Cf-30 MK1 & SSD Compatibility

Hi all,

I have a CF-30 Toughbook and I am looking to do a major upgrade on it.
I'll be upgrading to 4GB of Kingston PC2-5300 RAM, installing Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and I also want to install an SSD as the primary drive.

1. Does anybody know which SSD is compatible with this Toughbook?
2. When using an SSD is there a need to use the special heater that is inside the drive caddy?
3. Are there any special caveats associated with putting an SSD into a Toughbook?
4. Are there any firmware issues with SSD's?

The size needs to be 100GB+, I don't care about cost, only about durability.

 

Buy the best SLC drive that you can afford, to get the longest life and speed. Win 7 will take care of the partition alignment. However I don't think that you can run Win 7 64-bit. Win 7 32 bit will work fine. I have had SSDs in a CF-27 and a CF-28 with no problems. Let us know how it goes.

 

Does anybody know anything about if the current crop of SSD's will fit inside the Hard Drive caddy that then internally docks inside the laptop?

 

They will if they are 2.5 inch form factor drives.

 

Does the MK30 use a SATA or PATA connector? If PATA, I had serious problems using the Cooldrive SATA to PATA adapter with a SATA SSD, but others have used it successfully with SATA HDD's.

 

The CF-30 uses a SATA connector inside the HD Caddy, and, I believe, a proprietary connector between the caddy and the motherboard. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong about the caddy to mobo but I don't think I am.
CAP

 

You will be fine with an SSD. Hop over to Newegg or Tigerdirect and look around. They are saying the latest Intels should be coming out hopefully soon. You really can't go wrong with any of the SSD's out there today. The only thing I would not do is look for a good deal on what is considered a 1st Gen model. Those were the 1st SSd's to hit the market a few years back.

If you do get an SSD, make 100% sure the Disc Defrag is turned off in the Services.Exe. They say that on W7 it's supposed to do this automatically, but it does not always happen. Some are saying to turn off the Superfetch as well. Just read up on them and you will soon find yourself much more confident in your purchase.

Also, the biggest driving factor with a SSD is the Controller. Right now the SandForce is blowing everybody away. Many of your manufactures are using this Controller. Stay away from the JM Micron from what I have read, it was a horrible controller. Though most of them are long gone.

Good luck!

 

Sounds good I'll check it out. Are you running Windows 7 64-bit or 32-bit on your MK30?

I'm looking at this SSD drive for my CF-30: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX26146(ME).aspx?curtab=2 it's an Intel X25-M Mainstream 34nm 2.5in SATA II Solid State Drive, 160GB.

I contacted Panasonic support and they said that only this SSD was compatible http://www.samsung.com/global/busin...ts/flash/ssd/2008/product/configurations.html with part # MCBQE32G5MPP-0VA. Odd.

 

That drive will work just fine. I have one in a CF-19.

 

That is very interesting that Panny stated that to you. I would love to know why? Here is why...I have the Intel 80GB in my MK3 at this time. I have the Patriot Warp, in my CF30MK2, which is the exact same drive as one of the Samsung drives that Panny suggests. I honestly believe that my Patriot/Samsung SSD is quicker at many things compared to the Intel. I would love to know why????

Either way you will be fine, believe me. If you really want some speed, check out the new Corsair F-Series. They are blowing them all out of the water!