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MCE Optibay Alternative CHEAP

MacModMachine said:
hi guys, external disc drive shouldent be a problem to install windows 7 with, another great option is this.

straight from microsoft - how to install windows 7 via USB Memory Stick

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535816.aspx


works every time !

good luck guys,
Click to expand...

What superdrive caddy are you using? I want to get the ayagroup optibay and ayagroup (sabrent) superdrive caddyfor my MBP10, but I feel like I've read in a few other places that people are having problems installing win7 onto an SSD when the superdrive is connected via the USB.

Also, how big of a memory stick do you need to install win7 from there?
 
cbdavis4 said:
What superdrive caddy are you using? I want to get the ayagroup optibay and ayagroup (sabrent) superdrive caddyfor my MBP10, but I feel like I've read in a few other places that people are having problems installing win7 onto an SSD when the superdrive is connected via the USB.

Also, how big of a memory stick do you need to install win7 from there?
Click to expand...

you will need 4gb memory stick,

i have the ayagroup superdrive enclosure, i hold option and select the disc to start install, i have done it quite a few times.
let me investigate it some more.
 
sevimli said:
I am wondering how you guys managed to install win7? if you haven't tried yet, could you please try to boot windows 7 or vista dvd from external cd drive?
Click to expand...

Worked for me on a MB 1,1 with a superdrive inside an external USB-enclosure. I could install Win7 on my SSD without any problems. I'm relatively sure though that it was necessary to install rEFIt first to get it to work.
 
I've never had luck installing windows on my MBP from a USB stick. Even with rEFIt. I tried following those (and better) instructions, and it works fine on PCs, but I can't get it to work on a mac. :(

I have my SSD partitioned for both OS X and Win 7, so I installed Win 7 on my SSD before taking out the CD drive and replacing it with the optibay. I recommend doing that if you want OS X and Win 7 on your SSD. You can put the SSD in the Optibay *after* installing the OS's on it if you really want to.

The enclosure I bought is here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360259290305
The user is jpquality1.
 
It might be specific to different versions of MB or MBPs. I am having problem with MBP 2010 (i7).

If I press/hold "option" and select the windows DVD to boot, Apple logo/question mark/folder picture starts flashing, cannot go further.

If I press/hold "C" to force booting from windows DVD, it shows Press any key to boot from CD/DVD, afterward I can pick only "Windows Setup [EMS Enabled]"
and it freezes after "loading the windows files" screen is done, just before installation starts. Tried several times, got the same results using native boot option or rEFIt boot menu.

I got some extra information with "rEFIt" though, after it fails with windows7 DVD, I got this error:

"ERROR: NOT FOUND returned from legacy loader
ERROR: NOT FOUND from LocateDevicePath
ERROR: NOT FOUND from LocateDevicePath
ERROR: NOT FOUND from LocateDevicePath
ERROR: NOT FOUND from LocateDevicePath
ERROR: NOT FOUND from LocateDevicePath
ERROR: NOT FOUND from LocateDevicePath

The firmware refused to boot from selected volume"

I will try USB flash option whenever i have time.
:(
 
Can some mod tell me if it's ok if I start a "Official Optibay FAQ" thread, ask some questions, get some questions, get some answers and aggregate the best answers in the first post? I'll do all the work, I just really want to do it :)
 
1=1? said:
Can some mod tell me if it's ok if I start a "Official Optibay FAQ" thread, ask some questions, get some questions, get some answers and aggregate the best answers in the first post? I'll do all the work, I just really want to do it :)
Click to expand...

or you can just let me finish the guide i have started and invested countless hours on.
 
no way

it'd be cool if you organized it in a more easy to read fashion which is why I wanted to do the faq.
 
1=1? said:
no way

it'd be cool if you organized it in a more easy to read fashion which is why I wanted to do the faq.
Click to expand...

im trying to do that in the first post, its just taking a bit of time with photo's and such, i have the guide almost done in .doc format, i have worked almost 6 hours solving the hibernation issue with using 2 disks, but i finally have it solved.
 
So I installed mine with an old 500GB Scorpio Blue today. I'm pretty happy with it so far. The drive is kinda loud though. I miss the silence of my SSD by itself.

4816341951_92c5c1362f.jpg


One thing I noticed was, the side that secures with two screws, did not have mounting holes. It wasn't a big deal because the drive was secure anyways, but it's something I think people should be aware of:

4816965116_ea00fc6837.jpg


Now all I need is someone to solve the hibernating issues in the optibay so I can throw a 1TB drive in here :D
 
LoneWolf121188 said:
Hey folks, just wanted to let everyone know I got my SSD and external CD drive all set up. The external enclosure is from a seller called jpquality1, and it works with only 1 USB cable (although it comes with two)! It also comes with a face plate, but I think it's only for drives that have a tray, as I don't see any way to install it.

The Optibay is from powerbluetech. Took a long time to get here, but it works great. I needed to pull off the black faceplate, but it's easy to pull off.
Click to expand...

Is this the caddy you got? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180524798421

Once you pull off the faceplate, does the caddy fit perfectly?
 
nineohtoo said:
So I installed mine with an old 500GB Scorpio Blue today. I'm pretty happy with it so far. The drive is kinda loud though. I miss the silence of my SSD by itself.
Click to expand...

Yep it's definitely noticeable when the "spinner" is running after using SSD only for a while. I actually put all my media (pictures, movies, music) on the old drive and so I keep it unmounted (and hence silent) for most of the time when I'm using the machine.
 
Crazy question, but I thought it would suit this thread.

Has anyone found a clean way / product to block off the front of the existing CD slot?. Just for completionist sake really and to make it look a bit cleaner. :D
 
dualsyste said:
Crazy question, but I thought it would suit this thread.

Has anyone found a clean way / product to block off the front of the existing CD slot?. Just for completionist sake really and to make it look a bit cleaner. :D
Click to expand...

take a look....been asked before.
 
i just realized i ordered the wrong bay. FFUUUUUUUU

Make sure you get the 9.5MM height if you're installing it into a unibody macbook!
 
I must not be doing something right. I received my replacement Sabrent external DVD enclosure from ayagroup and they were kind enough to do it no questions asked, and he even tested it before shipping. I cannot get my MBP or my GF's MB to recognize the drive. I hear it spin up just like any other disc that would be inserted into a superdrive and then after a minute stop, but nothing in Finder or Disk Utility. Ideas? Do I need to install something first? OSX drivers or something? I have a disk stuck in there lol
 
aznguyen316 said:
I must not be doing something right. I received my replacement Sabrent external DVD enclosure from ayagroup and they were kind enough to do it no questions asked, and he even tested it before shipping. I cannot get my MBP or my GF's MB to recognize the drive. I hear it spin up just like any other disc that would be inserted into a superdrive and then after a minute stop, but nothing in Finder or Disk Utility. Ideas? Do I need to install something first? OSX drivers or something? I have a disk stuck in there lol
Click to expand...


Have you tried to put any cd/dvd inside? When you plugged-in an empty dvd-rom it doesn't do anything.
 
sevimli said:
Just created my bootable Windows7 USB Drive (I used a spare 60gb OCZ SSD)

Got exact same result with the bootable USB drive as well.

[pic]
Click to expand...

I'm afraid, depending on your machine, that's to be expected. No problems with installing Windows 7 from an external Superdrive at all on my first-generation Macbook, but lots of users with newer machines appear to have that problem regardless of the external device used ?!
 
tkermit said:
I'm afraid, depending on your machine, that's to be expected. No problems with installing Windows 7 from an external Superdrive at all on my first-generation Macbook, but lots of users with newer machines appear to have that problem regardless of the external device used ?!
Click to expand...


I thought the same. I tried to asked here about that, but most of the people were insisting it would be just fine with a bootable usb drive instead of external cd-rom.

So my only option would be installing windows 7 for optibay HDD on another PC and put it back into the MBP again.
 
sevimli said:
Have you tried to put any cd/dvd inside? When you plugged-in an empty dvd-rom it doesn't do anything.
Click to expand...

I definitely put a disc inside. It was stuck in there b/c OSX or Windows didn't recognize a drive for me to put an eject. Ended up opening the superdrive to et the disc out. Like I said the drive would spin up with the disc in it. I haven't tried another disc though, don't really want it to get stuck and have to re-open lol.
 
hibernation

MacModMachine said:
im trying to do that in the first post, its just taking a bit of time with photo's and such, i have the guide almost done in .doc format, i have worked almost 6 hours solving the hibernation issue with using 2 disks, but i finally have it solved.
Click to expand...

MacModMachine,

I would really appreciate you sharing the hibernation solution, if you have it ready... I dont need the full doc, just the terminal commands.

Thanks. I;m really glad you were able to solve this pressing problem
 
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