Hi merlinsfolks,

You will need to use a mSATA to SATA caddy and connect it to the Optical Drive connector to use it as a third drive. However, an online search provided only mSATA to 2.5" SATA adaptor. You can try using the adaptor that you already have in place of the optical drive and check if it work properly.

Let me know about your findings.

Hi Rajath N:

Thanks for your reply.  Just to make sure I understand, are you suggesting that I remove the Optical Drive completely, plug in my adapter in its place, and somehow secure it so that it is stable?  

Hi merlinsfolks,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, your understanding is correct. You will need to plug in the adapter and secure it.

Addendum to previous message:

I didn't see that I could attach a picture that would do a better job of decribing the connectors on the optical drive, but here it is.

Looks like I might have found the answer to my own question on Amazon, which is a SATA 2nd HDD caddy for Universal CD/DVD-ROM.  If you think that is the case, they seem to come in two sizes, namely 12.7mm and 9.5mm.  What do those measurements refer to, ie.e, which is the correc one for the 702x?

I think this is going to be the final e-mail from me tonight!  :-)

Hi merlinsfolks,

Thank you for your reply and appreciate your efforts to find the information.

Please provide the link to the Amazon.com page on which you found the caddy, so that I can check the specification and provide compatibility details.

Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/SATA-caddy-12-7mm-Universal-DVD-ROM/dp/B0056EW4A4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Thanks

Thanks Rajath N.  I have ordered it, and will follow up on this thread once I intall it.

Hi merlinsfolks, unfortunately we have not received feedback from you on this topic. If you need continued support, please respond to my message. Other community members who need assistance please start your own topic in a new thread.

Rajath N:  Unfortunately the forum does not inform me when someone has posted to this thread, even though I have told it to do so.

Anyway, I had noted above on Apr 2, I had ordered the SSD, and was waiting for (slow!!) delivery.  Anyway, it came in yesterday, and I was able to install it today, and the OS recognizes it as well as reads the existing data on it.  I haven't had the time to transfer the OS (Win 7) onto the SSD.  

Ideally, I want to only put the OS and a couple of specific programs onto the SSD, and leave the rest of the programs on the existing C: drive, but haven't figured out how to do so easily.

Here's what my system currently looks like:

The system currently boots off of C:, and the new SSD is Disk 2, which has a System Partition as well as the F: drive.

If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.  In any case, I had marked this thread as having been answered, and I thank you for your help.

Bearsfolks

P.S.  I'll keep checking to see if there are any answers posted to this thread.

Hi Bearsfolks,

Thank you for providing an update on the status. You will need to install the OS on the SSD by configuring it as the first boot device in the BIOS. It would be listed as SATA ODD.

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Why remove the  drive bay when you can add another hard drive that is a Hybrid drive for less money than SSD?I freplaced at my cost the drive and still retain the messed up drive that Dell should have replaced that was bad and ready to go at any given moment with their so-called Tech's from overseas saying it fine and noting to worry about with the local Tech and 1 that worked for Dell previously that  I knew personally said it would go that it was bad.Now I can tell you this,you use that hard drive bay more than you let on or else you wouldn't have ordered /purchased ellse where the system you have with that bay!

You sound like 1 of the idiots at Dell that works overseas where you cant get ahold of them and shake some sense into his blank brain when they transfer you back and forth to so many you don't if you're speaking with Jhad or Amed to Jim or Jill!!They just love to use a fake name that's American and not their own and I hate that hell!!You are 1 of those ragheads that's trying to drum up business for them on those over priced SSD's and they want to push them so they can get new stock in and the old out before they get caught with  something that may go bad in seconds if installed by 1 of their American Tech's that knows what he is doing and those overseas jerks couldn't do if they had 10 hands and 5 brains!!

I have 2 portable drives connected and that's the way to go if you want to add thru the USB3 ports  and they work very fast if you get a good 1 and a 3TB cost only $110 with a Western Digital hard drive (Blue or Green) or a Seagate portable like the 500GB I have that I can slide into my pocket for quick connection and so simple to use and find.You couldn't pay me enough to remove my DVD/BD drive for the fact that I use it a lot but I have a Sony DVD R/RW+/- portable that is still in the box and its never used  and I have never used it.WHY?Because I bought it for a backup on the security and haven't had to use it for the system ever since people found out that I know when and where they are  before they get here!

This Hybrid does run hotter than the regular drive and I bet that the SSD runs even hotter temp wise than the Hybrid does,so watch it or else you will smoke more than your computer/leg or whatever,it could be your house if left unattended and on!!

I know that when Solid State TVs come out they run hot and I do mean hot  so hot they were some that did catch fire and burn down homes,while the tube grounded grid sets run cooler even though they had high vaccum tubes that would burn your fingers if you didn't let them cool 1st for around 15 minutes!

Its your system and your  home so you decide and good luck is all I can say because they are not selling as well as they thought they would anywhere!!

FYI,

Mr.Fair