Best Layed plans... new X220

4286CT CONFIGURED SYSTEM
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0A69644 SBB NO FINGERPRINT READER
0A69657 SBB CAMERA, HD 720P
0A69654 SBB 320GB HRDDSK DRV,7200RPM
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433810U THINKPAD MINI DOCK PLUS SERIES 3

So, I have recently ordered, and expect my new x220 laptop to arrive early next week. Its a pretty basic configuration, and I plan on making a few purchases to modify the configuration a bit. I just wanted to run the parts list by you guys, and see if anyone has run into any trouble using them

1) I would like more storage space, so, I want to change the hard drive,
Travelstar Z5K500 500Gig
Travelstar Z5K500 | Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Change the Hitachi, 320 for a 500

2) in addition add the Intel 310
Intel 310 Series 80GB mSATA mSATA
Newegg.com - Intel 310 Series 80GB mSATA mSATA (mini PCIe form factor) MLC Enterprise Solid State Disk SSDMAEMC080G2C1 - Enterprise SSD

Question ???
2a)Now from what I have been reading a windows7 recovery disks will have to be made. Are these located on the hard drive as .iso files?

3) So, i guess I will need a disk burner..
PLEXTOR USB 2.0 / eSATA External CD/DVD Drive Model PX-L890UE
Newegg.com - PLEXTOR USB 2.0 / eSATA External CD/DVD Drive Model PX-L890UE LightScribe Support

4) 4Gigs of memory ... nice and cheap these days.
G.SKILL 4GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Laptop Memory Model F3-10600CL9S-4GBSQ

Any input would be appreciated

Thanks in advance
Spook

 

The parts list looks fine. You might want to quickly grab that 80 GB 310 before it goes out of stock (which they usually are). Recovery discs are easy to make. Part of the stock hard drive is loaded with an image for the disc (Q partition), you double click the icon in windows explorer and a program will pop up promting you to insert blank discs to make the recovery discs. Any brand RAM is fine. I ordered a stick of the G Skill for 20 bucks last week, Newegg was having a sale then.

 

Those parts look fine, but like the poster above me said, grab a 310 before it runs out of stock again. Also, you might want to look for a cheaper external DVD burner if you are just going to use it for burning recovery disks.

 

Greetings Spook

I am afraid that I wont have much to offer as I am in the same position you are in; researching before ordering.

However, in regards to an external drive, I am a long time fan of Plextor, but, looking at the dimesions of the PX-L890UE, I wonder if you would be better off with a smaller sized device.

As I look for external devices I am thinking about the occasions I might find myself lugging them around; and I am sure I wouldnt want to have to find room in my bag for a burner that weighs a bit over 2 1/2 ponds.....plus the power brick that probrobly goes with it.

Considering that I am looking for a ultra portable PC I figure it would behoove me to find a burner similar in format; such as a slim USB powered device.

JMHO


Have a Magical Day

 

<Click> and purchased (the 310 that is)... Yeah, I saw that $20 deal too, but it ran out before i had a chance to buy.... oh well $6 more...

Yeah, I noticed the dimensions on the drive too... what I liked was the fact that it had an eSata connection, i can use with the docking station. I'm not sure how much the drive is going to get used anyway.

 

I hear where you're coming from, for me, and the reason I gave, I'd rather say I did than I should of. Besides, if the drive stands a chance of not being used regularly, as mine would, why bother worring about the couple extra less minutes of burn time the eata may give you?

JMHO

Have a Magical Day!

 

Having the eSata just increases the chance that I might use it for something else is all, since all my systems have at least one eSata port.

 

I understand that expands your options, however what I meant was that having a drive that accepts esata would seem to me not to be important if it is not going to be used alot; hence the thought of getting a smaller more portable one which I could take with me without having to lugg the dock with me as well.

Obviously it is just a matter of personal choice.


Have a Magical Day!

 

1. Personally I think you should use the 320GB until you really fill the drive an need it. Are you using 320GB today? Anywhere close?

2. The Recovery disks can be made using the ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery applet in control panel. Depending on the ThinkPad the first disk is a blank CD followed by 2-3 blank DVDs. I usually just feed it 4 blank DVDs. The RR image is not supplied in .ISO form but you can certainly create it from the DVD set you'll create.

3. I've been using Sony external burners for years now. Expensive but reliable. It seems they may be out of the business now.

4. Great price. Wow. I assume the machine is coming with 4GB already otherwise you might as well get a matched set.

 

Myself, I am using about 320GB on a 500. The 7mm drive spec on the x220 was a bad decision; for 3mm they reduced the system drive capacity in half. As far as drives go, the x120e bests the x220.

I'm still interested in the X220, but the drive has been one of the things making me hesitant on buying one.

 

The x220 has several redeeming qualities. Storage capacity isn't one of them.

 

I'm personally using about 720GB out of 2 500GB HDDs at the moment on my desktop (and going up rather quickly). I'm just going to get a 2TB or something external and spare my laptop of a bunch of HDDs.

From what I've noticed though, the bigger drives (in capacity) tend to be faster than the smaller drives. Probably due to how the sectors are placed and stuff.

 

At home, drive storage is a snap... either a network drive, or use the eSata port on the Docking station, and a drive cradle to drop in a 2TB drive.... but that is for home use... Either I can get a larger capacity portable external drive(part of the reason i made sure i got USB3), and/or a 500GB internal drive

The 500GB drives aren't that expensive anyway, $60-70

So a combination should give me all the drive space i need.

 

See sig. Another user has the new 1TB Samsung in his.

 

is the new 1 tb drive 9.5 mm still?

 

Yep. There's a WD 9.5mm 1TB too.

 

Is the X220 primary bay 7mm or 9.5mm? I thought it was 7mm which limits the options big time.

 

The bay is actually 9.5mm so conventional drives fit fine without the rubber rails.

 

Really... huh, i haven't seen anyone else mention this in other threads. I have a 9.5mm drive(small one, but for test purposes), I'll have to try this out before I order.

If I could add a 1TB or 750GB drive, all the better.