Is new Vaio Z can manual replace ssd with hard drive ?

Is new Vaio Z can manual replace default sony ssd with 2.5' hard drive ?

If not, Can i manual replace dvd drive with second hard drive or it need special part, May it run at full speed SATA2, and can i boot from it ?

Thank you

 

The SSD is not a standard 2.5" size in the new Z.

 

It's not even standard 1.8" size. It looks to be a bit longer than a standard 1.8" hard drive, but only about 1.5" wide... which means there's nothing on the market you can replace it with. This is why many people in Asia are buying the HDD version, which replaces the optical drive with a standard 2.5" hard disk bay, and then swapping that out for a standard SSD.

 

this time,for new z,we can do nothing to ssd version z due to the special sony ssd slot,i just wondering what should we do if the ssd break down and it has no warranty at that time,become a expensive brick?

 

If in the U.S., the Sony Parts Department will sell those SSDs. Unfortunately, you'll have to be very prepared to open your cheque book simply because the prices (at least 2x what you pay for a "similar" drive in the retail market) Sony USA charges will be massive!

 

Maybe, just maybe, this laptop will be popular enough that some third party will start making and selling SSDs just the right size for the Z in retail channels.

 

If theres enough people like you that want to change it you might get lucky!

 

What is this HD that Sony are using exactly and what connector do they use? I know it is a Samsung drive. I'm looking for a photo but photos and videos are kind of lost in the big massive pre-launce thread. I notice that most seem to have gone for the model without the dvd so that won't provide me with the info i'm looking for.
It would also be interesting to know some actual measurements.

I was looking at the Samsung website but i see no real clues.
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/ssd/2008/product/pcRoadmap.html

I mentioned this before but a single 128GB of one of these would suit me much better.

 

I won't attempt to find the posts regarding this in the new Z thread, but I remember that in the PC Pro review the model number of the SSDs was mentioned: 4x Samsung MMCRE28GQDXP-MVB.
If I remember well, some forum members researched this model but either did not find anything relevant or found some other (standard) drive with the same number.

Btw. I'd also be happier with a single SSD with TRIM (but I'd take one with 256GB )

EDIT: I found the post where the Samsung model number was "decoded". It was actually nutman who posted it. Here it is.

 

I was just about to order a Vaio Z, but I've now changed my mind.
I find unacceptable the fact it is not possible to replace the original SSD with a HDD or a standard SSD.
Thanks for letting us know.

 

Thank you, that is very interesting. I think that (the part i bolded)
MMCRE28 GQDXP-MVB is just the part that Samsung has given for these Sony drives sort of like an ID number.
I have a 1.8 Dell PB2-JJ drive and is MMCRE28 GTMXP-MVBD1
and other similar drives with the same controller than were supplied by different vendors to be the same apart from those two letters.
Hopefully, we will be seeing more mSata drives.
I'm happy with Samsung drives though and they are always my drives of choice.

 

So wait... let me get this straight...this is what I've gathered so far from reading this thread and others:

1. The Sony Z has a Samsung SSD in RAID mode which prevents it from getting TRIM
2. Due to no TRIM, there is going to be gradual deterioration of the drive
3. Once deteriorated there is no way of replacing it due to it's unique connector (mSATA?) and shape (slightly longer 1.8")

So basically, you're stuck with a deteriorating SSD with no way to replace it? Didn't Sony think of this beforehand? Is there a solution?

 

By the time the drive has deteriorated (5 years?), I'm sure the replacement drives will be cheaper + more available.

I own two SSDs and personally think the speed improvement is overrated. I like the quietness and low-heat tho'.

 

I own two SSDs and have used several more, and I think the speed is anything but overrated. There is nothing like clicking on MS word and having the program open instantaneously.

Furthermore, deterioration can happen in a matter of weeks if you keep your drive close to full.

 

Hopefully, by the next refresh they will realize the inconvenience of their propriety SSD, and will introduce a conventional standard. Their custom SSD may be fast, but it is impractical and unreliable. The lack of TRIM support or anything similar along those lines, is disappointing. To go about reformatting the SSD manually to prevent performance degradation is quite a hassle. Considering the high price of this notebook, it is not worth the trouble!

 

The answer is as follows:

 

If photoshop opens instantaneously that's something. Easy for word to open instantaneously even on a HDD system

 

Meh.

Everything does open up 3x faster and boot times dropped from 30-40 seconds to as low as 10, but at $300ish for 80GB (Intel X25) I'm okay with waiting an extra 20 seconds at boot up or 5-10 seconds for Word to start.

With all the hype I expected instant on-off like a cell phone - which I would gladly pay $500+ for.

IMO SSDs merely compensate for a slow/fat OS like Windows. OSX on my desktop with a 500GB HD boots up faster than Windows 7 on a OCZ Vertex.

 

Yeah... but you're already paying $2k for the system, you shouldn't be stuck with having to pay for a premium part a few years later...

I guess you'll just have to keep on reformatting it to reset everything. Out of interest, how many times do you think the SSD will be able to be cleared out and still retain storage ability? In other words, how long will you be able to use the SSD for?

 

all in all,people don't wanna drive a farari that would break down some day and no way can repair it without high price...

 

isnt it possible to add a Second HDD in the DVD drive?

i mean you could just remove the SSD and use a HDD in the DVD drive bay right?

or have that be your main HDD and still keep the SSDS.


please let me know if this is so, i want to buy the 2nd hdd for my drive bay soon. Does anyone know if there are any issues with it?

 

yes you can do this, if you follow the Vaio Z i5/i7 Owner's thread, you should see it. Uhh, try looking in this forum, a few people have recently done this.

 

After reading this thread it's got me very excited.
Sony has done exactly what i needed by removing the optical drive and placing the HDD there. That way I can get this model of Z and just change the regular sized HDD to SSD.

Solved
- removing optical drive
- replacing HDD to SSD.

What size is the HDD anyway? 1.8 or 2.5 pardon my ignorance

 

I wonder if there is any solution for using a separated SSD with the same model to topic-er ? Of course without re-use it in any anothe new Z.
//forgive my english!