List of drives that are compatible with the x220

pardon my ignorance, but the m4 goes in the msata slot right?

 

Can confirm that the 512GB version of the Crucial M4 works like a charm with the X220. I didn't see any sticker either.

I had to remove the spacer by using 7mm screws from my ex Intel X25-E.

 

Do you have any problem with the bluethoot and freezing like some have reported with the M4, or it's now all fixed with software/bios/firmware update?

 

It's fixed by 0002 firmware from Crucial/Micron.

 

So you recommand me the M4 over the Intel 320?

I'm currently looking into those:

- Intel 320 - 120gb (209$)
- Intel 320 - 7mm version - 160gb (305$)
- Crucial M4 - 120gb (209$)

I have read a lot about them, but I'm just unsure.

 

I would say go for the Crucial M4 128GB, since it's at the same price as the Intel 320 Series 120GB. The M4 128GB is manufactured with 4kb page size, which has even greater 4k random performance than M4 256GB/512GB, while the sequential read/write destroys the Intel SATA II. Furthermore, you don't have to worry about the 8MB bug and wait for the firmware update from Intel.

 

@jbuchgr

Sorry for my late reply, was away on holiday.

Anyways, no I do not have first had experience with the Samsung 470. I have read somewhere in this forum of other members being able to just easily snap open the case to remove the top cover and make the ssd ~6mm.

I am also contemplating getting the Samsung 470 and would like someone to confirm if removing the top cover works for both the Dell OEM, Samsung OEM, and Samsung Retail of the same drive.

Sorry I cannot be of much help.

Nick

 

When people say plug into the msata port... msata port as opposed to what?
Are there two interfaces to plug in your hard drive?
Does this mean you can install two hard drives?

Because my priority is disc size, and i'm looking for something suitable over 500gb but can't see anything here. Anyone reccomend something over 500gb?
And if you can add a second HDD that would be amazing, but i'm guessing would probably require some serious knowledge...

 

Yes, there is space for two storage devices. One is a standard hard-drive space, accessible with one screw. You can fit a normal hard drive or SSD in that space. (As long as it meets the 7mm height requirement, or you are willing to do one of the mods to work around that.)

The other is a new format, based on the miniPCI format, and is under the hand-rest. It takes SSDs in the new format only; they are about a quarter of the size of a regular SSD. (Or less...) They max out at around 160GB in size.

Due to the 7mm restriction on the main drive, you are restricted to single-platter HDDs, and I don't know of any that are over 500GB at the moment. But you can combine with an mSATA drive if you want. (Or do one of the modifications...)

One other note: The standard HDD space has a SATA-3 connection. The mSATA slot, since it has to piggy-back on the PCI bus, only has a SATA-2 connection.

 

I finally got an ETA on the 500GB Z5K500, 9/9. It sucks I've got to wait another month, but the 320GB just isn't enough. Hopefully, I'll get it sooner and no mod is required to use it.

 

Yikes, glad I didn't wait. Did you see the SR review of the Z5K500? It's an incredibly slow drive, probably the slowest of anything out there right now. Many better 9.5mm options.

 

I don't want to mod my X220 to make it happen. Plus, it's for storage only. I'm not concerned about speed.

 

Don't have to mod anything. Goes in easily via the keyboard bezel.

 

Wait, this works for all 9.5mm drives / SSD's ???

Does doing this void the warranty ?

Link pls !

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/7641528-post522.html

 

Let me rephrase then, I don't want to take apart my X220 to make it happen. I'm also concerned about noise. My 320GB is very quiet, which I prefer to space because even 1TB is big enough. I'm hoping the 500GB is the same. I prefer that to performance. Since the X series notebooks, in my experience, do not shield much noise, if I bump up to a two platter drive, is that going to increase the noise level? I don't know because I don't have one, but based on past experience, the likely answer is yes.

 

Agreed.... Looking at his link (which is not even in english..) it seems like we have to take it apart quite a bit. It will probably void the warranty too.

I got my M4 120GB, I'm doing this:
ThinkPad X220 review and SSD installation. - Habibullah's posterous

Just opened the drive, it's got no void warranty sticker

Imho, get a 128 or 256gb ssd ($200 - $400 ish) and be done with it..

Can always add mSATA later on when prices drop. I'm gonna wait till mSATA hits about 50 cents / GB.

 

You can't figure out something if it's not in english? Removing the keyboard bezel (which you don't even completely remove) is one step past removing the keyboard.

Guess what, there's no warranty sticker on the keyboard bezel. I chose option two and that's not going to void the warranty either.

The 9.5mm drive isn't any louder than the stock Seagate. In fact people report the stock Hitachi to be quite noisy.

80gb Intel ssd + 750gb or 1TB hdd for $260 > 256gb ssd for $400.

 

That has not been my experience with hard drives. Perhaps it is that everyone is different and have different tolerance levels. I myself have never heard the infamous CPU whine. I had drives that were very quiet in my R60, but when moved over to my X200, I could hear every one of them and I tried like four or five drives.

The keyboard is considered user replaceable on ThinkPads. Pronouncements made on Internet boards probably are not likely to save anyone denied coverage by Lenovo.

 

Ahh that's nice to know. Didn't know the laptop did not have "warranty void" stickers.

Still, I hate the "click click click" from traditional harddisks. Plus more power savings with single SSD.

128GB (well, 119GB) is more than enough for me

I have one of those WD slim single-cord external harddisks too.

Main SSD + slim external HDD > HDD in laptop imho

 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the hard drive db. Just know that the 7mm Hitachi's aren't all silent according to posts here.

How is Lenovo going to know if someone unclips the keyboard bezel and puts it back. Maybe if we make a celebratory post with our serial number in it?

Depends on the hard drive. My Toshiba is inaudible, WD's too.

Power Manager is set to spin down the hard drive on battery, consumes .18W.

If you don't need the space just as well.

 

Thanks! rep added.

Is there currently just an empty slot where the msata goes? Or is it where they put the SSD when/if you option an ssd?
Pity only sataII, but i'm sure SSD on sataII will still be quicker than a HDD.
Well if there are no single platter drives over 500gb, at least i can have all my OS on the SSD.

 

Vinuneuro how do you use your msata + HD combination? Is the SSD for programs and the HD for downloads, music and photos? Is there a way to make it more seamless? Like a program that remembers what you access most and puts them on the SSD. I bought an old T60 and got an ultrabay caddy to put in my old Runcore SSD.

 

Where do I get 7mm screws for Crucial M4 ???

 

That sounds like Intel's Smart Response Technology.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4329/intel-z68-chipset-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching-review/

 

The ssd is pretty much just used to run Windows and all the programs, log in to VPN, etc. Everything gets saved to the hdd. The Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Download libraries and utorrent are all pointed to folders on the hdd. Video encodes save to it as well since there is hardly any speed difference.

I also saved an Acronis backup of the ssd after optimizing the OS, on the hdd, before I started using it. After installing the Lenovo OS image on the SSD I went through to uninstall everything I don't need, updated drivers in the correct order to the latest ones, installed my programs, edited services, etc. Johnsondelbrat outlined this well in his recent thread. Considering Windows can randomly 'break' for no reason (become slightly slower, slightly higher power consumption, etc) I can use Acronis and restore to that image any time. And since I don't save anything to the ssd, it's like nothing ever happened. Don't need to move files over, etc. Even email, since Gmail/Thunderbird is running imap.

Running the dual drive setup is truly fantastic when your hdd can accommodate all this. I still need to get an extra hdd to back up this hdd since it's the most critical the way I use it.

 

I just got my Crucial m4 64GB in today from eWiz. I haven't taken it out of the anti static bag yet, but didn't see any warranty void stickers. I should have my m2x3 screws from laptopscrews.com soon, I'll post pics of removing the spacer.

 

are there any tutorials one how to install both an mSata ssd, and 7mm thick drive for storage.
I.e. things like how do you get the files from the original HDD, to the new mSata without cloning (as cloning HDD onto SSD is bad right?)

 

I actually used a pair of wire cutters to snip the screws in half. Worked like a charm for me.

 

Unless you ordered the WWAN, it should be empty. (The WWAN and the mSATA take the same slot. You can't have both. This is not the wireless slot; that's right next to it.) If you order the SSD, it will replace the HDD, in the HD bay.

 

I don't think my OCD will let me cut the screws unless absolutely needed. Also, I want to be able to put it back together in case I need to get it replaced under warranty. From what I found online, the C300 had a warranty void sticker but the m4 didn't.

 

They have a bunch of different M2x3

M2x3mm

Which one?

 

Not the wafer head from what I found out. It's a flat head screw, the wafer head may have been fine except it was too short for 2 of the holes. Maybe I would have had better luck at Lowes. I'm having trouble accessing laptopscrews.com, I actually ordered from their ebay page. It looks like this. I didn't want to order more screws so I did what turned2black did and cut them with some wire cutters. Be careful not to loose the screws, took me 30 mins to find one that flew out of a bag when I cut it.

 

Blarg. Testing my M4 + X220 now.

 

I used a dremel tool, and have the msata (Intel 310) + Samsung 1TB no problemo. Added a bit of foam to door to support plastic cover...

 

Great combo of drives, isn't it

 

Yep can't beat speed + great storage...Phil

 

nice i thought 500gb was the largest we could go here. which samsung drive is that?
And which drive needed foam?

 

I used a dremel tool to sand off the 4 plastic notches on the hard drive bay, and installed this drive:

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Spinpoint M8 HN-M101MBB 1TB 5400 RPM 8MB Cache 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Notebook Hard Drive -Bare Drive

slide in no problem. Put a piece of foam to support the door. I imagine most 2.5" (9mm) hard drives would benefit but not require the foam. Without it the door has no real support just plastic which is fine.

Phil

 

Greetings,

Could you upload some photos somewhere showing these details?


Have a Magical Day!

 

I will do it in the morning.

Phil

 

Here are two pictures. You can't see the dremel marks in the picture when the cover is back on. The hard drive slides in and out no problem now.

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

The foam fits snug against the door.

 

ok thanks for posting, so essentially, as it was designed for a 7mm drive, your 9.5mm drive doesn't go in because there are plastic tabs. You removed them with a dremel, but now because the drive has nothing to locate itself, you've put in foam to stop it sliding about?

 

Interesting; thanks for the pics.



Have a Magical Day!

 

It is snug in the bay, but can easily pop out. The foam is to insure that there is no vibration -- it is totally not needed as the drive won't come out without some minimal effort.

 

I spoke with a Corsair rep and he said the Force Series GT SSDs are indeed 9mm drives in case anyone was wondering .

 

Has anyone heard about the OCZ Nocti? It's an mSATA available in 60GB and 120GB, with 280MB/s read and 260MB/s write. The only information I find about it is from here: OCZ Nocti SSD 120GB, mSATA (NOC-MSATA-120GB) | Geizhals.at EU. It is not even listed on OCZ's website.

 

I've just installed the Crucial M4 256GB in my X220, and I'm getting some random pauses. Anyone has the same experience?

My drive comes with 0001 firmware, I'll be flashing the 0002 firmware to see if it gets rid of the pauses or not.

 

Alright, I have an x220 and I'm looking to put either the Crucial M4 or the Intel 320 (both 120gb) into it.

Both are around the same price... any opinions on which one I should take? (How noticeable will the difference between SATA II and SATA III be?)

 

My M4 (128GB) came with frmware 0002 installed, never experienced any 'random pauses' Acoording to the Crucial forums, the update from 0001 to 0002 fixed that problem.

Between the Sata2 Intel and Sata3 Crucial something like read: 240 vs 400, write 100 vs 180 which is why I'm using the M4