Y500 and mSSD slot

From what I have read if I am to purchase ANY model of Y580 it will contain an mSSD slot which I can use to purchase and install an aftermarket mSSD drive. Does the Y500 also have this capability?

Thanks!

 

Yes you should have an msata slot whether or not you purchase a model preconfigured with one. You will need to find an M2x3mm screw for securing the drive.

 

I've installed an SSD into the mSATA slot on my y400 but my system is not recognizing it. I've never installed a HDD/SSD before, does anyone have an idea why I can't access it?

Update: It is now working. I'm not sure why it was originally not being recognized. It must have been from basic Windows updates as I find it takes a few days before everything is updated. The only other things that may have caused it are the fact that I set the BIOS back to default and replaced the SSD yet again after leaving it out for a day.

All I can say is persistence is key.

 

Thanks for the info tmsmith616,

Just a couple follow up questions if you don't mind:

1. Would installing a ssd in this slot void the warranty?
2. What type of ssd should I purchase to fit in this slot?
3. Where could I find a m2x3mm screw?

Thanks so much,
Gavin

 

Has the drive been formatted? Control panel > administrative tools > computer management > storage > disk management. Look for a drive that is not formatted where all the space is unallocated. right click and create new volume. Assign a drive letter and format ntfs. At this point the disk space should be usable.

Installing an msata will not void your warranty. Its considered a CRU customer replaceable unit. They will not provide software support. They claim creating a recovery usb in the control panal recovery application should restore to a blank drive but they've acknowledged that in fact this is not currently possible. The only way they can deny your warranty is by proving that your msata installation resulted in your hardware malfunction.

I recommend the m4 256gb msata version. Got mine for 170 on sale by monitoring slickdeals. This line of mSSDs are most well known for good performance and even greater reliability while being cheaper then competing drives. Search amazon for competing drives.

I stole my m2x3mm screw from my previous laptop. They say you can get some from laptopscrews.com but shipping kills it.

 

Thanks for the reply tmsmith616! I feel kind of bad hijacking this thread but I wasn't getting the assistance I needed elsewhere. I just checked the disk management again to see if I missed anything but the drive does not show up there at all. I only see 6 partitions related to the 1TB HDD "Disk 0" (all allocated as 'Primary partition') and then "CD-ROM 0" which says 'No Media'.

The 256GB Crucial mSATA SSD I installed into my y400's mSATA slot is not appearing unfortunately. I've already tried a few other things like double checking it is installed properly (fits in perfectly and is screwed in with a 2x3mm screw), I even tried changing the drives to boot in compatibility mode in the bios but my laptop just bluescreens then fails to repair the problem (laptop works fine when I switch it back). If you or anyone has any other recommendations, let me know and I'll see if it works. For now I'll continue to troubleshoot it. There's a good chance I'll be able to test my SSD in my friend's laptop's mSATA slot soon, that way at least I'll know if it's a problem with my y400 or the SSD.

If I solve the problem I will definitely update here what the problem was and how I solved it.

 

There is a power cycling procedure that crucial would probably request you try. Load to bios and let the laptop sit for 20 mins unused. Power off and remove the drive for 30 secs. Do that twice and then see if your computer recognizes the drive.

This is to correct an issue caused by a protection feature that is supposed to protect your drive in the case of power failure. In order to convince the drive that power is okay, you have to use this power cycling procedure for it to correct itself. This may not be your issue. Its just something to try.

 

I actually already tried this but failed to mention it, sorry.

 

Alright, well you mentioned you'd be able to test in a friends laptop soon but I'd say unless that is really soon, I'd just go ahead and RMA the drive. I find it far more likely the drive is defective over the chance of the port being defective.

 

Oddly enough it did not work in my friend's new laptop either (it was actually my cancelled order that still shipped but I sold it to him). The problem is now solved though, and I do not know the exact reason why it suddenly appeared. Persistence is key I guess.

 

Perhaps after messing with it enough, it eventually power cycled out of the problem. Glad to see it worked out for you. You have the m4 msata too right? Have you found a way to update the firmware or are you waiting for the UEFI compatible version they have yet to release?