VAIO Palmtop PC mSATA SSD upgrade

Just a quick update of no real importance.

I'm working on the PCB layout and still figuring out how to fit it all in.

I found a nice socket and screwless retaining clip for the SSD, but there isn't quite enough space for it. :(
I'll have to do a little more measuring to nail down the fitment, it'll be really close, but I don't think it's completely impossible.

Tha't pretty much all for now, finished PCB layout to come soon.

I've been recently working on the schematic for the PATA to SATA adapter. (PATA on the left, SATA on the right).
It seems to be all sorted now, pending the small corrections I inevitably find later (hopefully before I spin the boards...)
I went a bit wild on the decoupling, just because, and at the bottom center-ish you'll see J3, this will be a solder jumper that can enable spread spectrum to reduce EMI if it doesn't affect performance too much (Benchmarks to see what happens later).

I also made a small revision to the flat-flex cable, I just moved that rogue connection to pin 40 up to pin 37 where it matches up as the indicator activity led as I thought.
I also tweaked the equal length traces to neaten them up a little too.

Here's the latest schematic. As dirty and messy as it is.....

Motherboard connector is on the right, ZIF pinout on the left.

Pin 39 from the motherboard doesn't seem to have an equivalent pin in a HDD ZIF socket, it goes to pin labelled 'T1' (pin 34) on the Marvell 88SA8040 SATA Bridge chip.
I'm not sure what it does exactly (I think it's the 'device active' signal, to flash the HDD activity LED), so if anyone knows, let me know!

I have passed this pin through to pin 40 on the ZIF connector, it is used for Master/Slave select on the ZIF socket so it has no use here, so it will be fine to repurpose that pin.

It seems data is a bit hard to find on the Marvell 88SA8040 chip, beyond a basic pinout.
If anyone has more info, I'd be very grateful for anything that can be offered.

I've measured the voltage coming from the motherboard too, which is at 3.3V, so that's good. I only need one Vreg to give me a 1.8V rail.

Next step is to start designing the SSD daughter-board.

I think I'll forgo using the Marvell 88SA8040 chip due to it's lack of data etc, and instead use the more common JMicron JM20330.
The benefit is a data sheet and easier availability as it can be lifted from many ebay adapters.

PCB is all laid out! I got it just under 2 square inches which is nice.

I beeped out the connector on the Vaio flex cable and wired my flex adapter so match on the motherboard end, and match a 40-pin ZIF socket on the other.

All the connections are length matched to within +/- 0.1mm too for fun and signal integrity.

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

I got the plug from Digikey the other day, and it fits goodly so.
It's a little lower than the one Sony used (They have a few height variances) and doesn't have the metal inserts, but it fits perfectly, so no problems I think.

Next step is to make footprints and start laying out the PCB.

After a bit of a peruse of Digikey, it looks like I might have a match!

I took some measurements (0.4mm pitch etc) and made a few assumptions as to brands, I assumed that Sony would use a Japanese brand for their Japanese product, so looked primarily at Hirose and Panasonic offerings (I didn't preclude other brands, though, just in case).

It turns out that Panasonic parts AXK740147G‎ (for the socket) and AXK840145WG‎  (for the plug) are looking preeettyyy close to what I'm after.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/AXK740147G/255-2534-1-ND/1986697/?itemSeq=291802877
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/AXK840145WG/255-2527-1-ND/1986690/?itemSeq=291802878

Next step, add these parts to an order and see if the plug fits the socket on the motherboard.

I cracked out the microscope and macro lens and took a few photos of the connector for the existing flat flex to the motherboard.

Next is to try to track one of these down... Any ideas? :)