Make sure that the HD/SSD you install is NOT formatted or it will not boot after Windows install! If it has been formatted, then do a full secure erase first.ĥ. Buy IDE to SATA caddy 12.7 at eBay for ~$10. Create Acer Windows recovery/system discs. Yesterday, I upgraded it to a SATA SSD using a IDE to SATA caddy adapter.ġ.
I have a Acer wlmi5104 laptop w/ IDE hard drive. It seems some of these 5100 series laptops did have sata, hence explaining why it appears in the BIOS setup.Īnother solution might be.if the chipset provides the sata pinouts and they are visible on the mobo, I might be able to connect a sata drive this way. I initially asked about max drive size since I thought maybe this was stopping my laptop booting when using the sata to ide adaptor.but according to you, that's not the problem. If I could get the laptop to work with sata then that would be sweet, otherwise I'll have to fork out and buy an ide HDD.
Do you know if sata connections are available on this laptop's mobo? I noticed in the BIOS setup that SATA is one of the boot options. Since I already have this 320GB sata drive, if I can use it then it would be a cheaper solution. Only SOME lappies will boot with adaprors. I've tried using a 320GB SATA II drive (WD3200BEVT) connected with a SATA to IDE adapter, but laptop refuses to boot! I wondered if maybe I need SATA I drive. I'd like to upgrade to 320GB pata since I believe this is the biggest 2.5" pata drive ever made by WD, but I'd like to know if it will be compatible before buying? Anyone know the HDD size limit for an Acer Aspire 5102wlmi with latest V3.13 BIOS?