Lenovo X220 4286CTO and mSATA install

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if it is possible for me to install a mSATA drive on my Lenovo x220. I was looking at this Amazon.com: Mushkin Direct Atlas Deluxe 240GB mSATA SATA III Solid State Drive MKNSSDAT240GB-DX: Computers & Accessories

and this
Amazon.com: Crucial m4 256GB mSATA Solid State Drive CT256M4SSD3: Computers & Accessories

Would this be possible ?
I don't know much about mSATA drives.

 

Yes, it is possible. I suggest you read this review and the X220 Hardware Maintenance Manual to have a good idea on how to do the upgrade.

I recommend the Crucial m4 mSATA SSD. You can buy a smaller one (64GB or 128GB) if you plan to use it as the boot/OS/apps drive.

Also, are you familiar with putting Windows 7 on the new mSATA SSD (assuming you want to use it as the boot drive and keeping the HDD as the storage drive)? You can either transfer the current system image (Windows, applications, settings) to the mSATA SSD, or do a fresh Windows installation. The Hearst Guide can be helpful.

Come back and ask questions.

 

I just wanted to add for anyone who is intrested that about two weeks ago I have installed the m4 256GB mSATA drive into my X220 and it works just fine. It replaced the 80GB Intel mSATA drive. Did this for the higher capacity, 80GB was becoming a problem. Performance wise I cannot tell the difference (just the subjective feel, should be quicker on benchmarks).

 

I also just installed the m4 256GB in my X220t. It is working great.

 

Just to confirm, you are using the mSata as a book disk and you are using a different hdd for storage?

Would both the Crucial M4 256GB and Mushkin Direct Atlas Deluxe 240GB mSATA both work?

Thanks!

 

The 256GB Crucial M4 mSATA works fine in my X220.

Odds are LARGE that the Mushkin Direct Atlas Deluxe 240GB mSATA will also work OK.

Buy whichever is cheaper.

Also I mostly leave the HDD bay empty because it saves a bit over 5 ounces, and every ounce counts when you lug the thing around. Further I put in a temp HDD only in order to do occasional clone backups, which goes very fast (at roughly the max SATA II speed (mSATA connection in the X220 is limited to SATA II)).

FWIW when Crucial comes out in the next month or two with their new bigger/cheaper M500 mSATA, I plan to get the new 480GB M500 mSATA and move the 256GB M4 mSATA to my T530.

This post and this post are the essence of what I did for setting up my 2nd Thinkpad with a bootable SSD.

 

Thanks! Just curious, Is the speed restriction for the msata port in x220T SATA 3Gbps or 6Gbps? Also do you know any good guides on how to install the the msata?

 

The limit is SATA 3Gbps, but you'd be hard-pressed to notice the difference in daily use. The hardware maintenance manual for the X220 provides good diagrams for installation--it's pretty simple.

 

Yes, it is very easy to do. It was much easier to install this and Win 7 on the x220 than it was for me to install a new SSD and then install Win 8 on the desktop which I just recently purchased.

See here http://www.thinkpads.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=100130. I list out instructions, which ended up working for me though I had to change one step towards the end which was obvious to me while I was installing Win 7.

You will love the x220 and mSata. It is the reason why I haven't thought about getting another laptop and just getting a desktop for my wife and me (primarily me too) at home now.