TZ - replace DVD with hard drive?

I understand there's models that have SSD, no DVD drive, but a regular hard drive instead of DVD. I'm wondering, can those of us who have the DVD can swap it for a hard drive. I find that using an external hard drive via USB with this machine is too slow.

thanks for any help out there.

 

Last week I did a comparison of the TZ298 parts list and the TZ170 (which I have) I was thinking about buying the other parts and replacing my dvd drve as well. Search back a few days...I will try to find it also. But theoretically it is definitely doable and should cost less than 50 (plus cost of you new HD , recommend a 7k200 rpm drive). I just bought an SSD so I will be opening up my laptop soon and will have a look around.

edit here is the thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=242743

 

Wow, let us know your progress bejand. I hope you can perform the DVD to HDD procedure successfully.

 

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this, so good luck bejand! I'm hoping to replace another laptop with an HDD, since a majority of vaio ultraportables use IDE interface dvd drives.

 

nice! thanks for the link. it'll be a couple weeks before i can tackle this project myself, but if successful, then this thing will be perfect. its close already. i really only need 100gb or so, i almost never use DVD drive, so its waste.

 

Ok I have some news on the progress. So far I have replaced the 1.8" drive with an SSD drive. Now on the 4th time opening I wanted to see if I could put the DVD drive in an external enclosure. Surprising you can. Bought this on ebay on a whim, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200221957545&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=010
and it has the correct connection, and works via USB, no external power needed! This means I will have an external DVDRW drive that is ultra thin! Now that I know I will not waste the DVD drive I will buy the few parts to put my 200gb 7200 rpm drive. When I am done I will have a 32GB+200GB internal and an external DVDRW drive. I will post complete instructions and pictures when I get the new parts from sony for the HDD insertion.

 

That looks just like one that I bought a couple years ago. But it wasn't 9.5mm like the drives in the Vaio TZ. Have you put your drive in it yet? Is the enclosure too tall to fit the drive snuggly? I ask since most laptop optical drives are 12mm drive height, and if this enclosure is different.

 

Yes, very good! Thanks to you!

I think you can use the extern DVD Player from Samsung Q40/Q30 Drive?
It will take Firewire.

I'm sorry I have only an German link but it's not cheap.
http://www.digitalicsshop24.de/samsung-dvdsupermulti-ext-q40-serie-q30-silber-p-49857.html

10 Dollar for a Case is perfect.