Will these SSDs work in a Z13?

I found a pair of Toshiba THNSNC128GAMJ 1.8" 128GB SSDs sealed in original packaging for sale locally. The drives in my Z13 have a nearly identical par number: THNSNC128GMMJ ("MMJ" vs. "MAJ") They were OEM for Thinkpads through the models before the current ones. They have microsata connector. My hunch is they are identical, but one character in a part number can be all the difference.

If these will work, what would it take for me to add these to my 2X128GB RAID0 array so that I could have a quad 512GB array?

Pyr0: would ask you directly but the USPS still open for 3 hours

 

won't work.

 

Reason? 10 char

 

because they are not what you think they are

 

the Z12/13 have two microsata connections in the ssd bay. no more, no less. quad R0 setups become quads by having 256gb x 2. How is this not a dual R0 you're asking? It's because the 256gb board is actually two 128gb's on a single board that are in RAID 0.

 

Have you opened up your Z? there are various setups thanks to Sony, even in similarly numbered models. You may not even have a spare connection as you may be assuming. My Z11 came stock with it's 128gb R0 setup as a single board 64gbx2, leaving me a spare cable connection point for an update later. Beaups original Z11 setup came also as a 128gb model but two separate 64gb drives, using both connections.

 

Thanks Qwaarjet - may just as well have PM'd you!

Is there no way to find that out other than opening up? Can do, but like to have a good reason as breaking ribbon cables always a risk with clumsy hands . Given that you and Beaups had Z11s, is there any reason to believe Z13s, with Toshiba rather than Samsung SSDs and ZIF rather than mSATA connectors would be just as likely to have one physical drive?

To be clear, are you saying that if I did have only one physical drive, there would be an open space to put a second one in and an extra unused connector to connect the new one up? Even so, if you say you can only put one board in, I could only get to 384GB, correct?

I know I read about the process of creating "sandwiches" out of two SSD boards. Does this not apply here?

Last question: even if I couldn't use them to expand my R0 array, I'm thinking it might be good to have spares just in case, as I've read of more than a few SSDs in Zs dying. Do you think $80 for each 128GB (seal unbroken) is a good price?

 

that's a great price! micro sata 1.8" (mSATA is different, dumb, I agree) SSD's are pricey compared to their 2.5" brothers. A 1.8" 128gb SSD usually runs north of $200 for a single drive. I paid $320 for my 1.8" Intel 320 160gb a couple weeks ago.

 

I'm not exactly sure how to check without opening it up, maybe see what Intel RST control panel tells you? the Z1x is 10x easier to open up vs the previous Z. That one was such a huge PITA!

 

I'm not sure, but I think only the Z1s with Samsung drives could have two SSDs on a single board. Even someone with a Z14 (1TB space) posted that theirs uses Samsung drives - link.

According to the part number you posted, the drives you would purchase have cases? ( link - Toshiba surprisingly has a webpage that lists these parts)

All the Toshiba parts that you mentioned seem to be 1x128GB boards.

Not bad at all, and with a Micro SATA connector you might find it easier to recover your data if you ever need to (unlike the Sammy SSDs which use a LIF connector). If it helps, I'm keeping a spare 1x128GB Samsung drive that I'll use to replace my 2x64GB drives (plus, yay TRIM) when the time comes. Though the "sealed" SSDs that you were looking at would have to have the cases removed if you were to use them. Basically, I think you can probably use these parts as spares but you would have to remove the cases and you would still be limited to a 2x128GB configuration.

 

Thanks Namaiki. Disappointing that I can't stack them, but too good a deal to pass up. They are in cases I would have to open, but they appear to have four screws to make it quite easy. I may just make them available to anyone who is in desperate need.