ThinkPad SATA HDD Bay Adapter III - Can't use my own HDD?

[MartinBrice]

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... u_area=yes

I'm reading online and being told by Lenovo that I can only use this with HDD's bought through Lenovo?

Later today I will be installing a 250GB WD Scorpio Black as my main system drive.

I was originally hoping to get a larger drive, but when I ordered yesterday I couldn't get anything larger than that delivered by today (I need the system up and running ASAP).

However, I need a lot of storage, and fast access to it, so that I can store a large number of very large image files (75MB+ each) and edit them via Photoshop and Lightroom, so I was thinking I'd get the 750GB Scorpio Black and pop it in the Ultrabay via the adapter. In fact, I saw advantages to configuring the system this way because in the past with digital audio workstations, I always used one smaller drive as my system drive and a second larger drive with all audio files for editing.

Is there a away around this limitation? Maybe something I can buy as an adapter for the adapter (which I admit doesn't sound superficially like the world's best idea). As I understand it, the problem is that it needs the same rails as the main drive, so why can't I buy the same hdd tray and rubber rails that the system drive uses and use that in the adapter?

Also, I'm reading about the adapter overall build quality being poor, not locking into place properly, etc. Is there truth to these complaints?

[EOMtp]

I'm reading online and being told by Lenovo that I can only use this with HDD's bought through Lenovo? ... Is there a away around this limitation?

Nonsense -- there is no such limitation. Any 2.5" 9mm SATA drive will fit and work.

The fit is perfect if you mount the bare drive in an IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad drive caddy (shown below), but that is not essential:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=%28 ... m270.l1313

The adapter build quality and fit are excellent. (There are reports that some of the knock-offs are less so, but the Lenovo-manufactured units are perfect in every regard.)

[MartinBrice]

So, what is Lenovo talking about then?

I looked here and don't see rails:

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product ... MIGR-73170

but it does seem the drive is mounted in one of their trays/drive-caddy, which I presume does not come with the adapter. Maybe I can order that from Lenovo?

Does it fit snugly and lock in? Is there any way to semi-permanently lock it in place (like with a screw)?

[Neil]

There are no rails for the adapter, they are only used when installing a HDD in the main drive bay. The adapter has a locking mechanism to retain the drive in position.

As to why Lenovo says use only their drives...well, I'm sure they would rather you buy from them than somewhere else. It's just a market retention strategy.

[MartinBrice]

what are the advantages to using the drive-caddy with the adapter?

[Neil]

The drive will not fit into the adapter with a caddy attached.

[EOMtp]

what are the advantages to using the drive-caddy with the adapter?

The adapter is designed to accept a drive with caddy, i.e., the caddy "fattens" the drive's dimensions sufficiently for a perfect fit. Without the caddy, the drive is just a bit loose in the adapter.

[Neil]

Ah-hah! I must have had in mind "rails" instead of "caddy". Certainly won't fit with rails installed. And, I don't have a caddy on my drive in the adapter, and it's fit is just fine. However, on closer inspection, I can see that a caddy would fit.

My apologies for the misinformation above.

[bill bolton]

what are the advantages to using the drive-caddy with the adapter?

The drive in a caddy sort of "locks" into the adapter (hard to describe but easy to see when you've done it) and you can be certain the drive electronics wont short out to the metal frame of the adapter.

A bare drive sits a little loose in the adapter, and you really should put some insulation between the drive electronics and the metal frame of the adapter.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[redhook]

So, what is Lenovo talking about then?

I looked here and don't see rails:

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product ... MIGR-73170

but it does seem the drive is mounted in one of their trays/drive-caddy, which I presume does not come with the adapter. Maybe I can order that from Lenovo?

Does it fit snugly and lock in? Is there any way to semi-permanently lock it in place (like with a screw)?

You install the drive into one of the drive cages like the one the stock drive is in before putting it into the ultrabay. This will lock the drive into the ultrabay caddy. They can be found for a couple dollars on eBay.

[redhook]

The drive will not fit into the adapter with a caddy attached.

Sorry but you are wrong. In fact the instruction sticker on the right side of the caddy clearly shows a drive in a cage being installed, just remove the rubber bumpers. Those rubber bumpers also happen to be all you need to install an SSD into the main drive bay.

[MartinBrice]

Just figured I'd connect these in case this thread ever comes up on Google and there is any confusion.

The drive will not fit into the adapter with a caddy attached.

Sorry but you are wrong.

Ah-hah! I must have had in mind "rails" instead of "caddy". Certainly won't fit with rails installed. And, I don't have a caddy on my drive in the adapter, and it's fit is just fine. However, on closer inspection, I can see that a caddy would fit.

My apologies for the misinformation above.

In any case, I've decided to use the bay for a battery.

Turns out that even with the CPU and RAM upgrade, the system isn't up to the task I was hoping. So, I'll use the system as a backup laptop for my T420.

I'm working on instead now upgrading my Acer, which can accept a quad-core i7 for and might be better suited for the original purpose envisioned for this system. If that doesn't work. I guess I'll have to buy a new computer. It would seem a shame to do so considering I have no less than 4 working laptops, albeit some are old (like a Dell Inspiron 8200 that now runs Linux).