I purchased an OWC Multi Mount to mount an HHD in the lower bay under the optical drive. It's a fine product, probably too nice looking for something no one will ever see but it is certainly "Mac quality".
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Need Quick Help - OWC SSD in my Optical Drive
- Thread starter lbeck
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I originally had my OWC SSD loose in the lower optical drive bay, but it's now in the blue OWC Multi-mount.
The slight vibration of the four HDDs in my 2010 Mac Pro caused the SSD to vibrate against the bottom of the optical bay sometimes, and it was driving me nuts.
So noise is another reason to mount the SSD.
The slight vibration of the four HDDs in my 2010 Mac Pro caused the SSD to vibrate against the bottom of the optical bay sometimes, and it was driving me nuts.
So noise is another reason to mount the SSD.
There aren't any extra ports, so I use a PCIe RAID card to do the job.
And the mounts fit any standard drive. That includes SSDs. (The cable ties are only used since the middle drive doesn't have any screw mounts to attach to)
How did you manage to power all 3 drives?
One needs a splitter cable to get power from the optional optical bay connector
to the 3 drives.
Yes. I have special double loop cable ties.
Basically one loop goes around the drive and the other loop is attached to the adapter. It's really hard to described without showing it, but I can't take apart my computer.
Basically the middle drive is suspended in the air via the 3 cable ties. I tried 2, but either it will be slanted (if both both ties are suspended on the same side) or the drive will be crooked (if they are suspended on the opposite sides). Ideally 4 cables would be perfect, but that's a lot of plastic to squeeze in.
Let me use my iPhone as an example…
The plastic ties are what I used on my SSD and pretend my iPhone is the SSD. See the 3 ties are looped around the SSD with 2 facing one side and the other face the other; then the 3 loops over the SSD would look into the top bracket. After tighting the second loops, it will suspend perfectly with some breathing space between each of the drives.
Basically I bought a 2-way splitter that split the optical power into 2 cables. One of them went into the optical drive, and the other went into a 3-way splitter with connectors that went into each SSD. Basically one optical drive power cable was powering an optical drive and 3 SSDs; no problems since these SSDs plus the optical drive draw less than one standard HDD (or I'm guessing). The other optical drive cable is connected to my Windows boot drive.
Great way to mount the third drive! I'm wondering is it possible to mount all the drives the same way without even buying a bracket. Wouldn't that be the best for airflow?
Yes. I have special double loop cable ties.
Basically one loop goes around the drive and the other loop is attached to the adapter. It's really hard to described without showing it, but I can't take apart my computer.
Basically the middle drive is suspended in the air via the 3 cable ties. I tried 2, but either it will be slanted (if both both ties are suspended on the same side) or the drive will be crooked (if they are suspended on the opposite sides). Ideally 4 cables would be perfect, but that's a lot of plastic to squeeze in.
Let me use my iPhone as an example
The plastic ties are what I used on my SSD and pretend my iPhone is the SSD. See the 3 ties are looped around the SSD with 2 facing one side and the other face the other; then the 3 loops over the SSD would look into the top bracket. After tighting the second loops, it will suspend perfectly with some breathing space between each of the drives.
Basically I bought a 2-way splitter that split the optical power into 2 cables. One of them went into the optical drive, and the other went into a 3-way splitter with connectors that went into each SSD. Basically one optical drive power cable was powering an optical drive and 3 SSDs; no problems since these SSDs plus the optical drive draw less than one standard HDD (or I'm guessing). The other optical drive cable is connected to my Windows boot drive.
Where did you buy those cables? I am having a hard time finding the cables with the proper male/female connectors. The one I found is too large end
looks like it disable the access to the data port in the MacPro optical drive
connector ...
So I want to put 2 SSD's, possibly 3 in the lower optical bay of my Mac Pro. Below are my options and questions ...
Option 1: Two SSD's plus the top Optical Drive. I can use this mount to mount the two SSD's in the lower optical bay. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...Deals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3160356&SID=
Can I use this power Y cable to power both SSD's? http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Micro Accessories/CBLSATAPWRY/
Option 2: Three SSD's plus the top Optical Drive. I can use this mount for three. I know it says only two SSD's will fit but Alphaod describes how to fit three in this bad boy. http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MM352A52ST/
Then the only question becomes how do I power 4 drives (3 SSD's and 1 Optical). Would the same power y splitter above work to power the three SSD's? Or could I use two of those?
Option 1: Two SSD's plus the top Optical Drive. I can use this mount to mount the two SSD's in the lower optical bay. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...Deals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3160356&SID=
Can I use this power Y cable to power both SSD's? http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Micro Accessories/CBLSATAPWRY/
Option 2: Three SSD's plus the top Optical Drive. I can use this mount for three. I know it says only two SSD's will fit but Alphaod describes how to fit three in this bad boy. http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MM352A52ST/
Then the only question becomes how do I power 4 drives (3 SSD's and 1 Optical). Would the same power y splitter above work to power the three SSD's? Or could I use two of those?
You could easily power up three SSDs with those adapters.
Keep in mind that the original cable is meant to power a DVD drive (draws about 10 to 15W).
Edit:
I used to have a single SSD plus two mechanical hard drives in the lower ODD bay and did use the power of the lower ODD bay only. No problems whatsoever.
So if I put three of the SSD's in the lower bay, do I only need to use one of the adapters to power all three?
No. You'd need two of them.
With one adapter you'd split a single power plug into 2. So you'd need to split that again to get 3 plugs.
I soldered a matching adapter myself, but I also re-used the SATA port from the lower ODD bay connector.
If you use a Y power splitter to get extra power feeds, you may need a backplane adapter to be able to still use the sata data connector like this:
https://www.cablesondemand.com/cate...rs/Items/Library/InfoManage/CS-SATDRIVEX2.htm
https://www.cablesondemand.com/cate...rs/Items/Library/InfoManage/CS-SATDRIVEX2.htm
Yet another option is to use SNT-SS425 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816710003&cm_re=snt-_-16-710-003-_-Product) to install 4x (hot swap) 2.5" drives in the optical bay. Use the cable above to split the SATA data and power, plus a SATA power to 4-pin Molex (to power the SNT). One of the drives could be attached to the SATA backplane (intended for the extra optical bay) and the other 3 to a controller card.
The only drawback of the cable you suggested is that is 1 meter long ...
If the drives installed are SSD, the power used should be OK.
Please tell me were to buy those things. I am going to import to Brazil and I better get all proper parts.
I am having a hard time getting the proper cables and connectors ...
does any one know if there are any products to mount One SSD and a 3.5" drive. I currently have a n external running off an Esata connection but would rather mount it inside if I could, and then buy the SSD as a boot drive.
Also, on the 2008 MacPro aren't the extra Sata ports slower than the Sled Mounted ones?
Also, on the 2008 MacPro aren't the extra Sata ports slower than the Sled Mounted ones?