Hmmm, SATA HDD into a CF-18 with this adapter?

2.5" SATA Hard Drive to IDE 44 Pin Adapter For Laptop

 

We've played this game several times. It is too tight a fit to have it work... But I'm not sure anyone has tried it on the 18... You'd certainly have to cut away part of the protection around the hard drive to do it.

 

I'd like to see an implementation of that board with flexcables on it instead of the huge connectors on it. Then it could lay flat on top of the drive and the other flex cable could go out directly to the caddy connector. That would fit properly. That's if the adapter even works with the BIOS. I've only had marginal support for those things with desktop computers. Haven't even tried one on a laptop of any kind. If I can find the one I have somewhere I'll have to try it, even if the drive is hanging out of the machine just to see if it works.

 

I just clicked the link for the adapter.... Is it just me or is $40 for that adapter highway robbery?

 

Yeah, considering you can get the same thing for about $4. I guess for some people it is the only option, since the $4 one won't fit any laptop, whereas this one might fit some, and looking at the history, several people have bought them - even for $45!!!!

I had a more detailed look at my CF-18 and the previous comments are right. there is only about 3-4mm max that could be added to the length of the HDD and still fit.

I think I might just get a $4 one and get out the soldering iron and some ribbon cable, since there seems to be a lot of vertical clearance around the HDD in the CF-18.

 

I bought one and can't use it. I tried using it to load in a 500GB drive in my 29 but no go- not a clean enough install for it to work for me. Just wouldn't fit.

 

What about running an SATA cable to outside the HDD assembly, make an external adapter from SATA to the Toughbook connector, and find a place to stuff the adapter nearby? Don't know about a CF-18 but my CF-28 has a little space under and beside the HDD chassis.

 

In the end... I'm sure it could be done... But if time is worth money... You'd just be better off buying one that fits. I think you'll find that to be true...

 

I would really like to know is if the BIOS will play well with this setup otherwise wether or not it fits is irrelevant.

 

Anyone tried it using a SSD drive,
which are abit smaller...

 

Good question but the good SSDs are now hitting the limit of the IDE interface (125MB/s compared to a possible maximum of 133MB/s) so whether you are using an IDE SSD or a SATA SSD with an adaptor you won't get above the cap caused by the interface.
I guess if you had a SATA SSD sitting around unused it might be worth checking but if you are buying new the prices are about the same so you might as well buy the one that will fit without additional potential points of failure.

I know I'm not much of a regular on here but I have been reading up on SSDs since I have an interest in them...


Something I found very interesting is Photofast's eSATA memory stick.
Available in 128Gb with a claimed read of 170 Mb/s and write of 100Mb/s and running off an eSATA port which you can get from a PC card slot.
Only problem is it sticks out of the side.

 

I've got to try this. I'll let you know what happens...

 

I bought one for about $20.00 and a SATA 1 drive for $40.00. You can make it fit in the CF-28 drive caddy but you lose the shock protection for the drive. Now if the prices ever come down on SSDs where shock protection is not as much of an issue or the prices come down on the 1.8" or 1.5" inch drives one would have a much easier time making it fit without sacrificing shock protection.

 

Shock protection is only an issue in regards to breaking the connector or adapter
Solid state drives can handle shock


Alex

 

I finally received one of these and tried it. First, it is too expensive as someone noted. In fact, the drive ($33 from eBay) was less than the adapter! But I have to date successfully defended myself against all accusations of good sense, so why change now...

Physically it does not fit in my W5, which has a molded drive cavity. The board itself is not the issue. The overall length of drive+board would not fit, and the IDE cable is a bit too short.

The interesting thing is that though the BIOS did not see the drive (i.e. not listed in BIOS setup), It did appear in MS-DOS. I used Ghost to restore a copy of the XP system. It booted and worked perfectly. I think if you had a 1.8" HDD or SSD it would work.

I think that as IDE/PATA drives get harder to find, this could be useful for replacing drives in old systems.

 

I suspect you are right, Dave... I think we will see miniaturized versions designed SPECIFICALLY to allow replacement of a 2.5" HDD with a 1.8" SSD... or perhaps even a cheaply available Mini PCI-E that are all over the place for the Dell Mini and Asus Netbooks.

mnem
Vive la GEEKS! Make this stuff for us!!!