IBM ThinkPad X4 Series with CF HDD

[ThinkPad560X]

I have a IBM ThinkPad X41 and a X41 Tablet. I have a IBM ThinkPad 560X and it uses the "SSD" Compact Flash IDE Adapter and has a 16GB Card in it. I tried it in my X41 and Tablet because I want to upgrade to the SSD for all my laptops later on. When I pluged in the Adapter "both ways, since it doesn't give a right or wrong top or upside down way" The laptop doesn't read it. I'm wanting to use my test Windows 7 Beta on my tablet and it didn't read the HDD card, and nethier did it when I tried with my Windows XP Pro CD. It works fine in my old 1998 ThinkPad 560X but doesn't want to work on these 2005 X41 Series? And I really didn't think that my old 560X would read it from the newier ThinkPads

Also The CF Adapter didn't want to read in my ThinkPad 380Z.

[virge]

Dunno why it wouldn't work in the 380Z, but it probably isn't working in the X4* machines because those IDE controllers are putting out 3.3v whereas a standard 2.5" drive uses 5v. There is thread in the X series forum about how to mod the IDE adapters.

[sjthinkpader]

The IDE-CF adapters don't have a 3.3V regulator like IDE-ZIF adapters. Most CF cards are made to work in 5V and 3.3V slots.

For X40/X41/X41t, pin 1 needs to be on the right side.

For some Thinkpads, the CF card needs to be in the HDD slot when the MBR is being made to have it boot. If it doesn't boot, utilities such as Bootprep needs to be used to make the MBR.

[virge]

The IDE-CF adapters don't have a 3.3V regulator like IDE-ZIF adapters. Most CF cards are made to work in 5V and 3.3V slots.

Thanks for the correction sjthinkpader. I've only used IDE-ZIF adapters, and assumed it was the same. I should know better than to do that.