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Major Bluetooth interference with Optibay HDD during file transfer

Menopause

Menopause

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 26, 2011
663
1,807
Dear all,


I installed my stock (Apple) Hitachi 5400 RPM HDD in my MacBook Pro mid 2010 using an Optibay caddy. The installation went smoothly.

My Bluetooth goes crazy when I transfer any large file between my HDD and SSD or read a large file from the HDD. I can barely move the mouse pointer on the display at times; if I'm typing something, one key would get locked and keep repeating itself.

The interference occurs when the HDD is reading or writing at its peak (at blue arrow in image below). It almost feels like it's hogging up resources to preventing the mouse or trackpad from working smoothly.

Screen_shot_2011-05-31_at_3.30.20_AM.png


Could someone lend me a thought as to what I could do to fix this ? I've tried resetting the PRAM and reconnecting the module cables inside the notebook, making double sure everything is perfectly fitted.


Many grateful thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
D

DerFrank

macrumors newbie
Jun 27, 2011
3
0
same Problem here

Hi,

do you have a solution meanwhile? I have the exact same problem with the MCE Optibay and my Macbook 2011 here ...

Thanks in advance
 
Menopause

Menopause

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 26, 2011
663
1,807
Can't figure out if I have solved the problem completely. It happens but not as frequently as before. Do you have iStat Menus installed ?
 
D

DerFrank

macrumors newbie
Jun 27, 2011
3
0
I´ve just installed it ... have the same problems you describe ... Bluetooth goes crazy when i have Harddisk Activity on the "optibay Hdd" ...

i seems that when i put the Magic Mouse directly beside the Macbook it goes better ... seems that on low distance the mouse works ...
 
Timur

Timur

macrumors 6502a
Oct 14, 2008
575
15
The Bluetooth chip and antenna are situated there. So it's likely electromagnetic interference.
 
D

DerFrank

macrumors newbie
Jun 27, 2011
3
0
Thats right but, shouldnt have all users of MCE Optibays this kind of Problem?
(with Macbook Pro using Bluetooth)

I think somoeone at MCE should check the Hardware they are selling ...
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
Most people (myself included) rarely use bluetooth peripherals enough to notice. It may pay to shield the bluetooth card/cable.
 
Mal

Mal

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
awer25 said:
Most people (myself included) rarely use bluetooth peripherals enough to notice. It may pay to shield the bluetooth card/cable.
Click to expand...

And it's entirely possible that simply placing some aluminum foil between the bluetooth card/cable and the Optibay would be enough. No guarantees, but if it's interference, it might work.

jW
 
Timur

Timur

macrumors 6502a
Oct 14, 2008
575
15
I even have problems without any Optibay modifications (yet), just because my Apple Bluetooth keyboard is lying left of the Macbook while the hinge and Optibay are on the on the other side with the MBP's own chassis in between.
 
kcrossley

kcrossley

macrumors regular
Mar 22, 2009
154
24
Virginia
Menopause said:
Dear all,


I installed my stock (Apple) Hitachi 5400 RPM HDD in my MacBook Pro mid 2010 using an Optibay caddy. The installation went smoothly.

My Bluetooth goes crazy when I transfer any large file between my HDD and SSD or read a large file from the HDD. I can barely move the mouse pointer on the display at times; if I'm typing something, one key would get locked and keep repeating itself.

The interference occurs when the HDD is reading or writing at its peak (at blue arrow in image below). It almost feels like it's hogging up resources to preventing the mouse or trackpad from working smoothly.

Image

Could someone lend me a thought as to what I could do to fix this ? I've tried resetting the PRAM and reconnecting the module cables inside the notebook, making double sure everything is perfectly fitted.


Many grateful thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Hello. May I ask what the postscript was on this? I'm having the same problems you've described with the same type of an upgrade, albeit a 2012 MBP.

Thanks!
 
G

Gniffelbaf

macrumors newbie
Nov 26, 2013
2
0
Problem since HDD swap

I just replaced my WD5000BEKT-75KA9T0 (500GB 7200) with a WD10JPVX-30JC3T0 (1TB 5400) in the Opti-Bay and the problems as above appeared.

There are 3 possible origins I can think of:

- I messed up the connections of the antenna (less likely)
- Interference (as mentioned above) (very likely)
- Incompatibility

Did anyone find out what causes this?

I think I will put my old drive back tomorrow to see if I can rule out the messed up antenna.
 
G

Gniffelbaf

macrumors newbie
Nov 26, 2013
2
0
Possible solution

Hello again,

As mentioned above I replaced the new problematic WD10JPVX-30JC3T0 (SATA 600) with an older disk Hitachi HTS725050A9A362 - which came with the MBP 17" early 2011 I believe, (SATA 300)

This solved the bluetooth problem, but now I'm back at 500GB in the Optibay again.

I found this thread (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1533721/), where a user (NewishMacGuy) says the following:


The SATA III optibay interfaces in 2011 MBPs won't run SATA III drives reliably. There is a well documented issue with RFI interference from the wifi antennae. SATA II drives should work fine.
...


So that's that. I assume this was the problem.

The 1TB SATA 600 HDD that was causing problems has also a SATA 300 version, which I will purchase (WD Scorpio Blue SATA 3 Gb/s WD10JPVT, 1TB). I'll put the SATA 600 disk in an USB 3.0 enclosure, would be good for backups, but still a bit of a waste of money.
I will try to remember to post the results once I get the disk.
 
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