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Optibay, SSD on 2010 MacBook Pro (and a few questions)

Gorilla Power

Gorilla Power

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 19, 2010
478
0
Hi everyone,

I got the picture below of an Arrandale MBP and it looks like the internal layout of the MacBook Pro (15" in this case) has changed a bit. It takes now two fans to cool the system and the screw points of the Superdrive also seems a bit different. Strangely, the speakers are missing from the picture (or so it seems)..

arrq.png


Does any one know whether drive caddies like Optibay or newmodeUS be compatible with the new model ?

Also, a few questions :

1. If I install Windows 7 on the HDD in Optibay, will still I be able to boot into Boot Camp normally by pressing Option during start-up ? (My SSD will be the main boot drive, my HDD will be a secondary one in the Superdrive slot)

2. Will the HDD in the caddy spin down automatically when its not in use ?

Thanks
 
I'm not sure about any of this. But i want to know all of these same questions, because i have a new 15 in i5 on the way. I already have a 500 gb 7200rpm drive, that i want to run as the main drive, and i plan on putting the stock 320 gb 5400 rpm drive in the optibay
 
The top picture is a 13" mbp (which only has 1 fan) and the bottom is a 15" or 17" mbp which always utilized 2 fans.

Unless thats the innards of the new 13" mbp (bottom pic) which I doubt because the new 13" doesnt use an Arrandale.

Edit: It seems the dimensions are the same (both 13") so wow the new 13" utilizes 2 fans now?
 
jjahshik32 said:
The top picture is a 13" mbp (which only has 1 fan) and the bottom is a 15" or 17" mbp which always utilized 2 fans.

Unless thats the innards of the new 13" mbp (bottom pic) which I doubt because the new 13" doesnt use an Arrandale.

Edit: It seems the dimensions are the same (both 13") so wow the new 13" utilizes 2 fans now?
Click to expand...

I mentioned it already, these are 15" MBPs. No 13" here. How can the top be a 13" and the bottom be a 15" or 17" and the physical dimension remain the same ???
 
jjahshik32 said:
The top picture is a 13" mbp (which only has 1 fan) and the bottom is a 15" or 17" mbp which always utilized 2 fans.

Unless thats the innards of the new 13" mbp (bottom pic) which I doubt because the new 13" doesnt use an Arrandale.

Edit: It seems the dimensions are the same (both 13") so wow the new 13" utilizes 2 fans now?
Click to expand...

The first one is the previous 15" 2.53GHz with only integrated graphics; now all 15" models have dedicated graphics. Hence the need for 2 fans (which was present in the older 15" Core 2 Duo with dedicated graphics as well).

BTW if you're curious…

15" Mid-2009
mid2009-standard.jpg


15" Mid-2010 standard
mid2010-standard.jpg


15" Mid-2010 optibay swapped
mid2010-swapped.jpg
 
alphaod, many thanks indeed for the pictures, I feel much more convinced to try an Optibay now.

Did you change your RAM ? I ask because the RAM in the 2010 MBP are blue in color by default and yours are green.

Also, if its your notebook, is it easy to dismantle the Superdrive ? How many screws hold the caddy in ?
 
Gorilla Power said:
alphaod, many thanks indeed for the pictures, I feel much more convinced to try an Optibay now.

Did you change your RAM ? I ask because the RAM in the 2010 MBP are blue in color by default and yours are green.

Also, if its your notebook, is it easy to dismantle the Superdrive ? How many screws hold the caddy in ?
Click to expand...

Yes I did upgrade my RAM, but the board for the original RAM that came with the computer was also green; both my upgraded RAM or the stock RAM uses Micron chips hence the green board; 2009 MacBook Pros did use blue boards, but their chips were Hynix. I believe Samsung also uses green boards.

And installation was a bit daunting at first because I was caught off guard and did not know how to proceed; this one turned out to be easier—just 2 screws to remove the black bracket and 3 more for the optical drive. The strip cable is no longer taped to the optical drive, so it just lifts right off.

I have the newmodeus enclosure which does not have any mounting holes, which is why I used all the Kapton tape. I do not know if the MCE Optibay enclosure has his issue or not, but that one is twice the price.
 
alphaod said:
And installation was a bit daunting at first because I was caught off guard and did not know how to proceed; this one turned out to be easier—just 2 screws to remove the black bracket and 3 more for the optical drive. The strip cable is no longer taped to the optical drive, so it just lifts right off.
Click to expand...

Can you point out *which* 3 screws need to be removed in order to get the Optical drive out? The 3 in the middle of it?
 
maximus06 said:
Can you point out *which* 3 screws need to be removed in order to get the Optical drive out? The 3 in the middle of it?
Click to expand...

I want to know the same thing please !

@alphaod : I'm guessing, are these the right screws ? Please correct.

mid2010standard.png


I'm also looking to get the newmodeUS caddy since its a lot cheaper than Optibay (but I used the Optibay name because newmodeUS is not so popular). Is it a snug fit ? I hope it doesn't rattle around ?

Also, I'm very curious to know -- where is the speaker ? Usually it would be on the LHS top corner but I don't see it at all.
 
I ordered an optibay not too long ago and the superdrive enclosure was a huge disappointment.

MCE has decided that the cost for the slot cover is too expensive, and have forgone the enclosure. So the enclosure looks like crap and (IMO) isn't really safe for its intended purpose with the gaping hole at the front.

I'm not going to air "dirty laundry" ie my e-mails with MCE, but they are gauging customer feedback before deciding what to do. If I had known this, I would have opted for one of the alternatives and purchased a separate enclosure.

The attachment shows what you'll get if you opt for the free enclosure.

Just my input...
 

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You want to remove are the screws I indicated here:
mid2010-standard_indicated.jpg

  • You should disconnect the 3 cables on the right side of the optical drive first (not indicated).
  • Remove the red circled screws to remove the bracket.
  • Remove the blue circled screws remove the optical drive. The top left screw is hidden underneath the bracket.
  • All screws are Phillips head and they are all black.
As with regard to speakers: the right speaker is below the optical drive; the subwoofer appears to be the big black thing between the optical drive and the HDD bay. I'm just assuming the left speaker is on the right side of the motherboard hidden from view.
 
John Kotches said:
I ordered an optibay not too long ago and the superdrive enclosure was a huge disappointment.

MCE has decided that the cost for the slot cover is too expensive, and have forgone the enclosure. So the enclosure looks like crap and (IMO) isn't really safe for its intended purpose with the gaping hole at the front.

I'm not going to air "dirty laundry" ie my e-mails with MCE, but they are gauging customer feedback before deciding what to do. If I had known this, I would have opted for one of the alternatives and purchased a separate enclosure.

The attachment shows what you'll get if you opt for the free enclosure.

Just my input...
Click to expand...

Glad that I didn't opt for the MCE solution then! I'm curious: does the MCE optibay have mounting holes?
 
alphaod said:
You want to remove are the screws I indicated here:
mid2010-standard_indicated.jpg

  • You should disconnect the 3 cables on the right side of the optical drive first (not indicated).
  • Remove the red circled screws to remove the bracket.
  • Remove the blue circled screws remove the optical drive. The top left screw is hidden underneath the bracket.
  • All screws are Phillips head and they are all black.
As with regard to speakers: the right speaker is below the optical drive; the subwoofer appears to be the big black thing between the optical drive and the HDD bay. I'm just assuming the left speaker is on the right side of the motherboard hidden from view.
Click to expand...

Excellent, thanks ! I just got freaked out when iFixit posted that Apple has started using tri-wing screws. Turns out they're only for the battery.

Also, my $378 questions -- how is the heat and noise in your setup ? Does the HDD in the caddy spin down when its not in use ? Have you partitioned it for Boot Camp ? Can you hold down the Option key during startup and boot from it ?
 
Gorilla Power said:
Excellent, thanks ! I just got freaked out when iFixit posted that Apple has started using tri-wing screws. Turns out they're only for the battery.

Also, my $378 questions -- how is the heat and noise in your setup ? Does the HDD in the caddy spin down when its not in use ? Have you partitioned it for Boot Camp ? Can you hold down the Option key during startup and boot from it ?
Click to expand...

I'm just curious about vibration/noises coming from the opti-bay since there is no rubber damper on the bracket, screwed right aluminum to aluminum...
 
I've tried to read through the optibay thread, but its just way to long to get the facts out. Whats the best bargain, easiest to use optibay, that will actually work well/hold my hard drive securely.
I've found the newmodus one, powerbookmedic has one, and the mce optibay is way to expensive.
 
I'm pretty much won over by the newmodeUS caddy. The pictures above are very convincing. Ordering one today. Its also the most cost effective caddy I've found yet.
 
Gorilla Power said:
Excellent, thanks ! I just got freaked out when iFixit posted that Apple has started using tri-wing screws. Turns out they're only for the battery.

Also, my $378 questions -- how is the heat and noise in your setup ? Does the HDD in the caddy spin down when its not in use ? Have you partitioned it for Boot Camp ? Can you hold down the Option key during startup and boot from it ?
Click to expand...

Sorry I have an SSD in my optibay, so I can't comment on spin downs, noise, or heat.

And I don't use BootCamp; I have a Thinkpad for that.
 
I'm planing on getting the powerbookmedic Dualdrive and I've been contacting them lately but i need to confirm that they have the mounting screws for the drive for my macbook pro 17" (mid 2010).

did anybody try the dualdrive?
 
alphaod said:
Yes I did upgrade my RAM, but the board for the original RAM that came with the computer was also green; both my upgraded RAM or the stock RAM uses Micron chips hence the green board; 2009 MacBook Pros did use blue boards, but their chips were Hynix. I believe Samsung also uses green boards.

And installation was a bit daunting at first because I was caught off guard and did not know how to proceed; this one turned out to be easier—just 2 screws to remove the black bracket and 3 more for the optical drive. The strip cable is no longer taped to the optical drive, so it just lifts right off.

I have the newmodeus enclosure which does not have any mounting holes, which is why I used all the Kapton tape. I do not know if the MCE Optibay enclosure has his issue or not, but that one is twice the price.
Click to expand...

Do you need to tape the optibay?

If you don't, will it rattle?
 
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