T420s with Intel 510 SSD

[Nitehawk]

Hey all.

So I ordered a T420s early with the i7 and discreet graphics but only 2gb ram and the 250gb 5400 rpm hard disk. System just showed up, seems pretty nice and very light. A funny side note on the hard disk there is a lenovo FRU sticker that claims it's a 320GB 7200rpm drive but the drive itself is clearly labelled as a momentus thin 5400rpm 250gb. I bought a crucial 8gb ram kit for 70 bucks that seems to be working fine, and an Intel 510 120gb SSD.

I read on this forum somewhere that you can fit the 510 if you take it apart, leave the bottom half on and put the rubber sliders on. I learned this is not true; unless I am just not pushing hard enough to jam it in . So I am now planning to run the 510 as the ssd card only with the rubber sliders on the sides and lots of cardboard shims. Not the ideal solution, especially for a roadwarrior like myself.

My assumption is that in the next 6-12 months there will be better cheaper ssd options and I can find one that just fits natively then move this 510 to one of my desktop systems. Now if I'm doing this I am thinking I might need to pack around the original disk with me just incase the system fails and I need warranty service. Or I could use my Macbook air 10" that I carry as a backup system and wait till I get home to fix the T420s.

Has anyone else done this or anything similar? I am about to restore my T420s to the SSD using a R&R backup I made to an external drive.

[ChugokuOtaku]

Unfotunately, it seems like you're outta luck on that one.

I would've assumed the same had I not double checked. Apparently Intel made their new 3rd gen 510 SSDs 9.5mm full height, where as all their previous generation SSDs were true 7mm height + spacer = 9.5mm height drives.
Why would they do that? To screw you over on purpose I'm sure...

One solution I can think of, a really long shot, along with an "adventurous" volunteer, would be to take apart your SSD, swap the PCB with someone else's 1st or 2nd gen Intel SSD's 7mm shell without the spacer. If Intel's manufacturing is consistent, the PCB should fit no problem.

I actually got my T420si today, and installed a 64gig Crucial M4 in it with the spacer removed. Crucial drives are really nice since you can remove the spacer without voiding warranty. If it weren't for the 7mm height limitation, I'd have a Vertex 2 running in it right now.

[Nitehawk]

Ok so I've been running the 510 since I posted just as the card itself. result was good for awhile. However just recently now that I'm on the road Ive had the drive come loose twice. So it's time to do something. You say 2nd Gen intel drive. So what is that. an X25-M? I could buy one and try the swap. Any model suggestions?

[jvarszegi]

I'm liking my mSATA drive. Do you use a WWAN card? If not, why not consider mSATA?

[ChugokuOtaku]

Any model suggestions?

I think any Intel 1st or 2nd gen drive should do, including the one you mentioned. I have a 1st gen 80gig drive from Intel. If you take a picture of your PCB, I can check if it looks the same as the one I have.

I'm liking my mSATA drive. Do you use a WWAN card? If not, why not consider mSATA?

because those mSATA is nowhere near the performance of his 510.

[jvarszegi]

because those mSATA is nowhere near the performance of his 510.

Plenty fast for a boot drive, and so fast you wouldn't notice the difference. Besides, IIRC, the 510 is not so well optimized for random read-write performance as I understand it. Lastly, my mSATA drive has never had to be reseated-- so I would argue it performs far better.

So again, OP, do you use a WWAN card? If not, why not consider mSATA? You can have far more storage that way, and still get excellent performance.

[bblumberg]

Runcore makes a SATA 6G bps mSATA drive. Mydigitaldiscount.com sells them. I have a Renice mSATA drive from them that is working very well so far (but only 3G).

Bruce