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Tobias Funke

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
628
61
I have just installed an 18 month old Samsung 830 from the HDD slot into a OWC Data Doubler in my late 2011 MBP.

It is being shown as 6GBs linked and connected at 6GBs in system profile.

It seems to be running normal. (Maybe slower to boot)

I have used blackmagic to test it.

I should have tested it BEFORE I moved it but I didn't!!

Blackmagic is showing a constant 340MB/s write but a fluctuating read of between 200MB/s and 440MB/s.!

Now before I swap it back to the HDD slot to test,

Is this a common problem with the already known list of MBP sata speed superdrive problems?!

Or could it be the SSD just needs reformatting and a clean OSX install??

Thank you.
 

Tobias Funke

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
628
61
UPDATE. :D

I have just put the SSD back into the normal HDD slot and I am getting exactly the same results.

Write speeds perfectly constant but read times stalling at 200MB/s and sometimes slowly raising to 300MB/s ish sometimes 400MB/s.

But it is far from consistent like the write speeds.

Does this mean my SSD is on its way out or will a full format and reinstall cure things??

Thanks again.
 

Tobias Funke

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
628
61
Put the SSD back into the superdrive bay and formatted and reinstalled ML.

Now running at a smooth constant 330MB/s Write and 455MB/s Read.

Thanks for all the replys. :D :D

Hope I don't have to do this every year with SSD drives!! :eek:
 

davidlv

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2009
2,291
874
Kyoto, Japan
Have you seen this? Personally, I would use the SSD in the HD bay.
The "Data Doubler" mentioned is OWC's brand name for their version of a superdrive bay caddy.
Quoted from OWC's HP:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DDAMBS0GB/
"Special compatibility notes related to use of this product with 6Gb/s SSDs in the following machines:
2011 MacBook Pro 15" (Model ID MacBookPro8,2)
2011 MacBook Pro 17" (Model ID MacBookPro8,3)
• OPTICAL BAY: The optical bay interface in these machines may either be SATA Revision 2.0 3Gb/s OR SATA Revision 3.0 6Gb/s. There is no way to specify/order this data interface with Apple, but you can confirm what interface/link speed version your optical bay offers via the Apple System Profiler.

Testing has demonstrated that Apple factory hardware does not reliably support a 6G (6Gb/s) Solid State Drive or Hard Disk Drive in the optical bay of 2011 MacBook Pros (ModeI ID8,1; 8,2; 8,3). If your OWC Data Doubler bundle comes with a 6G drive, you should ONLY install that drive in the main drive bay and utilize the Data Doubler to re-task your existing drive or install a new 3G SSD or HDD in the optical bay. PRE-2011 models can utilize a 6G drive in the optical bay, but will do so at a reduced 3G (3Gb/s) speed. 

2011 MacBook Pro 13" models: Apple does not support the use of 6Gb/s drives in the optical bay. While we have observed a high rate of success using SATA 3.0 6Gb/s drives in*Apple 13" bays where 6Gb/s link is present, some systems may not operate properly with this setup. For guaranteed reliability/compatibility, we suggest*6Gb/s drives be used in the main drive bay only, and 3Gb/s hard drives or SSDs be used in the optical bay when a two-drive configuration is desired. We*cannot guarantee proper or successful 6Gb/s drive operation in the Apple MacBook Pro 13" optical bay.

 

Tobias Funke

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
628
61
Have you seen this? Personally, I would use the SSD in the HD bay.


Thanks for the reply.

Yes I have seen that.

My problem was replicated after I moved the SSD back into the HDD slot so I ruled out it being the OWC caddy.

As far as I am aware all the problems with 2011 MBP's and superdrive SATA connections was with early 2011 models.

Apple did a slight revision and released the late 2011 models(Mine) and as far as I know fixed the superdrive SATA speed issues.

As you can see in my last post my SSD is happily running SATA3 speeds in the superdrive bay.

I will let you know if this lasts. :eek: :D
 

nudoru

macrumors 6502
Feb 27, 2012
294
76
Near Charlotte NC
I wasn't able to get Sata 3 in my late 2011 optibay. Computer would boot but lock when trying to access a drive. Put a Sata 2 drive in and no problems. :/
 
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