MaxUpgrades Kit Installed

Isn't that what ifixit is for?!?!

 

Exactly. I do love that site.

 

I do agree with the OP that some instructions would be nice, but really ifixit does probably a better job than any written instructions could ever do so even if they were included I would have skipped right over them!

 

Wanted to add that I installed the MaxUpgrades kit as well and would echo your praise (OP) for it and the superdrive bay that comes with it. It's well made and works great. I put my SSD in the regular hard drive spot and the stock hard drive in the optical drive bay.

I thought I read somewhere that that it was best to have your SSD with operating system in the hard drive bay and the "extra" HD for storage in the optical bay. I assume you have your os x on the SSD, and if so, any issues with having it in the optical bay? Can you spin down the the drive in the HD bay when not needed, etc?

 

I just installed the Maxupgrade kit last week (pics). OWC appears to sell its own re-branded version of this kit, and hosts a very nice installation video on their website.

It is definitely well made, being a solid aluminum part that is a drop in replacement for the Superdrive, and uses the original mounting locations.

I would have opted for ordering the kit from OWC as I've always had good experiences them, but Maxupgrades offered an knockoff Macbook Air USB Superdrive usb enclosure for a few bucks more.

 

Last time I checked (and the package I bought) the Optibay as well comes with an included case for the Superdrive.... for free.

Will be placing the SSD in the mainbay though to use sata III that you dont have in the optibay. The HDD should have build in free fall.

 

I too installed the MU kit, WD Scorpio Black in the optical bay. Works perfect.

As for the superdrive enclosure, I do appreciate the single USB cable needed to connect it to the MBP, but I have trouble ejecting discs consistently. I have to sometimes pull the bottom of the opening down to have it eject cleanly; otherwise, it will hit the bottom plastic and return back into the drive. As far as I can see, the drive is properly seated, but I may be missing something to get the fit perfect. Anyone else run into this issue?

 

20+ years building computers and you can't get into the Macbook Pros? I find them the easiest.

I've been doing the same thing for 15+ years and PC laptops still make me want to bash my head against the desk at times.

Bit slack it didn't include instructions though, even if they did refer to iFixit would of been better.

 

I had this issue too until I gave it "one more squeeze"... then --click-- seated perfectly and all works well. FWIW

 

I was also surprised to find that there wasn't any sort of instructions. I even searched on their website and still couldn't find anything.

But yeah this OWC video covers the installation process really well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvdAN_caP9E

Just be careful when unscrewing the optical drive. One of my screws was in there super tight and I was starting to strip the head.

 

I ordered the Maxconnect kit last night. I going to return the newmodeus caddy because it seems a little universal to me, you have to leave out 2 screws. They emailed me today and told me they would have a new model specifically for the unibody in 60 days or less.

 

Really?
I'm 6yrs in IT and I have 0 certifications and it took me all of 15min my first time. 5 of that was just looking for a vid on youtube.

 

I don't think many (including myself) are willing to rush through potentially messing up a $3000+ laptop.

 

Is the Maxupgrades unit somehow more complicated than the Optibay?

With the unibody it really does take only about 5-10 minutes to complete the installation "screw to screw". It didn't come with instructions, either. It didn't seem to need them. Ok.. here's this thing that's the shape of the optical drive and goes where the optical drive goes. 1. mount your drive on the optibay sled. 2. take out the optical drive and don't lose the screws. Don't mess up the ribbon cable that goes across the drive area by unplugging it and not screwing around with it. 3. put the optibay in and reconnect sata and that other cable. 4. put it back together.

Now, the optibay in the old aluminum laptops was a different story. That procedure probably took a half hour with careful study of the ifixit page. That machine was a pain in the ass in general doing anything inside it.

The one special thing I did do was take some of that foamy double sided tape and I cut down a couple of strips so that the optithing was secure.

 

eh, pretty similar I think. I was just wanting a video to see which screws need to come out, basically.

 

I had an easy installation of the MaxUpgrade kit, but of course I had spent a couple hours watching videos and reading ifixit's tutorial and others before I started.
I also got the superdrive enclosure and it also went together easily.
I had purchased an eBay kit beforehand but it didn't have mounting holes for either securing the hard drive or the caddy into the MBP, so that was $30 wasted.

 

+1

i never did anything like this with a mac before and it was piece of pishh
i did download the vid to my ps3 so i could parrot follow each step

owc really is an idiots guide - worked for me
x3