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MCE Optibay Alternative CHEAP
- Thread starter MacModMachine
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OS X can be installed with a thumb drive...Any flavor of windows or linux can not.
Yup, if you don't plan on getting an external optical drive (they can be used to do installations since they are bootable), before you pull out your internal optical drive, pop in the installation disk, open Disk Utility and make an .iso image of the disk using Disk Restore or something to that name. You can look online for a guide on how to restore the disk image to a hard drive or thumb drive. Extra bonus: you can now install OSX on any mac, even if it doesn't have an optical drive (like MBA or mini server) and running an installation from a HDD is quicker than from a DVD, especially if you put it on a small SSD if you happen to have one lying around.
Let us know if you have any more questions!
Still 1.5 Gig with nimitz caddy
So I took the plunge and purchased this caddy off ebay after reading about success here.
However I'm still seeing "Negotiated Link Speed:1.5 Gigabit" instead of the full 3. This is no different to the cheapo caddy I bought off ebay. I now doubt if the "official" Optibay would be any different.
My 2009 17" MPB definitely supports 3Gbps. I've had my SSD connected directly to the optical ribbon cable with a 13pin to 22pin SATA adapter for a week or so, and I got the full 3 gig. However I want my SSD safely secured in the caddy, so will have to live with 1.5. It's still way faster than a mechanical drive
So I took the plunge and purchased this caddy off ebay after reading about success here.
However I'm still seeing "Negotiated Link Speed:1.5 Gigabit" instead of the full 3. This is no different to the cheapo caddy I bought off ebay. I now doubt if the "official" Optibay would be any different.
My 2009 17" MPB definitely supports 3Gbps. I've had my SSD connected directly to the optical ribbon cable with a 13pin to 22pin SATA adapter for a week or so, and I got the full 3 gig. However I want my SSD safely secured in the caddy, so will have to live with 1.5. It's still way faster than a mechanical drive
So I took the plunge and purchased this caddy off ebay after reading about success here.
However I'm still seeing "Negotiated Link Speed:1.5 Gigabit" instead of the full 3. This is no different to the cheapo caddy I bought off ebay. I now doubt if the "official" Optibay would be any different.
My 2009 17" MPB definitely supports 3Gbps. I've had my SSD connected directly to the optical ribbon cable with a 13pin to 22pin SATA adapter for a week or so, and I got the full 3 gig. However I want my SSD safely secured in the caddy, so will have to live with 1.5. It's still way faster than a mechanical drive
Try running a benchmark test to see if the SSD is running at SATA II (3Gb/s) speeds. The smk312 adapter (identical adapter) shows SATA I (1.5Gb/s) speeds in system profiler, IIRC, and is even advertised by smk312 as only a SATA I (1.5Gb/s) adapter, but in benchmark tests (see a few pages back in this thread) it performs at SATA II speeds.
Since the adapter you bought is identical to the smk312 adapter (in fact ebay seller nimitz** is smk312, one and the same, I suspect the same is true with your adapter.
In AJA I get 111 MB/s write & 135 read. Poor, and ties up with what Profiler is reporting.
Interestingly, a few reboots after I posted it did report 3 Gbps! However after a subsequent reboot it's reverted to 1.5 Gbps
It seems to have a mind of its own.It's also taking longer than it should to boot. The Apple logo appears quickly but I then get a spinning wheel for at least a minute before the desktop appears. I've checked the SSD is set as the startup disk.
UPDATE
It appears I can "force" it to 3 gig by holding down the Option key after turning the MBP on, to select the startup disk. I only get the SSD to select, but on the 2 occasions I've tried it, Profiler reports 3 GBps.
Now my bench is way faster (180MB/s write, 267 MB/s read), so it seems Profiler is reporting the true speed.
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In AJA I get 111 MB/s write & 135 read. Poor, and ties up with what Profiler is reporting.
Interestingly, a few reboots after I posted it did report 3 Gbps! However after a subsequent reboot it's reverted to 1.5 Gbps
It's also taking longer than it should to boot. The Apple logo appears quickly but I then get a spinning wheel for at least a minute before the desktop appears. I've checked the SSD is set as the startup disk.
UPDATE
It appears I can "force" it to 3 gig by holding down the Option key after turning the MBP on, to select the startup disk. I only get the SSD to select, but on the 2 occasions I've tried it, Profiler reports 3 GBps.
Now my bench is way faster (180MB/s write, 267 MB/s read), so it seems Profiler is reporting the true speed.
So it only works if you select startup disk at boot? That's odd...
It could just be coincidence. Further testing required but if I hold down option at boot, I get 3 gig, if I do nothing I get 1.5. Very odd indeed!
Hi, this all looks really interesting, but want to make sure it is not out of date for my 2010 macbook pro 13 inch. What would work? I saw this is still open : http://www.ayagroup.com/product.php?...3&cat=0&page=1 so what mod does that require. Is there a better option? Downsides compared to optibay?
I heard that I need to put the boot drive in the HD bay, and the secondary in the optibay or it can not wake from sleep. I also heard that it can be best to put the HDD in the first bay if you buy an SSD, as it is more insulated to shock. Since I am getting an SSD for boot, what should I do? Thanks!
I heard that I need to put the boot drive in the HD bay, and the secondary in the optibay or it can not wake from sleep. I also heard that it can be best to put the HDD in the first bay if you buy an SSD, as it is more insulated to shock. Since I am getting an SSD for boot, what should I do? Thanks!
http://www.allekabels.nl/ATA-/-SATA-Kabels/1763/1082636/SATA-naar-Slim-SATA-5V-en-12V-converter.html
Would something like that work?
MBP, the block, HDD?
Would something like that work?
MBP, the block, HDD?
That will work, however your drive will be rattling around in your optical bay. For not all that much more you have a solution that has solid mounts. Up to you what option you want to pursue, but I'd rather have a $30 part meant for the job than a $10-15 jerry-rigged part in my expensive laptop.
Almost all your questions can be answered by reading the last few pages of the thread. You can put the boot drive in either bay, but if it is in the optical bay, it will wake from sleep, but it won't hibernate (when battery fully runs out, it won't save your work) IMO, not a big deal- I'm running my boot drive in the optical bay.
If you're getting an SSD, put it in the optical bay since your computer will be quieter and your HDD will be shock protected. Make it the boot drive and just remember to save your work if you're running really low on power. That would be what I would do.
As far as adapter- I'd go with the one previously mentioned on ebay (seller nimitz**)- make sure you get the uMBP model with 3 mounting points!!! I think the newmodeus and other adapters you have to cut to fit the uMBP's and they only have one mounting point, the MCE is overpriced, and the Maxupgrades or OWC Data Doubler are nice, but not necessary if you're on a budget.
I think nimitz** (formerly smk312) has changed his stock: previously the HD mounting screws were through the bottom- now it appears that you use the 4 mounting locations on the side of the drive and leave the screw heads sticking out to slot into the plastic casing. Also, while the original smk312 adapter was advertised and displayed in system profiler as only SATA I (1.5Gb/s) it, IIRC, always ran at SATA II (3.0Gb/s) in benchmark tests. Wurz's experience suggests that the board of the new stock adapter may not reliably support SATA II (3.0Gb/s).
Hmmm, I'd be interested to hear more people's experience with the nimitz adapter- especially whether it can reliably support SATA II speeds. If yes it seems the nimitz/smk312 adapter is still the way to go, if no, then we've lost a solid option.
Nothing, I had a MaxUpgrades... Stay away from it, its not designed correctly and will bend parts of the computer case.
Really? I've been satisfied with mine.
The DD or max is just a little sturdier built than an MCE or Newmodeus or smk, but other than that it's no different. Looks nicer, but then the computer's innards are most always hidden out of view. They are also confirmed SATA II (3Gb/s) compatible, but the smk is too, at least the older ones that were sold by smk before he became nimitz**.
If I were to do it all again, I'd probably wouldn't buy the DD or the max, just because it costs more and isn't very different. I might consider it if I was buying an external enclosure for the superdrive too since both companies make nice looking options, but I use a modded MBA ext superdrive myself.
I bought the DD because the identical maxupgrades was once advertised as being able to hold 12.5mm drives in uMBP's, and, not receiving a clear yes or no on whether this was possible, I decided to give the DD a try.
I can confirm, the DD/Max cannot hold a 12.5mm drive in a uMBP 13" without the bottom case bulging out.
Yes, I have not owned any other one except the one from smk312 but the one from MaxUpgrades is not designed correctly.
Because they are all made the same way, its not a manufacturing flaw...its a design flaw and they are all being made the same way. Its not the chip, its the case. It was machined on a CNC mill, the mill doesn't screw up. They designed it wrong and it all boils down to them being to cheap/lazy to use a thicker piece of material to bring the screw points down about .05". The way they are doing it is much faster and easier to manufacture but it is not correct or im sure the superdrive coming out would also have flush screw points. And before you start, I am a CNC Machinist/Engineer/Programmer...I know what processes they used to make that and exactly why it is wrong.
Yes the smk312 fits fine because the tabs for screws extend beyond the bottom of the rest of the case just like the superdrive. The MaxUpgrades one is flush the whole way across the bottom and it cant reach the outside posts due to the keyboard so it will pull the posts because the case itself is too strong to flex.
What I am talking about is in this picture, see the two tabs at the bottom for screws? Notice they are not flush with the rest... This is so they can reach the tabs without the case having to be bent around the keyboard.
Now in the maxupgrades, you can see how it is flush...I couldnt find a picture of the bottom side, but it is entirely flush.
I know what you mean, it sits completely flat. So it would take more aluminum to extend the tabs a bit. Maybe they figured that would be a waste of money they didn't want to swallow? Does the ebay one limit the SATA bandwidth down to SATAI?
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