Laptop Harddrive window mod
By ZapWizard
This mod may turn into two things,
Either a very cool IDE activity indicator, or a working drive for a small server.
Everyone was doing hard drive, but I'm not every one, I had to do something different.
This idea was first thought of as a very cool IDE activity indicator, where a mini hard drive on the front of your system would move in sync with your real drive.
Then after building it I may put it in a server that hosts files, or downloads stuff from Kazaa.
The victim.
$10 at the local Goodwill computer store.
A 540mb 2.5" low profile laptop harddrive, fully working.
First: Off with the electronics!
Then: Off with the lid!
People argue here that a spec of dust will totally ruin your harddrive.
Probably true on a newer larger harddrives, but on this one I put on a few finger prints, that I took off with alcohol and a cotton cloth. Drive works perfectly still, no bad sectors.
It's naked!!!
The lid w/labels removed
Where I am going to cut
Cutting using a nibber
Done! A little filing should remove any rough edges.
Window with plexiglass lid.
The sheet of plexi was some that has been floating around in a box for quite some time, so it's got some scratches
I will replace it later with a fresh lexan peice.
All three together
After all that work I decided to just use the plexiglass only, since no parts of the drive stuck out higher than the rubber gasket.
I need to light the drive of course, and chose to use a constant light souce.
First to find voltage for an LED
Then install the LED
Led on, of course as usual much brighter in person.
The whole drive lights up, with the head being the brightest.
Final image, the edges where sealed with electrical tape
