ThinkPad A30. Can I replace the 80 gig IDE with an SSD?

[emmett518]

I have an old A30 Thinkpad that I use as a packet terminal in my ham radio station.

It is running Windows XP Pro.

I upgraded it a long time ago to an 80 gig, 5400 RPM IDE drive.

I'd like to replace that mechanical, slow, IDE with an SSD.

Can I do this? I know this lacks an SATA controller, but are there solid state, fast, IDE drives in laptop sizes that will fit and work in this laptop?

Also, is anyone selling fresh battery packs for this dinosaur?

Thanks

[RealBlackStuff]

IDE SSDs exist, but are extremely rare and expensive.
You can either replace your drive with a better/faster/larger Samsung HM160HC (IDE, 5400rpm, 160GB, fast),
or get an IDE-to-mSATA adapter with an mSATA SSD.

[TPFanatic]

I have an A31 with a 128GB mSATA SSD in an IDE converter. Windows XP is installed and boots in lightspeed, it's hilarious. You have choice for adapters for the traditional MPCIE-style or NGFF/m2 B+M key-style mSATA SSDs, if you happen to have one or the other already on hand.

[olex126]

Hi.

I still have several sealed NIB OEM batteries for the A 30/31 series.

PM if interested.

Regards.

Dave

[lacju]

I have an A31 with a 128GB mSATA SSD in an IDE converter. Windows XP is installed and boots in lightspeed, it's hilarious. You have choice for adapters for the traditional MPCIE-style or NGFF/m2 B+M key-style mSATA SSDs, if you happen to have one or the other already on hand.

Any suggestions on which SATA to PATA adapter to use for this? I'm guessing any will work, but I've read a lot of older threads here and elsewhere on this topic that make it seem like there might be some differences, or at least some functionality to aim for.

[TPFanatic]

The ones I've bought on eBay describe if they are intended to replace 2.5" or 1.8" IDE drives. The electrics differ. Go for the 2.5" version, this will have the correct engineering for A30.

[600X]

I use a 2.5" Samsung IDE SSD in my T43 and a 2.5" Transcend IDE SSD in my A31p. The Samsung unit is period correct and you will not find them anymore. The Transcend units are modern IDE drives that you can still buy on Amazon.

[Gonzaleitor]

Go with the M2 to IDE adapter. M2s are cheaper than mSATA and you can get 128gb for close to nothing.

[olex126]

I'll upvote the IDE-to Msata conversion for the A30.

I have several older Thinkpads converted this way, utilizing the Ableconn IDE-to Msata converter and either Samsung or Dogfish Msata drives of varying capacities. (Also have a couple of new spare units on the shelf for future projects!). These are very sturdy adapters that survive multiple insertion/ejection cycles with no problems.

The disk-related speed advantages are gratifying, although the processing power of the older units does not compare with newer iterations of the same series...still, nice to have the vintage A/T/R/X/701 series performing as best they can.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ ... Msata2.jpg
https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ ... _Label.jpg
https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ ... Msata1.jpg

Anyways...just my 2 cents!

Regards.

Dave

UPDATE:

After posting the above, I decided to check pricing on the Ableconn adapter....Wow!

I had laid in a supply of these a few years ago at about the $25 price range...they have now doubled or in some cases tripled to between the $60-$75 range....Quality product, yes, but still...

Based just on pricing alone, I would now suggest IDE-to-M2 as the conversion adapter of choice...prices for these are in the $15-$20 range, and the M2 form factor seems to be the current established form.

Dave