Adding extra HDD/SSD using non-raid system

[rezaganji]

I have a thinkpad W520 (Core i7-2820QM, 16GB Ram, 500GB HDD, Nvidia Quadro 2000M)

My questions are:
-Do I need RAID to install extra HDD?
-How can I install Win7 from pre-installed partition on my original HDD?
-I have got Intel SSD 520 series 180GB, how would you rate this?
-Can I additionally add mSATA SSD on top of these two HDD?

Thank you

[skie]

I'll take a shot at this..

-Do I need RAID to install extra HDD?

No, you don't have to use RAID to install your 2nd harddrive - just a hard disk caddy (that replaces your ODD). In fact - if you didn't configure RAID when you bought your W520, you won't have it available now anyways.

-How can I install Win7 from pre-installed partition on my original HDD?

There are a few ways you can do this - you can clone your original HDD to your SSD using Acronis True Image (or a similar tool), or use ABR to backup your OEM activation, and do a clean install using a Win 7 ISO. Both are workable but I'd recommend a clean install for various reasons.

-I have got Intel SSD 520 series 180GB, how would you rate this?

I have the exact same drive (both 240GB and 180GB versions) and have got no complaints. My T420 with the 180GB drive boots Win 7 so quickly that the Windows logo isn't even completely lit up by the time it's done.

-Can I additionally add mSATA SSD on top of these two HDD?

Yes, mSATA SSD is independent of the hard drive bay and the Ultrabay slot; as long as you don't use a WWAN card you can insert an mSATA SSD into your W520.

Hope this helps!

[rezaganji]

Skie,
Thanks a lot for your informative answers.
I have another question:

Can I have different Operating systems on my 3 drive options and choose which one to boot with when I am booting my laptop? (for example Win 7, Ubuntu, and Mac OS X)

[skie]

Hello,

I haven't personally done multi-booting on any of my ThinkPads, so I'm sure someone else would be better-positioned to answer this - however, I'm pretty sure you can install more than one OS (even on the same drive), and press F12 during the booting process to choose which drive to boot from.

[davidhbrown]

You can set the boot sequence in the BIOS and override this with F12. You can actually boot from more than three devices; options include USB drives.

The process is somewhat different if you have multiple OS on one drive. Such a drive will be configured with a program (called a boot loader) that allows you to select which OS to use and possibly specify parameters -- a little like what you get in Windows when you hold down F8 or recover from a crash or if you did an upgrade install of Windows and still have an earlier version on hand.

While I prefer to boot into a single primary OS (Windows 7) and do other things (Linux, XP/IE6 testing) via virtual machines, I do keep an emergency flash drive configured via YUMI (http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multi ... b-creator/) with numerous bootable disc images of utility software and OS installers from which it lets you select at boot.

I've been very happy using the mSATA as a system drive -- especially now with 256GB sizes available -- and the primary drive bay for storage. Very rarely do I need to put a third hard drive in, but it's nice to have the option.

[n2ri]

ok but that dont help me. how can I use ultrabay for an archive/bu drive? when I install it windows sees it as an addon to drive 'C' and as both drives are 2tb its useless. cant ultrabay be used for backup archive hdd? thats what I was going to do on my old adv dock for my old T61 and W500 with 1tb. but now upgrading to W520 and max capacity drives which cant use adv dock.

[RealBlackStuff]

Rather than repeat old hat, check this: https://www.lifewire.com/install-a-second-ssd-5071696

[n2ri]

thanks for this, it helped get my 2tb SATA3 HDD seen in ultrabay in W500 and W520 on Win7 64bit. but it still dont work in ultrabay in T61 with Win XP 32bit or the adv dock 2503 as they have dif connector plug seems or something. even with Middleton BIOS. so how can I move data from T61 HDD to it?

Thanks, Mitch G

[RealBlackStuff]

They use old technique in there (see this).
Most likely it is also size-limited to 500GB or 1TB.
And it must be installed already before you boot, also, you can NOT hot-swap it.

[n2ri]

my T61 adapter is designed to work in it. and I know about installing b4 booting. the T61 has a 1tb hard drive installed for years now. does win XP see 2tb? also the T61 is running winXP 32bit while my W series use 64bit win7. thw W520 still has a lame win10 install but will have the same OS as my W500 does now. also for future ref the advance dock 2503 ultrabay is same as the T61 series yet W500 thinkpad still docks fine in the adv dock. just have to use ultrabay caddies designed for T series in adv docks ultrabay. only caddy that works in both T and W series is the aux battery

[n2ri]

each model T61, W500 and W520 require different hdd caddy for ultrabay as they wont fit others. I have all 3 types.

[n2ri]

ok. I had the extra drive working in w500 ultrabay but not t61 so I installed it in adv dock 2503 ultrabay with w500 docked and when it booted an driver was installed and hdd was seen in w500 again as E drive.so then I docked t61 and it too could see drive. took 8 hrs to transfer 600gb of files from t61 to the new drive. just gotta figure how to print a list of programs installed on t61 including some like Python etc that install without add/remove control panel which also has no way to copy or print list. then backup program files. I desided against using archive/BU hdd as ghosted t61 winXP 32bit bootable drive as it wouldnt work as archivve backup drive then for W520 duel boot system as intended. any help doing a list of installed programs? thanks! Mitch G

[RealBlackStuff]

Google is your friend (sometimes).
http://www.ghacks.net/2014/02/06/create ... -software/

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... df188acd38