X200 ultrabase SATA pinout to do internal SSD+HDD setup

[nando4]

Hi Everyone,

Based on the ultrabase ad there must be 2 sata ports being linked from the X200 to the ultrabase. One for the HDD and one for the sata optical drive. They are sata since ICH9M has no PATA controller on it, and supports 4 ports off it's SATA controller.

Can anyone volunteer to trace back the SATA I/O pins from their ultrabase to their X200 systemboard and share the details on the tracks/pins matching the sata I/O pins?

Knowing this info should then allow a SSD+HDD setup by using a Runcore ProIV mPCIe 50mm sata SSD, where you wire the sata I/O pins to the systemboard sata I/O pins, ensuring they are masked out when insert in mPCIe socket (or just leave floating in the slot space).

Just a proof-of-concept. I don't have a X200 to refer to. A SSD+HDD X200 would be a fantastic setup. Compact and fast.

Question asked on NBR here as well.

[donzoomik]

Why would optical and HDD require different buses, it doesn't make sense at all.
Most likely they use the same bus and that optical-SATA HDD conversion thing changes physical interface.

[nando4]

Why would optical and HDD require different buses, it doesn't make sense at all.
Most likely they use the same bus and that optical-SATA HDD conversion thing changes physical interface.

ICH9M datasheet tells us it has a sata controllers with 4 ports on it. So it makes sense. Primary HDD, Ultrabase optical drive, Ultrabase HDD add up to 3 ports. Just need to either of the additional 2 ports and wire them internally to a mPCIe sata SSD to have a mPCIe SSD+HDD system.

[donzoomik]

Manufacturer doesn't have to use all of them. In fact most if not all don't.
You're missing the point - there is no reason, why optical and HDD shouldn't use the same interface. The issue is that opticals use micro-SATA physical interface but HDDs use normal SATA, so there's a converter. Protocol and electricalwise they're the same.
Also software shows, that there are only 2 enabled interfaces. You could probably enable the other ones, but with wiring this is a pretty big mod.
From what i've read, mPCIe SSD's are full-length, so it should fit into WWAN slot. Still, i think it doesn't make much sense, but it's up to you...

[bill bolton]

So it makes sense.

Since mobile device design is very much about "just enough to do the job effectively", not "use it just because its there", it doesn't make sense at all!

Cheers,

Bill B.

[forests_gump]

Borrow this thread, for HMDI:

I would be more interested on the HDMI interface pinout on the ultrabase to the systemboards...

Anyone has some leads on this area?

[nando4]

From what i've read, mPCIe SSD's are full-length, so it should fit into WWAN slot. Still, i think it doesn't make much sense, but it's up to you...

Need 4 sata I/O pins, 3.3V and GND to run to the mPCIe SSD.

If someone could tell me where the 4 sata I/O pins are that run to the ultrabase by doing continuity tests from the ultrabase, and it would be *VERY* easy to do this mod:

1. A 50mm mPCIe SSD would sit in the WWAN slot with pins cellophane taped to not make contact with the other pins
2. The inner edge would have an IDE cable with 6 or 10 wires attached (if I put GND on either side of the sata lines for noise suppression)
3. The other side of the IDE cable would running somewhere near the ultrabase connector to the sata I/O pins, 3.3V and GND.