Thinkpads Forum

possible extensions

I want to buy a T430, possibly with only a normal HDD, as I can replace it with my own 250G SSD disc.
Are there any "ultrabay/ type tricsk in this model? I cannot find it...Can I take out a cd drive and put in a large HDD? what are the mSata options? sorry , I never thried to install the system on an mSata, I do not think they are even on sale here /Prague, Czechrep)
thanks

The T430 use a 7mm bay for the main drive. You may use any 7mm hard drive or SSD in there. The modular caddy can use a larger 9.5mm drive.

sorry, I am not in an English speaking country...what is the modular caddy? does the T430 have it? thanks. Could you please give me some link for the precise specs? I did not find it in the Tabook, thanks. Anyway, what does Tabook mean? thx

Here's a short video that shows how the modular caddy is used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCV452OgNkw. This link will give you most of the specs of the T430, but not down to the level of the size of the internal drive, etc: http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/tech- ... ries/t430/. If you want details like that, they are available in the tabook (which is part of the Personal Systems Reference) here: http://www.lenovo.com/psref/. Just click the link for 'Thinkpad Notebooks'.

You will find the details ZaZ mentioned about the T430 on page 49 in the sections titled "Ultrabay" and "SATA disk".

thanks ever so much.
What do you think abou this keyboard issue between 420 and 430? should I really be bothered by this? I just tried the old type keyboard on my dysfunctional R500 , it is ok but even the one I am writin on now, plastic feeling cheap Ideapad netbook, is ok in a way...I would prefer the functionality of the 430, but I really respect the Lenovo keyboards I would not like to lose out on it...maybe, for the price difference, I can buy an Expresscard extension card with USB3 if I really need it..what do you think?

Hi, the Tabook for T430s states:
COLUMN HEADER:
PCIe Mini
Card WWAN/
mSATA

Value in Tabook: "upg"

lower in the text:
mSATA™ SSD: NONE
This is written for almost all models.
Do I get it right? These models do not come with an mSATA inside them, , that is why it says NONE, and the value "upg" means that if I want, I can install one, anHd there is a PCIe Mini card slot in there, which can house an mSATA card?
- I am not familiar with the entire mSata business. Of course I am very attracted to a final config with mSata sys drive, the original HDD stays in its origninal location, and an extra large HDD could be swapped in the Ultrabay with a cd drive.
- Could anybody please point me to some threads or articles regarding the mSata as a system drive? Is it as fast as using an SSD harddrive? I have a spare SSD Intel 250G drive left over from my dead R500 thinkpad...I might use that as system drive, or alternatively, an mSata.
Here in the Czech RSepublic I am not aware of great availability of mSata...any aadvice, re good international eshops, thanks.

The mSATA SSD is not supplied in a standard configuration of T430(s). You can do the upgrade yourself by buying a mSATA SSD (Crucial, Mushkin, ADATA, Intel...) of the size you need, and inserting it in the WWAN/mSATA PCIe slot. This slot in in the underside of the notebook, next to the second RAM slot. More importantly, the user can insert either a WWAN card or a mSATA SSD card in that slot -- so, if you need WWAN (such as Gobi), you can forget about mSATA SSD.

You can transfer the system image (by using a software tool, such as Acronis) from the stock HDD to the newly installed mSATA SSD and designate it as the primary boot drive. The stock HDD can then be formatted and used for file storage.

If you decide to use an UltraBay caddy adapter, make sure you buy the right one for your ThinkPad model (T430 or T430s). That is, be mindful of the height difference (in terms of the black plastic bezel that fits the chassis opening).

You have the freedom of putting a new SSD in either the main bay or the UltraBay. If you want to put it in the main bay, make sure the SSD is 7mm high (thick). If you choose to put it in the UltraBay, the SSD can be 7mm or 9.5mm high.