Thinkpads Forum

I currently have a T42 running windows 7 on an SSD in the ultrabay. I've recently purchased a T60 to replace it and wondered if I would be able to just swap the SSD straight into the T60 and install the new drivers? Would I have any issues?

Thanks,
Ross

Yes. There will be issues.

The hardware is way too different, you're better off with a clean install to avoid BSODs and other niceties...

You might be able to but I doubt it. I successfully did it between a T61 and X201 just to test it out. Personally I wouldn't as I prefer a clean install. Obviously before you do anything back up you data. OS and programs are expendables, you can destroy and reload them anytime. It's the license key that is important.

Oh well, thanks for the advice guys. I was trying to avoid a reinstall as it's not my machine, but it looks like it's going to have to be.

ajkula66 wrote:Yes. There will be issues.

Yes?? Maybe it is just me who are confused, but according to the OP's signature --> 14.1" 1024x768 T42 - 1.7 GHz 2GB, 64GB SSD (Ultrabay) 40GB IDE. Win7 Pro the SSD in OP's SSD in the T42 is a 40 GB IDE so this drive cannot be installed in the main HDD bay of the T60.

Does the OP on the contrary want to install the Ultrabay-with-the-IDE-SSD in the T60? (this is unclear to me). If so, this should be possible, but as said a fresh install is the best way to go if migrating froma T42 to a T60 (consider using e.g. Microsoft's Windows Easy Transfer).

Personally, if I got a (new or used) T60, I'd get a SATA SSD and install it in the main T60 HDD bay. There are a lot of threads (and opinions!) on this forum about what SSD's are best etc., but you will find a starting point in e.g. Adding an SSD to a T60.

Johan

I have made exactly this move recently (see signature). I think it is likely that the OP has a SATA SSD running in an adapter caddy in the T42's Ultrabay. (PATA SSDs are less common and more expensive.) If so, then the SSD hardware will most likely install into the drive bay of the T60 immediately, without any problems and without needing any adapter. (Of course if it is a PATA SSD it will not fit.) Moreover the SSD will run faster because the T60 supports SATA-II whereas the T42 needs use of the adapter to put a SATA drive on a PATA bus.

However, as others have said, a full re-install of Windows is likely to be needed. The hardware is just too different otherwise. That's what I did. But, it is worth trying to boot the T60 to see how far it gets. I doubt a blue screen will happen (it didn't to me, though I was running XP at the time). Maybe Win7 will be able to autodetect the missing drivers. It is nevertheless a long shot and I too would favour the clean install.

Sorry for the confusion, I'm using a SATA SSD in an ultrabay caddy. I posted a reply yesterday clarifying this but the forum was taking ages to load for me so it obviously didn't go through.

Looks like I'll be doing a full reinstall then, with it not being my machine I don't want to risk issues further down the line.

Thanks anyway,
Ross

simes wrote:... Moreover the SSD will run faster because the T60 supports SATA-II ...

Wrong, T60 (and R60/X60/Z61) only support SATA-I.
T61 (and R61/X61) also only support SATA-1 natively, except that after applying Middleton's BIOS, T61/R61/X61 can then run at SATA-II speed.

Thanks for the clarification about SATA-II support. The SSD will still, however, appear faster in the T60 than the T42 (as I found) because the T42 lacks SATA-I support and relies on PATA emulation.