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I've purchased a Dell OptiPlex 9020 Small Form Factor desktop, which came with a HDD and no optical drive. There is a standard SATA data cable and a slimline 6-pin power cable for an ODD however.

I'd like to install an SSD, while retaining the HDD, and am unsure which approach to take:
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[*] Option 1: Use an optical caddy to connect the SSD - and utilize the provided cables.
[*] Option 2: Use a Y cable to split the power going to the HDD to power the HDD & SSD, and use the provided data cable
[*] Option 3: Find an adapter to convert the slimline 6-pin power connector to a standard 15-pin SATA power connector (I've not been able to find one, however)
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I ask this because for option 1, the caddy comes with a pass through for the data pins, but I don't want that to affect data transfers in any way (I've heard of people having occasional freeze-ups, or high CPU usage with caddies).

Option 2 only splits the power and does not introduce anything for the data cables, so any reasonable quality cable will suffice, hence is something I'm leaning towards.

Option 3 does not exist, AFAIK.

What would you recommend be the appropriate way forward?

Option 2 definitely sounds the least likely to create issues. The additional power draw will be easily handled by the Y-split. Your assessment of the issues with 1) and 3) sounds spot on.

Will the SSD fit in neatly without the caddy?

excession wrote:

Option 2 definitely sounds the least likely to create issues. The additional power draw will be easily handled by the Y-split. Your assessment of the issues with 1) and 3) sounds spot on.

Will the SSD fit in neatly without the caddy?

Thank you for your input, Y-cable has been ordered

The SSD will fit in quite well without a caddy - while it won't be firmly secured, it will be enclosed by the ODD cage/holder, and cannot fall out or hit anything else. As its a desktop, that should be fine by me.

Velcro could affix that.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Velcro could affix that.

Cheers, will do that

To give a line of closure to this thread, I've gone in for the Y power cable from MonoPrice, and its working perfectly well.