ASUS X202E hard drive upgrade instructions (replace w/SSD)

The X202E-DH31T is a very cool little laptop and for the price ($400-$500) it is definitely one of the best touchscreen options out there! Unfortunately, it is saddled with a relatively slow hard drive and the RAM is soldered in. ๐Ÿ™

PERFORMANCE TIP: replace the slow hard drive with a fast SSD. ๐Ÿ™‚ See instructions below!

*Bloatware removal is of course recommended as well ย ๐Ÿ™‚
After upgrading to a SSD, commenter RJ suggested putting the old hard drive in a USB enclosure, great tip RJ!

WIRELESS TIP: if you want to upgrade to an Intel wifi/bluetooth card for WiDi (wireless display) and more range, here are instructions! Note, it may be necessary to add one more internal antenna and that is covered in the instructions.

Here are step-by-step photos of the hard drive removal and SSD upgrade process:

(you can disregard the mini pci-e wifi card upgrade photos if you want to stick with the standard X202E wifi/bluetooth solution!)

RATING NOTE: while this upgrade is a little more difficult than some other laptops, but the new SSD still resulted in a HUGE performance improvement so I give this upgrade a 4.5/5 star rating ๐Ÿ™‚

FYI ASUS has a variety ofย veryย similar models in this line, including:

  • X202Eย (it even comesย in pink now!),ย 
  • S200E,
  • Q200Eย 

They are all identical in basic construction andย the hard drive upgrade process is exactly the same for all of them.ย The differences are in the CPUs, bluetooth capabilities, and bundled accessories. You can find a complete list of all the differences here.

However, the slow hard drive really drags down the overall performance on all of these models :-(. So I chose to upgrade mine to have aย Samsung 840 SSDย and the performance improvement has been drastic*!

*Note: I also did a clean install of Windows 8 Pro which eliminated any bloatware that had been loaded from the factory.
Note 2: I upgraded the SSD recommendation to reflect the latest Samsung SSD model which costs quite a bit less yet still performs well! ๐Ÿ™‚

 

45 comments

  • Alan

    this is great! can u also post here how to install windows 8 after u replace x202e with SSD?
    thanx.

    • Hi Alan,
      Thank you for your comment. Certainly Alan, I will try to prepare a Windows 8 install guide for the X202E and email you when it is completed! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • Rahul

    Hi,
    I am interested in buying this laptop and found your comment in the Amazon review. I am interested in getting a WiDi capability in this laptop, I saw the pictures that you have uploaded and kind of confused on whether the Bluetooth antenna can be just taped like that. I have never done this kind of installation before, please do let me know.

    Also, could you let me know the drivers you used in case I am planning to just replace the intel widi and not the entire Windows 8 OS. The reviewer on Amazon has pointed out that he had trouble installing the drivers.

    Thanks.

    • Hi Rahul,
      Thank you for your comment.

      Adding a 2nd antenna is only necessary if you are upgrading a S200E or Q200E as they come from the factory with only one antenna. Different people choose to route the antenna in different ways (some people mount it on top of the SSD) but I prefer to route the cable across the laptop roughly as shown in the photo… once you have the case off it is pretty easy to see where there is clearance to run the antenna cable. Reception and performance has been good with the antenna cable routed as shown in the photo (though I slightly adjusted it away from the battery so none of the antenna is blocked by the battery [b/c the battery is quite dense and would likely block the signal]).

      However, the X202E already has two antennas from the factory so all you have to do is swap the Intel 6235 for the old wifi/bluetooth card, and you can just use connect the two existing antennas to your new card. ๐Ÿ™‚

      I hope this makes good sense Rahul, please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • Rick

    Hi,

    Great guide! However, I am having difficulty installing Windows 8 once the SSD is in. Do you have an installation guide for the software, including what version of Win8 I specifically need?

    Thanks,
    Rick

    • Hi Rick,
      Thank you for your comment. Sorry for the delay in my responding!

      Can you tell me what specific issue(s) you are having when trying to upgrade? I will be happy to help if you are still have trouble!

      FYI I was able to do a clean install with a Window 8 Pro upgrade installation and the process should work even better if you have a non-upgrade version of Windows 8.

      Best regards,
      -JD

      • Rick

        Hi JD,

        Thanks for the reply. The issue was that any version of Win8 I tried, it did not like the Asus’ product key, gave a message “The is an OEM product key and cannot be used for this version of Windows” (or something to that effect, it was a couple of weeks ago).

        I fixed it by pretty much doing what you did; installing a previously purchased upgrade and using my own product key. Did the business!

        Thanks anyway,
        Rick

        • Hi Rick,
          Great job! It certainly has become more difficult to install Windows these days what with UEFI, product keys contained in the UEFI, ‘secure boot’, and the rather limited edition of Windows that comes installed on many machines ๐Ÿ™

          So, congratulations to you Rick on overcoming all those hurdles! ๐Ÿ™‚

          Best regards,
          -JD

  • Allan

    Does it have to be ultraslim 7mm SSD or can it be also 9,5mm?

  • Hi
    I have Asus X202E, i have damage the motherboard, i have to bye a New, i found one on ebay is that a correct motherboard :Asus Vivobook X202E NEW 1.8GHz Intel i3 Motherboard 31EX2MB00G0 4GB DDR3 Onboard , http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Asus-Vivobook-X202E-NEW-1-8GHz-Intel-i3-Motherboard-31EX2MB00G0-4GB-DDR3-Onboard-/330890438325?pt=Motherboards&hash=item4d0a9b66b5 or are there different types

    • Hi Hans,
      Thank you for your comment and sorry for my delay in responding.

      Yes, I believe that would be the correct motherboard as there is only one version for the X202E as far as I know. Nice job finding a replacement motherboard!

      NOTE: for other readers with similar questions, please be aware that here are at least TWO versions for the Q200E.

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • Jerome

    Hello, I would like to thank you for this useful tutorial . I just proceed to the same upgrades (both SDD and Wireless dual channel card) and had no issue. As for SDD I chose the Samsung 840 250GB and bought the same card as you : Intel 6235. Great improvements !
    Concerning the back case opening, I used a plastic guitar pick which would not cause damage to the case. It went smooth.
    Thanks again and greetings from France.
    Jerome

    • Hi Jerome,
      Thank you for your excellent comment!

      That is wonderful to hear that your upgrade went so well ๐Ÿ™‚ Those are all great components and they really take the laptop to the next level IMHO!

      Also, that is a great tip about the guitar picks! I have a friend that plays the guitar so I am asking him if I can have a couple extra picks to use for laptop disassembly. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thanks again for your comment Jerome and have a great week!

      Best regards.
      -JD

  • Mark

    Hi, thank you very much for this nice and informative tutorial! I just got my VivoBook X202E a week ago and I’m planning for SSD upgrade. A series of questions though, from your pictures, there is a chip that does not have any heatsink at all, is that the Intel HM76 chipset (for models with Core-i3 processor)? Would it be also possible for a heatsink upgrade?

    • Hi Mark,
      Congratulations on your excellent laptop purchase and SSD upgrade plans! Also, thank you for your nice comment and your great question.

      Yes, I believe you are correct. The uncovered chip visible in this photo near the ‘jdhodges.com’ label
      http://www.jdhodges.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSC_0650.jpg
      has the designation SLJ8E printed on it. Googling that model # leads us to the HM76 Express Chipset (Intelยฎ BD82HM76 PCH) [as you suggested].

      As for adding a heatsink, it would need to be a very low profile one in order to fit. One thing that comes to mind would be using a thin piece of copper combined w/thermal paste on the HM76 chip to create a bit more surface area for dissipating heat. However, I am not sure how much of a difference it would make in temps.

      Sorry to not be of more help Mark, but feel free to comment again if you go through with the project or if you have any other questions!

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • Jason

    Hi, Thanks for this great source of information. I purchased the S200E for my daughter’s birthday. I really want to put in a SSD for her and install. Fresh copy of windows 8 without the blotware. I purchased an upgrade copy of windows 8 pro with my windows 7 laptop in case it was needed in the future. Would you kindly be able to email me with instructions on loading the fresh copy of windows 8 onto th SSD. Thankyou in advance.

    • Hi Jason,
      Thank you for your comment!

      I would be happy to help, but first can you tell me if you have downloaded the Windows 8 upgrade using the ‘Upgrade Assistant’ and had it put the installation files on a USB flash drive? (You can do this on your Windows 7 laptop without actually installing Windows 8, it is just preparing the install media for use on your S200E)

      That is the first step Jason and after that is completed I can offer further instructions!

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • DrZ

    Warm Greetings J.D.
    Due to business rants, I need to install a SSD and create duel boot (1) Win 7 Pro work rant and (2) Win 8 Pro – both 64. What process would you suggest I should follow after exchanging the factory install 500Gb hard drive with the Samsung 840 SSD?
    Regards, DrZ

    • Hi DrZ,
      Thank you for your kind comment. Unfortunately, I do not have much experience setting up dual booting installs of Win 7 and Win 8 on the same drive ๐Ÿ™ Google will probably be a better help to you than I can on this particular question! Sorry to not be of more help but I definitely wish you good luck to you in your endeavors ๐Ÿ™‚

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • johnny

    hi, thanks for this tutorial that you have posted.
    now im planning to buy an ssd for my vivo book x202e but I was thinking of buying an sshd from Seagate. which might you think could be lighter? I want something as light as possible. and another question, could I upgrade my x202e’s 500 gb hdd to an hdd with a higher capacity? and could I still do anything about its ram? I really want 8 gb.

    thanks.

    • Hi Johnny,
      Thank you for your nice comment.

      ***SSD and SSHD options***
      Most SSDs should be significantly lighter than the SSHDs from Seagate. The platters and accompanying mechanical components are what make the Seagate almost twice as heavy, in one case 95g for the Seagate and 53g for a SSD of the same capacity.

      Regardless, you should be able to use any SATA drive that is 7mm height, 9.5mm drives are too thick.

      The Seagate 7mm SSHD would be a fairly economical (~$83 USD) upgrade that should perform quite a bit better than the default X202E hard drive… whereas a 500GB SSD would be more expensive (~$350 USD) but very fast. ๐Ÿ™‚

      ***RAM***
      Unfortunately the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard. So unless you are willing to desolder and try to find appropriate replacement RAM chips to resolder then there are no RAM upgrade options for the X202E. ๐Ÿ™

      Best of luck to you Johnny and please let us know what you end up deciding on for a storage upgrade on your nice X202E. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • RJ

    Hello! Nice write-up.

    I was thinking about doing this mod mainly for the battery life. Have you noticed much of a difference?

    • Hi RJ,
      Thank you for your nice comment.

      I have noticed an increase in battery life, approximately 15-20% is my best guess. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Please be aware that which SSD you choose will determine the final battery life / power consumption, as SSD power consumption can vary quite a bit by brand/model. Here are some examples of power usage for various SSDs:
      http://www.anandtech.com/show/6337/samsung-ssd-840-250gb-review/12
      http://www.anandtech.com/show/7006/sandisk-extreme-ii-review-480gb/8

      The Kingston HyperX is a great performer that seems to really sip power, so for very low power consumption under most workloads I highly recommend it.

      Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with RJ!

      Best regards,
      -JD

      • RJ

        Wow,
        Thanks for the info and fast reply, JD!

        Except now I have another problem…
        Deciding on the Kingston vs the Samsung! I’ll have to sleep on it ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Just out of curiosity, what did you do with the old hard drive? I was planning on buying a cheap jacobparts enclosure for an external drive to carry around.

        • That is definitely a dilemma about which SSD to choose RJ! Thankfully, it is hard to go wrong either way… the Kingston and the Samsung drives are both excellent IMHO ๐Ÿ™‚

          Currently I just have the old 500GB hard drive just setting around (with a pile of other hard drives) and I intend on using it if any drives fail in other computers around the house/office. However, your enclosure idea is definitely an excellent one!

          Best regards,
          -JD

  • vn

    sir….im planning to buy this….can i ask if the battery is replaceable? and it can be use without the battery while in ac mode? tnx

  • Michael Gudger

    I just replaced the network card in my X202E with the Intel 6235. The one thing that surprised me was that there was only one antenna cable. Is this something new that Asus is doing with the X202E?

  • tsandco

    Any recomendation on an after market charger for the x202e? The asus charge is $50 so i would like to find a less expensive alternative.

    Thanks

    • Hello and thank you for your question.

      My top two recommendations for chargers:
      #1 This Pwr+ brand charger for about $18 USD:
      Pwr+ Ac Adapter Laptop Charger for Asus Q200e S200 S200e X201 X201e X202 X202e
      This charger is built to work with the X202E and if for some reason the charger did not work properly, you would be covered by Amazon’s 30-day return policy (just specify ‘defect/does not work properly’ when doing the return, and Amazon will even pay return shipping).

      -or-

      #2 this larger 65W ASUS charger:
      ASUS 65W Power Adapter (about $34 USD as of the time of this writing)
      I know it is still expensive, but it is made by ASUS if that makes you more comfortable. The only drawback (compared to the original charger) is the larger size.

      I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Best regards,
      -JD

  • Josรฉ Roberto Emerich Junior

    Hi man! I have one Q200E and I like to know if can i update his memory? I have 4GB and want 8GB. Thanks

    PS.: I’m brazilian, sorry for my poor english!

    • Olรก Josรฉ!
      Thank you for visiting my site, I think your english is very good ๐Ÿ™‚

      Unfortunately, the Q200E’s memory is not upgradeable (the 4GB is soldered directly to the motherboard).

      The best available upgrade I know for performance improvement on the Q200E is to upgrade to a SSD.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions Josรฉ . Enjoy your nice Q200E!
      -J.D.

  • Gerald

    First off let me just say you are by far the most “above and beyond”, “polite”, “helpful”, “knowledgeable”, tech site I’ve come across in a while. 2nd is I inherited a q200e that my nephew spilt Febreze on the keyboard and 85% of the keys are non functioning. I purchased a keyboard. and I’m wondering how to go about replacing it. I’m sure you know what I mean since you have opened up this particular model.

    • Hi Gerald,
      Thank you for your kind comment!

      I am sorry to hear about the Febreze incident, there are few things more frustrating than a laptop where keys don’t work or they are sticky ๐Ÿ™

      #1 Keyboard Removal
      Unfortunately I have never replaced the keyboard on a Q200E. However, I did compile the most relevant resources I could find on the topic:
      http://www.jdhodges.com/blog/asus-q200e-s200e-x202e-keyboard-replacement/
      By comparing some of that info, and the connector on your replacement keyboard, with photos like this one:
      http://www.jdhodges.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSC_0650.jpg
      you may be able to see where the keyboard connects to the motherboard and determine the correct removal procedure that way..

      #2 Keyboard cleaning
      Another option you may want to investigate, is to try cleaning the keys on your existing keyboard. I generally find compressed air, as well as rubbing alcohol and q-tips or similar to be helpful for basic cleaning. However, with the Febreze I am not sure what if anything will work! If you want to give it a try though you might be able to remove the non-functioning keys and clean the underlying portions then replace the keys.

      Sorry to not have better info for you Gerald. Please keep me posted on what you figure out!
      -J.D.

  • Ali R

    Hi,
    I just purchased an SSD and intend on doing this with my x202e.

    Would a Win7 installation on this machine work ok? I tried it with the current drive, but kept getting errors (due to some new security embedded into the partition I think). If I start with this drive, will I still run into any of those issues?
    Do you have any experience with W7 on these machines? Concerned about driver availability etc., and would love any insight on how well (if at all) the touchscreen would work in W7 (I use my machine like a traditional laptop, rarely use touchscreen except for navigating slides in a PPT slideshow).

    If I stick with W8, assuming I could just clone my drive to the new SSD before installation… any thoughts/ideas on that?

    Thanks, this thread has been very helpful!!

    • Hi Ali R,
      Thank you for posting your excellent questions about your X202E and Windows 8. I apologize for taking so long to reply!

      Windows 7 should work well on an X202E. I have reinstalled OSes on ASUS laptops similar to the X202E/S200E etc. and often the main bootup issue after a new SSD or Windows 7 install attempt is related to UEFI and secure boot. Here is an ASUS FAQ on the topic:
      http://support.asus.com/faq/detail.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=3&m=S200E&s=21&hashedid=n/a&os=&no=8AEDC590-B808-710B-1877-4E94E38B8FD9
      Specifically, entering the BIOS (pressing F2 at the correct point during bootup) and then setting ‘Security->Secure Boot Control’ to Disabled has helped me. If that still doesn’t help you may also want to try setting the BIOS ‘Boot-Launch->CSM’ to Enabled.

      As for your other question about drivers. You should be able to find Windows 7 drivers for all X202E devices and the touch functionality should be sufficient for navigating slides etc.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions Ali R, and have a great weekend!
      -J.D.

  • ernie keller

    I have Windows 7 on my x202e, it’s working well, now I want to install an SSD. Do I need to reenter the BIOS? I have Secureboot disabled. Thanks for your help.

    • Hello Ernie,
      Congratulations on your Windows 7 install!

      I do not believe you will have to enter into the BIOS again to install the new SSD. You will merely need to (A) clone your Windows 7 install to the new drive -or- (B) re-install Windows 7 on the new drive.

      I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions.

      Have a great rest of the weekend ๐Ÿ™‚

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

  • Bjarke

    I just read through this, and since it haven’t been mentioned: ASUS Backtracker is a really easy way to move the original Windows Image from the old HDD to the new SSD – probably the easiest way there is. All it requires, is an 8 (or maybe 16?) gb usb key.

    • Hi Bjarke,
      Thanks for the great tip! I was not familiar with ASUS Backtracker but it looks cool ๐Ÿ™‚ Do you connect have (A) to connect the SSD (via USB) at the same time as the HDD to do the move, or (B) can you just create the 8GB/16GB USB key and it contains the restore files to use with the SSD?

      I think it is (B)… but I couldn’t quite tell from the ASUS literature.

      Thanks!
      -J.D.

  • Shark Badgerhyde

    Thanks!
    I’ve been fooling with electronics for over 50 yrs. and recently retired from running a computer service for 22. I’ve opened a thousand cases, and this Asus is a particularly tricky one. Desktop cases present problems similar to each other, but mobile devices subscribe to no particular standard.
    After removing the screws I reached the point where caution bid me to research the next step before prying any further.
    This article is just what I needed. Thanks also for the several very good tips!

    Shark

    • Hi Shark,
      Thank you for your awesome comment!

      I hear you, the ASUS is a bit unique. I’m glad the photos and tips were helpful ๐Ÿ™‚

      Congrats on another successful service and please stay in touch!

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

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