SilverStone didn't make it easy for installating components inside GD01B-MXR. Besides not having thumbscrews or screwless devices for securing daughter boards, installation of optical and hard disk drives should also be done with screws. And to complicate things even more, it is necessary to remove the cage in order to install drives.
On Figure 14 we can see the cage with two 5 ¼” bays. To install an optical unit, you must remove the cage (which is fastened to the case by two screws), remove one of the front aluminum covers (also attached to the cage with screws), install the drive in the cage with four screws and then screw the cage back in place.
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Figure 14: 5 ¼” bays cage.
The installation of hard drives is even more complicated: to properly install the units, you must remove the metal bar that exists on top of the case, remove the cage (attached to the case with four screws), put the disk drive inside it, fasten four screws to the drive, then put the cage back inside the case, attach four screws that hold it, and then reinstall the bar, which is held by another four screws. Phew!
But the good news is the good number of 3 ½" bays (six) for hard disks, which is enough for almost any user, and very unusual in HTPC cases (which usually have only one or two hard disks bays). Also, these bays have a rubber layer that helps absorbing vibration, helping your computer to be quieter. Moreover, there are rubber washers to be used on the screws that hold the hard drives.
There is also the possibility of installing 80- or 92-mm fans to cool these units directly.
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Figure 15: Hard drives cage.
On Figure 16 you can take a look on the interior from this case without its cages.
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Figure 16: GD01B-MXR without its cages.
