X32: which 7200rpm drives fit?

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bigscreen · #1 Post by **bigscreen** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 11:50 am

I am getting a new X32 soon and ordered a separate hard drive in order to replace the internal 60GB with a bigger and faster harddisk. My choice was the new Hitachi Travelstar 7K100 (HTS721010G9AT00, 100GB, 7200rpm, parallel ATA-6: http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/7k100/7k100.htm ).

Now the local dealer tells me, this drive doesn't fit in the X32. They suggested to buy a 5400rpm drive with 100GB from Lenovo instead. I find it hard to believe that the drive should not fit. And I want to replace the slow disk in the first place. More GB is a bonus.

If you have a 7200rpm drive in your X30/31/32 Thinkpad, which harddisk do you use and did you have any troubles to get it to work?

Deckard · #2 Post by **Deckard** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:14 pm

Hi,

I'm also considering upgrading the drive in my X31.

Check the threads below. They have some interesting information.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=13113

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=11059

Although they are T4X specific threads, I think some of the info applies to the X3X machines too.

Cheers

bigscreen · #3 Post by **bigscreen** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:30 pm

Does that mean that Lenovo insists on using Lenovo drives only while at the same time, they are not even selling state-of-the art disks? Where are they heading to? Will they rename to "LeSony" soon?

I'm not going to mess with BIOS updates. I want a machine to do some productive work with and a 7200rpm drive with at least 80GB is a requirement here. Has anyone used a 80GB/7200rpm drive in an X3 Thinkpad that works?

bhtooefr · #4 Post by **bhtooefr** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:37 pm

Just put a 7K100 in. If it doesn't work, return the 7K100.

Those "T4x specific threads" are T43 and R52-specific. The X32, being an old i855-based laptop, doesn't have the 2010 error. Theoretically, the X41 could have a 2010 error, seeing as it's a Sonoma, except the only two drives that the X41 CAN take are already sold by IBM.

Deckard · #5 Post by **Deckard** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:51 pm

bhtooefr, now you're giving me hope. That the X32 doesn't have the error, is this a just a guess or did anyone try that before?

I'd love to upgrade the hard drive on my X31, but after reading the other threads, I'm not so sure.

Cheers

bhtooefr · #6 Post by **bhtooefr** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:13 pm

To understand why you can't get a 2010 on an X32, you have to understand what a 2010 is in the first place.

Sonoma is the new Centrino, based on a Dothan processor, an i915GM or i915PM chipset, and an Intel 2915ABG WiFi card.

The i915*M chipsets do not support Parallel ATA, as far as I can tell.

Therefore, to use a PATA drive (which is cheaper and easier for IBM to get), they have to use an adaptor chip to go from SATA to PATA.

The adaptor chip that IBM chose is a rather poor choice. So, they have a custom firmware to work around the limitations of this adaptor chip, but only for their drives.

So, the IBM BIOS checks the drive to see whether it's got this modified firmware. If not, it throws the 2010 error, to prevent the problems with the adaptor chip causing data errors on the drive.

The only Sonoma laptops that IBM makes are the R52, T43, and X41. Therefore, the X32 is NOT a Sonoma laptop, does NOT have this adaptor chip, and CANNOT have a 2010 error.

Throw any 2.5" PATA drive in there you want. If it doesn't work, there's something wrong with the drive.

bigscreen · #7 Post by **bigscreen** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:14 pm

Just put a 7K100 in. If it doesn't work, return the 7K100.

The return policy is unfortunately not that liberal in Europe...

But your suggestion is interesting. I have an external 2.5" disk (no IBM) that I could try. If that works, does it mean that other non-IBM/Lenovo drives will to work, too?

bigscreen · #8 Post by **bigscreen** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:20 pm

Therefore, to use a PATA drive (which is cheaper and easier for IBM to get), they have to use an adaptor chip to go from SATA to PATA.

Out of curiousity (I don't need it for me): would any 2.5" SATA drive work in the new T43 with Sonoma chipset or would it need further modifications? That Hitachi drive mentioned above is available with serial and parallel ATA.

Deckard · #9 Post by **Deckard** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:25 pm

bhtooefr, thanks for the explanation.

nik · #10 Post by **nik** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:31 pm

It's only 5400rpm, but I installed a Seagate Momentus 5400.2 100gb in my X32 without error or incident. (I cloned the original disk through the USB port using TrueImage.)

bigscreen · #11 Post by **bigscreen** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:35 pm

Thanks, bhtooefr and nik!
I'll try the 7K100 and post the result if it works and how it compares to the standard 5400/60GB drive.

bhtooefr · #12 Post by **bhtooefr** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:25 pm

bigscreen wrote:
Therefore, to use a PATA drive (which is cheaper and easier for IBM to get), they have to use an adaptor chip to go from SATA to PATA.
Out of curiousity (I don't need it for me): would any 2.5" SATA drive work in the new T43 with Sonoma chipset or would it need further modifications? That Hitachi drive mentioned above is available with serial and parallel ATA.

No. And it's a [censored] shame.

The Sonoma chipset can't work with PATA drives, but IBM only uses PATA drives. So, they use the adaptor chip. However, there's no SATA connector, because the HDD bay is where the PATA connector has to be. So, only IBM drives for the T43 (this is really a T series discussion, though, and there's threads about getting Hitachi drives working without the 2010 error...)

javanaut · #13 Post by **javanaut** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:01 pm

I just installed the 7200 rpm 100GB Hitachi 7K100 HTS721010G9AT00 on my X32 (2885-K4U) and had absolutely no problems whatsoever.

________________________
X32 (2885-K4U) // X40 (2371-7GU) // T30 (2366-42U) // A31P (2653-H6U) // 600 (2645-PNT)

nik · #14 Post by **nik** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:10 pm

Good to hear, Javanaut. May I ask where you bought your drive? I've been trying to find a U.S. supplier who actually had one in stock, to no avail.

javanaut · #15 Post by **javanaut** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:32 pm

I had the same problem until I heard about zipzoomfly in these forums. They are at http://www.zipzoomfly.com/. I signed up for the back in-stock email alert and bought it as soon as I got the email. Shortly after that they were out-of-stock but they appear to be in stock at the moment although they raised the price by $25 since I bought it. Second day shipping was "free" and the disk drive came in its factory sealed anti-static silver bag. Purchased it around midnight this past Sunday and it was in my grubby hands early Thursday (yesterday) morning.

Good luck and enjoy!

________________________
X32 (2885-K4U) // X40 (2371-7GU) // T30 (2366-42U) // A31P (2653-H6U) // 600 (2645-PNT)

nolifer · #16 Post by **nolifer** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 1:23 pm

javanaut wrote:I just installed the 7200 rpm 100GB Hitachi 7K100 HTS721010G9AT00 on my X32 (2885-K4U) and had absolutely no problems whatsoever.

What HDD did you have before? How is the performance now? What OS are you using?

javanaut · #17 Post by **javanaut** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:27 pm

This is a new machine. I've only had it about a month. The system came with a Hitachi 5K100 60 GB 5400 rpm model HTS541060G9AT00 and Windows XP Professional. It is still running WinXP Pro. Unfortunately, I've been working almost round the clock for the last month or so and have not had much chance to set it up with my typical environment. Besides I only wanted to do it once when I got the 7200 rpm disk drive. The drive is quiet and vibration free. I expect it to be pretty snappy.

________________________
X32 (2885-K4U) // X40 (2371-7GU) // T30 (2366-42U) // A31P (2653-H6U) // 600 (2645-PNT)

X32: which 7200rpm drives fit?

X32: which 7200rpm drives fit?

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