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    EN489AA Docking Station Questions

    Discussion in 'HP Business Class Notebooks' started by 83bj60, Oct 8, 2010.

  1. 83bj60

    83bj60 Notebook Evangelist

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    hello,

    I am looking at getting a EN489AA docking station for my laptop, because it includes a provision to install a secondary hard drive.

    Now I read that you can only install proprietary hard drives in there. Is that true? What use is it if I can't install a standard IDE or SATA drive in there like I can in any standard desktop box?

    My goal is to install a standard 1TB hard drive, instead of having it in an external housing like it is now. I am NOT interested in some fancy, outrageously expensive and capacity challenged proprietary drive in there.

    Is it possible? has anyone looked inside to see whether it can be technically done? Are there any detailed specs about internal connections and power sources?

    Thanks in advance for your insight!
     
    83bj60, Oct 8, 2010
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  2. Judicator

    Judicator Judged and found wanting.

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    The EN489AA is listed as having a Multibay II interface, which is a proprietary interface, so you would need to either buy HP's module, and swap out the HDD in their module, or buy a caddy like this one from Newmodeus and add your HDD. Note that you are apparently limited to notebook 2.5" 9.5mm high hard drives, so I don't think you can get 1 TB yet.
     
    Judicator, Oct 9, 2010
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  3. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    I've read here that this docking station has a USB/multibay converter, in which case your external storage would running at ~20MB/s USB speeds.

    Presumably the system you want to attach it to has either an expresscard or cardbus slot. 'hide-type' e-sata cards are available for both interfaces from ebay for < US$20-delivered, with > 70MB/s performance when attach external e-sata HDDs to it. Much faster.
     
    User Retired 2, Oct 9, 2010
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