mini PCIe SSD in Sony Z1xxx?

I stumbled across this:
Newegg.com - Intel 310 Series (Soda Creek) SSDMAEMC080G2C1 mSATA 80GB mSATA (mini PCIe form factor) MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - SSD

At a glance it looks like a cool way to fill up my empty mini PCIe slot on my Z1290x (no mobile broadband so I assume I have an empty slot). I wouldn't mind a data drive over and above the main 256Gb.

But reading up on this, it's a mini PCIe from factor, but the drive is a SATA SSD with no built in controller (There is also a PATA version). So it's not going to work in any old mini PCIe slot it seems.

Anyone tried using these type SSDs in a Z? I'd guess it won't work, but stranger things have worked! Anyone tried???

 

I think the WWAN (Gobi) uses the USB on the PCIe slot. So the USB type MiniPCIe SSDs like the ones for the Acer netbooks should work. This is totally theory though. I am about to tear down my P and see if I can replace the Gobi with a Broadcom Crystal HD. I am 99% sure it will work in the WiFi slot but I am just curious to see if it will work in the WWAN slot.

Be aware that if the USB type PCIe SSD does work in the Gobi slot, it is slow, way slower than SATA SSD.

Who knows the Gobi slot may support regular PCIe SSD.

BTW, the SSD that you linked to is not the USB type, but rather the faster better kind.

I'll let you know if the Broadcom card works in the Gobi slot, if it does there is a really good chance that ANY PCIe card will work there.

Also if you don't have mobile broadband, you don't have an empty slot, the board with the PCI is missing.
You need the following parts, first the daughter board, second the FFC cable.

A1769452A COMPL PWB IFX546(WAN_GY,SY)(S)
183747811 FLAT CABLE W/CONN

 

Unfortunately if your Z didn't ship with a data card then it is also missing the board and cable to plug the card into, you'd need to buy those as spare parts. (page 10 of the parts manual)
Part 519 (1-837-478-11) and 508 (A-1769-452-A)

Not certain about the card type as above though, but from the IO diagram it appears Cowboy may be right with it being USB.

 

I was thinking that the PCIe card he linked to was not the USB type.
The parts you mentioned are the same I mentioned in my post

here are some links to buy said parts
A1769452A - Daughter board
183747811 - Cable


80GB of extra SSD storage for about $240? This sounds like a pretty awesome deal to me. I'll have to try this.

I think I will have a better idea whether this is going to work after trying some different cards in the Gobi slot on my P688E/N

 

I did a little more research on the Intel 310 and I have concluded that it most likely will NOT work. It uses a mSATA interface which is the same connector as miniPCIe but doesn't work in standard PCIe slots.

There are drives that use the miniPCIe interface, unfortunately they have less capacity and are more expensive.
This RunCore 64GB drive would most likely work.

If it turns out that the Gobi slot in my VGN-P accepts other standard PCIe cards I would be interested in trying a PCIe SSD and then if that works buying the daughter board and cable for the Z.

Some extra storage sure would be nice. If you've ever been inside your non-WWAN Z you will notice a whole lot of wasted space north of the ODD.