Is the mSATA installation for the X220 difficult?

*points to subject*
I'm pretty proficient with computers - I've built desktops for family members - but I want to make sure I won't be in over my head.

Thanks in advance.

 

It might not be the easiest task in computer upgrades, but it's perfectly doable.

Check out the pics here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/629630-msata-options-x220-review-2.html#post8135680 and Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Upgrade Guide | StorageReview.com - Storage Reviews.

Lenovo provides videos that explain how to remove the keyboard and the palm rest (in that order). You can also take a look at the video for the WWAN adapter, since the mSATA goes into that slot. http://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/

 

If you're pretty proficient with hardware it shouldn't be any problem.

There aren't too many steps and none of them are particularly tricky. For me, the hardest part was dealing with the tiny screw that attaches the msata.

 

I just put mine in yesterday, along with a bluetooth card, and it was a breeze. I'm somewhat proficient, having played with inserting/removing cards from towers, building my gaming rig, etc. It's little more than a tiny bit of elbow grease and removing screws.

 

A weakly magnetic screwdriver helps a lot with the little screws: The magnetism will hold them onto the screwdriver tip and they stay there until screwed in.

John

 

No, it's not difficult at all. I never built a desktop and was coming from years of Mac OS X use, and I got my mSata up and running with no issues in about a couple of hours. The installation was pretty easy using the service videos. The bulk of the time was getting Win 7 and all the drivers and updates installed.

As for performance, I really do like it. My x220 is the best laptop I've owned, and the mSata has played a big part in it. The only thing that I wish I did differently was find a larger mSata. I am using the Intel 310 80GB because I trust Intel reliability, but I could use some extra space. However, I am debating whether to delete the recovery partition, which would release about 9GB more since I already made R&R disks on to a USB thumb drive.

EDIT: The hardest part for me was to make get the keyboard back in so that gap between the keyboard and palm rest was minimized. Part of the reason is that I am somewhat OCD, and I didn't check to see how large the gap was before re-installing the keyboard.

EDIT: I listed out steps for myself on the x220 owner's thread on page 209, comment no. 2082.

 

I found if slot together the keyboard and palm rest together then put them back on as one piece, it works a lot better.

The trickiest part for me was the wiring. I had to cram the WiFi antenna against the hard drive bay to get it to fit, but I would echo other and say it's not that bad.

 

How difficult it is to plug a 7mm SSD drive into X220? Is there any instruction video? I tried to search but havent found one in youtube

 

Try using the Lenovo Service Training video for the X220 and look for the WWAN section. Instead of a WWAN card you will be using the mSATA card instead (look under CRU Removals/Replacements).

 

There is a video for it on Lenovos website but it's really easy so you probably won't need it. Just one screw to unscrew and then the whole drive slides out, then you just transfer the rubber spacers from the old drive and slide the new one in.

Edit: ...and screw it into place.