Fast 1.8" PATA HDD?

I have a notebook that takes a 1.8" PATA HDD. The transfers are ridiculously slow at 20MB/s average...

I'd like to upgrade, but what are my options?

Mtron has a 32GB SSD called the Mobi with a IDE/ZIF connector. They don't make it in 64GB flavors though.

Samsung has a 32GB and 64GB SSD with an IDE/ZIF as well, but is more expensive than the Mtron as well as slower.

Any other options? What about faster non-SSD drives?

 

the mtron one is great and not that expensive ($229.99 on rocketdisk). but yes, it doesn't have much storage.

there isn't much around for 1.8" pata, else.. and funnily, ssd's aren't much more expensive than ordinary 1.8" drives..

 

Yeah, I'm finding that if anything, the PATA interface is really what's setting me back because there are quite a few nice 1.8" SATA SSDs and mechanical drives. But I have yet to determine which laptops actually USE SATA interfaces if they actually use 1.8" drives...

 

most currently do. the biggest hdd you can get is 120gb afaik, and the biggest real good ssd is the mtron with 32gb. the samsung one is rather slow (see reviews of the macbook air ssd)

 

ok a quick googling reveals there will be runcore ssds soon(ish)

http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/Ca...se+By+Brand:RunCore:RunCore+1.8+inch+ZIF+SSDs

 

Holy crap excellent!

*goes to search if RunCore uses crappy JMicron controllers*

 

After doing some research on Runcore in general, I'm going to say that these new drives have a good chance of using the stupid JMicron controllers, effectively making them unfit for OS drives as speeds dip to 2MB/s when doing small writes. When will these companies learn that it's in their best interest to make drives that at least covers the basics and doesn't cause frequent system stalls?

 

whatever you do, dont buy a mechanical harddrive for the 1.8" interface.
I am pretty sure that the fastest 1.8" harddrive peaks around 25mb/sec and has a really high seek rate around 25ms.
So go for the M-TRON or wait to see what this new runcore ssd has to offer.

K-TRON

 

it's not true, the fastest one gets 30MB/s!!!

but yes, get an ssd.

not sure about the runcore. i bought one for my gf's asus eee, but it always fails to install something onto it.

 

Looks like there's already a review for the Runcore:

http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2009/...howComment=1232478000000#c7860957397599638061

As you can see, it runs like complete crap when dealing with file sizes 8K and below. I believe that this is a signature of the JMicron controller. Unacceptable.

I mean, 2MB/s for a 4K write. 2?!?!?!?

TWO?!?!!?

 

yep. much bigger the issue that i still can't install a windows on it

i'm a bit too scared to test it as a datadrive. what if the data fails, too? what if it does after half a year? yes i do have backup solution (windows home server), still, i don't want to have by default buggy hw in my gf's notebook..

edit: at current installation (win7) the hd light is full on at "expanding files". and it doesn't continue at all... jmicron rules!!

 

wow 2mb/sec
so the king is still the M-TRON, I like the way that sounds, rhymes with K-TRON

K-TRON

 

and i like the way it runs.. i'm 100% in love will all the mtrons i own.

so my new motto for ssd's: spend more, pay less.

means spend more money on a good device, pay less for troubles and problems afterwards.

 

Seriously. The fact that the only way to even install a Windows OS on this thing is to first install it on a conventional HDD and then clone it over is completely utterly hair ripping ridiculous.

But we're all stuck:

Mtron: GREAT, but some people will find it impossible to operate with only 32GB, with half of that taken up just by the OS and considering essential programs are getting larger and larger...

Samsung: Good performance, but out of this world expensive for a 64GB drive ($600-$700+)

Everything else: Cheap and runs like crap and impossible to install a Microsoft OS on. But hey, it can hold a lot of stuff!

So what do we do?

 

I just posted some comments under rabidsoggymoose at that review website and I seem to have gotten the admin's attention:

http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2009/...howComment=1232481000000#c8377695571978519070

Here's hoping he rises up to the challenge and proves me wrong. I would be so happy if I were wrong.

 

i replied, stating that i can't get mine to work.

 

I have the sony 120GB 1.8" suprise to say I get faster speeds using it in a USB enclosure than in the laptop, I get 20-25MB/s over USB... , nearly as fast as 2.5" USB Drive, ordered another 32GB Mtron so will test that in the USB Enclosure...

 

test it in the notebook directly. you'll get up to 100MB/s read speed. the usb will max out at 20-25MB/s no matter what.

my tiny 2710p boots currently in about 30-40sec into desktop (using vista).

i'd suggest everyone to get used to not have much data around, but get a very snappy device on the other hand..

 

Thanks. We need to get this guy to do a more comprehensive review than the one he's already done. He's basically saying that intensive tasks aren't for mobile computers. But if he doesn't do it, I guess I will because it's personal to my own computing and I actually care about covering all the bases.

 

These initial tests by JKK look very promising.

 

I've been eying the MTRON 32GB for some time now for my 2710p, hesitating more due to the size than the $$, but this just occurred to me:

What about drive compression? I know this hasn't been popular since 1993, but would this offer a reasonable compromise between performance and space?

Some quick searching comes up with scary statements like "I do not recommend compressing your system drive" and "some backup utilities may have problems with compressed files", but one could either create 2 partitions or make use of Vista's support for compressed folders.

Does anyone here feel confident in guessing what savings / risks compressing the Program Files and Users folders might yield in making a 32GB disk feel a little more roomy?

Additionally, the 2710p has an SSD drive (unfortunately with crappy performance) and an ExpressCard slot. These could offer additional secondary storage before resorting to lugging around even a small external USB drive.

Any thoughts?

 

Some of the handicaps plaguing the 2510P and solutions to resolve it also apply to the 2710P. See here, but cut and paste below for convenience. There is an unused and unlabelled 24-pin connector on the 2710P that looks remarkably like the SATA connector in a 2730P (pics linked from below). I wonder if it is? The ICH8-M southbridge SATA controller can be enabled with an earlier bios and/or using baredit.. just then need to find the 4 SATA I/O points on the systemboard to tap into can just run those plus 3.3V and GND to your SATA SSD..

Also, I am curious if setfsb can overclock the 2710P using the same PLL as the 2510P.

2. Using the 1.8" drive bay - PATA options
In SSD, runcore offering best bang per buck, mtron spectacular performer. 5400 rpm 1.8" HDD offers smallish gains for relatively high cost unless can minimize swapover costs b/w 4200 and 5400rpm HDD. If using 1.8" SSD, the then removed 1.8" HDD can be installed in a tiny, external portable usb drive enclosure to store your docs on the go. Such 1.8" enclosure is available on ebay for little $$.

• Upgrade to 1.8" runcore 80/63 SSD. 32GB=$119, 64GB=$199US, 128GB=$389 + shipping.
• Upgrade to 100/100 Mtron SLC SSD, as low as $170US shipped on ebay for 32GB (max) version
• Upgrade from the 4200rpm to a 5400rpm 1.8" drive, increases speed from 20MB/S to ~32MB/s

3. Using the 1.8" drive bay - SATA options
More suited to electronically minded as requires tinkering. There are several current 1.8" microsata SSD offerings, such as 250/70 MB/s X18-M or Ebay 90/70 MB/s SAMSUNG 1.8" SATA SSD. The "Slim Samsung SSD" have lower power requirements than the 1.8" harddisk, so using such a SSD would increase battery life. So then the question is: How would one go about getting a SATA interface to attach these 1.8" sata SSDs?

• ***Create a SATA to PATA (ZIF) adapter
• Use PCMCIA SATA/E-SATA adapter. Would require modification/threading cabling internally to 1.8" bay and a SD card to direct the boot process. Might be limited to 70MB/S. Details here and here.
• *** (ADVANCED) Identify where the unused SATA I/O pins are on the systemboard, and run individual wires to the SATA devices from there. See here for more details.

4. ***Using the PCMCIA slot - expresscard SSD options
Could be a simple and rather effective solution to load OS/Apps onto fast SSD, whilst using the supplied 1.8" drive for documents and/or infrequently used apps. More of a future option as fast expresscard SSD have just been announced. Big question mark on price & performance as requires a expresscard to cardbus adapter.

Overclocking and tweaking for performance & battery life
setfsb now has PLL support for the HP 2510P providing overclocking and, although unnecessary, underclocking ability. The U7x00 cpu is remarkably flexible with overclocking. 1.2Ghz U7600 being reported as overclocked between 1.3-1.6Ghz, with 1.4Ghz being easily achievable. At 1.55Ghz, this CPU performs at T5500 levels. Details here.

 

You can use a program called flashpoint to increase small writes (e.g. 4kb, 8kb ones) in excess of 10x. It's primarily used for netbooks with ultraslow SSD, but it works on normal SSD too. It's basically a ram buffer. It takes in the small writes, groups them then write them to the SSD.

It improved SSDs on acer aspire one from rediculeus 500kb/s writes to more than 30MB/s.

http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~hkim362/project/flashpoint.html