Upgrading my Thinkpad R52 hard drive (1846-AQG)

[makinjr]

I am planning to install bigger hard drive to my thinkpad laptop.
Just can not find a list of compatible hard drives. Hard drive firmware update lists some drives. Are these only tested to be compatible hard drives? Or is this just a list of drives that need firmware update before they can be used in R52 Thinkpad?

See:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62282

Any website link where I check compatibility before buying hard drive?

[kajencik]

I don't think there is a 2,5 IDE HDD of which wouldn't work in your R52, as long as IDE is an industry standard, and AFAIK there is no error similar to the 1802 (unauthorized mini-pci cards) for the IDE in thinkpads, I would expect any 2.5 HDD (of course of the proper height that you have already, but i dont think this isn't an issue with newer hdds) will work.

The link you are reffering to is just an firmware upgrade for the thinkpads orinilas hdd's, which is definitely good to do, but I don't think it's necessary at all.

I might be wrong, but I have read about many and seen few succesful upgrades of not only thinkpads, and none with an incompatibility problem.

Don't take me 100% serious, but I think that any HDD will work.

[BeeJayEmm]

I don't think there is a 2,5 IDE HDD of which wouldn't work in your R52, ...and AFAIK there is no error similar to the 1802 (unauthorized mini-pci cards)...

Well, you're half right. Any 9.5mm IDE drive will fit, but the drive will give the 2010 error on boot unless the drive is either from Lenovo or has its firmware flashed to fool the ThinkPad BIOS into thinking it is. You can find more info here (The linked thread is about T43s, but R52s have the same issue because they also have the SATA to IDE bridge). Some members have posted that they just ignore the error and continue booting with no ill effect. YMMV.

Brian

Edit: The hard drives listed on your linked page are ones for which Lenovo has updated firmware. If you buy an OEM version of one of these drives (i.e. not a Lenovo version), you can try to flash the firmware yourself using the detailed instructions forum member messar included in this thread. As you will read, many other members have reported success. Others have reported failure. I believe the drive must be OEM, not retail. Good luck!

[kajencik]

Thats bad, another limitation after the 1802 error Does anybody know if this IBM-HDD check persist in all new thinkpads from R52/T43?

[BeeJayEmm]

Hi kajencik,
No, this little irritation was exclusive to T43s/R52s/X41s. All 60 and 61 series ThinkPads are hard drive-neutral. I believe no TPs previous to the T43s/R52s/X41s had the issue, either. It must have seemed a good idea at the time.

Brian