Neo-Blog

Home > Computers and Internet, Hardware, LINUX and GNU > Add 3.5 SATA hard drive to HP Thin
Client T5540.

Add 3.5 SATA hard drive to HP Thin Client T5540.

Reference: http://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/HpT5540/index.shtml
Learned from this link that T5540 has a potential SATA port. I desperately need more PCs. So add a
additional hard drive to make the thin client works like a traditional pc.
The power port near the sata port doesnt have +12V power. connect the +12V power from power
supply directly. 2.5 disk doesnt need +12V power.

Brief:

Port view:

Like this:
Thats a very nice modification. I was given an old t5540 myself, unfortunately it doesnt really
work (yet). If I get it up and running I was planning on soldering a full SATA header and use
some cheap SSD drive on it.
Maybe you can help me fixing my t5540? It seems someone has messed around with the BIOS
on this thing. The DMI information shows garbage, and a BIOS flash doesnt help. I found I can

edit the DMI information with a DOS program called DMICFG.EXE but as I dont have the
correct DMI information Im lost. Since you have a t5540, may I ask you if you could do a dump
of the DMI information of your t5540 and email it to me? DMICFG.EXE can be found here:
http://www.filewatcher.com/m/DMICFG.EXE.166202.0.0.html
You would need to boot DOS from a USB drive or USB floppy and then just save the content to
a file. If that is too complicated then maybe you can do a full dump of the DMI information with
smbios? It would be really great if you could help me to revive my t5540.
Im looking to make this modification myself, would there be any chance you could supply extra
photos of the soldering work you did? More details on how you connected power to the hard
drive would be great.
Thanks
Reply
Youll be much clear if I attached some more pics. Ill send you a separate mail that
include the images. Basicly, the 3.5 disk need 12V and 5V power, 12V (cable color
yellow and black) can come the inside connector which the power adapter connected to.
and 5V ( cable color red and black) can come from another place from mother board that
have 5v. such as USB and 44pin IDE. In my case I use the potential 15pin sata power
connector. you can check which one form the connector has 5v power. you may check it
from here. http://pinouts.ru/Power/sata-power_pinout.shtml and for data go to here:
http://pinouts.ru/HD/serialATA_pinout.shtml
I cut a data cable and soldered it to the 7pin and cut a 15pin power cable and connect
red+black to 15pin power connector and then yellow+black to the 12V power adapter
connector..
Sean G. September 28, 2011 at 4:16 AM
Reply
Do you have to use a Manufacturer Specific Hard Drive like the 512545-B21? or can you use
any generic Hard Drive? This looks like something I would want to do !
Reply
Dear Sean, No need to use Manufacturer Specific Hard Drive, any brand SATA hard
drive can work with this Thin Client.
Reply
hi;
i have t5630 and i used 44pin to sata changer then i installed my 2,5 harddisk.

Linux saw the disk but no microsoft product see my sata disk i tried several drivers for that bu
couldnt find
could you tell me which driver you used?
thanks
Reply
Dear Haken,
I think 5540 and 5630 is the same hardware other than memory and flash disk.
The 5540 use VIA 800 chip, it support IDE and SATA. I dont have 5630 and dont have
the picture of the inside of it. If it also have a hidden sata port, you may solder a port a
just solder sata power and data cable to it. It will not use the stat/ide bridge chip.
Windows may see the disk.
If youre still using the bridge chip, I dont know much about it. But I think it should
work as the chip already make it as a IDE disk.
December 30, 2011 at 2:54 AM
Reply
please, how can i disable the boot of o.s.-flash disk? i need to install a simple xp on an hd
installed as you describe, but i cant find the right way in the BIOS.can you help me?
thank you .
stefano
Neo Wong December 31, 2011 at 11:24 AM
Reply
You should not disable boot form flash disk.
Theres only three option for boot. ATA flash/ USB /Network.
You should select ATA flash as first boot option. The hard drive is also work as ATA
flash disk. You can remove the 44pin flash disk and leave only the hard drive connected.
Then it will boot from hard drive.
If you realy want to boot from hard drive and leave the flash disk on board,there might be
no option for you to choose. ( I dont know whey you need to leave they both on the
board). But if you do, you can backup the flash disk and remove the boot record from the
flash disk.