Adding SSD 2.5" to laptop - Connector slot is taken to power a fan

[nwgilbert]

Adding SSD 2.5" to laptop - Connector slot is taken to power a fan

Hi, I have a Lenovo L340 (17" model) brand new laptop purchased from Very.co.uk around 9 months ago.I purchased this laptop on the assumption that I would be able to add an additional SSD in the standard 2.5" SSD slot which is present in the laptop.Unfortunately I have found out that the SSD slot inside the laptop does not come connectors included for adding the SSD.More importantly the slot which would be used for plugging in the 2.5" SSD is taken and powering the laptop internal fans.Please see photos at the links below:That page doesn't exist (404) — ImgBB there be a solution for me being able to add the additional SSD whilst powering the fan?This is the laptop model LENOVO L340 17".Many thanks, your support and advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[SIW2]

post your picture here on the thread



What is the exact model ? Please include model name and number in your system specs.

Connectors can be purchased like this for example, but you need the exact model
For Lenovo L340-17IRH Gaming HDD Caddy Bay Hard Drive Connector &Sata Cable gtsz | eBay

 

[nwgilbert]

Hi thanks for your reply.

The model is detailed below:

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Lenovo L340-17", GTX1650, Intel

I just took the existing m2-ssd out to have a look if there was a slot underneath and found this - so can i use an adapter to plug in the 2.5" ssd using this slot underneath the m2?

Then put the m2 back in after and have 2 drives?








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[SIW2]

Looks like an m2 nvme slot. Better check the manual.

model number would be something like IdeaPad L340-17API 81LY

what is yours?

you could also go into bios>advanced>boot tab>boot order and see if nvme is listed.

you would also need a screw to go into the standoff.

Why would you want to use an adapter from nvme to sata ? I have never seen one.

 

[nwgilbert]

The exact laptop model is IdeaPad L340-17IRH Gaming - Model Name 81LL

Please see my photo below -



In green - this is standard M2/NVME slot right?

In red - this is a much smaller slot which I assume requires an adapter to connect either an ssd or M2/NVME?

I would need to use both if I wish to ultilise 2 separate drives in this laptop right?


One other concern of mine is sometimes using adapters can limit performance of the component - do you think Read / Write speeds could be effected when converting with an adapter in this way like something at the link below?

Amazon.com

 

[Megahertz07]

Looking the video below, I guess that the m.2 slot you mark with green came with a M.2 NVMe and you want to add a HDD or a SSD to the 2.5"dock you have on the right. (Did the laptop came without a drive)?
Yes, you can add a HDD or a SSD to the 2.5"dock you have on the right. you just need to buy the flat cable + connector.

Lenovo Ideapad L340 gaming: Review Disassembly upgrade m.2 ssd hdd ram battery easy - YouTube

 

[SIW2]

The exact laptop model is IdeaPad L340-17IRH Gaming - Model Name 81LL

One other concern of mine is sometimes using adapters can limit performance of the component - do you think Read / Write speeds could be effected when converting with an adapter in this way like something at the link below?

Amazon.com

That is the same thing I linked to in post 2. Seems expensive.

 

[dg1261]

In green - this is standard M2/NVME slot right?

In red - this is a much smaller slot which I assume requires an adapter to connect either an ssd or M2/NVME?

I would need to use both if I wish to ultilise 2 separate drives in this laptop right?

Yes, green is the M2 slot, and red is the connector for a non-M2 SATA cable. (M2 is technically a form factor, while SATA is a bus interface, so unrelated terms). You can have one M2 and one 2.5" laptop drive installed at the same time. There is no interference from the fans.

One other concern of mine is sometimes using adapters can limit performance of the component - do you think Read / Write speeds could be effected when converting with an adapter in this way

You're not dong any conversion, it's a simple cable. It mates the SATA connectors on the SSD to the red-outlined connector on the mobo. You're adapting, not converting.

The Lenovo hardware maintenance manual shows a good picture of an installation with both M2 and 2.5" drive at the same time -- see page 39.

Note that while you unfortunately do not have the SATA cable, you fortunately do have the SSD carrier bracket -- that's the flat plate partially shown on the right side of your photo in post #5. The SSD has to be mounted to that carrier, and the carrier then mounted to the laptop's chassis.

There seem to be several SATA cables on Amazon, all claiming to be for your model. Curiously, they all look to my eye to be too long if I reference the picture in the Lenovo manual (zoom in on the picture on page 44). I don't know what to make of that.