Buying an m18x but how can i tell if its an R1 or R2

sorry guys, i know this may seem like a very basic or very stupid question to you but im new to the forum and i really need some advice.
im buying an M18x and was told it was an R2.
the specs are 2860qm (which would suggest r1) but has xfire 7970's ....

am i right in saying the r2 has space for 3 hard drives 2x7 and 1x9.5 and the R1 only space for 2?
has both the R1 and R2 space for an msata drive?
are there any other differences that i can check, i believe the motherboard is different but is there anything on it that will tell me what version it is?
is there any other differences that will help me figure out if what im being offered is correct or not..

if anyone could help me with some advice id really appreciate it, ive gone thru page after page but i just cant find the info even though i think i read something similar in the middle of another post before.

thanks for taking the time to read this and for any advice you can offer...

 

~2860qm does suggest R1. The R1 can also run the 7970's.

~MSATA drive space is R2 only. If it has an MSATA drive then it is an R2.

 

thank you for your advice, it does have an msata so i can relax now...phew! looks like the cpu may have been swapped out by previous owner.

 

Another easy way to tell. If the intel sticker is on the palm rest, it is a R2. If the intel sticker is on the bottom case, it is a R1

 

In the future ask for a screen shot of CPU-Z Mainboard tab. That's foolproof. The mSATA alone is also an indicator, but the chipset removes any doubt. Ivy Bridge can run a Sandy Bridge CPU, so that's not a good indication by itself.

 

thanks Mr Fox. the buyer accepted the transaction through paypal to alleviate any concerns i might have so its looking good.