M17x - Hard Drive Caddy ( secondary Drive)

Does anyone have information on how to obtain a secondary caddy for another hard drive?? i tried to chat with dell online sales and they said it was not possible. He also said that if you dont order a blu ray slot loading drive with the original system you cant upgrade it.

 

Most of these foreign sales reps don't have a clue what they are talking about 80% of the time, and I notice they like to lie about certain things like "you can't upgrade this later you have to buy it now" to get you to take more options at one time than you would want to, probably more commission for them. One person has already mentioned that he talked to Alienware support and asked them for the 2nd hard drive caddy and they said they will ship it to him no questions asked.

I think it might be better to deal with Alienware when dealing with the M17x they and their reps seem to know more of whats going on than Dell or their reps, IMO Dell's reps are clueless.

 

from inkjammer

 

Thank you both!

 

this worked for me! Got a free drive bay on the way!

 

Does anyone know the numbers for the UK?? I need the same thing please

 

I recently decided to order a 2nd hard drive mounting kit as well. Do to my surprised, these parts generally aren't available except during repair (you got lucky Moo ).

Three parts:
1. Tray
2. Interposer
3. Four Screws

I haven't gotten the part numbers as of yet. I have a representative in Texas checking on availability.

Gabe

 

how did i get lucky?

i don't have one

 

gabe thanks for the information!!

 

Sorry Moo, I assumed you were able to successfully order it. I'll keep everyone posted as soon as I get more information.

Gabe

 

There are ppl that have successfully received the kit.

I believe Mandrake got one by just calling up.

 

I see. Maybe I'll have to send a private message to mandrake. It didn't seem like there was an official kit based on my information from Texas. All the parts have to be purchased serparately (although they are putting a kit together). If in fact he did successfully order it, I hope they included the interposer. Without the interposer, the hard drive won't connect to the motherboard.

Gabe

 

I just heard back from Rick at Dell from the Titan team, and the price for the kit isn't cheap.

Kit - $76.63

The price is cheaper if you buy it with the hard drive. However, this varies based on what brand of hard drive your system came with.

Gabe

 

ha ha ha hellllll no

that is CAPITAL BS i order a system with expectation of being able to put in a 2 HD not having to buy one......BS and i will be reporting and getting mine ...Jesus @ that price i could sell my 250 and 30 gig vertex and buy a 120 gig SSD

 

Yeah that kit needs to be included standard with no cost on the M17x, Dell will find out really quick that this kind of sneaky underhanded bull**** will not bode well with customers.

 

I don't think anyone here has paid for it yet. Everyone calling is saying they got it free including myself.

 

I have finally got my order number and shipped status on the drive bay kit. Took a week and about 2 hrs over 3 phone calls to get it solved. You need to make sure they update your system tag first. I 3 different order #'s and they need to update your service tag in the dell system before the order will go through.

 

$74 for being able to put a second hard drive is a total rip off....

 

free...just said it was missing from my shipment.....

 

Well i got the caddy today with screws but no interposer.. I need that.. Anyone have that part number? Apparently the part number that was posted earler was just the cradle...

Mandrake do you have an invoice that shows all part numbers?

 

Hi Kilthro,
Call 1-800-372-3355 and ask for the interposer. Hopefully it's not too expensive....

Gabe

 

thanks..

well i will not pay... with the issues that I have had.. they will ship for free. if not they can take this thing back...

sorry just a little ticked that this replacement screen is still bad... well not good.. i should say....

 

Hi Kilthro,
I'm guessing you're referring to the white portion of the bottom of the screen in dim light. Unfortunaltely, do to the nature of how the screen is built and designed, they all have this issue. Unless there is a change in brand, the results will always be the same.

Gabe

 

well i dont want to hijack the thread and we can carry the convo on over there but i am not talking about the bleed... If that was the worse part then i would learn to live with it. I am refering to above that where it is darker than the rest of the screen. It is like that whole portion is dark and it goes from one edge to the other edge... its like the bulb doesnt work well there...

 

Sorry, I looked the other day and I couldn't find it. I assume I threw it away already.

 

DOH!


10 char

 

Log in to you Dell account.

To the right bottom click on "My Sytems and Peripherals"

Add your Service Tag

Then click you Service Tag

Then click the original configuration tab and you'll get the REAL detailed list with part numbers (the invoice on the box doesn't contain Dell part numbers - just sku's)

 

THat wouldnt give me the interposer part number for the second hd would it?

 

No. It gives the part number for the entire 2nd HDD kit that comes with the interposer and bracket.....

 

Well my original order didnt have the kit on it.. I used the kit number found on here that others have used but for some reason I didnt get the interposer I got the screws and cradle.. I believe mandrake got the cradle and interposer with no screws. lol

 

Yeah, I just don't know if ppl are adding there service tags to their dell account to check on things.

It's nice to add it because you can see your warranty days left and what contract you have and also view all the part numbers for your system.

 

Yea mine is added there.. Took them a week to get it in the system so I could add it

 

I got 1 screw besides the ones attached to the bracket. So I needed to supply the last 3 screws myself.

 

ahh the ones for the hd itself to hold it to the cradle.. got ya.. kewl.. I got the ones attached to the bracket..

 

I went under service calls on my dell account and found this.

TRDD2 SERVICE KIT..., BRACKET..., HDD, SECOND..., M17X 1

I'm guessing this is what you used.

 

yep. that is what I used

 

Ya'll are lucky we couldnt get a second drive bracket for our G50's if we made it ourselves lol. Our primary bracket is the same as the secondary is this the same on the M17x?

 

Yeah i need to figure out exactly what i need to order before it comes so i can have all my ducks in a row.

 

Got my trdd2 kit today also! Free of charge with a few calls about it missing from my system. They shipped it the same way.....1 screw and both the housing and sata adapter.

 

When you order the kit, make sure and have them change the quantity for the screws from 1 to 4. By default, the representative's computer will only ever order 1.

Gabe

 

Does the kit come with a specific number on it so everything is included ? that would be fantastic .

 

d p/n: TRDD2
ppid#us0trdd200000971pm2w

 

Thanks Fastlappy. So when i call what exactly am i asking for ? TRDD2 ?.

 

I wouldn't ask for that.....I would say that the hard drive cage was missing from the laptop and the rep that verified your order (or the rep that took the order) said you could add your existing hard drive with no problem. I wouldn't act like you know too much. I am sure they are going to start to crack down on these things eventually and start charging the 70 something bucks.

I never gave them the part number....fyi

Leave some rep when you get it! Any questions feel free to pm me.

 

Yea ill rep you as soon as i can , im all Repped out today

I may have to pay someone to get me one that doesnt need 2 because id rather pay even $35 for one now then $70 later lol.

Plus i ordered from the WEB so i didnt deal with a rep at all unless i can blame the web for the confusion lol.

 

I went throught the web also but they called me to verify the order and card. If they didn't do that for you just say you called in an asked if it was possible and they said yes. They didn't give me a hard time at all and didn't verify anything. They just said alienware customers get premier support and we will take care of this problem.

 

They told me to call the parts sales in the UK..???

 

Sounds bad to me...
Just ordered from Japan and this is way more complicated for us because we don't have AW, only Dell.
However, can you confirm me that you have the SATA and power connector? If so I don't really see the point of the tray. I can easily find a replacement.
Can you confirm that it would work?

 

The most important part of adding a second hard drive to this laptop is getting an interposer. Without the interposer, the hard drive will not connect to the motherboard. The interposer converts the SATA and power connector to a pin configuration that connects to a port on the laptop.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

I called and placed the order for this kit today.. When talking to the alienware rep today in the tech department, he said that the notebooks should have come with two and that it was a problem at the assembly plant and they have corrected that..

I am not holding my breath as I know they give mis information all the time. I will be curious to see if the replacement notebook that I have coming to me has the second kit in it by default even with no HD.