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Optibay, WD Scorpio Blue and motion sensor

N

nickday

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
39
9
Manchester, UK
Hi,

I've searched the forums and read several threads, but I can't find a definite answer to this question, so I hope somebody can clear up my confusion. :)

I'm going to get an Optibay from eBay, keep my Apple SSD in its normal location, and install a hard drive into the Optibay.

I've read that the hard drive installed in the Optibay won't be protected by the built in SMS protection - is this true? Does this mean that the hard drive I get should have its own motion sensor/protection?

I'm looking at the WD Scorpio Blue which has "SecurePark" according to http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/SpecSheet/ENG/2879-701278.pdf - is this motion sensor/protection OK? Or do I need the Scorpio Black, which I think I read somewhere has a different type of motion sensor?

I've read reports of constant spinning up/down and clicking noises due to conflicts between the hard drives build in motion sensor, and the MBP's built in SMS, so I'm a bit confused as to which drive is best.

Thanks for your help!
Nick
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
You're correct that it won't use the built-in motion sensor when in the optibay, but the SecurePark feature isn't the same thing. It just means that when the drive isn't being used, the heads are parked off the platter surface (which is true of basically any drive, so I don't know how it's a feature). If you're worried, get a drive with a real drop sensor.
 
N

nickday

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
39
9
Manchester, UK
Thanks for your replies. So it looks like I need to be sure that the HDD I put in the Optibay has its own motion sensor.

Comparing...

Blue: http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/SpecSheet/ENG/2879-701278.pdf
Black: http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/SpecSheet/ENG/2879-701275.pdf

... both of them have "ShockGuard" and "SecurePark". Is ShockGuard the motion sensor (in which case I'd be OK with a Blue, not that fussed about speed), or is the motion sensor something else that is only on Black models? I can't find any definitive answer on this.

Thanks,
Nick
 
M

MRiOS

macrumors regular
Jun 2, 2010
184
0
I'm currently running my MBP with an Intel SSD and a WD 500GB Blue in an optibay. I've had no problems whatsoever, even when going bad and forth between classes. As I've seen, Blues are basically everyday drives that perform very well for day to day use, The Black drives are there for enhanced performance, they are slightly faster and better for those who need that extra power or speed.
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
nickday said:
Thanks for your replies. So it looks like I need to be sure that the HDD I put in the Optibay has its own motion sensor.

Comparing...

Blue: http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/SpecSheet/ENG/2879-701278.pdf
Black: http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/SpecSheet/ENG/2879-701275.pdf

... both of them have "ShockGuard" and "SecurePark". Is ShockGuard the motion sensor (in which case I'd be OK with a Blue, not that fussed about speed), or is the motion sensor something else that is only on Black models? I can't find any definitive answer on this.

Thanks,
Nick
Click to expand...

It seems that it probably is the motion sensor
 
wikus

wikus

macrumors 68000
Jun 1, 2011
1,795
2
Planet earth.
Am I reading this correct? The main HD bay in macbook pros has some kind of anti-shock prevention system incase the laptop is dropped, securing potential damage to an HDD, where as the optical bay via an optibay does not?

Does this, if true, also apply to Core i7 MBPs before the sandybridge release?
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
wikus said:
Am I reading this correct? The main HD bay in macbook pros has some kind of anti-shock prevention system incase the laptop is dropped, securing potential damage to an HDD, where as the optical bay via an optibay does not?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's true.

Does this, if true, also apply to Core i7 MBPs before the sandybridge release?
Click to expand...
I don't know.
 
bozz2006

bozz2006

macrumors 68030
Aug 24, 2007
2,530
0
Minnesota
wikus said:
Am I reading this correct? The main HD bay in macbook pros has some kind of anti-shock prevention system incase the laptop is dropped, securing potential damage to an HDD, where as the optical bay via an optibay does not?

Does this, if true, also apply to Core i7 MBPs before the sandybridge release?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a sensor built into the system for a drive in the HDD bay which sensing a sudden change and will park the heads so the don't crash into the platter of the hard drive upon impact. This is for the HDD bay only, not the optical drive bay. Many hard drives also have this technology built directly into the drive. You can get your hard drive info from system profiler then google it to get the info for your hard drive from the manufacturer's website.
 
wikus

wikus

macrumors 68000
Jun 1, 2011
1,795
2
Planet earth.
bozz2006 said:
Yes, there is a sensor built into the system for a drive in the HDD bay which sensing a sudden change and will park the heads so the don't crash into the platter of the hard drive upon impact. This is for the HDD bay only, not the optical drive bay. Many hard drives also have this technology built directly into the drive. You can get your hard drive info from system profiler then google it to get the info for your hard drive from the manufacturer's website.
Click to expand...

This is REALLY good to know, I was going to shift over the HDD to the optical bay and use an SSD in the main buy. I may as well just put in an SSD into the optical bay and omit doing anything with the main drive.

Thanks!!!
 
N

nickday

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
39
9
Manchester, UK
I still can't seem to confirm whether the Scorpio range (Blue or Black) have a proper free-fall sensor. I'd like to keep the SSD where it is (possible booting problems etc by moving it to optibay), so I want to make sure the HDD I get has a proper motion sensor.

I'm now thinking that the Seagate Momentus 5400.6 might be the best bet. It gets quite a good writeup on noise here and has less vibration than the Scorpio on Silent PC review here. Also it has the added benefit that I'm 100% sure it has the motion sensor (G-Force protection), and from ifixit.com I've found out that it is the Apple-supplied stock drive that was in the HDD version of my MBP (from my experience Apple generally pick quiet drives).

The only snag is that they don't do a 750gb version so I'd have to make do with 500gb. I'm also considering an Hitachi one as they get good reviews noise-wise too, and noise is the most important thing to me really - but need to see if any of those have motion sensors.
 
cvs

cvs

macrumors member
Feb 23, 2011
78
3
I have the Blue 750GB on Optibay and it is very quiet, in fact I do not hear it at all on the 15'' MBP 2011.

No Scorpio has the good old G-sensor that the now obsolete 320GB model had.
I am not sure if the now call it Shockguard or something, but between the Black and the Blue, the rpm is the only difference I can find in the spec sheets.
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
To be honest, just get what you need size/speed-wise, don't worry about the fall sensor, and make regular backups with TM.
 
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