Thinkpads Forum

I am wanting to get some drives for my ThinkPads I currently have and want to get a SSD. The problem I get with SSD in IDE computers is that it will run slower then a basic HDD. So the options I found were Get a true IDE SSD. The 2nd option, My very first SSD is Compact flash SSD and then the last is SSD Mini PCIe. I just want the normal speed of a disk drive but has a SSD.

What is your question? The golden solution in my opinion is the Samsung 470, which was available as an IDE model in Asia. I use a 16GB model in my 600X and it's glorious. Perfect fit, no fiddling about and quite fast as well, considering the 33MB/s limitation. I'm currently looking for a 32GB model for my A31p.

I'd go with an IDE-mSATA adapter and mSATA drive, as amply described for T42 in the T4x forum.

ThinkPad560X wrote:I am wanting to get some drives for my ThinkPads I currently have and want to get a SSD. The problem I get with SSD in IDE computers is that it will run slower then a basic HDD. So the options I found were Get a true IDE SSD. The 2nd option, My very first SSD is Compact flash SSD and then the last is SSD Mini PCIe. I just want the normal speed of a disk drive but has a SSD.

It would be helpful if you could elaborate a bit about what specific ThinkPad's you want to upgrade to have SSD's, and also if you stated (for convenience) what type of HDD these olderThinkPad's have as default; e.g. standard 2.5" PATA or smaller 1.8" drives?

If using a SSD in the main HDD bay of certain "older" ThinkPad's, then note the thread by automobus --> Trying SATA in 2001-2002 machines? Limited to Ultra ATA/33

As pointed out by RealBlackStuff, many e.g. T4x/p owners have upgrader their old 2.5" PATA/IDE mechanical HDD's to having a much faster mSATA SSD through using a IDE/PATA-to-mSATA adapter; see especially the thread New SSD opt. for T4x: mSATA-to-IDE adapter ST663FD9 *PICS*. Also, alterntive solutions are discussed in the sticky GUIDE: Make your T4x *FAST* by replacing the HDD with a SSD!

600X wrote:What is your question? The golden solution in my opinion is the Samsung 470, which was available as an IDE model in Asia. I use a 16GB model in my 600X and it's glorious. Perfect fit, no fiddling about and quite fast as well, considering the 33MB/s limitation. I'm currently looking for a 32GB model for my A31p.

Would you perhps be kind to provide more information about this Samsung 470 that was available as an IDE drive in Asia? Are we talking about a standard-size 2.5" drive here, or are you making implicit reference to a CF or miniPCI drive?? Are you able to provide any part-numbers or links to a datasheet for this Samsung 470 drive? Thanks in advance!

PS: I took the liberty of moving this thread from the "Off-Topic" forum to here...

Johan

All of my ThinkPads in my list. I will relist them but I am selling some off since I don't get much time to do anything and keeping some to maintain them and max them out and install SSD. And I was thinking of going with the mPCIe


ThinkPad
700C,701C,760XD,755CD,770Z,360Cs,600X,560X,560Z,570,310ED,380Z,390X, i1200,i1400,240,A22m,A22e,A30,G40, R31,R40,R50,R60,R61,R61i,S30,T20,T23,T30,T40,T60,T61,X21,X30,X41,X41T,X60,X60T,Z60m,TNote

Johan wrote:Would you perhps be kind to provide more information about this Samsung 470 that was available as an IDE drive in Asia? Are we talking about a standard-size 2.5" drive here, or are you making implicit reference to a CF or miniPCI drive?? Are you able to provide any part-numbers or links to a datasheet for this Samsung 470 drive? Thanks in advance!

Yes, it's a regular 2.5" SSD. It's based on the 470 as far as I know, although obtaining that information was quite difficult and I can't guarantee that it is accurate. However, I'm very sure that it is from the 470 era. It has quite a distinctive look that is reminiscent of the 470, but with a brushed aluminium finish and the infamous "Samsung FlashSSD" logo, which allows you to instantly recognize and identify the SSD.

The model number for the 32GB version is MCBQE32G5MPP. If you have an account on the German forum, then you can access the datasheet as well: http://thinkpad-forum.de/attachment.php ... 1433944994

Be careful when looking for this SSD, as there is also a SATA version of it.

600X wrote:

Johan wrote:Would you perhps be kind to provide more information about this Samsung 470 that was available as an IDE drive in Asia? Are we talking about a standard-size 2.5" drive here, or are you making implicit reference to a CF or miniPCI drive?? Are you able to provide any part-numbers or links to a datasheet for this Samsung 470 drive? Thanks in advance!

Yes, it's a regular 2.5" SSD. It's based on the 470 as far as I know, although obtaining that information was quite difficult and I can't guarantee that it is accurate. However, I'm very sure that it is from the 470 era. It has quite a distinctive look that is reminiscent of the 470, but with a brushed aluminium finish and the infamous "Samsung FlashSSD" logo, which allows you to instantly recognize and identify the SSD.

The model number for the 32GB version is MCBQE32G5MPP. If you have an account on the German forum, then you can access the datasheet as well: http://thinkpad-forum.de/attachment.php ... 1433944994

Be careful when looking for this SSD, as there is also a SATA version of it.

Utmost interesting - I'd never heard of this 2.5" Samsung 470 PATA SSD before! Yes, I have a user-account on the German ThinkPads forum, and just found the datasheet, you link to (thanks very much!). The same datasheet is also e.g. at RS Components homepage (here - there with the Mfr. Part No. MCBQE32G5MPP-03A00). Seems to be out-of-production by now...

Thanks very much for info and for sharing!

Johan

ThinkPad560X wrote:So the options I found were … true IDE SSD … Compact flash SSD … Mini PCIe

I think about PCIe, too! I fantasise about NVMe in ThinkPad 570, attach ATA translator bridge to PATA header, mount eSATA receptacle to the HDD bay cover, then boot options include external floppy and eSATA.

What does 'true SSD' mean to you? EastWho EWS720?

KingSpec?

• Just a Silicon Motion controller, guts of CompactFlash card in differently-shaped body.
• A retrofit product, which incorrectly implements drive address selection jumper positions, might lead to confusion.
• "Why does it not show-up/not recognise?" has been asked more than once.
• I would like to remind everyone, CompactFlash is a more reusable investment than "44-pin SSD", and often comes with lifetime guaranteed replacement.

Some SanDisk PATA SSD and CompactFlash contain same controller: SanDisk 20-82-00192-3, another SanDisk controller in common is 20-99-00104-5. Firmware might be substantially different. Model numbers from Reactive Group might be useful.

Samsung CompactFlash should contain Samsung controller, which might or might not be same controller as in their not-too-common PATA SSDs.

One other CompactFlash choice might include Toshiba Exceria Pro: I have no idea what it contains. Maybe their own ASIC, a controller of their own intellectual property; maybe a SanDisk controller; maybe just another Silicon Motion.

600X wrote:the Samsung 470

I think you are mistaken, although I do not know what I am talking about. Here I will spew non-proven might-be-facts:

Samsung SSDs, PATA or SATA, did not target retail/consumer market until model 470, introduced at late 2010. (Samsung 470 fashion 'orange detail on brushed metal body' is from 2009—not relevant to this discussion.) Samsung 2.5-inch formfactor FlashSSD fashion 'brushed metal body' is from 2008, if not earlier. (Another 2008 pic.) Samsung PATA SSD was used in high-cost (one might call it luxury or high-end) ultraportables, often exclusive to Japan or Asia. Lenovo commissioned one in SFF-8111 formfactor, to fulfil ThinkPad X41 line 5-year warranty replacements, because Hitachi (HGST) SFF-8111 HDD production ended. The Samsung PATA SSD does NOT compare to their 470 SSD, which contains oh-so-advanced MAX controller. Predecessor to MAX, controller RBB pleases me, but is not good enough for some critics (such as ajkula66, love you!). Predecessor to RBB, controller RBX, was commonly criticised for stuttering and slowing down once all memory blocks are used. I have no way of knowing this, but I want to say, "Samsung PATA controller is not better than RBX.". There was at least one SATA predecessor to RBX, and the PATA controller might be older still.




Johan, thank you for mentioning my FAQ article!

My post does not present any new substance. Just links to topics already covered. I hope, when people do more research and reading, then they will not start a new KingSpec discussion each season.

I have dual IDE CF adapters on my 770X and on a Mac Powerbook Pismo. Use a reasonably fast CF card and it will be as fast or faster as a mechanical hard drive. The main caveat is that not all CF cards are created equal and some will always be seen as a removable drive. The advantage is that of simplicity and compatibility. The Compact Flash standard is just about the same as IDE and the adapter is a passive device that just powers on the CF card and puts the CF signals on the right IDE pins. The CF cards are also really cheap. That is what I use for older IDE laptops. For something from the T4X era, I would use an mSata or ngff to IDE adapter. There are also IDE to SD card adapters. I haven't tried one in a Thinkpad but I've had excellent results putting one in a Commodore Amiga that has a really old version of IDE.