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    PCIe SSD

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by madhoosier357, Feb 23, 2011.

  1. madhoosier357

    madhoosier357 Newbie

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    Found an older thread on this, but its closed. I want to find a mini-PCIe SSD that will work in my XPS 15 (L501X). I see that SuperTalent will release a new SSD, dubbed CoreStore MV.

    Anyone know if using a SSD in the WWAN/TV mini-pcie slot will work (and be bootable)?
     
    madhoosier357, Feb 23, 2011
    #1
  2. gtkansan

    gtkansan Notebook Guru

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    No clue but I would LOVE for someone to chime in. That would be amazing. I would love to not have to sacrifice my disk drive anymore (currently SSD + Hard Disk).
     
    gtkansan, Feb 23, 2011
    #2
  3. seeker_moc

    seeker_moc Notebook Virtuoso

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    1. probably not 2. no. The PCIe SSDs are designed for netbooks with a special PCIe slot made just for them.
     
    seeker_moc, Feb 23, 2011
    #3
  4. Hawkshark

    Hawkshark Notebook Consultant

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    Actually, I'm gonna chime in on this one:

    My younger sister has a Mini 9, with a mini PCI-e SSD. She managed to nuke the OS on it doing whatever it is that 13 year old girls do. Rather than drive to my place to grab an external reader i just inserted her SSD into the WIFI card's Mini PCI-e slot in my 5 year old E1705. I then installed windows from a thumbdrive. Before and after doing so my laptop saw the SSD as storage space. It showed in BIOS and in windows after sticking my HDD in and it was able to boot my laptop once enabled in BIOS.

    So honestly: It should work, i don't think its any matter of hardware specialty to support PCI-e storage, it may just be a BIOS thing.

    EDIT: I'm actually interested in trying this. I want to get an L702X and actually put a 64gb in the WWAN slot for Windows and WoW...
     
    Hawkshark, Feb 23, 2011
    #4
    sangong likes this.
  5. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Very few notebooks support mini PCI-E SSD.

    A quote from kent1146. Only few high end mobile workstations, and netbooks as well as the MBA have this option.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Feb 23, 2011
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  6. madhoosier357

    madhoosier357 Newbie

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    So I plugged in the SSD from my wife's mini 9, no go. I am still waiting to hear from SuperTalent (I doubt I will) if the CoreStore MV has an onboard SATA controller.
     
    madhoosier357, Mar 4, 2011
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  7. sarge_

    sarge_ Notebook Deity

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    The CoreStore MV is a real mini-PCIe device with an on-board SATA controller. It is NOT one of those mSATA SSDs, which have the physical connector of mini-PCIe, but send SATA signals over it, like in the Asus EEE, Dell M6500 and a few other laptops.
    CoreStore MV should be compatible with any laptop that has a true mini-PCIe slot and has a BIOS that is not whitelisting devices (whitelisting means blocking out manufacturer unapproved devices).
     
    sarge_, May 20, 2011
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  8. SPL15

    SPL15 Notebook Enthusiast

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    mSata drives do not work on my L502X. Just tried with a 32GB Samsung mSata from my Lenovo y460P and the OS & BIOS don't recognize that anything at all is in the WWAN slot.

    If the CoreStore MV is a true PCIe device, they will be my hero's as this was the only function I could not have with my xps that my work E6410 does
     
    SPL15, May 24, 2011
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  9. DakkonA

    DakkonA Notebook Evangelist

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    Well I pulled the trigger on the 64 GB CoreStore MV. I'll let everyone know what happens. It should get here next week.
     
    DakkonA, May 24, 2011
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  10. sarge_

    sarge_ Notebook Deity

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    Great, awaiting news.
     
    sarge_, May 26, 2011
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  11. funky monk

    funky monk Notebook Deity

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    There's a 64GB one samsung are making which has a SATA controller on it too. The speeds are pretty impressive but I don't know if it's released yet.
     
    funky monk, May 26, 2011
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  12. SPL15

    SPL15 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Any update on this? Inquiring minds want to know!
     
    SPL15, Jun 2, 2011
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  13. DakkonA

    DakkonA Notebook Evangelist

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    DakkonA, Jun 2, 2011
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  14. madhoosier357

    madhoosier357 Newbie

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    I've been a little busy, but I have been reading the thread(s) for a while. Thanks for all the info! I wonder if the new A08 BIOS for the L501X will help, it doesn't say so, but you never know.
     
    madhoosier357, Aug 14, 2011
    #14
  15. DakkonA

    DakkonA Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm pretty much going to conclude that the mini PCI express slot and/or BIOS is incompabile with the CoreStore MV. I can get the driver to install fine, but the drive never shows up in Disk Management to be 'initialized' or whatnot. A major shame. Now to figure out what to do with this $180 piece of metal and plastic...
     
    DakkonA, Aug 28, 2011
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  16. himi

    himi Newbie

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    hello. is there any chance to get mSATA SSD working on my XPS 1340? thanks!
     
    himi, Aug 29, 2011
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  17. DakkonA

    DakkonA Notebook Evangelist

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    mSATA (requires motherboard SATA controller attached to the PCI bus)? None. mPCI-e (SATA controller is on the SSD)? Maybe. It depends on whether the 1340's mini-PCI express slot/BIOS supports it, but chances are that it won't.
     
    DakkonA, Aug 29, 2011
    #17
  18. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    No XPS supports booting from mSATA. Only the newer business laptops from Dell and Lenovo (maybe HP) support mSATA SSD in mini PCI-E format and certain netbooks/ultrabooks.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Aug 29, 2011
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  19. himi

    himi Newbie

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    ok. i see. thanks guys. i tried :)
     
    himi, Aug 29, 2011
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  20. SAiLO

    SAiLO Notebook Evangelist

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    So no chance for BIOS update fixing this for L501/L502?
     
    SAiLO, Sep 3, 2011
    #20
  21. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    No BIOS fix will ever allow for mSATA mini PCI-E form factor. SATA controller has to be linked to the mini PCI-E slots.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 3, 2011
    #21