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anybody replace optical drive with a hard drive?

Same here

I'm also looking to replace my optical drive with an SSD. Has anyone done this recently to recommend a good drive? The only other question I have is will I still be able to use bootcamp with the SSD? I plan on making that my boot drive/apps and my existing drive for other files.
 
I picked up a CorsAir off of eBay for about $150 US.
It's not the best/fastest SSD in the world but wow it's so much faster and quieter. I'm using it as boot in the Optibay. I have a WD 500 for storage and apps.
I would recommend a cheaper SSD for now similar to mine because bigger, faster, better is always on the horizon. I basically have the best of both worlds with speed and storage. I can't comment about Bootcamp.:)
 
Thanks. No prob on the BootCamp issue.
I feel like a noob for asking, but NewEgg has a few SSDs that are "mac compatible" - shouldn't any of them work as long as they are notebook sized and SATA? This one should work in a MacBook too, right?
 
herooftime2 said:
Thanks. No prob on the BootCamp issue.
I feel like a noob for asking, but NewEgg has a few SSDs that are "mac compatible" - shouldn't any of them work as long as they are notebook sized and SATA? This one should work in a MacBook too, right?
Click to expand...

That should work.
 
It worked perfectly! The macbook is super fast, thanks gerabbi!

Anyone using bootcamp with two hard drives? The old windows partition still shows up but doesn't boot, though I can still boot into the old OSX install. I don't have enough space to partition my SSD for windows. Any advice out there on using bootcamp to run windows from the non-ssd hard drive?
 
herooftime2 said:
It worked perfectly! The macbook is super fast, thanks gerabbi!

Anyone using bootcamp with two hard drives? The old windows partition still shows up but doesn't boot, though I can still boot into the old OSX install. I don't have enough space to partition my SSD for windows. Any advice out there on using bootcamp to run windows from the non-ssd hard drive?
Click to expand...

It depends on how you set up your drives. More info would help.
 
I removed the optical drive and put the original hard drive in it's place. In the Regular hard drive slot, I installed the SSD. (It's a core2duo style white macbook). The SSD is 30 gigs, so it fits OSX and my primary apps. By default, the computer boots into the SSD OSX install.
 
I am planning to do this at some point in the future, a quick question to those who already got an Optibay in their MBPs:

I would assume that with regards to noise and vibrations the HDD should stay where Apple intended it to stay and the SSD should go into the Optibay. Can I still boot from the SSD if it is replacing the optical drive?
 
Dembo said:
I am planning to do this at some point in the future, a quick question to those who already got an Optibay in their MBPs:

I would assume that with regards to noise and vibrations the HDD should stay where Apple intended it to stay and the SSD should go into the Optibay. Can I still boot from the SSD if it is replacing the optical drive?
Click to expand...

You should be able to.
 
Has anyone found a way to keep hibernation with a boot drive in the OptiBay or it is still best to put the SSD boot drive in the normal drive bay for that reason?

Also, can a MBP 17 2010 model fit a 12mm 1TB HDD in either the OptiBay or the normal HDD bay?
 
Sorry guys but I'm a little confused about which of the Hard Drive caddys I need from new mode.
All I know is I have a 17 Macbook Pro Penryn 2.6ghz. All Aluminum.
There's like 50 different caddys over at new mode.
anyone can help? thanks.

also, this doesn't have to be run as raid does it? i can have both hds going at once?
 
Warranty

Does anybody here know what affect this has on warranty I'm guessing it voids it but can anyone confirm if it does or doesn't Void Warranty.:rolleyes:
 
lol

Karpfish said:
I need to replace my bottom casing and possibly superdrive due to warping and apple will not cover it for who knows what reason. I have been toying with putting in an SSD as a replacement for the superdrive because I realized that I can go without the superdrive pretty well. The only issue is that the SSDs are all SATA so i'm not sure how that would work.
Click to expand...

you've "been toying?" well i don't think apple will ever cover that ever because its ur fault if u mess up ur computer
 
Do we know of someone who has used a hybrid for a few months that has real problems with it?

I would like to hear from hybrid users out there.
 
Could I do this swap with on a 1.83 MBP?

Hi, folks. This swap seemed like such a good idea I went ahead and ordered a drive and external DVD burner. (The existing superdrive just won't function.) Then I realized the size difference, and after reading this I now wonder if I'll also need cable adapters in addition to some sort of caddy. Can anyone tell me if that's true, that I need adapters and a caddy (I saw a mention of foam to seat the HD. What kind of foam?) I'm not terribly experienced with modding, but I have replaced numerous drives on this thing and the airport card. And the trackpad, keyboard. Never taken the back off though, which is apparently called for in this operation. Any hints appreciated.
 
at the risk of being redundant...

Hi I'm, Andrew. I've read most of the pages on this thread I just want to recap, because I'm still a bit confused.

I have a non-Unibody MBP that I got late 2008, before the reign of the mighty unibodies.

To my understanding, the unibodies optical drive connection is sata, but the non-unibody, is different (ATAPI), and requires a special cable or caddy.

Understand how this works with a unibody, but not with a non unibody.

I would go with the optibay, but it's 99, throwing in a free enclosure is nice, but my optical drive is broken, and I bought an external to replace it.

EDIT:

OMG I get it know! haha I just need a pata caddy thing like this:

http://newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2
Though the description on the page is confusing, to my understanding it accepts stata hds and ssd and connects to the logic board with pata?

Though this seems like a better deal:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2nd-HDD-caddy-A...ge_Internal&hash=item2a0c9f5bfd#ht_3230wt_907
It makes more sense because it says it's sata to pata, and the modeus doesn't. this one is cheaper too.
 
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Unlocking SATA-II on Santa Rosa Macbooks

Nice thread.

I'm looking to extend the life of my maxed Santa Rosa late-2007 macbook 2.2 ghz by putting a SSD in it. (already have the max 4GB RAM thank you very much).

Has someone now found a way to unlock the SATA-II 3Gb/s on these machines?

Details:

I plan to move the existing 500GB HD to the optical drive bay. (not via Optiplex - too expensive - will look for cheaper solutions).

I note that the SR Macbooks are limited to SATA-I, even though the ICH8-M AHCI motherboard has SATA-II as default. I understand the reason for this was to ensure compatibility with the SATA-PATA bridge for the optical drive, and I'm fine with that.

Now that I'm taking out the optical drive however, is there a way to unlock the SATA-II 3Gb/s capability for the SSD in the main slot? Small SSDs that are faster than SATA-I are getting quite cheap now, especially second hand.

Thanks

RedTomato
 
RedTomato said:
Nice thread.

I'm looking to extend the life of my maxed Santa Rosa late-2007 macbook 2.2 ghz by putting a SSD in it. (already have the max 4GB RAM thank you very much).

Has someone now found a way to unlock the SATA-II 3Gb/s on these machines?

Details:

I plan to move the existing 500GB HD to the optical drive bay. (not via Optiplex - too expensive - will look for cheaper solutions).

I note that the SR Macbooks are limited to SATA-I, even though the ICH8-M AHCI motherboard has SATA-II as default. I understand the reason for this was to ensure compatibility with the SATA-PATA bridge for the optical drive, and I'm fine with that.

Now that I'm taking out the optical drive however, is there a way to unlock the SATA-II 3Gb/s capability for the SSD in the main slot? Small SSDs that are faster than SATA-I are getting quite cheap now, especially second hand.

Thanks

RedTomato
Click to expand...

Hi, I'm in a similar boat here...have a 2.0GHz Late 2007 MacBook that's at 4GB RAM and 500GB 7200rpm HD. Would love to move the hard drive to the optical bay and install a smaller SSD as a boot/system drive. Looks like the optical bay kits at OWC only support 2008 and later MacBooks. Is there any way to do this with this older model?
 
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