Hard Drive Replacement T42

[Red Ed]

I've currently got the standard issue 80GB HTS548080M9AT00 Hitachi 2.5", 9.5mm drive in my T42. Just had a look on t'internet and found a Western Digital 500GB for £100:-

WD5000BEVT
Western Digital Scorpio
500GB capacity
5400 RPM
2.5"
9.5mm
SATA
Access Time 12ms
Cache 8MB
1 year RTB Warranty

That seems like a perfect drive and fit to me. Does anyone have any advice about such a change?

[Johan]

I'm sorry to say this, Ed, but that HDD won't work as the main HDD in your T42, the reason being that it is a SATA (Serial-ATA) whereas T42's uses PATA (Parallel-ATA) as the main HDD. The largest laptop (2.5") PATA HDD available today is the WD 250 GB - see the thread Upgrade T40p!!! for more information; specificly this post.

SATA HDD's can however be used in T42's in the 2nd UltraBay Harddisk Adapter; more information about this can e.g. be found in the threads T42 replacement HDD - sata interface ok and T42, Ultrabay Slim and Hitachi Travelstar 7K200-200. There is a link to an eBat seller in the UK where you can get a cheap SATA in the thread Where can I buy an UltraBay slim HDD Adaptor being --> this fellow.

Johan

[Red Ed]

So with the 'ThinkPad 2nd HDD Adapter for Ultrabay Slim Bay' (£34 from Amazon) I can keep the 80GB ATA-6 (PATA) drive in as the system drive AND have a 500GB SATA drive as a data drive?

[exTPfan]

Only if the HD adaptor is designed for SATA drives, not PATA (IDE) drives.
See here

[Red Ed]

Only if the HD adaptor is designed for SATA drives, not PATA (IDE) drives.
See here

That's interesting. I see the caddy fits in the CD-ROM slot so I'd lose that drive if I wanted two hard drives.

[schen]

That's interesting. I see the caddy fits in the CD-ROM slot so I'd lose that drive if I wanted two hard drives.

Of course your other option is to go with an external HDD enclosure in which case you can pretty much go with whatever you like. Since the much beloved A31, the multi-bay ThinkPads went extinct until the recent arrival of the W700.

[sjthinkpader]

To OP:

The WD WD2500BEVE 250GB PATA drive is still available from newegg.com.

[Franasia]

That's interesting. I see the caddy fits in the CD-ROM slot so I'd lose that drive if I wanted two hard drives.

I have the Dock II which has a drive bay. Only issue is it will not take the optical drive from the T42. You need to get an Ultrabay 2000 drive which is the older type. Both can now be had very cheaply on eBay, especially the Dock II which originally sold for over USD 400. Very high quality unit. Hope it helps.

Cheers.