Need some opinions !
I'm thinking of upgrading my Thinkpad X40 ultraportable's very slow 1.8" HDD with an SSD module (a DRAM unit, not a flash unit). These modules are rare - but available and expensive.
There are obvious issues.
Windows is optimized for HDDs not SSDs & uses lots of disk continuously - possibly reducing expected performance gains.
Some technical literature I've seen indicates (at least on Linux) that some write-activity can be deferred to RAM instead, and also there are a few options about where constantly updated files might be relocated. Maybe Windows can be tweaked (a little) but I'm not getting my hopes up.
Presuming I could even find a repair-depot willing to do the upgrade -
1: Don't DRAM SSDs need constant battery power ? If so - how does the new X300 Thinkpad avoid losing your data when you pull the main battery out - a local battery on the SSD unit perhaps ?
2: If SSDs consume power even when off - would the current-draw be so low as to be met by the local SSDs battery without drawing down the main battery ?
3: Some SSD upgrades fail to deliver the expected performance gains - since the drivers may not be upgradeable - and your stuck with the original I/O speed regardless.
Since the X40's 1.8" HDD spins so very slowly anyway - might I stand a good chance of substantial performance gains ?
4: Has anyone found main battery life to drop - instead of improve - due to an SSD upgrade ?
5: Here is a neat link showing the whole X40 SSD upgrade procedure in living-color www.think4d.de/nbb/x41_ssd.htm
Any comments appreciated.
Rob
Message Edited by RobW on 12-10-2008 12:18 PM
Message Edited by RobW on 12-10-2008 12:24 PM
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Message Edited by RobW on 12-10-2008 12:38 PM
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Message Edited by RobW on 12-10-2008 12:43 PM
Message Edited by bananaman on 06-02-2009 02:22 PM