Hard drive storage trays/container/caddy

[LarrySabo]

What do you use to store hard drives in quantity, so they are accessible and organized? They are starting to pile up and that's no way to store a hard drive. I can find ESD-safe plastic containers but they are usually for 1 or 2 drives and are ridiculously priced, like $5 - $10/drive. I've searched eBay and Googled my brains out but nothing seems suitable. Any suggestions?

[digitalferret]

Cheap and cheerful? antistatic foil bags.
Stack carefully / vertically in suitable size cardboard boxes.
But i hear you ask, how do you know what's where?

Well, theres probably some guru out there commissioned a fancy customer operations server or dBase software for maybe thousands of dollars.

Being the resourceful boy scout I use Evernote.
Scan the drive, load it up to evernote.
Give it a number, bag it, box it.
Stick tag on bag, stick numbers (say Drives 100 thro 120) note on outside of box.

Lost a 7200.11 ? Search term in evernote. Find record. check number, go to box (drives 100-120) dig out bag number 118.

Simples! chclk (you maybe have to see the UK TV advert to get that one )

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[LarrySabo]

Thanks for the suggestion. It's more the physical storage tray/<whatever> that I'm looking for. I've come across this storage box, which looks not too bad, but would prefer something with handier, open access to the drives. So far, I don't have an overwhelming number of drives, but it's growing.

[digitalferret]

edit: deleted, didn't see lower pic with lid off.

similar here but contains more. same stack orientation but in ziplock A/S bags so you can see sticker or tape on top edge.

Stored in on shelves 1 deep. easy to pull out and root around for spares.

The collection, i guess, *will* grow #OCD Drive Hoarders ftw

K

[craig6928]

hello larry the case you want to look into is called

Gorilla Drive Box 3.5 Inch Anti Static Hard Drive Carrying Case multi HDD Grn

they are good cases but a little more expensive

we dont normal stock a lot of drives now

as its a lot quicker to get it from other source

before we had around 2,000 hard drives in stock
most would get used all the time others did not

by having your own hard drive stock can get really expensive

you could easy go to your local dollar store and pick up a good container
and use Anti-static bags
then buy some good shelving from Canadian tire

Mastercraft Steel Shelving Unit

that how most data recovery company store its hard drives
on a steel shelving and in plastic open containers

[LarrySabo]

Thanks Kern and Craig. Ouch! $123CAD for that nice Gorilla drive box that holds just 8 drives? I'd better go have a look at what's available at Canadian Tire or Walmart, and order some of those cardboard boxes in my link.

[HaQue]

depending on your climate, maybe want to throw a small satchet of silica gel in each bag.