Intel Extreme X25-E SSD drive on a desktop with 3.5" drive bay

Hi,

I am about to purchase an Intel Extreme X25-E SSD drive. However,
given that it is a 2.5" form factor, and I would like to be able to
use it on a desktop with a 3.5" drive bay, I presume I need some kind
of adapter kit ??

Furthermore, if I understood correctly, my desktop uses SATA 3.5"
drives ( while the Intel X25E are of course SATA 2.5" drives ). I
assume that these SATA 3.5" drives uses a different power requirement
( e.g. 12V ?? ) and uses a molex connector ??? ... while the Intel
Exteme X25E requires 5 volts. Will the 2.5-3.5 adapter KIT deal with
the voltage conversion as well ?

.... or am I mistaken and that SATA 3.5" drives ( or SATA regardless of
form factor ) also uses 5 volts ?

jms wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am about to purchase an Intel Extreme X25-E SSD drive. However,
> given that it is a 2.5" form factor, and I would like to be able to
> use it on a desktop with a 3.5" drive bay, I presume I need some kind
> of adapter kit ??
>
> Furthermore, if I understood correctly, my desktop uses SATA 3.5"
> drives ( while the Intel X25E are of course SATA 2.5" drives ). I
> assume that these SATA 3.5" drives uses a different power requirement
> ( e.g. 12V ?? ) and uses a molex connector ??? ... while the Intel
> Exteme X25E requires 5 volts. Will the 2.5-3.5 adapter KIT deal with
> the voltage conversion as well ?
>
> ... or am I mistaken and that SATA 3.5" drives ( or SATA regardless of
> form factor ) also uses 5 volts ?
>

The internal view of the product here, shows standard SATA connectors
as near as I can tell. Power is via the 15 contact power connector,
data is via the 7 contact connector. If you don't have any SATA
power connectors in the computer, you'll need an adapter. (I'm using
an adapter right now like that.)

http://techreport.com/articles.x/15931

This is a picture of an LP4 to SATA power adapter. This one has
two SATA connectors, to power two drives. The black connectors have 15
contacts each.

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggIma...200-060-01.jpg

These brackets take you from a 3.5" drive to a 5.25" bay. You'd also
need the plastic or metal sliders that come with the computer case,
as part of the "bracket sandwich". These used to come with disk drives
at one time, which is where I got mine.

http://www.startech.com/item/BRACKET...r-Bracket.aspx

slider -- bracket ----- disk_drive ----- bracket -- slider
<------------------------ 5.25" ------------------------->

This one is supposed to adapt a 2.5" drive to a 3.5" bay. Startech
also has another couple versions, which place two 2.5" drives
in some orientation, into a 3.5" bay.

http://www.startech.com/item/BRACKET...Drive-Bay.aspx

The Startech web site prices are high, and some sites sell their products
for much less. Or, alternately, you might get lucky, and get a
"straight from Taiwan" version from a competitor, at a more
reasonable price.

With those two mechanical adapters, you should be able to
put a 2.5" drive in a 5.25" bay if you wanted. So there are
mechanical adapters to help with problems like this. You can
also rig up your own mechanical adapter, because the orientation
of the SSD drive doesn't matter, and it is relatively shock
resistant. (Just don't bang an SSD against solid, heavy metal.)
You might even be able to suspend it with nylon ties.

Hope that gives you a few ideas,

Paul

On Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:47:29 -0800 (PST), jms
<jesus.m.salvo@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I am about to purchase an Intel Extreme X25-E SSD drive.

Are you aware that they're not as good as previously
thought?
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=669



>However,
>given that it is a 2.5" form factor, and I would like to be able to
>use it on a desktop with a 3.5" drive bay, I presume I need some kind
>of adapter kit ??

Yes, standard 2.5 to 3.5" rails, Google will find them for
about $2 plus shipping.



>
>Furthermore, if I understood correctly, my desktop uses SATA 3.5"
>drives ( while the Intel X25E are of course SATA 2.5" drives ). I
>assume that these SATA 3.5" drives uses a different power requirement
>( e.g. 12V ?? ) and uses a molex connector ??? ... while the Intel
>Exteme X25E requires 5 volts. Will the 2.5-3.5 adapter KIT deal with
>the voltage conversion as well ?
>
>... or am I mistaken and that SATA 3.5" drives ( or SATA regardless of
>form factor ) also uses 5 volts ?

2.5" SSD uses same SATA power and data connector as 3.5"
SATA drive form-factor, so your PSU either has the connector
already or you'd use a molex 4 pin to SATA power adapter,
and of course a standard SATA data cable.

On 25 Feb, 08:18, kony <s...@spam.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:47:29 -0800 (PST), jms
>
> <jesus.m.sa...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >Hi,
>
> >I am about to purchase an Intel Extreme X25-E SSD drive.
>
> Are you aware that they're not as good as previously
> thought?http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=669
>

Yes, I have read that before .. but that's for Intel Mainstream X25-M,
which are MLC-based, unlike the Intel Extreme X25-E, which are SLC-
based.

On 25 Feb, 04:29, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> jms wrote:
> > Hi,
>
> > I am about to purchase an Intel Extreme X25-E SSD drive. However,
> > given that it is a 2.5" form factor, and I would like to be able to
> > use it on a desktop with a 3.5" drive bay, I presume I need some kind
> > of adapter kit ??
>
> > Furthermore, if I understood correctly, my desktop uses SATA 3.5"
> > drives ( while the Intel X25E are of course SATA 2.5" drives ). I
> > assume that these SATA 3.5" drives uses a different power requirement
> > ( e.g. 12V ?? ) and uses a molex connector ??? ... while the Intel
> > Exteme X25E requires 5 volts. Will the 2.5-3.5 adapter KIT deal with
> > the voltage conversion as well ?
>
> > ... or am I mistaken and that SATA 3.5" drives ( or SATA regardless of
> > form factor ) also uses 5 volts ?
>
> The internal view of the product here, shows standard SATA connectors
> as near as I can tell. Power is via the 15 contact power connector,
> data is via the 7 contact connector. If you don't have any SATA
> power connectors in the computer, you'll need an adapter. (I'm using
> an adapter right now like that.)
>
> http://techreport.com/articles.x/15931
>
> This is a picture of an LP4 to SATA power adapter. This one has
> two SATA connectors, to power two drives. The black connectors have 15
> contacts each.
>
> http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggIma...200-060-01.jpg
>
> These brackets take you from a 3.5" drive to a 5.25" bay. You'd also
> need the plastic or metal sliders that come with the computer case,
> as part of the "bracket sandwich". These used to come with disk drives
> at one time, which is where I got mine.
>
> http://www.startech.com/item/BRACKET...ch-Drive-Adapt...
>
> * * * *slider -- bracket ----- disk_drive ----- bracket -- slider
> * * * *<------------------------ 5.25" ------------------------->
>
> This one is supposed to adapt a 2.5" drive to a 3.5" bay. Startech
> also has another couple versions, which place two 2.5" drives
> in some orientation, into a 3.5" bay.
>
> http://www.startech.com/item/BRACKET...ount-25-HDD-in...
>
> The Startech web site prices are high, and some sites sell their products
> for much less. Or, alternately, you might get lucky, and get a
> "straight from Taiwan" version from a competitor, at a more
> reasonable price.
>
> With those two mechanical adapters, you should be able to
> put a 2.5" drive in a 5.25" bay if you wanted. So there are
> mechanical adapters to help with problems like this. You can
> also rig up your own mechanical adapter, because the orientation
> of the SSD drive doesn't matter, and it is relatively shock
> resistant. (Just don't bang an SSD against solid, heavy metal.)
> You might even be able to suspend it with nylon ties.
>
> Hope that gives you a few ideas,
>
> * * Paul

Thanks for all of that info. I was also looking into this one instead:

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?...products_id=30
http://www.ocia.net/reviews/ezswapex/page1.shtml
http://www.vantecusa.com/front/product/view_detail/224

A Vantec EZ Swap EX 2.5" enclosure. The way I understand it would work
is:

1) Put the above in the 3.5 drive bay instead
2) The above product has a slot that you can then insert any 2.5"
drive. ( Like the old days of using tape backups before I started
using tape libraries )
3) when you need the 2.5 drive elsewhere ( e.g. access via notebook ),
just "eject" the 2.5 drive and perhaps access it via USB ( assuming
you have an SATA to USB cable ).

Only problem is I have to find out if my work PC has a bay that would
allow me to insert / eject the 2.5 drive to / from the above product
without removing the case.