[SOLVED] Emtpy Optical Drive slot, can I install an SDD drive (Laptop)?

[Maximuxis]

Hello guys, I'm new to this because I recently decided to upgrade storage on my laptop (preferably to SDD), which required me to do lots of research but I'm stuck now and need guidance.

I discovered that there's an Optical Drive slot on my laptop that it's basically empty, the user manual mentions optical drives but it applies to various models so I'm guessing my model in particular didn't come with one, instead it has a "ghost slot". I then discovered I can remove it without killing my warranty, so here's a picture:

https://imgur.com/oRY2CNq

View: https://imgur.com/oRY2CNq


After further research I found out you can actually install a storage drive using a SSD/HDD inside a optical drive/bay interface (Ex: aliexpress link https://bit.ly/2F0Nc7N), which fits into that space. But I have some questions, will it even work? Since there was no drive that interacted with the system in the first place, if I buy this interface + storage drive and install it, will the laptop detect it? I know there's a second slot for a Storage Drive inside the laptop itself, but opening it would require authorization by the company I bought it from, if I do it without asking for permission, my warranty becomes void. (there's a sticker preventing me) Plus it's always nice to know that I used the extra empty space for something. Also, if i do install it this way, how different would it be, performance wise (Data rates, latency...etc), from say installing into a dedicated storage drive slot? How does this kind of interface interact with the system?

Thanks so much for the read!! Sorry for so many question but I'm trying to learn, I appreciate all help! 💗

Here's relevant (I think?) details about my system:
Series and model: Acer E5-575G-53W6
CPU: Intel i5-6200U 2.30 GHz
8GB DDR4 SDRAM
1 TB HDD Serial ATA 5400 RPM

 

[freercurse]

hmm in theory it should but it would depend on how the device was manufacturered as an optical drive with need to connect to different things than a drive, on a universal MoBo they plug in for both on the SATA slots. on a laptop they may not to save money.
there is no harm in try i dont think, but i would be prepared for this not to work. I would not put in a really expensive drive first though, try with a dying or a crappy drive.

 

[Satan-IR]

Welcome to the forums. Doesn't it have an M.2 slot? Some of the E5-575G models do. If it has one, must be next to the RAM slots.

 

[Maximuxis]

hmm in theory it should but it would depend on how the device was manufacturered as an optical drive with need to connect to different things than a drive, on a universal MoBo they plug in for both on the SATA slots. on a laptop they may not to save money.
there is no harm in try i dont think, but i would be prepared for this not to work. I would not put in a really expensive drive first though, try with a dying or a crappy drive.

I have an update! What you say makes sense except they'd have to make boards without the component that connects to the Optical Drive which could result in it being more expensive than just letting it stay there. Upon further inspection I noticed there are pins inside the "ghost space"!! Are these the tipe of pins an Optical Bay/Interface or a real Optical Drive would use? Image:

https://imgur.com/xXhh9yv

View: https://imgur.com/xXhh9yv

 

[Maximuxis]

Welcome to the forums. Doesn't it have an M.2 slot? Some of the E5-575G models do. If it has one, must be next to the RAM slots.

Thank you!! I believe it does, I will used it at some point for sure, but right now I'd have to remove the warranty sticker which I don't want to do. I wanted to see if I could use the empty Optical Drive slot space. Would there be any software problem if there were three storage drives installed? (two dedicated + optical drive workaround)

 

[popatim]

There would be no software problems with 3 storage drives installed. You need to plan what they will be used for. I have 5 drives installed in my PC.

As for the Optical Caddy housing an SSD, I would not recommend it. The optical drive connector (if you have one) is typically a sata1 connection which would hinder getting your best performance from the SSD. It's best to move the HDD to the Optical caddy and install the SSD in the HDD slot. Sata1 is fine for a 5400 rpm laptop drive.

Keep in mind that not all Laptops support anything but an Optical drive in the optical bay.
I'm not familiar with your Acer to know if they bothered soldering on the Optical drive connector or not 🙁

 

[Satan-IR]

Thank you!! I believe it does, I will used it at some point for sure, but right now I'd have to remove the warranty sticker which I don't want to do. I wanted to see if I could use the empty Optical Drive slot space. Would there be any software problem if there were three storage drives installed? (two dedicated + optical drive workaround)

No problem. I can't open that link to the picture you posted.

I don't think there would be any problems if that optical drive port you referred to is, in fact, a regular a SATA port (which I think it is) and not a proprietary port/adapter which might be have a different pinout. Some have different pinouts and some would just accept optical drives. There's the matter of speed or the bandwidth of the port for the optical drive. An optical drive doesn't need a connection as fast as an SSD despite both being SATA.

Many people actually use caddies to install SATA SSDs in their older laptops which didn't have M.2 slots and such. Although I'm not sure whether you can install the caddy with the SSD in it without actually opening/unscrewing the covers of the enclosure. You might consider putting the HDD in the optical drive and the SATA SSD in the space that the HDD is now.

 

[Maximuxis]

There would be no software problems with 3 storage drives installed. You need to plan what they will be used for. I have 5 drives installed in my PC.

As for the Optical Caddy housing an SSD, I would not recommend it. The optical drive connector (if you have one) is typically a sata1 connection which would hinder getting your best performance from the SSD. It's best to move the HDD to the Optical caddy and install the SSD in the HDD slot. Sata1 is fine for a 5400 rpm laptop drive.

Keep in mind that not all Laptops support anything but an Optical drive in the optical bay.
I'm not familiar with your Acer to know if they bothered soldering on the Optical drive connector or not 🙁

I see, so even thought it could work, I wouldn't enjoy the true speeds of SSD storage. Thank you very much for that heads up! I suppose there's no visual way to identify what kind of SATA connector is installed on the mother board (optical drive) is there? I only know from the picture I've taken that there's definitely something there

https://imgur.com/rDDNjwp

View: https://imgur.com/rDDNjwp
. I will most likely change the HDD already installed for an SSD drive, although I'd have to research how to do it since it means reinstalling the OS, I have some experience on that. I'm going to give up on upgrading for now, as the laptop still has warranty and I wouldn't want to waste the extra money I payed for it by opening the lid to access that outdated HDD drive. Thanks!

 

[Maximuxis]

You might consider putting the HDD in the optical drive and the SATA SSD in the space that the HDD is now.

I tried uploading again:

https://imgur.com/rDDNjwp

View: https://imgur.com/rDDNjwp

Acer is not fancy or greedy enough to have proprietary hardware so I don't think that's the case. I will most likely just change the main HDD drive for an SSD. Thank you!

 

[jsmithepa]

5 years old or less machine, u should be able to. Got nothing to test it on? no old SATA drive sitting around? all u need is a proper cable. Can talk to HD, will talk to SSD.

 

[mdd1963]

IcyDock has some newer things out for slipping in a drive into a DVD bay-sized mount/adapter....


https://www.icydock.com/search.php?...zZWFyY2hfZW5jb2RlX3RpbWUiO2k6MTU1MzYzODc1NDt9