X301: x18-m and OCZ Vertex 2 installation failed

[max90034]

I am trying to upgrade old 128 gb samsung SSD in my x301 and I have pretty bad experience so far. The first drive I tried was OCZ Vertex 2 240 GB. It was never recognized in bios. Works file in other machine. Next I tried 2 different Intel x18-m 160 Gb SSD. In both cases the driver was recognized first and I started windows 7-64bit installation but somewhere down the road I got error that it could not find some files. When I restarted, the drive could not be seen in the bios anymore. At this point I returned 1st intel SSD thinking that drive is bad. I am still playing with 2d one.

A few times after I reformatted/reinitialized SSD in another machine, it was recornized by x301 again but Windows installation always failed. It seems that it fails after Win 7 creates partitions and starts copying files. Usually after that when I restart, X301 gives me 2100 error - error to initialize drive. When I move SSD to another machine I can see 2 partitions sometimes with some files there but at this point X301 cannot see it anymore.

I have most recent 8/2010 bios. I tried both Compartibility and AHCI modes. Do I need to load any drivers during installation?

I would really appreciate if somebody who successfully upgraded SSD in X300/x301 provided installation tips. I have seen ppl online with x18-m listed for x301 and I have seem posts describing the same problem that I have. Any ideas? Thanks!

[AMATX]

I haven't worked with this type drive, but I'd suggest you restore a backup to the new drive instead of doing an install of Windows. This way, you could eliminate the Win installation as a potential cause of your problems.

You wanna get some code loaded on the new drive that you know works, so you can make sure the new drive works. A previous backup of your current setup oughta do the trick.

After this, you can tackle doing the Win installation...

[max90034]

Thanks, I can try this just to make sure that drive works. Unf, I cannot use this installation because one of the reasons to upgrade drive is to install 64 bit OS (vs 32 bit I have now).

Still I am surprised that some ppl had zero trouble to install new dive into X301 and it is so problematic in my case ... May be older bios was more compatible with some SSD???

[masterus]

Hi,

Please read my answer for the same issue on the forum.
In few words , OCZ Vertex2 will not work in X300 or X301 as OCZ Vertex2 SSD uses 0,5V.

Regards,

[Jason404]

Hi,

Please read my answer for the same issue on the forum.
In few words , OCZ Vertex2 will not work in X300 or X301 as OCZ Vertex2 SSD uses 0,5V.

Regards,

Which answer are you referring to, as I can only see a couple of other ones similar to this one. In one of them you mention that the OCZ Vertex2 uses 2.0V I think.

So which voltages are ThinkPads compatible with? Is it the case that all SSDs with SandForce controllers do not work with ThinkPads?

Cheers.

[mikemex]

My X200 has a first generation Samsung 1.8" 64GB SSD and it refuses to install or run XP in AHCI mode, I have to enter the BIOS and set it to "compatibility".

I really doubt the interface in one of those drives is any different, Micro SATA is an industry-standard.

[ThinkRob]

Is it the case that all SSDs with SandForce controllers do not work with ThinkPads?

Not sure about the Vertex 2 in an X301, but I definitely know that the above is not true. I've run two SF-1200-based drives in my X200. True, both of them failed within about a month of installation, but they did work fine until then...

[Jason404]

Not sure about the Vertex 2 in an X301, but I definitely know that the above is not true. I've run two SF-1200-based drives in my X200. True, both of them failed within about a month of installation, but they did work fine until then...

Did everything work while they were working? No problems with AHCI? Why did they fail? And what would you recommend for a X200s?

I have been waiting for Intel's third generation SSDs, but there doesn't seem to have been any news on them for a while. I am really hoping for mini-PCIe based SSDs from Intel, that use a single mini-PCIe slot and can be used to booted from.

[ThinkRob]

Did everything work while they were working? No problems with AHCI? Why did they fail? And what would you recommend for a X200s?

They worked great. AHCI was fine, since I use a modern OS.

As to why they failed? Who knows. I suspect it's because the SandForce controllers are basically new and untested tech, but it could also be due to low-quality NAND. (SandForce touts the ability for manufacturers to use lower-quality flash as one of the features of its controller.)

What would I recommend? Marvell C300 if you absolutely, positively need maximum random IOPS, Intel X25-E if you have the money, X25-M otherwise.

[max90034]

I think my x301 successfully destroyed x18-m drive. After 15-20 unsuccessful attempts to make it working, I now have errors even when format it in external SATA enclosure (worked fine there until recently). This is 2d x18-m 160Gb which fails after attempt to install it into x301. At this point I believe (until somebody proves opposite) that only 80Gb x18-m works in x301.

[elvair]

x-18m 160 works fine on my x301, 1.6, 4gb, win 7 ult