Lenovo ThinkStation P5 User manual

Storage Configurator
Lenovo ThinkStation P5

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Table of Contents
Overview ................................................................................................................. 3
Section 1 – P5 Storage Summary ........................................................................... 4
Section 2 – P5 M.2 SSD Drives .............................................................................. 6
Section 3 – P5 SATA Drives ................................................................................. 25
Section 4 – Appendix ............................................................................................ 39
Revision History .................................................................................................... 43

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Overview
The following document will provide detailed guidance for users to add in the M.2
and SATA drives in order to optimally configure their system storage options in
the ThinkStation P5 platform. The ThinkStation P5 workstation offers both M.2
SSD support as well as support for the traditional SATA HDDs. The P5
workstation provides two standard M.2 slots directly on the motherboard as well
as the ability to utilize an optional FLEX bay that can hold one externally
accessible hot swappable M.2 drive. There is also an optional quad M.2 PCIe Add
In Card (AIC). There are two internal SATA bays located at the bottom of the
system with an optional internal HDD kit to add one SATA drive to the top front
section of the chassis.
Here is a high-level overview of the types of storage devices supported in the
ThinkStation P5 platform:
Table 1 - General overview of support storage devices in the ThinkStation P5
Drive Type and Speed ThinkStation P5 Drive Capacities
3.5” SATA Gen3 Hard Disk Drive Up to 2TB each
3.5” SATA Gen3 Enterprise HDD Up to 12TB each
M.2 PCIe SSD Gen4 x4 Up to 4TB each
Table 2 – Quantity and capacity by drive type
Drive Type Number of Drives
Available
Total Storage
3.5” SATA Drives 3 Up to 36TB
M.2 PCIe Drive 7 Up to 20TB

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Section 1 – P5 Storage Summary
The below Table 3 shows a high-level summary of what storage options are
available in the ThinkStation P5 platform.
Table 3 - Storage Summary
Storage Location Drive Type Support
Internal onboard M.2 slots 2 x M.2 SSD Gen5
FLEX bay M.2 Kit 1 x M.2 SSD Gen4
ThinkStation Quad AIC M.2 SSD Gen3 Adapter 4 x M.2 SSD Gen3
Internal 3.5” bays 2 x 3.5” SATA Gen3
3
rd
HDD bay kit 1 x 3.5” SATA Gen3

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Figure 1 – Location of storage devices within the P5

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Section 2 – P5 M.2 SSD Drives
The Lenovo ThinkStation P5 platform supports a variety of different storage
devices. Table 4 shows the available features for M.2 SSD drives utilizing the
CPU-based controller. Table 5 highlights the compatibility and requirements for
M.2 SSD drives utilizing the CPU-based controller.
Table 4 - Features for M.2 SSD drives on CPU-based controllers
Feature Onboard M.2 Slots FLEX Bay M.2 SSD
enclosure
Quad M.2 PCIe
Card Gen3
Drive Count (System max = 7) 2 1 4
Maximum PCIe speed Gen5 Gen4 Gen3
Availability Standard Optional Optional
Location Motherboard Front access bay 2 PCIe Slot
Controller CPU CPU Follows slot
connection
Supported M.2 dimensions (mm) 2280 or 22110 2280 2242, 2260, 2280,
22110
Double side support Yes Yes No
Maximum power per drive 8W 8W 8W
Front accessible No Yes No
Toolless Yes Partial¹ No
Hot swappable No Yes No
Individual activity/status LEDs No Activity Only² No
Combined in system activity LED Yes Yes Yes
Max Drive Size 4TB 4TB 2TB
1: A screwdriver is needed during the initial installation of an M.2 drive into the FLEX bay carrier.
Insertion and removal of the carrier is then toolless.
2: See Figure 2 for location of the storage drive activity light.

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Figure 2 – Location of storage drive activity light
Table 5 - Compatibility and parts requirements for M.2 SSD drives on CPU-based controller
Location Requirements and Parts
Onboard  Dual M.2 Carriers and heat sink kits standard on
motherboard
FLEX bay M.2 kit
 Front storage tray
 M.2 storage access box for front storage bay
 FLEX bay fan
Quad M.2 Gen3 PCIe  Requires available x16 slot
 Quad M.2 Adapter
See Appendix for additional information and images of parts.

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Onboard M.2 SSD drive installation
1. Open the side cover on the P5 and remove any PCIe adapters that may
interfere with accessing the onboard M.2 slots.
2. Push on the outside edge of red locking mechanism to rotate it
counterclockwise.
3. Slightly lift the carrier up to about a 15-degree angle and pull it straight out
of the slot.
Caution: Be careful not to raise the carrier up too far before pulling it out as
this risks breaking the M.2 slot.

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4. Lay the M.2 carrier flat on a desk and carefully separate the heat sink from
the carrier by gently pushing two of the tabs on one side away from the heat
sink.
5. Remove the plastic insert, then remove the thermal pad plastic film from
both sides.
6. Insert the M.2 drive carefully in the M.2 bracket as shown below, align the
notch in the end of the drive with the notch in the heatsink.

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7. Reinstall the heatsink on top of the M.2 drive within the carrier by inserting
the feet on one side of the heat sink into the openings of two of the tabs on
one side of the carrier. Then press down on the other side of the heat sink
until the feet engage the tabs on the heatsink.
8. Insert the M.2 bracket back into the onboard M.2 slot at a slight 15-degree
angle.
Caution: Be careful not to use excessive force as this risks breaking the M.2
slot.
9. Gently lower the carrier and push on the edge of the red latch to rotate the
latch clockwise and secure the M.2 carrier in the system.

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Installing The FLEX Bay M.2 Enclosure
The FLEX Bay enclosure is an optional kit that will need to be purchased
separately if it was not ordered when the original system was built. See Appendix
for additional information and images of parts.
1. Locate the area in the chassis where the FLEX bay kit will be installed.
2. If it has not already been removed, remove the FLEX Bay bezel cover and
metal insert. From inside the system (1) lift the two tabs to release the
bezel cover and then (2) push on the center post to pop the bezel cover
out.

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3. Once the front cover is removed the metal insert will be exposed on the
front of the chassis.
4. Remove the metal insert by fully inserting a large Philips head #2
screwdriver into the center “+” opening in the cover and slowly lift the
screwdriver out of the system. It may be necessary to rock the tool up and
down and side to side to fully free the cover from the chassis. Do not exert
excessive force and be careful of the new opening as there may be sharp
edges.

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5. Install the FLEX bay cable to the FLEX bay frame with the included
screws.
6. Locate the four mounting points and align the openings in the FLEX bay
frame base over all of the points and slide the frame forward towards the
front of the chassis until it clicks into place.
7. When installed properly, all four points should look like this.

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8. Plug the FLEX bay cable into the motherboard.
9. Install the fan to the top of the FLEX bay frame by inserting the tabs on the
fan into the notches on the top of the FLEX bay frame.

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10. Press gently on the extended tab on the other side of the fan. The fan will
noticeably click into place.
11. Locate the FLEX_BAY_FAN power connector on the motherboard between
the CPU and the FLEX bay and plug in the fan.

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12. Before installing the FLEX bay into the front of the system, install the bezel
adapter. The flat edge should be on the bottom. Insert the top of the bezel
adapter into the bezel opening (1) and then push gently on the bottom of
the bezel adapter until it clicks into place (2). If it does not easily click into
place, remove the bezel adapter fully, reposition the top in the opening, and
try to complete the installation again.
13. Install the FLEX bay into the FLEX bay frame through the bezel. Push the
bay until the retention tab locks the bay into place in the frame.
14. To install the M.2 SSD into the FLEX Bay M.2 carrier, remove the screws
from each side of the end of the carrier.

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15. Lift up on the lid on the end of the carrier slightly (1) and slide the lid out
from under the tabs on the front of the carrier base (2).
16. Peel back and remove the protective plastic film from the heat sink pads on
the lid and base.
17. Remove the M.2 retention screw from the carrier base.

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18. Insert the M.2 SSD into the M.2 slot in the carrier base at a slight 15-degree
angle (1). Gently lower the M.2 into place with the round notch lining up with
the screw hole in the carrier base (2). Reinstall the screw to secure the M.2
drive in the carrier.
Caution: Be careful not to use excessive force as this risks breaking the M.2
slot or drive.
19. Holding the lid at a slight angle, slide the lid under the tabs on the front of
the carrier base (1) and lower the lid into place (2) with the holes on the lids
aligning with the screw holes on the base. Reinstall the screws to secure
the carrier lid in place.
20. Insert the M.2 carrier into the FLEX bay through the front opening. Push
firmly until the front of the carrier is fully inserted into the FLEX bay and
clicks into place.

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21. To remove the carrier, push the button on the side of the FLEX bay. The
carrier will eject for removal.
22. The FLEX bay also includes 2 keys in a mountable key carrier. These keys
can be used to lock the M.2 carrier into place once it has been inserted.

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23. On the back of the system chassis there are two locations to mount key
carriers for both the side door keys and the FLEX bay keys, as needed. If
there is no lock for the side door, both of these locations will be available.
Both locations are identical and either can be used.
24. On the bottom of the key carrier, locate the two mounting tabs. Note the
open end with the center guide on each tab.
25. Position the carrier to insert the open end of the tabs into the notches on
one of the key carrier mount locations. Line up the center guides on the
carrier with the openings in the center of the notches
26. Slide the carrier into the notches until the catch on the end of the carrier,
seen below, locks into place. If it does not slide into place easily, it may be
necessary to put pressure on the carrier, directly over each tab.