2x 3.5" HDD to 1x 5.25" ODD HP MicroServer Adapter

thingiverse

The HP Microserver is a powerful, compact server tower that offers great value for its price, supporting up to 4 hard drives in the bottom bays. However, with two PCIe card slots available on the motherboard, it's capable of connecting many more HDDs. Most people have opted for a Nexus Doubletwin, but considering the high cost, lack of modification options, and shipping times/prices, I decided to design my own bracket. You can also use O-Rings or insulated standoffs from Home Depot/Lowes to minimize vibration from the disks. My custom bracket costs approximately $1.60 for both halves and utilizes the HP Microserver's included ODD screws on the hinged door. This solution is significantly cheaper than comparable alternatives. If my design has saved you time or money on your build, I'd appreciate a donation. I created this design a while ago but just got around to sharing it. The gap between thick hard drives is 5mm, and I used 3TB Drives in the pictures, which are 3-platter disks. They're quite thick, so my bracket should fit most, if not all, hard drives. On my MicroServer, I have 4 drives in the bottom bays, 2 in the top bays, and a 2.5-inch OS drive from an older laptop underneath the ODD bay. In total, I have 6 data disks and 1 OS disk. Two cards are installed on the HP Proliant: 1. The Syba 2-Port USB 3.0 and 2-Port SATA III PCIe 2.0 x4 SD_PEX50055 card, which costs $40.01 from Amazon. I use this card on the full-size PCIe channel on the outboard edge of the motherboard. 2. The VANTEC 4-Port SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCIe Host Card Model UGT-PC341, which costs $24 from Newegg. I use this card on the smaller size PCIe channel on the inboard edge of the motherboard. With these two cards, I have support for 6 external USB 3.0 disks, 6 internal 3.5-inch data disks, 1x2.5-inch OS disk, 1x ESATA disk, and 6x USB 2.0 disks. This setup gives me ~12 full-speed data disks before I need to upgrade my case or system. I recommend upgrading to the latest modded BIOS for optimal performance on the onboard SATA port. Additionally, you can upload the 2.5-inch OS HDD under the ODD tray design. Feel free to message me with any questions!