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MaxUpgrades Kit Installed

S

stillageek

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 4, 2010
21
0
I read quite a bit about the Optibay and similar kits. I went with the MaxUpgrade kit because it included an external case for the Superdrive.

The kit arrived today. It was disappointing to find ZERO documentation. If anyone who does not have a computer repair background buys one....beware. I have a 2010 Macbook Pro 15 inch 2.4 GHz Core I5.

I have spent 20+ years building and repairing computers. I'm A+ certified as well as Dell certified on a number of models. Apple certified? Nah.

Total install time was 35 minutes from first screw out to last screw in. I put an Intel X25-M 120 GB SSD in super drive spot and a Western Digital Black 7200 RPM 500GB hard drive in the normal spot.

Everything went together fine except one of the three screws that was to hold down the PCB for the SATA connection couldn't be used as a ribbon cable is routed over it. No big deal.

I had previously installed Max OS X and Win 7 on the SSD. Very snappy.

The external case for the super drive is nice. Worth the couple of extra bucks over the Optibay solution.

The kit would be perfect if it had instructions......without it's just really good.
 
Last edited:
vincenz said:
Exactly. I do love that site.
Click to expand...

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.
 
stillageek said:
The external case for the super drive is nice. Worth the couple of extra bucks over the Optibay solution.
Click to expand...

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.
 
rocque said:
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?
Click to expand...
I had this issue too until I gave it "one more squeeze"... then --click-- seated perfectly and all works well. FWIW :)
 
finchwizard said:
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.
Click to expand...

I didn't say I had a problem getting into the Macbook Pro...just stated I'm not Apple certified. Thirty-Five minutes start to finish is pretty good time IMHO.
 
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.
 
asdren said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
stillageek said:
I have spent 20+ years building and repairing computers. I'm A+ certified as well as Dell certified on a number of models. Apple certified? Nah.

Total install time was 35 minutes from first screw out to last screw in.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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