How to protect these drives?

July 8, 2008 11:28 AM

Where could I purchase a bunch of Seagate's Seashell plastic hard drive cases?

I want to store a bunch of bare hard drives with data that will probably be accessed only intermittently (the data would be transferred to new drives every few years, if all goes to plan).

Some of my Seagate drives came in those Seashell cases and from what I can tell they seem to be a better way to protect my drives than in those static-shielding bags. Is this true, and if so, where could I buy these Seashells separately? Seagate doesn't seem to sell them, and I don't know why they wouldn't.

Alternatively, what would be a good way to store all these drives?

posted by estherbester to computers & internet (5 comments total)

Find a larger x86 clone builder in your area that buys hard drives in bulk. Seagate and WD both use a 20-pack which is built of thick, dense foam with slots for 20 hard drives. Each slot is fairly deep and there is a foam "lid" which goes on top. These are usually thrown away by computer builders so you should be able to get them for free, if you can locate a source.
posted by thewalrus at 1:30 PM on July 8

Wiebetech sells these cases. Seagate links to this site as a source for packaging material for returns. I see a link there for Seashell packaging.
posted by jaimev at 1:31 PM on July 8 [1 favorite]

Actually, on closer inspection, that WIC store I linked to appears not to sell just the Seashell cases. Just packaging material that encompasses it.
posted by jaimev at 1:36 PM on July 8

These guys sell them. You might call and ask who they have for local resellers.
posted by SirStan at 7:21 PM on July 8

I've done the search you are doing back in 2005

When I last spoke with WIC, they said they don't do the Seashells anymore, the patent to manufacture those went to another company and they don't know who it went to. All they do now, as of 2005, is make the RMA boxes and anti-static foam packing cases that hold 10-20 drives.

When asked for further help, they said when they did get requests like ours, they only pressed them when the minimum pallet (5000 cases) was ordered.

Luckily, my unique shop orders about 20-50 drives a month and we kept all the Seashells we got from NewEgg until they started shipping them with the AS foam packing cases.
posted by nataaniinez at 12:51 PM on July 14