Can I replace the hard drive in a Acer Spin 1 SP111-31N-C4UG?

Sprtfan

Limp Gawd
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Aug 23, 2007
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I thought that I wouldn't be able to replace the hard drive in an Acer Spin 1 SP111-31N-C4UG but when I went to Crucial.com to look for upgrades, it had several SSDs listed for this model. I also double checked a laptop that I knew I couldn't upgrade and it only offered RAM options with no SSD. Is this tool from Crucial a reasonable way to judge if the hard drive is able to be replaced? Does anyone know of other ways of checking other than ordering it and seeing once they get it? Thanks
 
Sounds like taking advice from Acer would be worth more than from Crucial, they want to sell SSDs but Acer made (or at least designed) the thing...
 
Take it apart and see what kind of drive is in it.
 
Sounds like taking advice from Acer would be worth more than from Crucial, they want to sell SSDs but Acer made (or at least designed) the thing...
I couldn't really find anything from Acer one way or the other. I know they sell a Acer Spin 1 version that comes with a 500 GB hard drive so I'd expected to be able to upgrade that one but can't find much out on SP111-31N-C4UG.
 
As I mentioned in the OP, I wanted to find out without having to order it and see once I got it.


Skillz post doesn't say anything about ordering anything. Take the laptop apart and get some pictures at least.

Your laptop has MMC flash. Question is, is it SATA, mSATA or soldered on the PCB?
 
Well, Crucial's config tool is suggesting that it's a 2.5" SSD. Or at least it'll take one.
 
Skillz post doesn't say anything about ordering anything. Take the laptop apart and get some pictures at least.

Your laptop has MMC flash. Question is, is it SATA, mSATA or soldered on the PCB?

How can I take it apart and take pictures without ordering it first? I didn't want to buy it if it can't be upgraded. I'll probably give it a shot since it seems like there is at least a chance it might work. Thanks everyone for the insights.
 
How can I take it apart and take pictures without ordering it first? I didn't want to buy it if it can't be upgraded. I'll probably give it a shot since it seems like there is at least a chance it might work. Thanks everyone for the insights.

Ahh, thought you owned the laptop, and looking at upgrades.
 
The OP doesn't say you don't own the laptop already. I assumed you did.
 
The OP doesn't say you don't own the laptop already. I assumed you did.

Sorry about that, in my first post I can easily see how it sounds like I was talking about the SSD from Crucial instead of the laptop when I said " Does anyone know of other ways of checking other than ordering it and seeing once they get it?" I was trying to use the Crucial tool to see if the laptop was upgradeable before I ordered the laptop. I see how that was not clear.
 
Its all good. Try calling Acer and see if they'll tell you what kind of drive it has.

You might be able to find a tutorial online of taking the laptop apart as well.
 
I also found this https://www.slashgear.com/acer-spin-notebook-series-offers-a-dizzying-array-of-choices-31453926/

"And finally, the Acer Spin 1 gets an Intel Celeron processor (as there isn’t a Core i1) and up to 8 GB of DDR3L, not DDR4, RAM. It also has a dual storage system but one where you get an eMMC class internal storage up to 64 GB and HDD up to 1 TB. While you do get the same choice of FHD or HD displays, the 11.6-inch screen curiously doesn’t mention any touch capacity."

Seems to indicate that you can add a hard drive. I'm not used to this type of setup though. I'm assuming that I'd be able to use the 2nd hard drive as the boot and disable the eMMC?
 
I also found this https://www.slashgear.com/acer-spin-notebook-series-offers-a-dizzying-array-of-choices-31453926/

"And finally, the Acer Spin 1 gets an Intel Celeron processor (as there isn’t a Core i1) and up to 8 GB of DDR3L, not DDR4, RAM. It also has a dual storage system but one where you get an eMMC class internal storage up to 64 GB and HDD up to 1 TB. While you do get the same choice of FHD or HD displays, the 11.6-inch screen curiously doesn’t mention any touch capacity."

Seems to indicate that you can add a hard drive. I'm not used to this type of setup though. I'm assuming that I'd be able to use the 2nd hard drive as the boot and disable the eMMC?
most likely doable in bios. did you ever call/email them to ask?
 
most likely doable in bios. did you ever call/email them to ask?

I posted a question on the support forum but had a hard time finding a way to contact them directly with out already having a serial number. With out that, it was directing me to a third party called AnswersBy for out of warranty support. I should have it by tomorrow now. This will be mostly for my kids and they can deal storing stuff on SD card if they have to but would make life much easier if I could put a bigger SSD in it since some apps can't be stored that way.
 
the big empty spot with the rubber filler blocks is where the ssd/hdd would go. but unless its under the batt or mobo that model does not appear have a sata header. i can see an empty solder spot labeled HDD1 next to the notch in the mobo but that may be for the primary drive on the other side of the mobo, I'm not sure without seeing it. i think you may be sol. use sd cards, a thumb drive or tape an external usb ssd to it...
or email them...
 
Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. I'll try using their support now that I have a serial number. They didn't seem to have/ or I couldn't figure out a way to contact them before buying it. Thanks
 
the big empty spot with the rubber filler blocks is where the ssd/hdd would go. but unless its under the batt or mobo that model does not appear have a sata header. i can see an empty solder spot labeled HDD1 next to the notch in the mobo but that may be for the primary drive on the other side of the mobo, I'm not sure without seeing it. i think you may be sol. use sd cards, a thumb drive or tape an external usb ssd to it...
or email them...
I was able to do a chat with someone from acer once I had a S/N. He said the RAM was upgradeable and that a SSD could be added. He said that they do not provide any support for upgrades and I'd need to take it some where for it to be done. He also insisted that it shipped with a 500 GB 5400 rpm drive too, so not sure how good his info is.
 
Just read some where on a similar model that you have to remove the battery to do it. I'll give it a try later and see how hard it is to take out the battery.
 
k. looks like those two little silver screws on the top left/right edges of the batt.
 
k. looks like those two little silver screws on the top left/right edges of the batt.

Well, final update I think for anyone that finds this looking for the same info. I believe there are a few models/options on the Acer Spin 1 and some of them came with a 500 GB HDD. Those models have the sata connector where the empty solder spot labeled HDD1 is on mine. That maybe why Crucial and the support guy I talked to from Acer believed I should be able to upgrade it to a SSD. I found some info on an older model, Aspire R11, that this was the case for also. In that thread, they managed to solder on a sata connector to get it to work but that is more than I'm willing to try.
Seems like this info should be easier to come by. I actually found a lot of info in reviews that turned out not to be true too. A review on Windows Central said that the Spin 1 has a Precision track pad also that the one that I have does not.

Anyway, thank for the help. I'm more used to buildingworking on desktops and was fun poking around a laptop for a change.
 
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