Fitting SSD into Laptop?

smballer23 · 08-28-2012, 04:21 AM

Hey,

I recently installed an SSD into my laptop and it makes my system boot up super-fast and all.

But how do I make sure that it is snugly fit into the laptop? I can hear the SSD move around even though it is plugged right into the SATA socket.

Should I just place a piece of cardboard or something to make it fit in snug?

lakedude · 08-28-2012, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smballer23

Hey,

I recently installed an SSD into my laptop and it makes my system boot up super-fast and all.

But how do I make sure that it is snugly fit into the laptop? I can hear the SSD move around even though it is plugged right into the SATA socket.

Should I just place a piece of cardboard or something to make it fit in snug?

Does it not have a mount with screws? If you can't secure it with screws then yeah a friction fit might be called for, maybe some of that fancy plastic cardboard (coroplast).

Compman55 · 08-28-2012, 05:44 AM

Or velcro...............

smballer23 · 08-28-2012, 05:48 AM

DOes anyone know any brackets for 2.5" to fit inside the laptops?

All I can find is 2.5 to 3.5 converters

I just somehting cheap that will keep the SSD in place so I don't hear it each time the laptop moves.

The cardboard might work because SSDs don't get hot to the point it melts

TheStu · 08-28-2012, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smballer23

DOes anyone know any brackets for 2.5" to fit inside the laptops?

All I can find is 2.5 to 3.5 converters

I just somehting cheap that will keep the SSD in place so I don't hear it each time the laptop moves.

The cardboard might work because SSDs don't get hot to the point it melts

When you removed the old drive, was it also just sitting in the bay or did it have a cage or something around it? I haven't opened a laptop yet where there wasn't at least 1 screw securing the drive. An SSD should mount in exactly the same way as the 2.5" platter HDD that it is replacing.

rsutoratosu · 08-28-2012, 07:10 AM

First of all, what kind of laptop and what kind of ssd did you get?

jackofalltrades · 08-28-2012, 07:33 AM

It sounds like you installed a 1.8 mm ssd instead of a 2.5mm ssd.

TheStu · 08-28-2012, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackofalltrades

It sounds like you installed a 1.8 mm ssd instead of a 2.5mm ssd.

Those don't sound like real things. You may be referring to 2.5" and 1.8" (width), but the 1.8" drives are just smaller all around. Unless you are talking about the height, in which case you meant 9.5mm (standard) or 7mm (thin). But between those two, i think that the mounting points are still the same.

StarTech · 08-28-2012, 08:19 AM

If it is a 7MM, try two 1/4" strips of corrugated cardboard scotch-taped along the long edges to bring it to 9.5MM

rsutoratosu · 08-28-2012, 08:47 AM

1.8 ssd also uses usata connectors, i know because i sell them, you would need a 1.8 to 2.5 usata enclosure, i also sell these.

They also have 1.8 that uses sata connectors. I also sell these.

So they're not universal. It does sound like he got a 7mm drive..

corkyg · 08-28-2012, 08:48 AM

Laptops generally have a metal caddy that holds the drive securely by means of 4 side screws. In that case, you remove the HDD and replace it with the SSD. The 4 side screws should line up the SATA connector and the whole assembly should be secure. That applies to SSDs that are a standard 2.5-in form factor.

Every laptop brand has its own tray or caddy.

Coup27 · 08-28-2012, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corkyg

Laptops generally have a metal caddy that holds the drive securely by means of 4 side screws. In that case, you remove the HDD and replace it with the SSD. The 4 side screws should line up the SATA connector and the whole assembly should be secure. That applies to SSDs that are a standard 2.5-in form factor.

Every laptop brand has its own tray or caddy.

I just upgraded an Acer laptop and it had no caddy and no cage. I removed the cover and the drive just sat there with a tiny piece of deformed foam making up the distance where you slide it back off the connector. I spent ages trying to make something to fix the SSD in place a bit better but gave up eventually.

corkyg · 08-28-2012, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coup27

I just upgraded an Acer laptop and it had no caddy and no cage. I removed the cover and the drive just sat there with a tiny piece of deformed foam making up the distance where you slide it back off the connector. I spent ages trying to make something to fix the SSD in place a bit better but gave up eventually.

Not surprised - But, that is why it is important for OP to state the brand and model. They may all be different. Lenovo, HP Compaq, Dell and Toshiba all have drive trays/caddies. Lenovo's has soft rubber rails on either side that just slip on.'

These are for Lenovos - and the same caddy applies to the 400/500 T series as well.

StarTech · 08-28-2012, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corkyg

Not surprised - But, that is why it is important for OP to state the brand and model. They may all be different. Lenovo, HP Compaq, Dell and Toshiba all have drive trays/caddies. Lenovo's has soft rubber rails on either side that just slip on.'

These are for Lenovos - and the same caddy applies to the 400/500 T series as well.

Lenovo has two different rubber rails parts for 7MM and 9.5MM drives. Unfortunately it is not easy to get the alternate set to the one that came with the drive. Mounting a 7MM the drive in the caddy and in the 9.5MM rubber rails will not securely hold the drive. The proper rails need to be used or insert something to fill the extra few MM inside the rails. I just went through this for a W520. There is a thread discussing it.

smballer23 · 08-28-2012, 12:47 PM

Yeah. I put the SSD into the extra expansion slot. That way, my old HDD(which is 750GB) can serve as separate storage space

I didn't actually swap out a drive.

Right now, I cut cardboard in the shape of the SSD right underneath it, and then I tightly screwed the laptop chassis on top of it to keep the SSD in its place.

Cardboard probably won't resist SSD heat for long.....I could order another bracket replacement for the specific laptop model

lakedude · 08-28-2012, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smballer23

Yeah. I put the SSD into the extra expansion slot. That way, my old HDD(which is 750GB) can serve as separate storage space

I didn't actually swap out a drive.

Right now, I cut cardboard in the shape of the SSD right underneath it, and then I tightly screwed the laptop chassis on top of it to keep the SSD in its place.

Cardboard probably won't resist SSD heat for long.....I could order another bracket replacement for the specific laptop model

When you buy a dual slot laptop from Prostar they were warning you to at least get the bracket for the second slot, now I see why. They made it sound impossible to add on after the fact but it must be possible.

Elixer · 08-28-2012, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smballer23

Right now, I cut cardboard in the shape of the SSD right underneath it, and then I tightly screwed the laptop chassis on top of it to keep the SSD in its place.

Cardboard probably won't resist SSD heat for long.....I could order another bracket replacement for the specific laptop model

What SSD heat you speak of ? Most run very cool.
The rest of your laptop does generate heat, but, pretty much all of that shouldn't be going around your SSD.
They do make spacers if your SSD is not tall enough... but without pics, it is kinda hard to see what you are trying to do.

smballer23 · 08-29-2012, 01:53 AM

I have a Plextor M5S which is pretty skinny. It bounces up and down inside the laptop, so a spacer might be what I need. I think it'll be better than a fitted cardboard in the long-run Lol.

Can anyone give me links to websites that sell them?

smballer23 · 08-29-2012, 02:37 AM

Oh...I just realized that my laptop didn't come with a bracket for the second hard drive. I currently use an ASUS G53JW
On their website,
http://us.estore.asus.com/index.php?..._detail&p=3451

They sell a spare caddy for $22.50, AND it doesn't include screws. Total ripoff

Any creative solutions? I'm thinking that maybe Velcro might be a better alternative

TheStu · 08-29-2012, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smballer23

Oh...I just realized that my laptop didn't come with a bracket for the second hard drive. I currently use an ASUS G53JW
On their website,
http://us.estore.asus.com/index.php?..._detail&p=3451

They sell a spare caddy for $22.50, AND it doesn't include screws. Total ripoff

Any creative solutions? I'm thinking that maybe Velcro might be a better alternative

You just want it to not shift around too much so as to not damage the SATA connector. It has no (physically*) moving parts, so shock and all that are nothing to worry about. Same with heat, 2.5" drives, be they SSDs or platter drives don't put out much heat, at least not these days.

Honestly, stick with the cardboard, or some folded paper or something. You don't want anything too permanent.

Though you can always check ebay for the caddy.

*It has millions and millions of ELECTRICALLY moving parts though!

corkyg · 08-29-2012, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarTech

Lenovo has two different rubber rails parts for 7MM and 9.5MM drives. Unfortunately it is not easy to get the alternate set to the one that came with the drive. Mounting a 7MM the drive in the caddy and in the 9.5MM rubber rails will not securely hold the drive. The proper rails need to be used or insert something to fill the extra few MM inside the rails. I just went through this for a W520. There is a thread discussing it.

You are talking about installing the SSD as a 2nd drive in the Lenovo Ultrabay drive ADAPTER. That is NOT the drive caddy. It was called a caddy by a 3rd party manufacturer and has caused enormous confusion.

I am referring to the drive caddy containing the original internal drive. It will take any 2.5-in drive from 7mm to 9.5mm. The rubber rails fit on that caddy frame, not on the drive.