October 5, 2016
I got my first set of parts for this build so I thought I start this page so I can write a little more about what works and what doesn't. I like pictures more than anything since that really shows you what really works. So here we go...
I decided to go with these cables simply because of the price. This case requires two of these cables and well, I didn't want pay 15 plus dollars for each cable. The norco cables are red and also cost a bit more or less depending on where you buy. These were a bit less than any others and are also reverse cables. The reviews looked fine so I thought I give them a try. There are so many types of cables but you have to make sure you get the correct ones for your intended application. I used scsi cables way back, but these smaller sas are very different which is fine, but just know that there are quite a few different types. I'm going straight to the sata connectors on the board so these seem to be the correct version for my application.
They look fine, just like the ones I saw at frys the other day, but cost way more over there.
I decided to go with one 16gb dimm since this is still up there and I thought I try this ecc memory. Do I need ecc, no, but I figure it wouldn't hurt anything. This is also the first time I get my ram before I get my motherboard. Go figure. Well, at least it looks like I'm going in the right order.
The reverse sas cables look fine and they have a locking tab on each side which is nice. The single large connector fit fine on the back plane, so far so good.
Some people mentioned how the numbering may not be correct as it is labeled, but I'll be checking each one individually, then I can just swap them to the correct one if they're not. Or you can always re-label them with a marker yourself. I haven't used these yet so I can't tell you anything else at the moment.
Surprisingly the end is just a cover with a plain pcb type of connector. Although it fit fine, the clip seems to be the only thing holding it all together. So just be gentle with these types of cables.
See those two tiny holes on the back plane connector, that's where the cable locks in.
The cable is now locked in place and it's very easy to also remove if needed which is nice.
Just press on the cable here and you can unlock it and pull it straight out. This is my first time using a mini sas end and I like it. I wonder if they have any right angle versions? But even those may not work since I need these to bend towards the back a little bit. Either way you can make these work in this case since there is space around it as you can see in the pictures below.
I got the .5 meter (about one foot and a half) cable because I didn't want the long cables. These seem to work just fine. The only thing is that since they are straight, this is what they look like when I installed them. I did look at the motherboard pictures and it turns out my sata ports will be on this side too which is even better, but they do reach the opposite side just fine.
The second cable was rolled the other way so this is what that looked like. Not a big deal since they can be moved, but you have to be careful with these as the cables are thinner/smaller in diameter.
Here I'm trying to figure out the best way to tuck them in without bending them too much.
And finally I think this is what will work for this. Well this is what looks like will work. So they will need a slight bend no matter what since you will need to get the cover on without crushing any cables.
I finally found my mini itx power supply but it's only a 250 watt. I did order a 350 watt I think it was. I'm still waiting but at least I had something to check this with.
Well, this psu won't work alone. The wires are too short and won't reach the back plane connectors. So this would need extensions. I hope the new one has longer cables or I'll need some extensions as well which I rather not use. If those connectors are loose that's just another thing that may give you problems later on.
Here's a closer look at how far this one reached, and the case needs two.
I didn't even have to screw this on. Just placing it on there allowed me to check things here which is a good thing. This is the reason it would be a good idea to include this part with the case so you don't have to find one that may or may not work. I have a feeling I will need to make any psu work on this due to their short wires from what I can see now.
Norco ITX-S8 nas case 1 - The build
14 comments:
Great guide. i recently purchased this case and the necessary cables but my mb is unable to detect my hdds not matter which slot i try. Any advice on this?
I guess my previous reply didn't go through. Heck the bios first. I don't know what board and cables you got but check that bios first.
Using normal sata and power cables the motherboard detects it. Using the mini sas to sata similar to what you bought, it is unable to detect. The hdds are powering up though.
MB: P8 h77i
Not sure if the cables or sas controller is faulty.
I noticed this is an older board. I would update the bios just to be sure. Then just plug to the two data 6gb just to test it. As long days as they are reverse cables they should work. That's not to say they could not be bad. But check the basics first.
Im Sorry about the misspelling. I can't leave any comments from the computer so I have to use my phone which keeps screwing up my text. Darn letters are too small.
Make sure you are using a *reverse* breakout sas cable, breakout (non-reverse) look exactly the same but will not work at all.
I have been looking out for a half decent review on this case for a while now. Thankyou.
One question though, the airflow through the hard drives... Am I right in assuming that the fan pulls the air only through the little holes in the hot-swap PCB over the hard drives. That does not seem like a lot of airflow. Any chance of a clearer picture on this.
I saw the picture where your HDD temps around the 35-40 mark. Is this stable for usual running?
Hi David. You are correct about the air flow. Most nas boxes have the pcb like that, but the temps are fine as long as you don't block anything around the nas. It has plenty of space inside the case for air. Unfortunately I don't have any more pictures, but as far as the temps, those are within specifications of the drives, so they are fine. So far everything has been fine. I made a change on the comments because something happened when they made changes a while back and all this got screwed up. So I hope it works now.By the way I'm glad this was helpful.
Hi Jaime, Thanks for the reply.
Will this fit a SFX power supply or are you forced to use a 1U ATX only?
No, none of the large power supplies will fit. The type you see in the pictures is what this is made for and it's actually perfect because it allows for better air flow inside the case. Unfortunately I can't seem to find them on amazon. I forgotten what this size is called and I think this is why I can't find it again.
I think what you are looking for is a "1u power supply" as in one rackmount unit.
https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Power-Supplies/Rackmount-&-Slim/62657-SS-300M1U
Also, would you buy this case again having had it for a while if you could do this exercise over?
You know that really would depend on your needs. The case is fine, but since my needs are very low for now I think a four bay would be fine. Now with that said, this other four bay I found recently that I like is almost as much as the eight bay. So to make it clear, the case is fine, I think it comes down to your needs and what you like. This larger case tends to be noisier than my old four bay, with that also comes more dust as you now have two fans blowing a lot of air. So that's what I would base this on now, your needs and how much noise you think you can put up with. In my case, I sleep in the same room which is the reason I keep it off. If you have a home where you can put this somewhere else, than that should be no big deal. I do have eight bays, but you can just get four larger drives in a four bay. So you have a few good options, also, the bigger something is, the more energy it may use. So keep this in mind and you will be fine either way as long as you know what you will be getting. I have worked on computers for many years so building it is not a big deal, but it is more expensive to build your own than to get something already off the shelf if you will. I hope this helps.
Yes thankyou that is just what I wanted to know. You are still happy enough with the case to use it again should circumstances be similar.
I am considering cases now. I rather like the Lian-Li PC-Q26. Good airflow, heaps of room, reasonable size - I am not too bothered about the hot-swappable, happy enough to have it, but not really a deal breaker either. But that case is no longer in production.
I was thinking about the Silverstone DC380, but that case has problems too.
The ITX-S8 you need a 1u power supply which is a nuisance as I have spares of everything else. But at this stage, it is shaping up to become the case of choice for a NAS I am planning on building sometime soon.
One thing I don't know if I mentioned is that this case was the easiest to work on, so I think you will like that. No weird things about it, and no big surprises other than the buttons since they were a bit small. Other than that it's one of the easiest cases to work on, unlike many of the others. Plenty of room to work in and as for the small power supply, I prefer these smaller ones. I also have one or two of the larger ones, but I have been moving towards smaller parts myself. On my desktop I'm using the pico psu just to give you an idea. So don't look at it that way. You'll like the smaller one, specially if you need to change it, they get cheaper too.
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