IBM ThinkPad Users' Group

[Azrielsc]

There is an additional PCI Express slot inside the X220 for you to install the mSATA SSD and use it along with your HDD.

After installing, you will need to customize the BIOS to make the mSATA as your boot disk.

This is provided you do not have the optional mobile broadband option customized for your X220.

Yup, that's right. Just remove the palm rest of your X220 and fit the mSATA SSD in. And then change the bootup sequence to have the mSATA SSD boot 1st.

In this way, you can have both mSATA and HDD.

If you want a full fledged SSD, then it is either a SSD or a HDD, as the X220 doesn't come with dual hard drive slots.

With a mSATA SSD, you can have the best of both worlds, speed and space!

 

[shawniiex]

Yup, that's right. Just remove the palm rest of your X220 and fit the mSATA SSD in. And then change the bootup sequence to have the mSATA SSD boot 1st.

In this way, you can have both mSATA and HDD.

If you want a full fledged SSD, then it is either a SSD or a HDD, as the X220 doesn't come with dual hard drive slots.

With a mSATA SSD, you can have the best of both worlds, speed and space!

hey azriel, could you help me take a look at mydigitaldiscount and recommend me a 64gb msata? think that should be more than suffice for OS and office right?

wonder if there's anywhere in singapore i can buy.

 

[Azrielsc]

hey azriel, could you help me take a look at mydigitaldiscount and recommend me a 64gb msata? think that should be more than suffice for OS and office right?

wonder if there's anywhere in singapore i can buy.

I bought my 128GB mSATA SSD from MyDigitalDiscount too. About 6-8mths ago though. I prefer a bigger capacity mSATA SSD so I don't have to worry about installing programs.

Had to get mine from USA, because 6-8mths ago, I couldn't find any in Singapore.

Here are some pics that I have posted before:



Cheers!

 

[shawniiex]

I bought my 128GB mSATA SSD from MyDigitalDiscount too. About 6-8mths ago though. I prefer a bigger capacity mSATA SSD so I don't have to worry about installing programs.

Had to get mine from USA, because 6-8mths ago, I couldn't find any in Singapore.

Here are some pics that I have posted before:


Cheers!

thanks for the pics, really helps alot in a visual sense where to place it. haha!
thing now is that mydigitaldiscount has different options for a msata now,
MyDigitalSSD BP3
MyDigitalSSD Sandforce
Intel
AData
Renice.

Any recommendations with exception to the Intel of course

 

[Azrielsc]

thanks for the pics, really helps alot in a visual sense where to place it. haha!
thing now is that mydigitaldiscount has different options for a msata now,
MyDigitalSSD BP3
MyDigitalSSD Sandforce
Intel
AData
Renice.

Any recommendations with exception to the Intel of course

Well... The difference between the BP3 and Sandforce is that the Sandforce has a faster read/write speed.

All I know is that on the X220, it is SATA2 and not SATA3, so it doesn't really matter. I believe that on PC's motherboards that have mSATA slots, they are SATA3, correct me if I am wrong.

I will just go for something that is cheap, because you cannot go wrong with a mSATA SSD.

Hmm... I have to find out more information on my other X230 to see if the mSATA slot is SATA3... May want to buy a Sandforce mSATA SSD.

 

[ahtea]

hey azriel, could you help me take a look at mydigitaldiscount and recommend me a 64gb msata? think that should be more than suffice for OS and office right?

wonder if there's anywhere in singapore i can buy.

64GB would be sufficient for OS boot if you don't have much applications to install.

 

[ahtea]

I bought my 128GB mSATA SSD from MyDigitalDiscount too. About 6-8mths ago though. I prefer a bigger capacity mSATA SSD so I don't have to worry about installing programs.

Had to get mine from USA, because 6-8mths ago, I couldn't find any in Singapore.

Here are some pics that I have posted before:



Cheers!

is mSATA available in Singapore now? Still don't seem to see it anywhere in SLS except ordering from MemoryWorld (requires 5pcs purchase).

 

[ahtea]

Well... The difference between the BP3 and Sandforce is that the Sandforce has a faster read/write speed.

All I know is that on the X220, it is SATA2 and not SATA3, so it doesn't really matter. I believe that on PC's motherboards that have mSATA slots, they are SATA3, correct me if I am wrong.

I will just go for something that is cheap, because you cannot go wrong with a mSATA SSD.

Hmm... I have to find out more information on my other X230 to see if the mSATA slot is SATA3... May want to buy a Sandforce mSATA SSD.

Yes, most of the laptops, the mSATA slot only give you up to SATAII performance. The T420 is the same as X220, only SATAII performance.

 

[Azrielsc]

Yes, most of the laptops, the mSATA slot only give you up to SATAII performance. The T420 is the same as X220, only SATAII performance.

Lenovo staff confirmed that the X230 mSATA slot gives SATA2 performance only.

 

[shawniiex]

Well... The difference between the BP3 and Sandforce is that the Sandforce has a faster read/write speed.

All I know is that on the X220, it is SATA2 and not SATA3, so it doesn't really matter. I believe that on PC's motherboards that have mSATA slots, they are SATA3, correct me if I am wrong.

I will just go for something that is cheap, because you cannot go wrong with a mSATA SSD.

Hmm... I have to find out more information on my other X230 to see if the mSATA slot is SATA3... May want to buy a Sandforce mSATA SSD.

i see. so with all the options on the website, you'd purchase the sandforce one? not the bp3 one?

 

[ahtea]

i see. so with all the options on the website, you'd purchase the sandforce one? not the bp3 one?

I did say, if there is no SATA3 support, the BP3 should suffice. Anything higher, you might not see that much a performance gain honestly.

 

[shawniiex]

I did say, if there is no SATA3 support, the BP3 should suffice. Anything higher, you might not see that much a performance gain honestly.

wow fast reply!

so MyDigitalSSD 128GB 50mm BP3 Bullet Proof 3 mSATA 6G SSD | My Digital Discount

rather than MyDigitalSSD 128GB SandForce SATA III Smart Series mSATA SSD | My Digital Discount

?

 

[Azrielsc]

I agree with ahtea, there is no reason to get the Sandforce one. The BP3 is enough for your needs. I know my old one with the Phison controller is still working fine!

 

[ahtea]

wow fast reply!

so MyDigitalSSD 128GB 50mm BP3 Bullet Proof 3 mSATA 6G SSD | My Digital Discount

rather than MyDigitalSSD 128GB SandForce SATA III Smart Series mSATA SSD | My Digital Discount

?

Yes, BP3 is sufficient.

 

[ahtea]

I agree with ahtea, there is no reason to get the Sandforce one. The BP3 is enough for your needs. I know my old one with the Phison controller is still working fine!

Bro, check with you ah. I presume you are also using mSATA together with a disk attached to the 2.5" bay.

Does your mSATA appears as Disk 1 and the drive in the 2.5" bay appears as Disk 0 in Windows 7?

 

[Azrielsc]

Bro, check with you ah. I presume you are also using mSATA together with a disk attached to the 2.5" bay.

Does your mSATA appears as Disk 1 and the drive in the 2.5" bay appears as Disk 0 in Windows 7?

Yup, you are right.

mSATA SSD - Disk 1
320GB HDD - Disk 0

Just make sure that you set your BIOS for the mSATA SSD to boot 1st.

Cheers!

 

[ahtea]

Yup, you are right.

mSATA SSD - Disk 1
320GB HDD - Disk 0

Just make sure that you set your BIOS for the mSATA SSD to boot 1st.

Cheers!

Got anyway to make mSATA Disk 0 or not ah? The Windows Experience Index does not check for performance on Disk 1 (that is not a big issue though).

 

[Azrielsc]

Got anyway to make mSATA Disk 0 or not ah? The Windows Experience Index does not check for performance on Disk 1 (that is not a big issue though).

Can.... remove the HDD

But I think WEI does check because with the HDD, i had about 5.4, after fitting in the mSATA SSD, it went up to 6.9.

Remember that its a mSATA SSD and not a full fledged SSD with SATA3, now that will give 7.5+.

 

[shawniiex]

Can.... remove the HDD

But I think WEI does check because with the HDD, i had about 5.4, after fitting in the mSATA SSD, it went up to 6.9.

Remember that its a mSATA SSD and not a full fledged SSD with SATA3, now that will give 7.5+.

Got anyway to make mSATA Disk 0 or not ah? The Windows Experience Index does not check for performance on Disk 1 (that is not a big issue though).

guys, i presume both of you are running an msata together with your hdd.

any pictorial or video guide?

 

[ahtea]

Can.... remove the HDD

But I think WEI does check because with the HDD, i had about 5.4, after fitting in the mSATA SSD, it went up to 6.9.

Remember that its a mSATA SSD and not a full fledged SSD with SATA3, now that will give 7.5+.

Eh, remove HDD like that defeat the purpose of buying mSATA liao. I tried that before, WEI increased to 6.9.

When I mount back my 7200RPM disk, it recognised that disk as Disk 0 and my WEI became back to 5.9.

But that is not the main issue lah. The main issue is because I need to do encryption for my C:\ but sadly speaking the application cannot encrypt partition on Disk 1, only can do so to partitions on Disk 0.