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MCE Optibay Alternative CHEAP

Optibay

Hello,

I was just thinking to get one optibay for my macbook pro 15" and after taking out my optical drive I noticed that power cable is different from optibay connection.
This is how looks my optical drive cable http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MacBook-P...ps=63&clkid=3780728523547749551#ht_700wt_1113
and here how it looks Optibay connection (2nd image)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I have no Idea what to do to get optibay working, any ideas?
 
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You should choose the right optibay for the right macbook. If you have the preunibody then get the ata optibay instead of sata
 
IgnasPav said:
Hello,

I was just thinking to get one optibay for my macbook pro 15" and after taking out my optical drive I noticed that power cable is different from optibay connection.
This is how looks my optical drive cable http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MacBook-P...ps=63&clkid=3780728523547749551#ht_700wt_1113
and here how it looks Optibay connection (2nd image)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I have no Idea what to do to get optibay working, any ideas?
Click to expand...

You'll also notice that your hard drive will have a different connection than that of the board on the optibay. This is because your computer uses an ATA connection, and the optibay you purchased is for a SATA connection. You need an optibay for a pre-unibody MBP with a IDE aka ATA connection
 
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djooker said:
You should choose the right optibay for the right macbook. If you have the preunibody then get the ata optibay instead of sata
Click to expand...

I have a pre-unibody MBP currently (early '08 model), I'm shortly going to swap out the HDD for an SSD, but was assuming that there is no point trying to put the stock HDD in an optibay adaptor, as they won't have the same interface, as the HDD us SATA, but the optibay is IDE, or would the HDD work with an adaptor? I'm not going to go the optibay route if it means having to buy a new IDE HDD.
 
blink487 said:
You'll also notice that your hard drive will have a different connection than that of the board on the optibay. This is because your computer uses an ATA connection, and the optibay you purchased is for a SATA connection. You need an optibay for a pre-unibody MBP with a IDE aka ATA connection
Click to expand...

Thanks for reply, but my HDD conection is SATA, and I can't find right optibay for my MBP, by the way it is made in 2005. and there is no IDE conection.
 
IgnasPav said:
Thanks for reply, but my HDD conection is SATA, and I can't find right optibay for my MBP, by the way it is made in 2005. and there is no IDE conection.
Click to expand...

I think what they meant was, in your model of MBP (and mine, I think), the HDD bay is SATA and the optibay is IDE / ATA. As a result, I don't think you can put the stock SATA drive from your HDD bay into the opitbay, as the latter is IDE / ATA. I think only an IDE HDD would work in the optibay, but I may be wrong.
 
oxfordguy said:
I think what they meant was, in your model of MBP (and mine, I think), the HDD bay is SATA and the optibay is IDE / ATA. As a result, I don't think you can put the stock SATA drive from your HDD bay into the opitbay, as the latter is IDE / ATA. I think only an IDE HDD would work in the optibay, but I may be wrong.
Click to expand...

Yes that is what I meant.

The hard drive bay will have either an ATA connection and an ATA hard drive or in more recent models will have a SATA connection and SATA hard drive.

The optical bay, on the computer you're describing, has an ATA connection, and for it you need an ATA optibay adapter. I'm not sure if an optibay exists that attaches to an ATA connection, but allows for SATA drives. Anyone know of such an adapter?
 
Options for pre-unibody MacBooks (with ATA optical drives)

blink487 said:
Yes that is what I meant.

The hard drive bay will have either an ATA connection and an ATA hard drive or in more recent models will have a SATA connection and SATA hard drive.

The optical bay, on the computer you're describing, has an ATA connection, and for it you need an ATA optibay adapter. I'm not sure if an optibay exists that attaches to an ATA connection, but allows for SATA drives. Anyone know of such an adapter?
Click to expand...

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=13258614&#post13258614
 
mikeheenan said:
So I got the replacement drive and it's the same exact one as before, doh. This is the one I was hoping to receive (not the same seller)

http://cgi.ebay.com/2nd-HDD-caddy-A...C_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item45f9dd2bce

The one I got doesn't have the holes for the screws unfortunately :( Is the one I got a knockoff of the newmodeus model?
Click to expand...



I know this answer may be a little late, but as you whined about not finding where to screw down the HD, the picture on that ebay add is pretty evident that you need to screw the screws right into the HDD, then you simply slide it in the optibay as the optibay holds several tabs for the screws above to hold it down, so it's not strange that you cannot find the screw holes as you need to screw them right into the hdd on the sides before installing it...

Funny that the seller doesn't say this to you as you didn't see this?
 
oxfordguy said:
I have a pre-unibody MBP currently (early '08 model), I'm shortly going to swap out the HDD for an SSD, but was assuming that there is no point trying to put the stock HDD in an optibay adaptor, as they won't have the same interface, as the HDD us SATA, but the optibay is IDE, or would the HDD work with an adaptor? I'm not going to go the optibay route if it means having to buy a new IDE HDD.
Click to expand...



The whole point with a optibay is that you can use any SATA drive in there.
It converts the PATA/IDE to SATA, and as the MacBooks all have ICH8-M at least, it's SATA to begin with, just that apple has made it a PATA/IDE connector for the superdrive in there, which i don't really understand why. Anyhow, it's not a problem for you.

Just get the fenvi or nimitz that is for pre unibody MacBooks, they all have SATA on the other end, just make sure you get the one for the PATA/IDE MacBooks.
 
Well, dang, I missed this sale by a few hours:


OptiBay%E2%84%A2_Hard_Drive_and_SSD_Drive_for_MacBook_Pro%2C_MacBook%2C_PowerBook_G4%2C_and_Mac_mini-20111201-071142.jpg



At $70 for the Optibay and the USB enclosure for your optical drive... it's a bit easier to swallow. I have a mis-2010 unibody MacBook Pro 15" and have been itching to add an SSD. I'll catch up on this thread and keep shopping. If MCE (or OWC) put theirs on significant sale, let's share the news here...
 
Fofer said:
Well, dang, I missed this sale by a few hours:


Image


At $70 for the Optibay and the USB enclosure for your optical drive... it's a bit easier to swallow. I have a mis-2010 unibody MacBook Pro 15" and have been itching to add an SSD. I'll catch up on this thread and keep shopping. If MCE (or OWC) put theirs on significant sale, let's share the news here...
Click to expand...

Just get a Nimitz, it's the same thing for $23. You can get a nice enclosure from MaxUpgrades for $25 that matches the Air's SuperDrive.
 
awer25 said:
Just get a Nimitz, it's the same thing for $23. You can get a nice enclosure from MaxUpgrades for $25 that matches the Air's SuperDrive.
Click to expand...

Okay, will do, and thanks for that.

Shopping for an SSD now, most likely a 160 GB Intel for $275: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167053
Any feedback on this choice?

I found a Nimitz on ebay for $26.99:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...72717&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_3347wt_1307

And is this the USB enclosure for the optical drive ($24.95) you're talking about?
http://www.maxupgrades.com/istore/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=186&ParentCat=348

That does look a lot like Apple's own SuperDrive for the Air and Mac Mini...
 
should all or most PC 9.5mm caddies work in a unibody macbook? I know they wont all screw down but they should work right?

I would rather save 10 bucks and secure it myself than get one of the $20 made for mac ones. It doesnt need to be screwed in the way its encased in the laptop, just needs some padding.

this seems like a good one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150652814931#ht_1431wt_1317 theres no extra plastic crap to remove and its shipped from the USA instead of china so it wont take 3 weeks
 
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Fofer said:
I found a Nimitz on ebay for $26.99:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...72717&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_3347wt_1307

And is this the USB enclosure for the optical drive ($24.95) you're talking about?
http://www.maxupgrades.com/istore/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=186&ParentCat=348

That does look a lot like Apple's own SuperDrive for the Air and Mac Mini...
Click to expand...

Both of those are correct.

stainlessliquid said:
should all or most PC 9.5mm caddies work in a unibody macbook? I know they wont all screw down but they should work right?

I would rather save 10 bucks and secure it myself than get one of the $20 made for mac ones. It doesnt need to be screwed in the way its encased in the laptop, just needs some padding.

this seems like a good one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150652814931#ht_1431wt_1317 theres no extra plastic crap to remove and its shipped from the USA instead of china so it wont take 3 weeks
Click to expand...

If you prefer the ol' duct tape method to save $10, then by all means go for it. I prefer having my hard drives screwed down.
 
Got my fenvi optibay yesterday and installed it in my macbook, fits and works perfectly!

And today i got my caddy for the slot-in superdrive. It's black and looks/feels really nice! It even has the front cover and all just like it should, so it looks like a factory case for the superdrive.


Really happy about the purchase! It was only $30 (for both) :)


Btw, the slot in cover matches my black 2008 macbook great!
 

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Just installed this one from jacobparts http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150652814931#ht_1431wt_1317

Fits perfect and is compatible with the little screw attachment from the dvd drive. The HDD also screws into the caddy.

So yes it does screw down (on one side, same as the $100 Optibay, the opposite side doesn't screw down but it doesn't need it), it also does NOT shake or move once the lid is closed. It is the exact same size as the superdrive with no plastic bezels to get in the way (the photo shows a black plastic panel on one side, thats a separate piece in the box to attach on pc laptops).

If you want to save $10 on something shipped from the USA instead of China and have a caddy that functions identical to the Optibay then get that one.

PS: Be careful unscrewing the black screws on the superdrive, I came very close to stripping one so much that it wouldn't unscrew, they are made of really soft metal and might be torqued too tight. Because of that don't tighten the black screws too much when installing the caddy or you won't be able to get them out later.
 
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stainlessliquid said:
If you want to save $10 on something shipped from the USA instead of China and have a caddy that functions identical to the Optibay then get that one.
Click to expand...

Argh, well, it's too late for me, as I already ordered the Nimitz one and await it's arrival from China.

In any case, now I wait patiently for a killer deal on an SSD, somewhere in the 160 GB neighborhood. I'm eyeing this make/model: 160 GB Intel.

I was really bummed to learn I *just* missed a Black Friday rebate on this one. $130 off! Yowza. So now I'm just waiting for the next great deal to roll around. Hopefully another Xmas sale, a rebate as nice as that one?
 
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OMG...

I finished reading this entire thread...

When I started, I had only 1 child...

Now, I have 2 children...

I am now 20 lbs heavier...

My hair is grayer...

I was using OS X Snow Leopard...

and now I'm on Lion...

BUT I FINISHED READING THE THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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