The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Possible to use 1.8" drives in T400?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by grkn, Aug 25, 2009.

  1. grkn

    grkn Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    36
    Messages:
    115
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I'd like to give the Intel x18 ssd a spin (so that I can smack it into a t400s when I get it ;).

    Possible?
     
    grkn, Aug 25, 2009
    #1
  2. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

    Reputations:
    6,668
    Messages:
    8,224
    Likes Received:
    231
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Yes, with a 1.8" to 2.5" SATA adapter that you can get quite inexpensively.
     
    MidnightSun, Aug 25, 2009
    #2
  3. grkn

    grkn Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    36
    Messages:
    115
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    So then there is absolutely no reason to buy 2.5" (intel) ssd drives, depending on the adapter it might shave off a few grams as well.
     
    grkn, Aug 25, 2009
    #3
  4. jaredy

    jaredy Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    793
    Messages:
    2,876
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Ya for SSDs there generally is no form factor reasons except for your convenience. Density is really the only issue as a larger form factor equates to more room for flash chips.

    My x200 has a 1.8" 64gig Samsung slc in an adapter. I am probably going to pick up a x25-m G2 once they are more available...I don't really care if I get the 2.5inch or 1.8inch. I'll just have to see what's available.
     
    jaredy, Aug 25, 2009
    #4
  5. jonlumpkin

    jonlumpkin NBR Transmogrifier

    Reputations:
    826
    Messages:
    3,240
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    I'm using a 1.8" Samsung SLC SSD in my x200 Tablet as well. Check the SSD effects link in my sig for pics of the adapter and the appropriate FRU number (42W8019).
     
    jonlumpkin, Aug 25, 2009
    #5
  6. dawn

    dawn Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    9
    Messages:
    114
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    One hitch to bear in mind though is that 1.8" inch drives require 3.3V (as opposed to 2.5" ones which operate on 5V). The SATA connector in ThinkPads is properly and fully wired, i.e. it provides both 5V and 3.3V. That is because Lenovo uses solely 1.8" SSD drives in its current line of ThinkPads (using the above mentioned adapter for 2.5" bays) but you may not have such luck with other laptops. For instance 1.8" drive in an adapter won't work because of this in an external USB enclosure for notebook drives (it’s been discussed around here in other threads).
     
    dawn, Aug 26, 2009
    #6
  7. jonlumpkin

    jonlumpkin NBR Transmogrifier

    Reputations:
    826
    Messages:
    3,240
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    That may be true. However, I've used the same 1.8" SSD im my desktop without issue (using the same converter).
     
    jonlumpkin, Aug 26, 2009
    #7
  8. jaredy

    jaredy Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    793
    Messages:
    2,876
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I believe the sata power connector on a desktop psu supplies 12v, 5v, and 3.3v. However a laptop might not supply both voltages.
     
    jaredy, Aug 26, 2009
    #8
  9. erik

    erik modifier

    Reputations:
    3,647
    Messages:
    1,610
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    55
    let's clear up some misconceptions and misinformation here.   we first need to understand that all modern notebooks supply both +3.3V and +5V over SATA power.   if pins 1, 2, and 3 didn't provide +3.3V then you'd never get +5V total from pins 7, 8, and 9 since all six of these pins must work in conjunction to supply +5V.   modern desktop PSUs provide +3.3V (orange), +5V (red), and in some cases +12V (yellow).

    1.8" micro-SATA drives are compatible in any notebook and any desktop that provide SATA power, period, when used with a SATA to micro-SATA drive adapter.   the drive adapter simply blocks the +5V pins and only allows power to the +3.3V pins.   since it's impossible to plug a standard SATA power connector into a micro-SATA drive, a drive adapter must be used and therefore protects the drive from over-voltage.

    not surprisingly, i've used my 1.8" samsung SSD in my 1000-watt thinkstation D10 without any issues whatsoever.   it works as advertised (as expected).

    while i typically hate to reference wikipedia, the link below gives good information about SATA power pinouts and the colors used on desktop PSUs.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA#Power_supply
     
    erik, Aug 27, 2009
    #9