M18xR2 - mSata port mystery!

Hey Guys,

Here's what I'm trying to figure out. How is the msata port connected to the mobo/bottom cage? I was looking at my R2 mobo and couldn't find it. I have a R1 bottom cage, so my assumption is, the msata is somehow mounted on a R2 bottom cage....
Anyway, please help me get to the bottom of this

 

<iframe width='560' height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QurcoGc_FgQ" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

it should be at around 53 seconds you can see the msata. it looks like it is part of the motherboard, but Mr. Fox or another person who has an r2 would know better.

 

I have an R2 motherboard but there's no msata on it.

 

I don't have an R2. I have an R1 that was upgraded to an R2 and did not purchase any mSATA components for the upgrade. I don't really know how it is set up. It may be that the receptacle for the mSATA SSD is attached directly to the chassis. The opening where it fits is too small in the R1 and it would been to be enlarged if a retrofit is possible without buying an R2 chassis base. It is connected to the motherboard by a cable. The only thing I have been able to find is not very helpful. Maybe someone with an M18x R2 with mSATA can pop off the bottom cover to investigate and provide some photos. (Hint, wink, nudge to MonnieRock.)

The quote below is all I could find of any value... The photos are blurry, but it looks like the mSATA cable part number may be Y9K8G and there is another component that may be related that is called a SATA board, P/N N22TH. One of those is for sale here. What I think it might be is two different typos of I/O daughterboards... one for a system with mSATA, and another without. Next time I disassemble my M18x I will look at the daughterboard. Aiki, if you have one, is there an extra connector on the I/O daughterboard? I never bothered paying any attention to mine during installation.

 

here is a better picture

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...icial-m18x-r1-r2-owners-lounge-thread-47.html

post 462,

and parts list

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/579752-m18x-part-number-list-reference.html


I wonder if it is TPK3N PWA, I/O Board W/Cable

edit mr fox beat me to it.

 

The M18x R2 I/O Daughterboard that I have (per my invoice) is YYFHR. But TPK3N or NN2TH might be a variation for mSATA. I asked one of the Alienware reps in our Community to enlighten us.

 

Thank you, Brother Fox. So, we need a cable and a bottom base unit to be able to utilize msata drives in our beasts. Makes sense to me.

 

The msata cable is plugged in near the ram slots on the underside of the board. You might be able to just buy the cable and find a spot to mount the drive yourself.

 

Thanks, BrickTop. I will have to look to see if I can find that port.

Zooming in on the photo posted by Electrosoft, it's difficult to see due to low resolution, but it looks like the connection is below and on the right side of the memory, just below the CMOS battery connection and to the left of the mini-PCIe card slot where a wireless video transmitter would be installed. As best I can tell, it would be very close to the edge of the motherboard, to the right of the bar code label.

Mounting it in an alternate location would be better than chopping up the R1 chassis or spending money on a new one. I wonder if the socket at the mSATA end of the cable is integrated in the cable itself or a separate component?

 

Yep it's exactly in the area you describe. I'm almost 100% certain that the connector is integrated.

 

Wow, it might be worth buying one of those cable to find out. I bet there is an alternate location where the mSATA drive might be stashed away.

I never noticed that port on the motherboard during the installation... weird.

 

ok guys the msata port on the r2 mother board is (where you plug it in ) right above where the cmos battery conector is.. it routes to right obove the cmos battery its self..
so follow the plug for the cmos battery to the battery.. right above the battery there is a little cut out. thats where the msata drive goes.. i can take a picture of mine if you like.

 

its not.. from what i can tell ill take pictures later..

 

It would be nice to have a decent hi res pic of the area.

I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say it's not. We have already confirmed the location is next to the ram slots / CMOS battery and that the end of the cable plugs directly into the drive so it's not easily extendable.

 

intergrated sorry.. you said you were sure it was intergrated an it is not..

 

MY NIKON APPARENTLY NEEDS TO BE SERVICED LOL..

Spoiler

 

the bracket of msata.. the cable just a cable that connector actually connects to msata can't really find it. im wondering if K8 ODD is the one but probably not, if you look below that part list ODD cable/bracket/dvd all already there, leaves k8 ODD out by itself probably not optical drive anymore, just really can't think of anything else.

 

ALRIGHT off some chinese website and had my asian friend read it for me.

M9T51 ASSY,CBL,HD,M18XR2 硬盘连接头/线
XVNKP ASSY,BRKT,HDD,M18XR2 硬盘支架（三块共用）
Y9K8G ASSY,CBL,SATA,M18XR2 CABLE, SATA MODULE
N22TH ASSY,PWA,SATA,M18XR2 SATA BOARD

apparently these 4 part numbers are for storage, first two is the tri HDD bay with it's two sata III + 1 sata II cable, so Y9K8G and N22TH should be msata bracket and msata cable.. Mr. Fox, you have the cable which is Y9K8G right?

 

Yes, that is correct. Y9K8G is the mSATA cable part number.

Does this web site have these parts for sale. I want to purchase the mSATA bracket.

I guess we will find out... I just ordered part # N22TH here: http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/375-106290-26428/Dell-Parts-Miscellenous-Parts.html

 

the chinese website was a forum and people asking for part numbers, i assumed they looking for msata parts too

thats where i ordered too, the other place charges 50.. such a difference lol. also, i was wondering why msata SSD wouldnt work in mini pcie slot, they are the same connector right?

 

The seem to be physically the same connector design, but it's not wired correctly for mSATA. Plus, the mini PCI-e slot does not receive power until after POST and the internal USB thing I use in that slot is not bootable with a USB memory stick for that very reason.

 

FOx what do you use in that port? interested. I have all my old parts plus case etc to transfer into another R1 While i convert mine into R2. just have not order the msata parts yet

 

Hey Brother Dan! Looking forward to seeing that beast you're building.

Here's what you're asking about: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ci-slot-wihd-socket-systems-without-wihd.html

Good luck with the mSATA parts. Unless you buy the bracket (socket, whatever you want to call it) from Taiwan, Singapore, or some other place like that, you will not have mSATA. You can buy the cable from Dell/Alienware without a problem, but nobody can seem to identify the replacement part or part number for the bracket in their system. Until I see it, I will not know for sure it is the right part that I ordered, but I expect that it will be. If you think you may want mSATA down the road, better grab one of these before they're all gone. They seem to be hard to come by. Dell Parts Miscellenous Parts N22TH

 

i just hope my money isnt wasted lol, bought it like 3 days ago waiting for it, should be here in 2-3 weeks.. canada..

 

Just Ordered too now to get a msata drive

 

Still waiting on that part Fox have you got yours yet? also what was the part number for cord i need with this part?

 

wont be that fast man, usa to canada shipping slow and have to go through custom and takes at least 3 weeks..

 

Just make sure it looks like this.

 

Nope... hasn't even shipped yet. I have a tracking number, but it has not been tendered to DHL. PCHub told me they are waiting to receive it from the ODM. Shouldn't be offering to sell something they don't have in stock, or at least disclosing that up front. I paid for 3-day DHL shipping, too.

Y9K8G is the mSATA cable part number.

 

That card will likely have a PCI-E -> SATA converter chip on it but will it be bootable?

 

If you are referring to the USB card, unfortunately it is not bootable. The mini-PCI port for the wireless HD does not get power from the motherboard until after POST. It works fine for other things though. Works great to install internal USB flash memory or USB micro-dongle for mouse/keyboard.

If you are referring to the part John posted photos of, that is the actual Dell/Alienware mSATA bracket for the M18x so it is definitely bootable.

 

Oh I follow now, yes that would make sense, the port would also work for a data drive.

 

Here is the photo of mSata that come with my M18xr2 letter 5.2H 032D10 LCN

 

I sent pictures to them making sure that this is in fact the part they are talking about shipping.

 

Cool... so their answer must have been "yes" I take it. I was concerned about that.

 

What answer? I only did that about 20 minutes ago.

 

By the way guys since I have the few looking at this thread who might be interested, I managed to overvolt the memory on the 680M with a pencil mod but it only gave an extra 100-125mhz memory speed

 

For this 100-125 mhz mod, what exactly did it help you do?

 

I took the memory to 1.5v by shading the resistor that links ground to the feedback pin of the controller using a pencil.

 

Off topic.
Interesting. Wonder if doing that would help, since running 1325 was worse that running 1300.

Ah, probably wont be doing that though since it's not needed.

 

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier so that I could have cleared everyone's doubt about the msata 'connection', especially when I already opened my system and repaste the CPU lately. I am painting the lid of the m18x (I got a spare one) into a 'dark' silver, since this colour has been discontinued by dell.

Back to the topic, yes you need those 2 items (as everyone already knows), one end of the cable connects to the msata connector card and the other end to the motherboard connector located close to the memory slots (on the back of the system). In order to have the msata card connected to the system, you will need to remove your motherboard and have it screwed in 3 places. You have to also remember to push the cable back in a third whole from the right to the left otherwise it will not be long enough to allow you to have it plugged into the motherboard. I really regret not seen this post, I would have taken some pictures to explain the installation in a better way...

 

That's not really the hardest part about this....The hardest part is tracking someone down with it and willing to sell it.

 

Thanks for the info, Julian. I am going to install mine in a different location, as I do not have an R2 chassis. I might get an R2 chassis base at some point down the road.

I am eager to see your custom painted lid. Be sure to post photos in the following thread for us to share in your experience. I know you will.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...difications-custom-builds-35.html#post8790813

Yeah, I was about ready to give up on it. I don't understand why Dell/Alienware cannot identify the part number for ordering it. I found it on PCHub a long time ago, but it used to say it was unavailable/not in stock. That's why I am puzzled about them accepting my order since the status changed.

 

Still wondering where they are getting it from.

 

m18x R3 would win, all sata 6gbps port. my msata ssd is gonna get filled up with virtual machines, drivers etc etc and STUFF

im more curious as to where John got his msata bracket LOL, i thought you upgraded from a R1, did you bought a R2 off someone?

 

Mine saying this still

106290 Dell Parts Miscellenous Parts ,,N22TH 1 Month(s) .10 1 26.74 26.74
Total Items Weight

.10 Total Customs Value 26.74
Packaging Weight

.20 Freight .00
Total Consignment Weight

.30 Total Invoice Value 26.74
`
Payment By Payment Status Shipper
Pay Pal Paid DHL, GlobalMail Or Air Mail
Estimated Delivery Date Status as at Shipping Date Shipment Tracking Number
4 to 10 working days from the shipping date. 2013-02-27 to 2013-03-07 Shipped 2013-02-21 Mail

Mr Fox did you get cable off dell?

 

Here is what mine says...

Unfortunately, the information is not accurate because when I contacted them they said they were waiting to receive it from the ODM and it has not been shipped yet.

 

LOL looks like i picked up the last piece of the bunch and they had to get more. mine was shipped on the 22nd

 

Is your tracking number good? Mine says shipped on the 21st, but it's not accurate.

 

ok i see what you mean. so they put up that item without having it in stock thats pretty lame