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    Help finding Lenovo with 2 HDD

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by csteig, Mar 8, 2012.

  1. csteig

    csteig Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello, I am thinking of purchasing a Lenovo and would like to know which models will support 2 HDD's.

    Thinking of having a SDD for the OS and a terabyte drive. One more question, I was looking at the W Series and realized it doesn't have an HDMI out. Would like to be able to hook up new laptop when at my desk to my two monitors and have the occasional ability to hook it up to my TV.

    Would like any suggestions or feedback on model and configurations that might work.
     
    csteig, Mar 8, 2012
    #1
  2. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    If you remove the optical drive and install a Caddy, all ThinkPads with an optical drive will support 2 drives. The W520 should have a DisplayPort, and you can buy a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, like 20-30 bucks.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Mar 8, 2012
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  3. Geekz

    Geekz Notebook Deity

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    you can also use an mSATA SSD and still have the HDD and ODD in there with the w520
     
    Geekz, Mar 8, 2012
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  4. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    If you don't need WWAN, the W520 offers a maximum of 3 drives:

    1. mSATA SSD (in lieu of the WWAN device)
    2. primary bay SATA HDD or SSD
    3. UltraBay caddy adapter, SATA HDD or SSD

    Any one of them could be a boot drive.
     
    Kaso, Mar 8, 2012
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  5. csteig

    csteig Notebook Enthusiast

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    Do you have to remove optical drive to have second HDD bay.

    I would like to have optical drive, 160 GB SSD, and a terabyte drive.

    Does the UltraBay caddy give me an additional HD, while letting me keep my OD and WWAN?
     
    csteig, Mar 9, 2012
    #5
  6. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    In that case, leave the optical drive alone, install an mSATA 160GB SSD and install a SATA terabyte HDD 2.5" (Samsung?) in the primary drive. The mSATA SSD will be your boot drive.

    The UltraBay caddy allows you to add a hot-swappable HDD, to be used alternatively with the OD if you so desire, while leaving the mSATA slot available for WWAN.

    So, yes, you can still use your OD but, unless you use a SATA/USB adapter cable to make the OD an external device, you have to alternate it with a caddy HDD. In other words, the OD and the caddy HDD share a single SATA connector.

    (In my case, I rarely use the OD. So, my caddy HDD claims the SATA connector for itself permanently. :) )
     
    Kaso, Mar 9, 2012
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  7. csteig

    csteig Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for all the help, just ordered one through the Barnes and Noble affiliated site, couldn't believe the discount :D

    One more quick question will the W520 support a HDD with SATA 6.0 Gb/s or is just 3.0 Gb/s.
     
    csteig, Mar 12, 2012
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  8. PatchySan

    PatchySan Om Noms Kit Kat

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    The W520 will be able to support SATA 6.0 Gb/s speeds with a compatible drive.
     
    PatchySan, Mar 12, 2012
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  9. blinder

    blinder Notebook Consultant

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    its splitting hairs a bit but....you could also add an expresscard ssd (although it's not bootable) to add a fourth drive (ssd+ultrabay+msata+expresscard) there are a lot of options :)
     
    blinder, Mar 13, 2012
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