Hyperion Entertainment Message Boards

One M. Brantley, responding to a post in Epsilon's X1000 Blog, wrote, "Nothing fiddly/clumsy about the X1000's Fractal Design case or its drive bays! Each drive bay has a drive sled that can be added to or removed from the case without tools (screwdriver needed to attach sled to drive), and there is plenty of access at the front and the back (where it is easy to plug in cables and route them neatly). Each drive sled has anti-vibration rubber components, I might add. My introduction to Fractal Design was with my X1000, but I like the case design so much that I have since bought two more Fractal Design cases for other PC builds in my house. A-Eon made a smart choice with the case, I think, and the customized door panel (boing ball "facade") is icing on the cake."

I was happy to read this. But looking inside what I guess is either a DEFINE XL or an R4, where I would like to add something, makes that "without tools" hard to believe. And I don't find anything on the Fractal Design web site more enouraging than this:

3. Install the 3,5-inch hard drive(s) in the metal HDD-trays using the supplied HDD screws (40pcs in total, 4pcs per HDD). The silicone grommets mounted on the HDD-tray will absorb most of the vibrations from the HDD. You can also install 2,5-inch SSD drives using the attached SSD-screws (4pcs). The appearance of the supplied stands and screws is printed on the Accessory Box. Please consult the manual of the hard drive(s).

I have a 4" W x 1" H card reader on my SAM 460 that looks like it would fit perfectly in the break-away section of the bay right under the CD/DVD drive. But I can't imagine how one would mount it without taking almost the whole front of the computer apart. Can anyone set me straight on this?

It might be pointless to try. The card reader has an eight-prong USB attachment. I can't remember which is male, case or cable, but it doesn't matter because there isn't anything like either in the X1000. But maybe there is a way around that, if I could mount the reader?

I'm not sure this is the answer, but I installed a 3.5" floppy drive in a 3.5-to-5.25" adapter (for use with a Catweasel); first I removed the front plastic panel,and the thin metal panel (with a screw driver and a few twists). The drive plus adapter assembly just slid in (with a bit of alignment using a tiny screwdriver). I did secure it to the cage with screws.

You will have to remove the sides of the case to secure the screws and connect your reader to the USB motherboard connector.

P.S., my card reader is external and plugs into the back of the case.

The confusion might be down to misunderstood specs.
The R3/R4 case used for the X1000 computer has ten INTERNAL 3.5" drive spaces, each one slides in and out, and each has four rubber grommets for mounting 3.5" drives, or the smaller 2.5" solid state drives with no rubber mounts..
But these are internal drive spaces, and are not intended for optical drives or card readers or other devices that you need regular access to. For accessible stuff, you have two 5.25" EXTERNAL drive spaces, one is usually filled with an optical drive. The second space is available for any 5.25 device directly, or if it's a smaller 3.5" device, and adapter like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811993007 can be used.
Please note, these "external" drive spaces are behind the front door, you need to open the front door before you can see or reach these drives. WIth the door closed, you will only see the boing ball logo.

Regarding the availability of USB connections, the Nemo/X1000 board has eight on the back, and a header for two more on the motherboard. These are usually routed to the built-in USB sockets on the top/front of the fractal case. If you need more usb connections, I would suggest something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811997024, which plugs in to the ten pin USB header and gives you three such headers plus two USB A type sockets. This is basically a USB hub that is designed specifically for mounting inside the case to expand your USB connections available.

Note: I used examples from NewEgg, but these parts can be purchased anywhere.
I am not employed by NewEgg, nor do I represent them in anyway.

I got my stuff through Amazon (2 day shipping with Prime)

I couldn't tell if it was R3/R4. Didn't even know it was Fractal Design until I saw that note at AmigaWorld and went to Fractal Design's web site, but I was sure there was space for either of two different size drives under the CD player inside the front door. I think I understood the specs OK, having received both PDF and paper versions (granted, they include tons of stuff I don't pretend to understand, but the USB and HD stuff is pretty clear).

I'll check out your NewEgg suggestions, LyleHaze. That's where I got the card reader in question. I probably get more from Amazon, and they have lots of money for me, but now that I've managed my CF card I'm no longer in any rush; I really could get by with the two little USB-plug-in card readers I bought before I realized I might be able to transfer the case-mounted one after all.

Thanks to danbeaver as well, but I seem to include thanks to LyleHaze in half the posts I do here...

Hey, Bart! To be clear, I was referreing to the internal hard drive bays that have the sleds that slide in and out real easy. The two larger external bays, as you have found, are more traditional/conventional and nothing special.

If you have had your X1000 for a while, it most likely is in an R3 case. Fractal Design has discontinued that and replaced it with the R4, which looks very similar but is slightly taller and about an inch wider. The main improvement is more room behind the motherboard for cable routing, but not big deal really.

mbrantley wrote: If you have had your X1000 for a while, it most likely is in an R3 case.

I got it last summer. It was one of the first with the two unconnected, blue, USB 3 connectors, so fairly recent I suppose.