Replacing the hard drive in an X41

[rocketman]

I called IBM today to get a quote on an X41 and I was told the high end model 25256NU comes with a 60gb 4200rpm hard drive. If I want to replace it on my own with a 60 or 80gb 7200rpm hard drive is there any reason that the X41 will not accept or is it for some reason not a good idea (such as possible more heat)?
Also is it easy to install a new hard drive on the X41?

[.di]

well on the X41.. there is a 1.8" hdd.. and what i know here is no 1.8" hdd that runes at 72000rpm.. or have i missed something..??

if your plan was to put a 2.5" hdd in the X41.. then that won't fit

[beq]

The X40/X41 uses a 1.8-inch formfactor hard drive, which is smaller than the normal 2.5-inch formfactor hard drive used by many other laptops.

The biggest capacity available for the 1.8-inch formfactor is currently just 60GB @ 4200rpm (I'm only aware of Hitachi-IBM who makes it).

Whereas last I checked, 2.5-inch hard drives (9.5mm height models) top at 120GB @ 5400rpm, or 100GB @ 7200rpm...

[gst]

I called IBM today to get a quote on an X41 and I was told the high end model 25256NU comes with a 60gb 4200rpm hard drive. If I want to replace it on my own with a 60 or 80gb 7200rpm hard drive is there any reason that the X41 will not accept or is it for some reason not a good idea (such as possible more heat)?
Also is it easy to install a new hard drive on the X41?

There are two types of 1.8'' drives. The ones by Hitachi which are used in the Thinkpad use an IDE connector (like the 2.5'' drives) but on the long side of the disk (http://www.geizhals.at/img/pix/153536.jpg).

The Toshiba drives (and the newer Hitachi "Slim" series 1.8'' drives) use a ZIF connector on the broadside (http://www.geizhals.at/img/pix/78738.jpg). So you can't use them in your Thinkpad.

/gst

[em500]

There are two types of 1.8'' drives. The ones by Hitachi which are used in the Thinkpad use an IDE connector (like the 2.5'' drives) but on the long side of the disk (http://www.geizhals.at/img/pix/153536.jpg).

The Toshiba drives (and the newer Hitachi "Slim" series 1.8'' drives) use a ZIF connector on the broadside (http://www.geizhals.at/img/pix/78738.jpg). So you can't use them in your Thinkpad.

/gst

AFAIK the new Hitachi ZIF connectors are different from the Toshiba connectors. There are 4 types of 1.8" drives that I know of. Toshiba makes 1.8" drives with the connector shown in the linked picture (and more clearly in this review.) These are the most popular types of 1.8" drives, used in iPods and many other ultraportable laptops (Toshiba Portege, Dell X1 and many Japan-only models). Technically these are also IDE drives; although the connector is different from the standard 2.5" type, it can be converted using a simple pin-adapter as shown here.
Toshiba also make 1.8" drives in PC-Card (PCMCIA) format, which were never very popular.

Hitachi was later on the market with their 1.8" drives. As stated by the parent, the connector is the the same as that on a 2.5" drive, which I though was brilliant, but unfortunately it never really caught on. These are used in the Rio Karma music player and of course in IBM's X40 series. In theory you could use a regular 2.5" drive in the X40 (it just sticks out a bit), but I've never got this to work. The new ZIF connector from Hitachi is AFAIK incompatible with any of those listed above; I've only seen it in this diagram. Hitachi is clearly aiming for the portable media player market (which I imagine is more attractive to then than the ultraportable laptop market), where low component costs and small size are more important than performance and IDE connector compatiblity. The summary is that unfortunately X40 owners are stuck with whatever Hitachi is offering in their IDE C4K?0 line, which is not much.

[rocketman]

Yeah I realized after I posted this that the hard drive must be smaller than that used in the T series. I was at BestBuy yesterday and there was a woman looking for a wireless router, she pulled an X41 out of her bag and I flipped over the size, I had not seen one before. So I'm, thinking the X41 would be great to travel with, browse the web at my local coffee shop, etc. The only down side to me is the 4200rpm hard drive, that's why I asked.
By the way can someone with an X41 tell me how the web surfing experience is, is the display nice and bright and easy to read?

[beq]

There are two types of 1.8'' drives. The ones by Hitachi which are used in the Thinkpad use an IDE connector (like the 2.5'' drives) but on the long side of the disk (http://www.geizhals.at/img/pix/153536.jpg).

The Toshiba drives (and the newer Hitachi "Slim" series 1.8'' drives) use a ZIF connector on the broadside (http://www.geizhals.at/img/pix/78738.jpg). So you can't use them in your Thinkpad.

/gst

AFAIK the new Hitachi ZIF connectors are different from the Toshiba connectors. There are 4 types of 1.8" drives that I know of. Toshiba makes 1.8" drives with the connector shown in the linked picture (and more clearly in this review.) These are the most popular types of 1.8" drives, used in iPods and many other ultraportable laptops (Toshiba Portege, Dell X1 and many Japan-only models). Technically these are also IDE drives; although the connector is different from the standard 2.5" type, it can be converted using a simple pin-adapter as shown here.
Toshiba also make 1.8" drives in PC-Card (PCMCIA) format, which were never very popular.

Hitachi was later on the market with their 1.8" drives. As stated by the parent, the connector is the the same as that on a 2.5" drive, which I though was brilliant, but unfortunately it never really caught on. These are used in the Rio Karma music player and of course in IBM's X40 series. In theory you could use a regular 2.5" drive in the X40 (it just sticks out a bit), but I've never got this to work. The new ZIF connector from Hitachi is AFAIK incompatible with any of those listed above; I've only seen it in this diagram. Hitachi is clearly aiming for the portable media player market (which I imagine is more attractive to then than the ultraportable laptop market), where low component costs and small size are more important than performance and IDE connector compatiblity. The summary is that unfortunately X40 owners are stuck with whatever Hitachi is offering in their IDE C4K?0 line, which is not much.

All good info, thanks guys I haven't looked closely, but didn't know that the Toshiba ZIF and Hitachi ZIF (used in some previous C4K60 models and all models in the new C4K60 Slim series) are different...

BTW last I'd checked, Toshiba's 1.8-inch drives (regardless of connector) haven't reached the same capacity as Hitachi's top of 60GB, though I could be wrong? That's why I'd believed the devices having 60GB 1.8-inch drive (Toshiba Portege R200, iPod and previous iPod Photo, etc) all use the Hitachi drive?

I've been using the Hitachi C4K60 60GB drive (with IDE connector) in an IDE-USB enclosure and it works great. The enclosure vendor had said they would have an adapter for ZIF too but I haven't checked back since.

When the C4K60 Slim was first announced Hitachi had mentioned 80GB max capacity (all the while still being thinner at 8mm for 2-platter compared to 9.5mm previously). But now that it's actually released, the max capacity is still the same 60GB, I'm not sure what happened there...

I also have a 2.5-inch 120GB (5400rpm) drive in a slightly bigger USB enclosure. I can't wait until Seagate comes out with the 160GB (5400rpm) 2.5-inch model later this year. I also wish the 7200rpm 2.5-inch models don't have smaller max capacity (since then I'm always having to choose between bigger-capacity 5400rpm or smaller-capacity 7200rpm)