Aspire Switch 11 - SATA cable for SSD in keyboard?

Took delivery of a Switch 11 on Monday (SW5-171 - Intel i3, Win8.1 64bit, 60GB SSD).

Seems great apart from the rather cheap feeling keyboard and some initial issues with the trackpad. The latter now resolved via a full restore. I had rather brazenly deleted the Acer bloatware which may, or may not, have caused this. Proceed with caution on that front from now on... So far removed 'Acer Quick Access' which was insisting on changing the desktop theme to an awful Acer branded one on every restart... Grrr! why do they do that, waste of my time finding out how to remove.

I have installed a 64GB microSD card but ideally would like more space. The MS Signature model boasts a 500GB SSD in the keyboard/dock so I thought I'd have a look inside. Lo and behold there's a vacant bay and what looks like a proprietary connector on the board for the connection. The only issue is finding out where I can get the cable from. Crucial list SSDs as being specifically compatible with the SW5-171 (though in reality any SSD would probably work) but they don't offer a cable. There are plenty of proprietary Acer SATA cables on eBay and some look like they have the correct connector but I can't be sure. Anyone know the answer? I doubt if Acer would be forthcoming with the information or be willing to supply the part...

If the Signature model were avaialble here I would have definately have bought that.

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RFNM

Forgot to mention that the connector has 20 pins and is about 11.5mm across (10mm across pins). This looks very much like it would fit, almost willing to take the risk to see if it's compatible...

charae32

Do you have a picture of where the Ram is? And do you know if the Ram is able to be upgraded? & is the hard drive upgradable? Because I want to get the switch 11 but the model I seen was 2 gb (not enough) & had a 32 gb hardrive (again not sufficient).
Thanks.

RFNM

See the other thread where I've already replied to your question. In brief, sorry, as far as I understand from what I've heard, RAM and the primary internal memory are not upgradable. I have heard that these are soldered to to main board within the tablet.

I think you're looking at the Intel Atom model if it only has 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The i3 model should have double on both counts.

charae32

Thanks so much! !

DEUScronio

My new computer, is a Aspire Switch 11 (SW5-111), and the docking is exactly the same, and im in the same Quest: I want to know how i can install one HDD/SSD in the docking.

Its no only the connector is needed, because the disk HDD/SDD need some structure and screws to be fixed to the docking.

In my search in the web, i found some site selling the computer acer parts, like this site <click>:

The parts (German site):

FLASH DISK 64GB SSD NAND (KN.0600L.002)

HDD Festplatte 7mm 500GB 5K4 SATA 8MB für Acer Aspire SW5-111

HDD Festplatte 7mm 5K4 500GBSATAIII 16MB für Acer Aspire SW5-111

Another site, <click>

Swedish site <click>

We are in the same boat!

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charae32

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CRXE932/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_jKoKub0EPV34E

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C9TECFO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_cKoKub0EA6NYH

http://www.storagereview.com/wd_blue_ultraslim_500gb_review_wd5000mpck

RFNM

DEUScronio, thanks for posting. The first of the links you provided seem to indicate that the internal memory is in fact possibly upgradeable?

I see what you mean regarding securing the drive into the space within the keyboard/dock. The four threaded posts appear to be for this purpose and I had intended to fabricate a slim plate, or two straps, which I would screw to these clamping the drive to the rubber pads. These posts are not part of those used to attach the bottom of the keyboard, they must be intended for the purpose of securing the drive.

I'm not too sure how much space there is height-wise and if the opposing rubber pads will actually clamp the drive in place effectively enough to net even need a securing plate or straps. There are metal tabs, folded out from the sheet underneath, which will stop the drive moving laterally.

Securing an SSD is probably easier than a hard drive as with the latter you might need to consider vibration/shock protection.

My SSD is 7mm but came with a spacer to make the height 9mm if required. I'll judge if I need that when it comes to assembly time.

charae32, I'm not sure if the mouting caddy is required or if the one you linked to would even fit. The 2nd HD has an SFF-8784 edge connector, this would require the use of an adpater to connect to the proprietary Acer cable, maybe one is included with the drive? It's also very thin at 5mm, maybe too thin for the space that's already there...

RFNM

The cable I ordered from eBay arrived today. Regrettably it's too short to reach from the port on the board to where the SSD SATA connector would be with the drive installed. The connector for the board looks correct but the pin-outs may not be, not willing to test that if it's not going to be usable.

I have now swallowed hard and ordered the correct cable from Acer. Not currently available from stock but they reckon it should be here in early January so will have to wait until then.

DEUScronio

"The cable I ordered from eBay arrived today. Regrettably it's too short to reach from the port on the board to where the SSD SATA connector would be with the drive installed. The connector for the board looks correct but the pin-outs may not be, not willing to test that if it's not going to be usable."

Iam sorry to ear that!

"I have now swallowed hard and ordered the correct cable from Acer. Not currently available from stock but they reckon it should be here in early January so will have to wait until then."

Can you give me the link, and/or the code of the acer part(cable)? Thanks

PS: I put the HDD (showed in the my images), inside the dock and lockit. The HDD have 7,5/8mm, and afther i have screwed the dock, a see a lit space near USD, with 0,5 mm. But the drive HDD its very secure, and you can move the docking fast up, down, left, etc and nothing is earead. I think the 7mm HDD or SDD will fit like a glove, without candys, etc.

RFNM

Hi DEUScronio

The cable I have ordered has a part number/description of 50.L66N5.001 - CABLE.HDD. A Google search for the part number brings up a few websites. I'm pretty sure this is it on the website you linked to though no part number is listed. Oddly enough they list hard drives for your model (SW5-111) but not the cable... However, they do list a cable under the SW5-111P. This could be the same part as for the SW5-171, can't see why it wouldn't be, but this site doesn't use the same web page for the part though that could just be the way their website is set-up?

The price is even more than from my supplier here in the UK, I'm paying just under 20 EUR complete with shipping and tax. In fact the shipping cost from them is what I would regard as high at 6.35 EUR. They might ship to Germany for not much more: ER-Media Ltd - +44 28 4066 9640 - dispatch@acerspareparts.co.uk

Thank you for the infromation regarding the fit of the drive within the case. Do you mean that your slightly thicker drive forces a gap to open up between the top and bottom case, near the USB port, with the drive clamped by the four rubber strips? If this is the case then my 7mm drive should fit in without any other means of retention Smiley Very Happy

It's a shame that I have to wait so long for the cable to arrive.

charae32

Sorry if this is a dumb question again, but is it not possible to open up the tablet portion to add ram? Or a faster cpu for the switch 11? Even if I took it to a local computer store in my town?

Thanks.

charae32

Also is the Ram of the acer switch 11 unbuffered non ecc or unbuffered ecc ? Thanks

charae32

Hello again,
What is the name of the cord we would need to connect a ssd to the motherboard of our acer aspire switch. Or the direct link to the one you ordered.

Thanks

charae32

Do you have the link to the correct cord we would need to connect the SSD to the motherboard?

Also, are hybrid drives compatible with acer aspire switch 11 tablets? Or only SSDs?

do you think the speed would be decent if I got 128-256 gbs drive to add in conjunction with only the 2 gbs of ram and Intel Atom processor it comes with? I won't be doing any gaming or graphic designing. I will just be using it for email, web browsing, Netflix, watching movies, and download music occasionally. I just don't want to be waiting twirling my hair waiting on browser pages to load or for my Netflix to be buffering.

Thanks

charae32

RFNM

Sorry, have been knocked off my feet by a flu virus for the last few days.

I don't have a link as such, ordered off this supplier here in the UK. They don't have the Switch listed on their site but were helpful on the phone, quickly located the part number for the cable I required and placed it order with Acer for me. Not too expensive until it came to the postage which would have been the same, and hence better value, had I ordered more items but alas all I need is the one cable.

See my post above for the part number they provided.

I wouldn't know about hybrid drives and compatibility with the Switch I'm afraid. If they have the same SATA interface, don't have higher power requirements compared to disk based or SSD and also are reasonably slim then I don't see why not. Though having looked at the specs for a few they seem to tend towards 9mm thick. In one of DEUScronio's previous posts on this thread he stated that his Toshiba 2.5cm drive is 7.5-8mm thick and from what he said this seemed to be preventing the case closing properly again on reassembly.

I'll have better insight into this myself once I receive the cable and am able to try my install. Won't be until early January though I'm afraid.

I don't think the 2GB or RAM is going to hamper web browsing or for that matter Netflix (my phone and old Atom based Samsung N130 can do those). As the disk in the keyboard is, in effect, capable of being detached on-the-fly I'm not intending to install applications on there (though Adobe CC apps refuse to install to my SD card so might try those). In my case it'll primarily be for data storage.

As to your other question re. upgrading the RAM; I don't think that's possible but then that's what I've heard, not experienced.

RFNM

The official Acer HDD cable that I ordered arrived this morning. I have just taken my keyboard apart again, hopefully for the final time...

My new SSD (Crucial MX100 256GB) physically fitted the space with room to spare between the metal tangs. I attached the SATA connector to the drive first, the way it's configured means that the drive goes in label down, not really an issue, just thought I'd mention it. I then plugged the connector into the board within the keyboard, this lined up and plugged in easilly but firmly. I reassembled the keyboard, the rubber strips in the base and upper seem to effectively clamp the SSD in place, there's no rattle if you shake it, good enough for me. I didn't use the extra packing piece that came with the Crucial SSD, this adds 2mm to the 7mm thick drive.

I reattached the tablet part and booted. I then needed to enter the disk management module and initialise and format the disk. I used GPT and quick NTFS format.

Drive is now usable. I'll report back once I've installed a few applications and had a chance to use it in the real world.

DEUScronio

First - i'm not from Germany, iam from Portugal! Smiley Happy

Second - I have the HDD disk already working. Smiley Happy

The photos:

1 - The CABLE HDD, with code "Part No: 50.L66N5.001 (Thanks to RFNM!)

2 - The CABLE HDD

3 - The HDD disk attach to the cable inside the Docking. Its no need any screws to fix the HDD to Docking. Just put the HDD inside, in the indicated area and close it.

4 - The HDD its reconized by os Win 8. You can use SSD, like the RFNM did.

Conclusion: Its very easy to upgrade to HDD/SSD, inside the docking. The problem its the Acer Switch not bring hdd cable. You have to order/buy it.

When i buyed this Acer Swith 11, i have take a risk, because i dont have 100% sure that the computer will be the capability to upgrade using one disk HDD. Do not exist yet a version of Acer Switch 11 - model 111 with a HDD/SSD option. I have take a risk and i won! Smiley Very Happy

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charae32

Can you store and move apps to the hdd/ssd to free up space?

less_crisis

Hello, I'm from Malaysia and I would very much like to purchase the same hdd cable 50.L66N5.001 for my switch 11. I want to upgrade/install an hdd too. However I'm having a hard time to find a place/online dealer to buy the cable. Most of them do not ship to my country Malaysia. Do you have any suggestion as to where can I buy this cable and have it shipped to my country?

Thanks in advance.

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