2009 SSD - OWC the only option?

[dyckyj]

Hey everyone, I guess this is my first post on this forum! Anyways, I just got a pretty good deal on 2009 Macbook Air (A1304) with a screen that isn't working and no hard drive. While replacement screens are fairly easy/cheap to find I'm having trouble with the SSD. Does anyone know if you can get the ribbon cable used on the OWC ssd's separately somehow http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Aura_Pro_MBA ? Or is there some sort of LIF to msata adapter available? Nothing against OWC its just that while they are asking $200 for their 120gb SSD, msata SSD's are going for around $100 right now. Even if I had to pay $50 for the ribbon cable it would still be worth it...

 

[Weaselboy]

I have never seen anything other than OWC's solution or a used drive somebody pulled from their Air to do an upgrade.

 

[dyckyj]

I have never seen anything other than OWC's solution or a used drive somebody pulled from their Air to do an upgrade.

Thanks for the reply. I googled for a couple hours and couldn't find any other option... I guess it could be worse

 

[Edge]

This thread (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1137346/) seems to indicate there are two types of connectors, 24-pin SATA LIF and the older 40-pin PATA ZIF. Not sure which model your Air is, though.

Is this the cable in question? (not currently available, though)

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/MacBook-Air-Hard-Drive-Cable-p-17493.html

Or is this the cable?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-MACBOOK-AIR-A1304-HDD-CABLE-821-1011-A-821-0681-A-/111112576610

If it's the 40-pin cable, plus something like this...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/mini-pci-e-Msata-SSD-to-40pin-ZIF-adapter-card-as-tohiba-or-hitachi-zif-hdd-/221118000473

People are using these to put 256GB MSATA drives in iPods.

If it's the 40-pin, there might need to be room for this to convert the 40-pin to 24-pin, converting SATA to PATA;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/24pin-SATA-LIF-40pin-ZIF-adapter-card-cable-toshiba-samsung-SSD-HDD-/221149909433?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337d8fd1b9

Which looks the same as...

http://www.amazon.com/Micro-SATA-Cables-Pin-Adapter/dp/B009B8VC8G

Confusingly, there's also the 50-pin PATA/CF/MicroDrive used in the early iPods and orig Macbook Air.

I'm confused now. So, this might be completely and utterly wrong information, and even if correct, no guarantee it helps, let alone works. I suspect it may end up being easier to buy from OWC.

 

[hbjr001]

well, there's transcend jetdrive
cheaper!

Hey everyone, I guess this is my first post on this forum! Anyways, I just got a pretty good deal on 2009 Macbook Air (A1304) with a screen that isn't working and no hard drive. While replacement screens are fairly easy/cheap to find I'm having trouble with the SSD. Does anyone know if you can get the ribbon cable used on the OWC ssd's separately somehow http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Aura_Pro_MBA ? Or is there some sort of LIF to msata adapter available? Nothing against OWC its just that while they are asking $200 for their 120gb SSD, msata SSD's are going for around $100 right now. Even if I had to pay $50 for the ribbon cable it would still be worth it...