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Product:
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SilverStone MS02 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure |
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Price:
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$39 (CDN) / $35 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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SilverStone Technology
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Author:
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Hi-TEK
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Date:
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October 19th, 2006
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Rating:
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The final steps to finish the installation process is to simply connect the USB "Y" cable to one end of the MS02 and the other
end of any free USB port. Once everything is connected, the unit will power ON automatically and built-in Plug n' Play detection
should take place. The SilverStone MS02 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure will become instantly available and can be accessed via
Windows Explorer to view the system properties or change the drive assignment.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Testing:
To start performance tests, I assembled the following pieces of hardware to complete the system:
- Gigabyte GA-8IG1000MK Motherboard
- Intel Pentium 4 2.4A Processor w/NT03 CPU Cooler
- Albatron Gigi FX5900XTV 128MB Video Card
- 2GB Kingmax PC-3200 DDR400 SDRAM
- 1 x Maxtor DiamondMax 9 60GB Hard Drive
- 1 x Maxtor DiamondMax 10 200GB Hard Drive
- LG 52x32x52 DVD CD-RW w/ SuperLink
- VLSystem L.I.S POP LCD Indicator
- Kingwin Alpha Power AP-450 PSU
I will be running tests using HDTach 3.0 and SiSoft Sandra Pro 2007 SP1 in USB 2.0 mode.
HD Tach 3.0
from SimpliSoftware is a physical performance hard drive test for the Windows platform that reads from
areas all over the hard drive and reports an average speed. In USB 2.0 mode, the MS02 provided an average
sequential read speeds of 24 MB/s which is slightly slower than conventional SATA and SCSI hard drives.
SiSoftware Sandra 2007 SP1
(System Analyzer, Diagnostic and Reporting Assistant) is an information and diagnostic utility which allows the
user to retrieve information about the CPU, Chipset, Video adapter, Ports, Printers, Sound Card, Memory, Network,
Windows internals, AGP, ODBC Connections, USB2, 1394/Firewire and more. I ran the MS02 through the
Removable Storage Benchmark. Overall test results again here were not to surprising and I contribute most of
dismal performance to the slow 5400 RPM speed of the Fujitsu MHT2030AT 30GB notebook hard drive.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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To round out the MS02 package SilverStone bundles the unit with an software application program called BackupKingX. The software
offers the very basic fundamentals for those consumers looking for a simple backup solution. BackupKingX guides the user with a
simple job creation process which can be scheduled for any time or date. The frequency of the jobs range from daily, weekly and
monthly. Consumers are required to provide the path to both destination and source directories for each job. Once a job has been
activated, the main screen provides an updated progress report. BackupKingX offers the ability to backup files, restore missing
files from a previous backup and synchronization for files which are updated constantly.
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Conclusion:
The SilverStone MS02 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure represents a unique product for consumers and administrators
looking for a simple but effective storage solution. The product is available in two different colour formats
and offers consumers quick and easy Plug n' Play USB 2.0 support. Consumers will appreciate the compact size of
the unit and SilverStone's consistent high quality construction consisting of an attractive two piece aluminum
housing. Overall installation is very simple and can be completed in less than 10 minutes but requires complete
disassembly and reassembly prior to use. The MS02 documentation is very easy and covers all the aspects of
installation except use of the BackupKingX software application. Add in the packaged USB "Y" cable and the vinyl
carrying case and you have a good product from start to finish. As previously mentioned, the BackupKingX software
application does provide the very basic fundamentals of a easy to use backup solution. If your needs are very
small the software is more than capable of doing the job but pails in comparison to more robust 3rd party backup
applications currently on the market. Overall I was extremely pleased with the SilverStone MS02 2.5" Hard Drive
Enclosure and award MTB's Seal of Approval with a final rating of 8.5 out of 10.
If you have any questions regarding this review, be sure to visit the SilverStone Technology
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Quality construction and design
- Very compact size
- One button backup solution
- Includes good assortment of accessories
- Price
- Easy installation
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Cons:
- BackupKingX is not as robust as alternative backup solutions currently on the market
- No support for Firewire or SATA
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Error processing SSI file
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Error processing SSI file
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