Background...
The plan was simple,
get a used PC to help me organize pictures, documents, and create
more documents. I wanted to keep under $200.00 a friend pointed me
toward a ThinkCentre M83 SFF with an i5-4570 CPU, 500GB HDD, and 4GB
of RAM. After the available rebate I had a starting point of $120.00.
With the advice to add a SSD, 4GB more RAM, and upgrade from Windows
7 to 10. Simple, right? Well not so fast. I had had nothing to do
with computers, other than using them, for years and mostly with
laptops. my last desktop was old when I bought it and its been dead
over half a decade now. Even before my M83 arrived from Newegg I had
started to do research and the more I looked the more confused I
became. One thing I knew is that I did not want to “just” Velcro
my SSD to the internals of my compute. Here is a step by step record
of my “build”, if you can call it such.
Find
the SSD bay…
This step took the
most time and research. Lenovo had factory models of the M83 and M93p
with two hard drives (HDD & SSD) and in those pictures I saw
second bay bracket. More research in the service manual and I knew
what to call it, Secondary Hard Disk Drive Carrier also
known as 2.5 HDD bracket.
More research on Lenovo’s support website under service parts tab
and I found the part number, 04X2310, and
picture! I was able to order
it direct from Lenovo’s website for $8.98. Some times the bay is listed with the stamped manufacture numbering Bay:1B3355H00A Tray: 1B41HCT007
Find
the cables…
Next I researched
the necessary cables I would need. Support forums, looking at
pictures, and learning about SATA cables, SATA
Power Cables
and SATA
Data Cables.
I
wanted to go with factory components as far as the bracket and cables
but
I am sure there are great aftermarket options available. The one big
FYI is that I
only have 2, 4 pin SATA power connectors on my
motherboard and they are both in use, one for the HDD and the other
for the DVD/CD drive so I
needed
a two headed SATA power cable or an
aftermarket Y. Lenovo
made a two headed power cable and I was delighted to find it!SATA
Power Cable 54Y9378.
My
motherboard has 3 SATA III
6.0Gb/s
connectors so I found another SATA data cable like my HDD had. SATA
Data Cable 54Y9395. I
bought
the cables used on eBay for $15.99 and $5.75 respectively
Find
the SSD…
I wish I could tell you all
about SSD’s but I got lost trying to search through them all. As
per the recommendation of my friend I went with a ADATA brand SSD,
SU800 with 128GB, from Amazon for $26.99
Put
it all together…
I am not a professional
computer person, I’m not even a hobby computer person, I just
wanted to get done what I needed to so I could do what I wanted -
FOLLOW AT
YOUR OWN RISK.
I backed up the few new doc’s
I had created before I moved on.
I turned off and unplugged my
M83 and let it sit a few minutes, then I made sure I had touched
everything on my counter that I have ever static shocked in the bast
then I touched the metal computer shell. Note I was careful to not
rub my feet on the floor or rub my hands on anything because friction
is a great way to build up static.
Open the case and then press
the bay latch so the metal top folds up reviling the bottom side of
the HDD rack. There is a small plastic cable retention clip that
holds the cables going to the HDD, that needs to be removed. Now take
the metal 2.5” bracket and slide it into the corresponding tabs on
the underside of the HDD bracket, it will click into place. Put the
retaining sheet metal screw in place.
Unplug the SATA power cable to
the HDD and then unplug it from the motherboard.
Move the SATA data cable for
the DVD/CD drive to the number 3 SATA data port on the motherboard.
Move the HDD SATA data cable to the number 2 SATA port on the
motherboard. Plug the new SATA data cable into the number 1 SATA data
port on the motherboard, this cable will be for the new SSD that will
run the operating system. Route the cables in a way that they will
not get pinched or damaged when you fold the drive bay rack back
down. Install the SSD into the purple drive tray, then slide it into
the new 2.5” bay! Connect the data and power cables to the
appropriate drives. Fold the drive bay rack down and put the case
back together.
I did a clean install of
Windows 10, for $28.50 with a DVD off of ebay. If you don't know how
install an operating system then google it. For me it was a fly by
the seat of my pants but it all installed nicely. I believe there are
ways to transfer your operating system to the new SSD without a clean
install but again google is your friend.
The
RAM
To finish out my build I
needed more RAM, and here is where I blew my budget out of the water!
Why
have 8GB of RAM when you can have 16? and why fill all four slots
with 4GB modules when your computer can support 32GB of ram? So I
bought a set of 2x8GB of RAM to
give me 16GB, this was accomplished with
CORSAIR Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) CML16GX3M2A1600C10
at a price tag of $82.99 from Newegg.
Total build
price:
$260.70*
Total without the
RAM:
$177.71
Shopping list:
-2.5 HDD bracket 04X2310 Some times the bay is listed with the stamped manufacture numbering Bay:1B3355H00A Tray: 1B41HCT007
-SATA Power
Cable 54Y9378
-SATA Data Cable 54Y9395
-ADATA SSD,
SU800 128GB
Optional
Items
-Windows 10
-CORSAIR
Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) CML16GX3M2A1600C10
Final
Thoughts
I am
happy with this
little desktop computer! It boots up fast! It runs smooth, dose not
bog down on anything I have thrown at it. Am
I happy I went
this rout? Absolutely! I could have had a
system with 8GB of RAM and kept it at a
price under $200.00 but I’m not sorry I
went this route.
Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Hardware Maintenance Manual
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/893218/Lenovo-Thinkcentre-M83.html?page=213#manual
2.5
HDD bracket 04X2310
SATA
Power Cable
54Y9378
SATA
Data Cable 54Y9395
ADATA
SSD, SU800 128GB
Windows
10
CORSAIR
Vengeance LP 16GB RAM
Use any info in here at your own
risk. You could destroy your equipment. I am not a professional.
*assumes
that I already had an old screen, keyboard, and mouse to
use. Although
I did have a keyboard
it was not able to plug in to this computer but
one trip to my local good will and $4.00 later I have a USB
keyboard I love to type with!
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