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Techangel.co.uk would first like to thank Jacque from The Card Cooler for sending the product for review. Be sure to check out his site as they have a great variety of computer modification items and awesome cases available there.

Some people wished that their computer at home would be the same as the computer at work. They could have access to all their same files and programs; and also be able to have their own personal settings, and wallpaper intact. However, transferring hard drives is a painstaking task which factors in data protection and also security. The solution to this seems to be the introduction of removable hard drive racks, where a user can take out the hard drive stored in the rack and put it into another computer which contains a hard drive rack.

The same situation can apply to two friends, when one has about 40-60 gigs worth of data his friend wants. It is not practical to burn that many CDs or send the files over the internet. The best way to transfer the data would be to bring the actual hard drive to transfer the files instead. There are external hard drives available right now, but they are either not compatible in all computers because it utilizes the new USB 2.0 technology, or they are too expensive to be worth the price. So therefore, hard drive racks are still the most economical and straightforward way to transfer huge amounts of data.

Today, I had the chance to review Vantec’s MRK-102FD ez swap removable hard drive rack. This is a revolutionary product that is packed with wonderful features.

Vantec EZ-Swap specs * IDE Interface * Dust Cover * Key lock (3 steps: Power on, Power off, Unlock) * Supports ATA 133 * 40mm rear cooling fan * 3 year warranty * Comes with 8 installation screws and 2 keys Exclusive on the MRK-102FD * Green LCD Display * Fan failure display and audio alarm and display * HDD usage time display (HUTR) * Master or Slave hard drive setting and display.

There is also the MRK-103F ez swap that is also available at The Card Cooler but comes without the LCD and monitoring capabilities that are exclusive to the MRK-102FD.

The special feature on this removable drive rack is definitely the LCD. This LCD provides pertinent information including whether the drive is a slave or a master, the actual temperature of the drive, the hard drive access indicator, and the fan status. Vantec even had the option to change from a Celsius display to Fahrenheit. Their great attention to detail and to include a lock for their rack proves that Vantec has made a spectacular product.

One of the most important things about the MRK-102FD is the ability to warn the user when there is a fan failure or if the hard drive gets too hot. A simple test of the alarm was done by just setting the sensor to a lower temperature so the alarm will sound. Vantec’s alarm was a surprise; I expected the monotone digital beeps made from watches, but instead, I got a high pitched siren. It was a welcome sign that Vantec was really dedicated to protecting your data, and the alarm is a great implementation.

The 40mm fan that MRK-102FD comes with is an adequate cooling device because of the use of its aluminum casing. The fact that the alarm and temperature sensors are there to prevent overheat, there shouldn’t be any worries that 40mm fans may not be able to cool the hard drive.

The rack also comes with a hard drive usage time record, short term for HUTR. It records how long your hard drive has been access. This means that the timer does not move if the hard drive is not assessed, and I found this to be an interesting yet confusing feature. I would have wanted a timer to show how long my hard drive have been power on, because it could be a great indicator to record how long you have turned your computer on, and you can use it to monitor your internet online time as well. Unfortunately, HUTR only times when your hard drive is assessed.

The option to power on and off using the key without having to unlock the rack is a great feature. By powering off the rack, it disallows pesky intruders to view your data or assess it. The lock can also securely prevent tampering of the hard drive in anyway when placed inside the rack.

With the three year warranty that Vantec comes with, you can surely do no wrong in getting this product for your computer.

Overall, the MRK-102FD certainly proves to be a fine product. If you are interested in this product, be sure to drop by The Card Cooler to get one for yourself. It is definitely a great investment that will protect your hard drive and make it portable as well.

PROS:
Excellent quality of the construction and finish.
Allows true portable ability for hard drives.
Aluminum case to cool the hard drive.
Multi-function LCD that is bright and useful.
Great alarm that you can hear!
Lock to protect theft and loss of data.

CONS:
Prefer a regular time display option on the LCD.
HUTR feature should also record Hard Drive Power On time.

Related:
Thecardcooler.com homepage.
Vantec homepage.