Adding an SSD to Dell Optiplex 760 SFF (revisited)

Question

Hello there,

There is an Optiplex 760 SFF. After reading this thread of the past, is it now still possible to add a 500GB SSD to a 760?

I summarized the comments of that post as follows:

The motherboard only has 2 SATA ports. In the original configurations,
1. The HDD is connected to one of the SATA and is connected with power. The DVD-ROM is connected to one SATA and that ROM is also connected with power. As a result, there is no vacant SATA.
2. The only external eSATA is only for data, and not provided with power.
3. Both the ROM and HDD need power and SATA.
An SSD can be added by swapping with the ROM. Removing the ROM puts the SSD in its place. To do so, one shall
1. connect the ROM to an internal USB slot, as a result, by a USB and SATA adapter cable.
  Paranomic view of the motherboard. The internal USB's location is circled?

Buy a caddy that can hold two hard drive.

Put the SSD on top of the HDD in that caddy and replace the caddy onto the hard drive bay.
1. The original caddy for the HDD is wasted.
2. Use the SATA and power cable from the ROM for the SSD.
3. The ROM is wasted.

I then have the following questions:

If an internal USB for data is used for the ROM for data, the SSD can take over the data cable from the ROM. Consequently where can the SDD gain its power from?
Is it possible to let the SDD use the SATA and power for the ROM?
1. Let the ROM use the internal USB and then supply itself with the power elsewhere?
  1. Then how can the ROM be supplied with power in this case?
2. The SDD would just be slotted below the ROM and the ROM just takes space and do nothing.
  1. Buy an external DVD-RW burn 8X to handle DVD task. Use two of the external USB to handle the external DVD.
  2. By the same reason can the DVD ROM use the internal USB for data and an external USB for power?
3. In sum, there are 8 external USB slots for the MT, DT, and the SFF. Image of the MT, DT, SFF, USFF
  1. The DVD-ROM would take 1 USB.
  2. The Wifi takes another.

Then just press F1 no matter what when the following error message is seen?

The error message.

redxps630 · Accepted Answer

I have never heard of innovative idea of dvd using internal 9 pin usb header on motherboard for data. afaik internal dvd is a sata drive and must occupy a sata port, external dvd is a usb 2.0 device.

you could use a sata PCIe card (short bracket) to provide additional sata ports.

redxps630 · Answer

External usb dvd only needs one usb2.0 port. The port has both power and data pins. You do not need two usb ports.

The 760 SFF psu has only one regular sata power connector, one slim sata power connector. you cannot use the slim sata power connector (compatible w slim dvd drive) for 2.5” ssd without an adapter. You can however use a Dell regular sata power splitter adapter to make two regular sata power connectors for hdd+ssd. You still need to give up internal dvd drive b/c mobo has only two sata ports. use external dvd then.

you may also use a dvd caddy to place the 3.5 ssd inside caddy and install the caddy like a slim optical drive. this caddy can use the slim sata power connector of psu. there are even versatile dvd caddy for m.2 sata ssd and msata ssd.

you can install a 2.5 ssd and second 2.5 ssd/hdd in a Dell 2.5-to-3.5 adapter which has the height of single 3.5 hdd.

You may also try piggy back a 2.5 ssd on a thin (25mm) 3.5 hdd and keep the 3.5 hdd caddy. The caddy can fit a 25 to 41 mm thick 3.5 hdd. a 2.5 ssd is 7 mm thick. so 7+25=32 mm will still fit.

HPToshiba2Acer3Dell · Answer

@redxps630​ A guy at a local computer store had recommended the same solution, 'add a sata PCIe card (short bracket) to provide additional sata ports.' However the guy advised me against it even though it can work because I add unnecessary cost to the upgrade. He say remove the SATA cable and use that for the SSD.

HPToshiba2Acer3Dell · Answer

@redxps630​ Another guy at a local computer store suggested the same solution for power splitter adapter to make two regular sata power connectors for hdd+ssd. Then use the DVD sata cable for data. Use an external DVD to handle DVD-RW-R-ROM tasks.

Optiplex Desktops

Adding an SSD to Dell Optiplex 760 SFF (revisited)

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