Install Intel 310 Soda Creek SSD into X201 mini-PCIe

[x201_user]

I'm wanting to install this 80GB SSD into the avaliable mini-PCIe slot in my X201 (3249-CTO) :

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167040

or

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167039

I've looked everywhere, but i cant find the answers to some of the remaining questions that i have before i make the purchase.

 - Does the x201 BIOS allow boot from a mini-PCIe mSATA device?

 - Once installed, will the BIOS determine this as a non-whitelist device and give an 1802 error upon bootup?

 - ThinkWiki says that the secondary mini PCIe slot may be usable or unusable, but based on what?

    - http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X201

    - For this, i will place another mini-PCIe Wifi module that i have from an X61

Looking forward to all of your posts!

[Maliha Retired Moderator]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

It's not possible:- 

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/Can-X200S-boot-from-mini-PCIE-SSD/td-p/171927

Hope this helps.

[fatxman]

Hi,

Can you be more specific on what is and what is not possible?  E.g. would the system recongize the device after booting from the sata drive on the laptop?  Can I used it for data and not for booting up?  Would it fit in the slot on the left side or do I need to open up my laptop to install it?

Thanks.

[Maliha Retired Moderator]

Hiya,

1. BIOS will not recognize the drive.

2. BIOS will throw an error since the mini-PCIe can only be used for installation of approved Wifi and WWAN cards according to X201 HMM and specs.

Hence the drive won't be recognized and the BIOS will not go past the error.

Just for the record, this drive doesn't go in the PC card slot (the one on the left), it goes in the empty mini-PCIe slot under the keyboard.

Hope this helps.

[fatxman]

Is there any chance that the ssd may be supported in the future with a BIOS update?  My understanding is that Lenovo is looking into integrating mini pcie ssd into future products.

[Maliha Retired Moderator]

Only time will tell...

[x201_user]

I just put in an Intel 34nm 160GB SSD - It would have been nice to get the soda creek drive for the windows partition, but i needed some concrete information. I think it was much more benificial to get the main drive as now i have no moving parts, 260 MBps reads and more battery life. The space is enough until the 3rd Gen 300 GB drives come out.

[Perfguy · Accepted solution]

Hi guys. I don't think that will ever work. Only the new systems (Huron River-based) coming out this year will support the mSATA 80GB SodaCreek drives.

The planar has to have a special line run from mini-PCIe to SATA for this drive to be recognized/bootable - so older planars like X201 are just not compatible. I know the planars in all the coming ThinkPad Classic (T,W, and X) will support it and the new Edge E220s & E420s will. But I am not sure if the lower cost systems like regular Edge 14/15, L/SL-series, or X120e will support it or not.

[Medyo]

Ok. My response wouldn't be a guess, not an assumption, and I won't sound techie and pretend that I know the answer just like the other people that have responded thus far.

I have a Thinkpad X201 and I just tested the Intel 310 80GB module on it so this is the answer you are looking for.

IT WILL NOT WORK...at least not without an adapter. No BIOS or hardware incompatibility warning, Windows loaded fine, but the drive was not detected. I even updated my BIOS to the latest 1.32 version Lenovo has available but that didn't add any option on the BIOS to configure the device, nor was the updated helpful in detecting it.

On the other hand, with a SATA adapter I was able to get it to work so if you are willing to go that route you can do that. Another alternative is to wait for the X220 to come out next month (that's the path I'm taking).

I did call Lenovo about it and they said that Intel 310 will work on that notebook. Hopefully that person does know what he was talking about  because a lot of salesperson don't.

Hope that helps.

[lapoltba]

Perfguy is correct. To the extent of my knowledge, googling skill, and calls to lenovo support, the X120e does not support mSATA on the PCIe slot.

I am still trying t. confirm this 100% though.   There is hope though. A few threads down I asked a similar question...   Super Talent just came out with the corestore series that Is compatible. There is a question, however, if it will function as a bootable drive for OS installation .   Still trying to confirm that as well.

 Boot blocks can be dealt with by modifying the bios.