SATA Ports

I'm wondering how one would go about finding out where all my SATA ports are?

My E6220 has 5 ports. Two of which are SATA 6.0Gbps. The two SATA6 are "Internal" and the others "External". I have my internal HDD on Port0, and Port1 is the other "Internal". Ports 3, 4 and 5 are all external.

eSATA-P/USB Combo
Internal HDD
I'm guessing some of these SATA ports are connected to the Dock Port since it's got an eSATA port.

What else? Because I believe Nando is saying the E6220 doesn't recognize mSATA in the full size WWAN mPCIe slot.

 

Yes, I've read the Latitude's Flash-SSD slot has pci-e lines connected rather than SATA. So only the SuperTalent CoreStore MV SSD with an onboard SATA controller would be a drop in replacement. Only the Precision line have mSATA slots.

You could consider wiring the e-sata port internally to the WWAN slot if you wanted to host the mSATA SSD there. Problem is you'd need to figure a way of isolating the pci-e pins (21, 23, 33, 35) as they need to be SATA. That may involve soldering directly onto the mSATA SSD or cutting the tracks that lead to those pins on the systemboard.

Other alternative is to sell the E6220 and get a Dell E6320, Lenovo X220 or HP 2560P. All of those are SSD+HDD capable without such mods.

 

I'll be doing a full disassembly later today with lots of photos... Are you for sure that there's no SATA lines ran to the WWAN slot?

Have any idea where the other SATA ports lead to?

 

You'd be either hijaaking the e-sata port internally, which is relatively easy to figure out OR you'd be trying to figure out which of the dock connectors are SATA and use them instead. Worse still is the fine pitch that docking connectors use. It's not so easy to attach on those tracks using home soldering gear. If you hijaaked the e-sata port then if you did need e-sata could just buy a flush e-sata expresscard to use instead. Easy.