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Questions tagged [msata]

mSATA devices are small scale SSD drives commonly used to cache larger slower hard disc drives

mSATA, or mini-SATA, are small scale SATA drives, usually SSDs that use the a mini-SATA connector on a computer's motherboard. These are becoming increasinly common as mSATA SSDs are being used to cache larger and slower HDDs using Smart Response Technology (SRT) feature in the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST).

Note: the mSATA socket is sometimes cross compatible with mini-PCIe cards, so in some systems may already be occupied by another device.

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What's the difference between mini PCIe and mSATA interfaces and SSDs?

Are they even different at all? I've seen SSDs being sold on the market being tagged with both mSATA and mini PCIe. I've seen marketing ads that say mini PCIe are better than mSATA which suggests they are two different formats. I'm totally…
supertonsky
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Will a SATA SSD drive work in WWAN (miniPCIe) slot?

My company gave me a Dell E6540 [edited from incorrect model "E6450"] with a built in 256 GB SSD (way too small). Dell does not make a CDROM replacement SSD for the E6540 (!!!), believe it or not. Therefore, I see a good option as putting an mSATA…
Tyler Durden
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How do I install an SSD drive that comes without a casing in a desktop computer?

SSD drives are sometimes installed in laptops and tablets in the form of bare logic boards without any type of casing or enclosure. Do I need to buy a special case for one of those if I want to install it in a desktop computer? I've been googling…
user563245
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How is the extra mSATA SSD disk used/configured in a Dell XPS laptop?

Some machines in the new XPS laptop range from Dell come with a regular, large (500GB+) HDD and an additional 32GB m-SATA SSD. The only detail I can find about this extra drive on the Dell site is this: Store your important files, multimedia and…
Mark
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How do I install Windows 7 (with Intel RST) and Linux to dual boot on a Dell XPS 15?

I have recieved a new $work laptop, a Dell XPS 15 with a 128GB mSATA drive and a a 1TB 5400 HDD. It came with Windows 8 installed, which is not supported by my employer and must be re-installed with Windows 7. I will need to dual boot to Linux…
Aethylred
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Disable virtual memory in Windows 8 is good?

I have an ultrabook hybrid with a SSD (mSata) and HDD working with intel rapid storage and my PC has 6 GB of ram. So I want to know if I can disable virtual memory and what other things should I do to improve the performance of my system? I´m using…
Diego Macario
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Which of these is the mSata slot?

Hey this is a latitude E5540 notebook and I wish to insert a mSATA SSD (intel 530) in it. But I'm not sure where is the mSATA slot. I think its the one next to "ref. to manual" but it looks so small. How could a ssd fit in there? ps: i didn't buy…
kitty
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Performance of MSATA to 2.5" SATA adapter

I have recently bought an MSATA SSD as well as an adapter case that fits into my laptop 2.5" SATA bay. I have connected it in two configurations: - first through the adapter to the 2.5" SATA slot - then without the adapter to the native MSATA…
astabada
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mSATA drive swap for Wireless card

I was doing some cleaning of my older Acer Aspire 3860 laptop and noticed that my wireless card looks alot like an mSATA drive. I have not been inside laptops too often (clean, add RAM) but never really had a part stick out at me. Is this a PCIe…
Carl B
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How to check if laptop supports mSATA?

I have Dell inspiron 7520 laptop which has two configurations with mSATA connection and preinstalled mSATA card and without mSATA connection. Mine is without preinstalled mSATA card, but I found in bios mSATA Device : [Not detected] So does that…
full_int
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Install mSATA SSD on Lenovo A720

I just purchased a Lenovo A720 and they have a more expensive version than what I purchased that has a SSD. I figured to buy the SSD separately and save myself a little money and install it myself. I've taken off the base cover but there doesn't…
Chuck Savage
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Ubuntu on an XPS 14 Ultrabook with mSATA cache and 500GB HD - how to partition for dual boot?

I am getting an XPS 14 ( http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-14-l421x/pd ) and I want to dual-boot Windows and Ubuntu. This thing has a 500GB standard HD and a 32GB mSATA that can be used as cache. Does anyone know how this thing is partitioned? Is the OS…
JDS
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Dell E5450 - mSATA not found by BIOS but is by Linux Live CD

I have a Dell Latitude E5450 with a 128GB mSATA drive, which has been working fine for 3 months. I have the latest firmware for the BIOS (A10). I have Fedora 22 installed on this disk and have had no issues until this week. When booting I get a…
clark0r
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Can a mSATA SSD have a fake capacity

I've heard of USB devices having their firmware rewritten to show that the drives are bigger than what their actual capacity is, but can this happen to a mSATA SSD? The device is an unmarked "Wave" SSD, but I don't want to install it unless I know…
td512
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Why is mSATA so expensive

I don't quite understand this. I have one mSATA port and one SATA port onboard my laptop. I have filled them both up, the mSATA port with a 512GB mSATA SSD and the SATA port with a 1TB SATA SSD. I bought both at the same time. What I noticed is that…
td512
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