Chieftec CMR-425 drive bay panel Carrier panel Black

The Chieftec CMR-425 is a black metal 5.25" carrier panel that converts one external 5.25" bay into four 2.5" SATA drive bays. It supports 2.5" HDDs and SSDs with heights between 7 mm and 9.5 mm, supplies power through the SATA connection, and provides LED indicators for power and drive access. Trays are removable for straightforward installation, the all-metal enclosure is lockable, and all installed drives are hot-swappable.

Advantages

The CMR-425 offers a compact, durable solution for adding up to four 2.5" SATA drives using a single 5.25" external slot. Its metal construction and key lock improve physical security, hot-swap capability simplifies drive replacement without shutting down the system, and included SATA cables facilitate immediate installation. LED indicators help monitor power and disk activity.

Suitable for

• Expanding storage in desktop PCs or workstations
• RAID configurations and data backup setups
• Systems requiring frequent drive changes or cloning
• Small server or NAS builds where 2.5" drives are used

Key specifications

• Model: Chieftec CMR-425
• Form factor: 1x 5.25" external bay to 4x 2.5" internal bays
• Supported drive types: 2.5" HDD/SSD, height 7–9.5 mm
• Interface: SATA power and data (SATA I/II/III compatible)
• Material: Metal
• Colour: Black
• Dimensions (W×D×H): 146 × 168 × 42 mm
• Weight: 0.764 kg
• Features: Hot-swap, LED indicators, removable trays, lockable front panel, included SATA cables

How to use

Install the CMR-425 into an available 5.25" external bay of your case, secure it with the appropriate screws, and connect the provided SATA data and power cables to the motherboard and PSU. Mount 2.5" drives into the removable trays, slide trays into the carrier until they click, and use the key lock if needed. The device supports hot-swapping, so drives can be inserted or removed while the system is running when the operating environment and controllers allow it.

Recommendations

Use drives within the supported height range (7–9.5 mm) and ensure SATA power/data connections are secure. For best results, place the carrier in a chassis with adequate airflow and verify that your motherboard or RAID controller supports hot-swap functionality before removing drives during operation.