Quick review: IcyBox HDD enclosure (revised model)

[davidstone28]

Just quick review to follow up from the Hexus review of the original Icy Box

IcyBox have released an additional model to add to their range of external HDD enclosures. It does exactly the same thing as the enclosures in their current lineup but the looks are obviously different. The big negative is that the cooling is noticeably poorer.

Whereas the square models have grills on 3 sides, as well as internal plates that touch the HDD to help disappate heat, the new model to the range only has a grill at the front, the design of which is also quite restrictive. There is also a complete absence of internal 'plates' which touch the sides of the HDD to help disappate. On my tests, there is a temperature difference of between 2-4C between the two models.

Pros

• Improved looks - very smooth finish / coated metal
• Vertical stand more stable (compared to square model)
• Silicon pads on verticle stand
• Probably more robust in terms of portability (shell is a 2 piece design)

Cons

• Cooling is disappointing (compared to square model)
• Lack of connection options ie USB2 only (square model has firewire)
• Update 01.10.05: Appears to have malfunctioned. Will not turn on.

[Tagan]

The new Icy Box still offer a wide range of connectors as with the previous model, IB350 series. With the IB360 series, you can get the following connections:

IB360U USB2.0
IB360UE USB2.0 & Firewire
IB360sts SATA to SATA

The IB360 series was introduced with Media Centres in mind and would not be out of place.

As to the cooling of the new Icy Box 360 series, performance is similar if not better as our test results have showed. so I am surprised that this point has been raised.

Icy Box have also just launched a new 2.5" along with a 1.8" alloy external enclosure aimed at business users. For further information please visit www.nanopoint.co.uk.

[Nick F]

How much are these?

[Apex]

Have they fixed the hdd coruption that the older ones suffered from ?

[Byatt]

Have they fixed the hdd coruption that the older ones suffered from ?

HAH! That wasn't just me then. *shakes fist at dormant Icy Box in the corner*

[Apex]

Nope m8 we all suffered it when using the firewire version

[davidstone28]

*** Update - 1 October 2005 ***

My ICY box has died. You press the 'on' switch, but it doesn't turn on. No power. Zilcho. Only 4 months after I bought it - and with very infrequent use. Very disappointing.

And to top it all, I can't even find the bloody receipt

*** Update - 2 November 2005 ***

Item was replaced by CCL Computers www.cclonline.com (excellent service guys) even though I didn't have the receipt, they had my order details on their system.

They replaced it with the most recent version of the Icy Box - interestingly it now has a swtich turn off the blue LEDs if not required and also the power brick seems to be from a different manufacture which appears to be of higher quality.

[philipj]

Having just bought an Icybox, I'm a bit worried by the posts in this thread.

I'd really like to know what kind of problems you've had (it may not be the same for each of you):

- did the Icybox die, but the HDD worked when put in another mount, and all the previous data was there?

- did the Icybox die, and the HDD worked when put in another mount, but all or some of your previously stored data was corrupted or lost?

- did the Icybox die, and you found the HDD was unusable afterwards?

- or did something else happen?

My icybox cost me a few quid. The HDD inside was a bit more expensive. The data on it...I'd prefer not to lose. Perhaps I need to buy another similiar disk as a backup. Can you guys recommend anything which does the same job as an Icybox, but is more robust and reliable, and still small and quiet?

I was sold on the Icybox because it's fanless (silent operation) and has a small footprint. It replaced a Formac offboard hard disk (case + HDD in a premanufactured, sealed unit) which was the size of a laptop, had the loudest fan I'd ever heard which shrieked like a banshee, and frequently disappeared from Windows Explorer while I was trying to write to it (over Firewire) with predictable results for data integrity. So that's one route I'm not trying again.

[theslasher@ntlw]

I have just retired my icy box to my old computer cupboard i used on USB then tried firewire it corupted my drive lucky i had get data back software.
Retrived the data back but i dont trust it now,so its your choice?

[VR46]

I have an icy box, the first version...

Black with blue LED'S its been running for nearly 12 months now, not had a single problem with it........

New model looks quite coool tho

[philipj]

Ta for these. Any more experiences out there?

[Hobart Paving]

The data corruption problem only seems to occur when using Firewire. USB2.0 seems fine (from what I can gather). When my IcyBox died - it was almostly certainly the "brick" power adaptor. It didn't affect the drive inside. Other than that, usage has been fine.

[Curly]

I suffered with the same problems as most people had, hd corruption with firewire connection, usb worked flawlessly, I did flash the bios chip and firewire seemed to be working well, but then the power brick failed, oh well, don't think I'll be getting another one.

Curly

[Funkstar]

The only problem i've had with my original IceBox is that is doesn't play nice with my ADSTech 5 1/4" firware box, but i just use the USB of the IcyBox and everything is hunky dorry.

A note on the SATA to eSATA icybox: the internal SATA cable is pretty stiff and short making it difficult to sit properly with my Western Digital drive and the lid on.

[Nacrisa]

I was thinking of getting the IcyBox IB-550UE (the one with USB2/FireWire) but wasn't sure if I should pay the extra £10 for this over the IB-550U (just USB2).

Thanks for your opinions... I think I'll get the cheaper one now!

[Richie P]

I looked at an IcyBox when i bought my externl hard drive, but discounted it due to it's lack of fan and the subsequent drive longevity. I bought a enclosure with a fan, and yet my hard drive still corrupted with clunks and failed reads/writes after only 9 months.

I wouldn't trust an un-fanned enclosure (IcyBox) as far as i could throw it.