Thinkpads Forum

I just bought a T400s with w7 pro 32 bit and a 160G 1.8" HD. My plan is to purchase a smallish 1.8" SSD(32G) and have it be the system drive and possibly put the other drive into a 9.5mm drive caddy..is this possible?

Given that 2.5" laptop hard drives are so cheap nowadays, I wouldn't mind buying a new one but thought I could maybe get away with it..I don't like the thought of having a 1.8" drive sitting in the junk pile

Yes. Here's how:

Get any 1.8" SSD. Your choices are probably going to be split between the X18-M and the C300 (C300 is faster, X18-M is more reliable but slower). Do a clean install of Windows (whatever you've got).

Then, find a 1.8" SATA enclosure for the hard drive.
Or, just get a 2.5" enclosure, and find an adapter that will convert the 2.5" interface to the 1.8" interface, making sure that that converter can go between 5V and 3.3V, which that hard drive needs.

Cool!

Now I've been reading that some 2.5" SSD's can actually fit into 1.8" bays by removing the protective shell. Is this true? If so, the need to pay more for 1.8" prices are OVER!

I wanted to use the HDD in the ultrabay, would it fit if I were to also use the adapter?

Oh..after reading Qballs post on another topic it looks like only some 2.5" are retrofitt-able..

Q-Ball wrote:Yes. Here's how:

Get any 1.8" SSD. Your choices are probably going to be split between the X18-M and the C300 (C300 is faster, X18-M is more reliable but slower). Do a clean install of Windows (whatever you've got).

Then, find a 1.8" SATA enclosure for the hard drive.
Or, just get a 2.5" enclosure, and find an adapter that will convert the 2.5" interface to the 1.8" interface, making sure that that converter can go between 5V and 3.3V, which that hard drive needs.

is this an adapter that would work in a 9.5mm ultrabay caddy? i'm wondering if anyone else had success with something like this, i'm guessing there may be clearance issues.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

That *might* work.

But I think you'd want a converter "card"- you can't fasten the 1.8" drive down if you use that so it's going to be loose inside the adapter.
That adapter is more for putting mSATA drives in more permanent places such as PCs.

I was thinking something like this (http://newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?mai ... 4c7927ee)- and I believe Lenovo actually sells one if you can find it on their website but don't quote me on that.

Qball, you certainly know your hardware. Were u born in a Radio Shack?

That's exactly what I'll be needing, as I was worried about the drive clattering inside the caddy. But $35, wow..I can just buy a 2.5" HDD for that price!

I just installed my new x-18m drive and it is definitely slower than the other ssd that I had in my x300(which I think was an SLC drive) but still a vast improvement from the hdd.