Hot-Swap IDE option/opinions

[crashwg]

So, I've got a PS2 that doesn't like to read games anymore.  Fortunately, I have a modchip and run HDloader off my memory card which gives me access to games stored on the HDD.  So what I've been doing up until now is removing the HDD from the PS2, putting it in my computer and running a program called WinHIIP to transfer games onto the HDD.  As I'm sure you all know, this requires shutting down which is kind of a pain in the ass.

So what I want to do is have a way that I can attach an IDE HDD to my PC without rebooting.  I see my options as either getting an external enclosure, USB or firewire and hopefully finding one that is extremely easy to open and close or getting a hot-swap IDE rack.

The latter of the two is more appealing, but I don't have any experience with HDD racks so I was hoping some of you could shed some light on the subject.

Some questions:

If a HDD rack doesn't claim to be hot-swap that means you cannot hot-swap with it?
If a HDD rack claims to be hot-swap what does it have that not hot-swap ones don't?
On my laptop, I have an icon that says "safely remove hardware" is that going to pop up on my PC if I have a hot-swap compatible HDD rack?
If not, how do you hot-swap without friggin' everything up?

I'm looking at this particular item here:
LINK TO PRODUCT AT TIGERDIRECT
Mainly because it looks like it would be extremely easy.  I have two problems with it though. 
1. $$$  At $160 it's a bit more than I would like to spend
2. I only need a single slot device.  Currently my computer case only has (2) 5-1/4" bays and I need at least one of them for my DVD Burner

So to rap this up.
Please answer any question you know the answer to.  Link to any product you think suits my needs/wants.  Oh, and please don't tell me "you can adjust the laser" or "you can FTP to the PS2, ya know." 

Thanks in advance!

[jbox]

(a) if a rack isn't advertised as hot-swappable, it probably isn't
(b) almost all hot-swaps for IDE are those USB/Firewire enclosures.
(c) if you go USB, the drive will show up the same way a Flash drive does, so you use the little green arrow on the grey box thingy down in the system toolbar to unmount it once you are finished copying.
(d) any decent IDE enclosure should be non-trivial to disconnect, since those things are really not designed to be bouncing around so most good enclosures try to keep the drive firmly locked in

I you have a spare rack drive, you only need a single USB drive. Just go like this:
PC <= USB enclosure <= outer rack mount
PS2 <= outer rack mount
inner rack mount <= HDD
so then you don't have to unscrew anything. Just remember to switch the USB power off manually when you insert/remove the drive, but that is a two second job compared to needing to reboot your whole computer.

[boykster]

Just get a USB enclosure and use the USB-> IDE portion, no need to "install" the drive in the enclosure, just use the usb->ide interface.  That's how i transfer my "backed up" games to my PS2....

[patrickl]

I used a cheaper (think it was like 25 euro) removable hard disk rack. which did say it worked with hot swapping. I wanted to use it to make HD back copies of my files and then swap these each week. I have to say it works great, but still the computer needs to reboot (or remount the drives) when I swap the disks. So in the end the hot swapping didn't do me much good there. Although in Linux it's not so hard to remount a drive.

As you are putting back the same disk it might work without problems though.

a USB enclosure sounds easier if it works for you though

[GadgetGeek]

Here is a possible item from NewEgg
It may or may not work.  I got one and it didn't work, RMAd one works  sometimes, depending on the drive and the machine.  Most people who have gotten them say they work great.  If it doesn't work, you at least got a dedicated 5/12V power supply with a standard drive connector on it for powering those ancillary items in your cab.