A modern 2.5 laptop hdd from the last decade should have identical data and power connectors to a desktop SSD or 3.5" drive. I see no reason why a modern 2.5" hdd won't work in the 2.5" drive bay. Dell only supplies extra sata power cables. You need to buy your own sata data cable. It plugs into the 4 sata headers on the bottom right of the motherboard. Two should already be in use (one for the 3.5" drive and one for the optical drive). If in doubt, follow where either of those go. You can also look at the back of your 3.5" drive to confirm the connections are the same.
I have followed the procedure in the Service Manual for installing the Hard Drive. The Service Manual states that you need to connect the power supply and data cable. I can find the power supply cable but i am unable to locate the data cable. My question is should it be there or do i need to supply it and where does it plug into the motherboard because the service manual does not supply that information.
Thank you so much for your help. HD installed and working.
That is the NVME SSD upgraded to 1TB, main memory upgraded, and extra storage added. Video card is next. Only disappointing thing about my R7, the supplied 1070GTX is definitely sub standard and i read i am going to be limited by size as to what i can replace it with.
r72019
6 Professor
•
5.3K Posts
0
March 20th, 2020 06:00
A modern 2.5 laptop hdd from the last decade should have identical data and power connectors to a desktop SSD or 3.5" drive. I see no reason why a modern 2.5" hdd won't work in the 2.5" drive bay. Dell only supplies extra sata power cables. You need to buy your own sata data cable. It plugs into the 4 sata headers on the bottom right of the motherboard. Two should already be in use (one for the 3.5" drive and one for the optical drive). If in doubt, follow where either of those go. You can also look at the back of your 3.5" drive to confirm the connections are the same.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
March 20th, 2020 04:00
VDT73 Dell System Board (Motherboard) Aurora R7
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/en/04/alienware-aurora-r7-desktop/alienware-aurora-r7-sm/copyright?guid=guid-089ffa4b-3a62-4b51-bde1-309c58a451d9&lang=en-us
https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/alienware-aurora-r7-desktop_service-manual_en-us.pdf
The SSD is U2 and uses M2 to SAS connection and U2 Drive.
Iain K Mackay
2 Intern
•
176 Posts
0
March 20th, 2020 04:00
I have followed the procedure in the Service Manual for installing the Hard Drive. The Service Manual states that you need to connect the power supply and data cable. I can find the power supply cable but i am unable to locate the data cable. My question is should it be there or do i need to supply it and where does it plug into the motherboard because the service manual does not supply that information.
Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
Iain K Mackay
2 Intern
•
176 Posts
0
March 20th, 2020 04:00
Figured it out they are not HD bays. They are SSD bays. I can be real dumb at times lol. Oh well back in the laptop the Seagate Barracuda goes.
Iain K Mackay
2 Intern
•
176 Posts
0
March 21st, 2020 04:00
R72019
Thank you so much for your help. HD installed and working.
That is the NVME SSD upgraded to 1TB, main memory upgraded, and extra storage added. Video card is next. Only disappointing thing about my R7, the supplied 1070GTX is definitely sub standard and i read i am going to be limited by size as to what i can replace it with.
Once again thanks for your help.