly upgraded to TE4, eventually.

Bolt hard drive upgrade said "Cooling fan stopped spinning on Sabrent EC-7F83 enclosure, and I don't want to buy another used one". TE4 Bolt upgrade with external drive refers to the Rosewill RX304. Anything else I should consider where I can go SATA to SATA w/o too much trouble? I already did a fair amount of digging and didn't come up with great answers.

I want to return this Comcast X1 DVR ASAP (renting temporarily). If nothing else, some of the buttons on the remote, esp. the d-pad are too stiff besides the $15/month extra free I'd have to pay for this thing.


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

cwerdna said:


> Bolt hard drive upgrade said "Cooling fan stopped spinning on Sabrent EC-7F83 enclosure, and I don't want to buy another used one". TE4 Bolt upgrade with external drive refers to the Rosewill RX304. Anything else I should consider where I can go SATA to SATA w/o too much trouble? I already did a fair amount of digging and didn't come up with great answers.


What you need is a power source for the external drive. If you use a case, it has to have the room to plug in the SATA power and allow for the SATA data cord to pass through. So, a case that is usually made for an SATA drive will not work since you slide the drive into the SATA power/data slot. You should find a case that is setup for an IDE drive with a plug in power source and convert it to an SATA power plug. I used this case, but it is no longer available at Amazon. EC-UEIS7 Hard Drive Enclosure. There is really no need for a fan or a case, although it is not aesthetically appealing. You could easily get by with a simple power plug and IDE/SATA adapter like this. SATA/PATA/IDE Hard Drive to USB 2.0 Adapter Cable Kit

EDIT:Further suggested by @ClearToLand: ...If you use a case, be wary of those with molded, combined SATA power and data connectors that the HDD slides into. The case you choose has to have the ability to connect the HDD to the SATA power, supplied by the case, *AND* the external / additional SATA data cable, coming from the TiVo Unit motherboard, simultaneously...


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## WVZR1 (Jul 31, 2008)

I have a NEW Sabrent EC-UEIS7 that I won't be using. Start a 'conversation' if you have interest.


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

pl1 said:


> What you need is a power source for the external drive. If you use a case, it has to have the room to plug in the SATA power and allow for the SATA data cord to pass through. So, a case that is usually made for an SATA drive will not work since you slide the drive into the SATA power/data slot. You should find a case that is setup for an IDE drive with a plug in power source and convert it to an SATA power plug. I used this case, but it is no longer available at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PHLMAE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 There is really no need for a fan or a case, although it is not aesthetically appealing. You could easily get by with a simple power plug and IDE/SATA adapter like this. https://www.amazon.com/Warmstor-Ada...ords=sata+power+adapter&qid=1634572113&sr=8-8


I see.

I'd rather have one with a fan in the hopes of having the drive last longer and so that it's a little protected from sliding around, isolated a bit from vibrating what it's sitting on and an inadvertent short circuit (bottom of board contacting something metal).

As for the latter, I'm wary of that power supply as it doesn't seem to have UL or other major safety lab certification. I don't want something like that to be a potential fire hazard.


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

WVZR1 said:


> I have a NEW Sabrent EC-UEIS7 that I won't be using. Start a 'conversation' if you have interest.


I'll consider it. Will let you know if I don't hear of any other good choices and end up needing an enclosure...


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

cwerdna said:


> I'll consider it. Will let you know if I don't hear of any other good choices and end up needing an enclosure...


Another option is to buy the kit from Weaknees. Single 1 TB Replace TiVo Upgrade Kit for 849000 $179.99 - FREE SHIPPING
*
What does this TiVo Upgrade Kit include?*

One 1 TB New AV Line Hard Drive in a weaKnees External Drive Case
A Torx T-8 Tool
A Torx T-10 Tool
A Torx T-15 Tool
Cable Ties
Custom SATA Cable
eSATA Extension Cable
Replacement Side Panel
External Hard Drive Power Supply and Stand
Printed, customized instructions for this upgrade for this model, with descriptive photos.
Expert Tech Support from WeaKnees via phone, email, and chat!


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

No thanks. That's way too much $ for only 1 TB.


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

Ok, my replacement genuine TiVo Bolt wall wart showed up a day early. Not surprisingly, the result is the same w/it --> all 4 lights flashing. So, it's likely the stock 3 TB drive is toast.


pl1 said:


> If you use a case, be wary of those with molded, combined SATA power and data connectors that the HDD slides into. The case you choose has to have the ability to connect the HDD to the SATA power, supplied by the case, *AND* the external / additional SATA data cable, coming from the TiVo Unit motherboard, simultaneously...


Nobody has any suggestions for enclosures that would fit the bill here? Is there a better sub-forum for this? I already posted the same question in TiVo Help Center.

What are folks using successfully w/fans that are available? I'd like to order one by this weekend.


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## keithg1964 (Feb 2, 2006)

I printed an box for an external drive and cut holes in it to mount the drive and for an fan that was mounted on the box. The way I powered the drive was I used an second tivo power adapter connected to the drive for the 12 volts, and connected the five volts and ground from the TIvo to the drive Worked perfectly.


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

cwerdna said:


> Ok, my replacement genuine TiVo Bolt wall wart showed up a day early. Not surprisingly, the result is the same w/it --> all 4 lights flashing. So, it's likely the stock 3 TB drive is toast.


I confirmed that the stock 3 TB drive is toast.

I hooked up a 2.5" 160 gig laptop drive I had lying around and didn't need the data on. Bolt+ booted w/o the 4 flashing lights problem and eventually I was greeted by guided setup.

Still open to fan-cooled 3.5" drive enclosures that'll work for SATA to SATA and hopefully have UL-listed (or equivalent) power supply.

Update: I bumped Bolt hard drive upgrade. If the enclosure only has a 4-pin Molex power connector (fan-cooled or not) and requires the use of a Molex to SATA power adapter cable, then that's out. I don't want to risk a fire when I'm asleep or not at home.


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## neato5oh (Sep 21, 2020)

I was thinking of buying a used tivo premier to host the drive


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

neato5oh said:


> I was thinking of buying a used tivo premier to host the drive


Hmm... That's an idea. Is the SATA power connector from Premiere's power supply able to be separated in a way that you can plug in a different longer SATA data cable that would connect to the Bolt's mobo?


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## neato5oh (Sep 21, 2020)

yep


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## cwerdna (Feb 22, 2001)

It looks like 1 piece on the drive side. Can the SATA data cable be pulled out of it? Or, maybe you could use a SATA data extension cable? It looks like the max length is 1 meter.

Now that you mention it, I do have a TiVo HD w/no more subscription. It was transferred in a "once in a lifetime" offer to the Bolt+. Perhaps I can use it to host a 3.5" external drive in the future via a SATA data extension cable?

I already ordered 2.5" 2 TB drives and they're on the way. Let's hope they're not duds or that they die in a few months.


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## neato5oh (Sep 21, 2020)

I think based on the pic of the premier that we could just unplug the 7 pin connector from the premier mother board and use a sata extension to connect it to the bolt


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## neato5oh (Sep 21, 2020)

Better plan: put a sata power extension between the premier plug and the drive and then just use a regular 7 pin data cable to connect the drive in the premier directly to the motherboard of the bolt


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