OS Hard drive swapping

[nothlit]

I have done some basic research on this idea already but am not entirely sure what I need to look for so I am hoping I can explain it and see if anyone has come across this setup or used this setup...

Basically I have an environment at work where we have about 6 core 2 duo processor machines, we recently came to the conclusion that we could dual boot the machines with a 32 bit OS or a 64 bit OS. As our conversion progressed we started talking about having a shelf full of hard drives that we can just move from computer to computer (Same model/hardware for each computer)

What we want to do is have 10+ hard drives for the 6 computers that can act as the boot drive OS installed the way we want. This way you can take any hard drive and move it to any computer. A different OS with a different Setup rather then having to use a particular computer with a dual boot that would make the other boot option useless to another user. Make sense so far?

Ok I was looking at eSATA, I found a low profile PCI card I can install to each machine and was hoping to get an external cage/enclosure to house the hard drive. Most of the options I am finding though have more then 1 bay, are their any single bay options people know of? I don't need hot swappable, from what I have read it doesn't appear to be a great option for my needs anyway. In most cases the machine will be shutdown and the drive will be put back on the wall or something.

I want some sort of enclosure because I would like to avoid bending the cable that connects from the enclosure to the computer. I don't have the option to have the drive swappable from the front of the machine. The machine is low profile and the only thing that fits it he CD drive.

Any help is appreciated, thank you for taking your time to read this post.

[soybean]

I think your group at work needs to re-think this.  Why do you need 32 bit and 64 bit OS available for each user?  And, if that's necessary, why not go the dual-boot route?  I don't see the advantage here of using external hard drives which can be used for different OS.  Indeed, I see that scenario as being more hassle-prone than just using dual boot configurations. 

And, if there's a need to frequently switch from 32 bit to 64 bit OS, or vice versa, I would be looking at setting up one of the OS as a VM (virtual machine).  This would allow running two OS simultaneously on one computer.

[Salmon Trout]

When you install Windows a unique hardware signature is generated, and the activation of Windows is tied to that signature. Shifting a hard drive from one computer to another would cancel the activation. Also, there would probably be some kind of licencing issue. Finally, I would be very surprised if you could get Windows to boot from an e-sata drive.

[Computer_Commando]

When you install Windows a unique hardware signature is generated, and the activation of Windows is tied to that signature...

No activiation is required with a corporate site license.

[Salmon Trout]

has nothlit got a corporate licence?

[soybean]

has nothlit got a corporate licence?

He did not say, but it would make sense for them to have it in their office environment.  It would save money. 

nothlit, we're waiting for a reply from you. 

[nothlit]

Yep we have a corporate license. The goal here is to build a better testing environment. The machines are in a test environment we plan on using to test different products with different OS flavors before we release to clients so basically their is a good possibility all machines will be in use at the same time another reason to avoid the dual boot.

VM is a good option and we have used that but a lot of testing requires attaching scanners to do the product testing. And in the past even if we do get something to attach fully we end up creating additional problems.

A big part of the issue is that I'm in a group that is supposed to support a product, I am told it works by the developer and it doesn't really or hasn't been fully tested correctly. Plus live environments tend to generate real problems that the developer isn't always able to produce.

[Computer_Commando]

Here's an eSATA enclosure that fits into a 5.25in drive bay.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817364015

[nothlit]

As much as I would prefer an internal drive it won't work for the model of computer. The computer is smaller and the CD/DVD drive already takes up the space that that enclosure would, thus the need for an external solution.

Model of computers   
HP Compaq dc5800 Small Form Factor PC 
 

[Computer_Commando]

Is this one better?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817366009


You will need an eSATA bracket or controller card to fit you model of computer.

[nothlit]

That looks better then the options I was finding. It looks like it will work with one of the PCI cards I found as well.

https://www.eio.com/p-17430-syba-sd-lp-pex1es-pci-express-sata-ii-raid-card.aspx


Thank you for all the replies and all the help.

[nothlit]

After all this we started talking again. We are in an environment where in most cases we have ISO images anymore rather than the need for CD/DVD drive so we are thinking about pulling out all our CD drives and replacing them with a bay to do the hard drive swapping, if we then really have a need for CD drive we can use an external USB drive.

Any thoughts suggestions on going this route? I think I can find the products I need but thought I would still ask here for input if anyone has two cents. Sorry for the time you took to look up external options Computer_Commando

[Computer_Commando]

... rather than the need for CD/DVD drive so we are thinking about pulling out all our CD drives and replacing them with a bay to do the hard drive swapping, if we then really have a need for CD drive we can use an external USB drive.

Any thoughts suggestions on going this route? I think I can find the products I need but thought I would still ask here for input if anyone has two cents. Sorry for the time you took to look up external options Computer_Commando

That's exactly what I was going to suggest next.  Corporate users have little need for a CD/DVD drive.  Don't get any SFF computers in the future; they're just too much trouble to deal with.  Time, I've got, no problem.  I was never an IT guy, but worked with them all the time at several different jobs.  Some things never change.  At least you're considering all the options, before making a decision.  Good luck!