There's no such thing as mPCIe SSD. All of the small SSD's are mSATA. Simple as that. If you like soldering and reading technical papers about SATA pinouts, you could probably figure out a way to make it work. (or listen to some random blogger who may or may not have got it working http://hackaday.com/2010/12/18/making-msata-work-with-mini-pci-express/ )

It's my understanding that you confused mSATA with mPCIe. They're 100% NOT COMPATIBLE. If you found a legit mPCIe SSD I'd be interested.

The Thinkpad E220s is the cheapest ultraportable, around $650, with an mSATA SSD and a 2.5" HDD that I know of.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrbroad77

There's no such thing as mPCIe SSD. All of the small SSD's are mSATA. Simple as that. If you like soldering and reading technical papers about SATA pinouts, you could probably figure out a way to make it work. (or listen to some random blogger who may or may not have got it working http://hackaday.com/2010/12/18/making-msata-work-with-mini-pci-express/ )
It's my understanding that you confused mSATA with mPCIe. They're 100% NOT COMPATIBLE. If you found a legit mPCIe SSD I'd be interested.
The Thinkpad E220s is the cheapest ultraportable, around $650, with an mSATA SSD and a 2.5" HDD that I know of.

http://www.supertalent.com/products/ssd_detail.php?type=Half%20mini%202%20PCIe

There are. Technically the mSATA and mPCIe are the same connectors and there are drives available.

edit: I see that you found the same thing

Don't get a mPCIe drive though! Unless you want to take your wireless card out fo your laptop, you most likely are not going to get a laptop with 2 mini pci express ports.

 

From what I gather, mSATA and Mini PCI-E are the same physically but different electronically: link. So an mSATA SSD will not work in a Mini PCI-E slot, even if the SSD also mentions Mini PCI-E in addition to mSATA that is probably just referring to it's physical size. At least that's how I understand it and I am by no means an expert in this area since I actually didn't know this before this thread. Now there could be a Mini PCI-E SSD that isn't mSATA that might work but again this is not my area of expertise. A sure bet would be to get a 2.5" SATA SSD for your DM1z, such as a Crucial M4.

 

Well guys, thanks for your responses

I understand that soldering was the only until a few manufacturers realized the demand for a mini PCIe SSD. Please quickly check the links below to see what I am talking about. From my understanding they all ARE PCIe SSDs.

http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-mini-pcie-ssd-up-to-64gb-of-super-compact-storage-2347726/
http://thessdreview.com/latest-buzz/intel-310-mini-pcie-80gb-ssd-first-tests/
http://www.minipciessd.net/

Are they not what I think they are??

The note book is an HP Dm1z and it just happens to have an empty PCIe slot (pics => http://www.mobile-review-online.info/?p=131). This also means that I won't have to take ANYTHING out!

Now, if you could install a drive from one of the links above wouldn't it just be great to let the OS and some heavy, resource intensive softwares run from that PCIe SSD and at the same time retaining the 320GB HHD (7200rpm) for all other purposes?!

What I am trying to find out is whether it is compatible with the Dm1z or not? What do I have to do to the BIOS to make it work/recognized?

 

From what I have seen, it is not mSATA capable.

 

What isn't? The laptop or the SSD?

 

BUMP!!

Has anyone tried it?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-pavilion-notebooks/501683-hp-dm1z.html

From googling that thread, everyone has said the same thing. NO. It is not wired to work that way.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZafO3

Well guys, thanks for your responses
I understand that soldering was the only until a few manufacturers realized the demand for a mini PCIe SSD. Please quickly check the links below to see what I am talking about. From my understanding they all ARE PCIe SSDs.
http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-mini-pcie-ssd-up-to-64gb-of-super-compact-storage-2347726/
http://thessdreview.com/latest-buzz/intel-310-mini-pcie-80gb-ssd-first-tests/
http://www.minipciessd.net/
Are they not what I think they are??
The note book is an HP Dm1z and it just happens to have an empty PCIe slot (pics => http://www.mobile-review-online.info/?p=131). This also means that I won't have to take ANYTHING out!
Now, if you could install a drive from one of the links above wouldn't it just be great to let the OS and some heavy, resource intensive softwares run from that PCIe SSD and at the same time retaining the 320GB HHD (7200rpm) for all other purposes?!
What I am trying to find out is whether it is compatible with the Dm1z or not? What do I have to do to the BIOS to make it work/recognized?

Not at all compatible. I understand the frustration with seeing articles like that. The Intel 310 is 100% definitely an mSATA SSD. I'd assume the other noob reporters are thinking that mSATA and mPCIe are the same thing. And so I just keep it simple.. mPCIe and mSATA are completely different. Just think of it like this, CD and DVD look the exact same! Try to play a DVD in a CD player, it won't work.

Anyways, if you don't need a lot of storage for your netbook, just get a 64-128GB 2.5" SSD, and a 16GB SDHC card for miscellaneous downloads, temp files, etc. Or use your HDD as a portable hard drive.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrbroad77

Not at all compatible. I understand the frustration with seeing articles like that. The Intel 310 is 100% definitely an mSATA SSD. I'd assume the other noob reporters are thinking that mSATA and mPCIe are the same thing. And so I just keep it simple.. mPCIe and mSATA are completely different. Just think of it like this, CD and DVD look the exact same! Try to play a DVD in a CD player, it won't work.
Anyways, if you don't need a lot of storage for your netbook, just get a 64-128GB 2.5" SSD, and a 16GB SDHC card for miscellaneous downloads, temp files, etc. Or use your HDD as a portable hard drive.

They are clearly not, but if the OP wanted to search, the OP could find a mPCIe SSD which would work. Please read the thread before referring to others as noob reporters (unless you were talking about the articles).

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzy4

They are clearly not, but if the OP wanted to search, the OP could find a mPCIe SSD which would work. Please read the thread before referring to others as noob reporters (unless you were talking about the articles).

Nobody here is a reporter, I was simply talking about the articles (or you could just read the sentence before, look at the link I quoted that have "310 mPCIe SSD" in the name.. and conclude just as much). I've yet to see an mPCIe SSD, if you know they exist and they'll work with his laptop then do share. I already offered all my solutions/workarounds/advice. All I've seen are the "mPCIe SSDs" that will work in laptops that came with "mPCIe SSDs", or have an mSATA slot.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrbroad77

Nobody here is a reporter, I was simply talking about the articles (or you could just read the sentence before, look at the link I quoted that have "310 mPCIe SSD" in the name.. and conclude just as much). I've yet to see an mPCIe SSD, if you know they exist and they'll work with his laptop then do share. I already offered all my solutions/workarounds/advice. All I've seen are the "mPCIe SSDs" that will work in laptops that came with "mPCIe SSDs", or have an mSATA slot.

I believe some of older netbooks used mPCIe SSDs. These pre-dated the mSATA standard. The earlest Dell netbooks had 4GB SSD.

 

^Indeed. I had a Dell Mini 9 that used an mPCIe SSD. The real trick is that these netbooks wired the mPCIe slot so it worked like a SATA connector. I found this post which better explains why a "mPCIe SSD" (there are some, but more often than not they call mSATA as mPCIe) won't work in most laptops: http://www.thinkpads.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=512311#p512311

*Edit To clarify, most people would consider "mPCIe SSD" as something that you can just stick in any mPCIe slot and have it work. Since mPCIe SSD's only work in some mPCIe slots, its a bit of a gray area. As an example it's like calling a SDXC card an SD card.. won't work in older SD card slots. It's just an ambiguous term, IMO.

 

http://www.supertalent.com/products/ssd_category_detail.php?type=CoreStore

Those super talent drives are physically (read electrically as well) mPCIe. I believe that is what I referenced before. Anything that is a TRUE mPCIe device should work on the mPCIe slot as long as that is actually what the slot is. There is no grey area if the specifications are followed by the manufacturers. Therein lies the problem and where we are having discourse.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=99864

^take that thread with a grain of salt, but it seems accurate enough. As stated on the super talent website and that forum the drive is a true mPCIe drive. I also read that the drive has some of the issues of other normal PCIe SSDs such as not being used as a boot drive etc. However, as long as the connector in the OP's notebook is a proper mPCIe slot this drive should work. Beyond that it all comes down to drivers which is the beauty of PCI devices. Almost anything can communicate along the bus as long as there is driver support and the standard is followed.

 

Sorry for disappearing from my own thread.

Thank you everyone for your comments/opinions/help.

So, what exactly will work in this empty slot? On side of the slot is the WiFi symbol engraved. I know that in this notebook the WiFi is integrated in to the Bluetooth unit.

I was REALLY hoping that that mPCIe SSD would fit!

 

So, here is what I have found and it was released in March, 2012...making it the latest product. Check it out do share your thoughts:
(http://www.supertalent.com/products/ssd_category_detail.php?type=CoreStore).

I have been in contact with Core Store's technical support and the local HP service centre.

Core Store tells me that I CAN install this mPCIe SSD in my HP Dm1z but the system will not boot from it as there is no PCI boot option in bios but I can store files and install and run programs from this device.

HP service centre has so far told me that there is a chance that the empety mPCIe slot my notebook is SATA compatible (depending on the market in year of production) and if there is such a product (mPCIe based SSD) available then they can do the bios settings required in order to boot from this device. Fingers crossed!!

Tomorrow I am visiting the service centre for some issues I am facing with the notebook and I will try to gather some more information and further explanations.

 

Hi, how was your problem resolved? I have a similar issue with HP 2760p and SSD PLEXTOR msata model PX-128M5M. When I plug in on to the mPCIe slot ( WWAN slot ) the laptop is freeze on the boot menu.