MacBook Air :: INFO: How To Enable SATA On Rev.1

Some of my investigations on how to get SATA working on my machine may be useful to Macbook Air users with the same chipset. This is a work in progress but is presented for your consideration on how to get a SATA interface where one hasn't been supplied.

1. Enabling ICH8-M SATA controller
MacBook air Hacking - USB PORTS announced there was an unused SATA port on a MBA. This got me curious in finding and enabling a ICH8-M SATA controller on a HP 2510P with the same chipset. I succeeded in enabling the SATA controller to be visible in the OS. Relevant documentation on how to do this is here. All that remains now is finding the 4 SATA I/O from the southbridge pins on the systemboard, plus a 3.3V and GND (6 lines) and connecting it to say the Samsung SSD (below). I present this here so perhaps MBA ppl can do this too, and more importantly, identify if that is *all* that is required to get it working. Left: test pads from Macbook air southbridgeRight: SATA I/O pins on southbridge of interest2. Use the Sony SATA to ZIF AdapterPreliminary findings are here. Has a proprietory connector on the systemboard side though. Sony part number 1-878-429-11 as used in Sony Vaio P series.3. Creating a microSATA to ZIF adapterIf the native SATA controller cannot be enabled and it's I/O lines found, all is not lost OR the Sony adapter is too expen$ive, then could have a go at making this. The parts are rather inexpensive.

The 1.8" harddisk measures at 2.13x2.79in, we find this could potentially fit:Size of SATA to 3.5" IDE adapter: 2.13 in x 1.81 (size as given for 2-port version)Size of 3.5" IDE to ZIF adapter: 3.54 in x 1.30
Total: 3.54 in x 3.112 Size (shrunk) estimate: 2.13 in x 2.33 (removal of 2x~0.39 IDE connectors + more)I have *no* performance benchmarks to say how effective, or not, this would be but am awaiting feedback in those threads about it. More details, including source of parts, in thread titled For those with slow 1.8" PATA drives wanting SATA...

Followup
If anyone has success enabling and using the SATA controller and/or creating the microSATA to ZIF adapter, please chime in on the threads above with what could be quite useful information to others in the same boat.I guess our platforms are the same (chipset) but different at the same time 1.8" SATA SSD offers a considerable performance boost to 20MB/s 4200rpm 1.8" HDD or 32MB/s 5400rpm 1.8" HDD.