2nd SATA to IDE Hard Drive HHD Caddy Adapter for CF-30

Wanted to put together a unit for my 5 yr old, have all the parts except for alas, the elusive HDD caddy. Not feeling like shelling out the 75 bucks at the moment.

Would one of these aftermarket pieces from China work in a CF-30 as the primary drive?

I read the earlier thread here regarding this adapter but the discussion centered around a CF-29.

Here is a link to the product in question

http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/2nd-SATA-to-IDE-Hard-Drive-HHD-Caddy-Adapter-for-Panasonic-Toughbook-CF-29-CF-30-/161072651827?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2580ad9e33

 

I bought one of those for a CF-29 and they're a little flaky. I've tried SATA hard drives and SSD's in them and there were times where it would either not recognize the drives, hang the system or work flawlessly. I suspected that it might have something to do with the way the drive is seated inside the adapter or how the adapter itself mates to the backplane inside the media bay, but I never really bothered to find out. You don't really screw or fasten the drive inside the cradle, it hangs on by the connector. But when it worked, I was able to boot and use the system with it.

Also note that you need the original CD/DVD housing caddy to install this into.

 

I have tried many of those 2nd hard drive adapters and various drives....
I have had NO success with a SATA drive in the optical drive bay of a CF30 or CF52..The Panasonic BIOS doesn't like those adapters. They would freeze at the BIOS screen and never boot. They won't even boot to the first hard drive as long as a SATA to IDE adapted drive is in the optical bay.
I have had luck using an IDE hard drive in an optical drive bay caddy. But with what you'll pay for an IDE drive, you might as well buy a hard drive caddy.

 

I can't count the times that this very question has come up in the last 5 years or so but there is no way around it...you need the OEM caddy for it. We have seen guys TRY to make a caddy from styrofoam, plastic, rubber and whatever and even try to sell them on ebay as the next best thing to OEM...(no names guys please) but it all comes back to buying a OEM caddy. Keep a close eye on ebay and you can find good buys. This last few weeks I seen 30 's with a caddy sell for under $100.00 .

 

Save up for one of these: Genuine Panasonic Toughbook CF 30 CF 31 Hard Drive Caddy | eBay
In the mean time, just boot off a live usb/cd Linux OS:hi2:

 

Well there you have it. It's crap in a CF-29 and doesn't work in a CF-30. It's time to hunt down a bargain OEM caddy like the post above, I guess.

 

Was hoping someone would lie to me. Yes, save up. Yes Yes, wait for a, "parts machine incl. caddy" to come up. Thx all, for sure this machine will need to withstand, "combat conditions". Will hold out for the real deal. (need to get a PO Box so wife doesn't receive anymore heavy boxes (#5) delivered while I'm away at work.

 

Good call on that, BTW it goes without saying, stay away from these:
Panasonic Toughbook CF 30 CF 31 CF30 HDD Hard Disk Drive Caddy Without HDD Cable | eBay
and go for the real deal

 

Someone PM'd me about a SATA HDD in the DVD on a CF 52..

Bump to the top