Mini PCIe USB 3.0 upgrade?

The empty Mini PCIe slot in my MPC TransPort T2500 (AKA Samsung X65) is taunting me, begging to be used for something. An SSD would be easy, just remove the memory hatch, plug in the card and screw it down.

What would be much niftier is a USB 3.0 upgrade. The laptop only has 3 USB 2.0 ports, gains 4 more when on the docking station - but since it has a CardBus slot there's no easy upgrade to USB 3.0.

I've replaced a Dell E1505 with this, and the only downsides are one less USB port and CardBus instead of ExpressCard, which on the Dell is filled with a flush fit USB 3.0/eSATA card. Every other specification is far better on the MPC/Samsung.

Mounting a single USB 3.0 port would be fairly easy, just replace the one USB port near the front of the right side. (It was broken and I replaced that small PCB.) If extra power would be needed, it could be tapped from the connector for that original port.

There's quite a bit of empty space in the case, so the 2nd USB 3.0 port could have something else connected up to it and tucked away. Hacking up the magnesium case on the laptop would be next thing to desecration - unless a second port could fit somewhere and look like it was made that way.

The hard part would be finding a card that has a low enough profile to fit under the memory cover, and whether or not that MPCIe slot is a general purpose one or if the BIOS is setup to only work with specific devices, or if it's completely disabled. I searched but could not find any factory options listed for it, one of those things like the slot in the original iMac which is there but the manufacturer never did anything with it.

Remember how most 1980's micro computers and game consoles had a port or connector "for future use", but their future never happened? That's what that empty slot in my laptop is like - it's the future and I want to use it!

P.S. I do have a spare MPCIe WiFi card, bagged and tagged as being from a T2500. I could install that in the slot and see if it recognizes it. Would have to get some antenna wires and find somewhere to run them that's not shielded by the metal casing - and what good would two WiFi cards be in a laptop???

 

I tried to look up the exact specs on your second pcie card is, but couldn't find anything specific..

All I found was crucial claiming their msata SSD's would work.

I know on many laptops the second port isn't a true pci-e port. My Lenovo T420 has a msata port.

From wikipedia "Mini-SATA (abbreviated as mSATA), which is distinct from the micro connector,[34] was announced by the Serial ATA International Organization on September 21, 2009.[42] Applications include netbooks, laptops and other devices that require a solid-state drive in a small footprint.

The connector is similar in appearance to a PCI Express Mini Card interface,[43] and is electrically compatible; however, the data signals (TX±/RX± SATA, PETn0 PETp0 PERn0 PERp0 PCI Express) need a connection to the SATA host controller instead of the PCI Express host controller."

 

I tried two separate mpcie wifi cards in my second mpci-e port, and neither were recognized. Of course I have a different laptop then you though


edit: Ooh just noticed this on wiki right below the msata info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA#Mini-SATA_.28mSATA.29

"M.2, formerly known as the Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), is a specification for computer expansion cards and associated connectors. It is intended to replace mSATA, which used the PCI Express Mini Card physical layout. Having a smaller and more flexible physical specification, together with more advanced features, the M.2 is more suitable for solid-state storage applications in general, especially when used in small devices like ultrabooks or tablets.[44]

The M.2 standard is designed as a revision and improvement to the mSATA, allowing for larger printed circuit boards (PCBs) to be manufactured. While mSATA took advantage of the existing PCI Express Mini Card form factor and connector, M.2 has been designed to maximize usage of the card space, while minimizing the footprint.[44][45][46]

Supported host controller interfaces and internally provided ports are a superset to those defined by the SATA Express interface. Essentially, the M.2 standard is a small form factor implementation of the SATA Express interface, with the addition of an internal USB 3.0 port.[44]"

 

By electrically compatible, I take it to mean I could plug in another WiFi card but if it doesn't work it won't fry anything... Upside is that an SSD most likely will work.

Or I could just get an eSATA CardBus card.

BTW, a most annoying thing has been done by nearly every vendor on eBay, Amazon and other sites. They put both Cardbus and Express Card or Mini PCI and Mini PCIe in the descriptions of what they're selling, which is making it very difficult to find Cardbus or Mini PCI devices. Pocking idiots.