Questions on swapping the optical with a SSD

[nbnbxdnb]

I have a mid 2010 macbook pro 15. I am interested in swapping the optical drive with a SSD, then install osx onto the SSD to gain larger storage and higher performance. I have read several threads about how to do it. It doesn't seem like a sweat. But I want to play safe and ask questions before I start to work on it. So my questions are:
I want to buy 512GB Crucial m4 2.5-inch SATA. Will it work fine in the way I described above? Any known issues with this specific SSD?

Thanks in advance.

 

[basesloaded190]

Should work perfectly for the plan you described!

 

[firmansolutions]

Crucial M4 problem

There was a problem with these SSD's but a patch was released. Read here http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Crucial-m4-Firmware-BSOD,news-37588.html.

The OCZ Agility and Vertex line are very good and a similar price. Either way no problem with either.

You will probably get better performance if you put the SSD in the main HD bay and move the HD to the DVD bay. Its to do with the SATA bandwidth on the connections between the two storage areas. The DVD is apparently related at SATA II speeds whereas the main bay is rated at SATA III.

However, I researched this for my Feb 2011 MBP and not your earlier model. It might be worth checking as I have a feeling that your model HD bay might only be SATA II anyway.

Its a good move either way.

However, for a a better price upgrade you might want to check out one of these hybrid drives. http://www.ebuyer.com/222310-seagate-500gb-momentus-xt-2-5-hybrid-ssd-st95005620as

Watch the video down the page for claimed performance comparisons between a hybrid drive and a straight SSD and a normal HD.

 

[mikepro]

What he said below does not apply to your machine. Your plan should be fine. I have a 2010 15" and did similar, however I used a 256GB M4, and I put it in the main bay, and the original drive in the Optibay. Here were my reasons:

1. I Installed the SSD first while the DVD drive was still installed, so I could use the DVD drive to update firmware. Having it this way means I can update firmware in the future by just re-installing the DVD drive, no need to move SSD
2. SSD is my boot/main apps drive, Optibay drive is for media. If I ever need to take my Macbook in for service, I can re-install the DVD drive to make it look normal, and still have it boot fine off the SSD

There was a problem with these SSD's but a patch was released. Read here http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Crucial-m4-Firmware-BSOD,news-37588.html.

The OCZ Agility and Vertex line are very good and a similar price. Either way no problem with either.

You will probably get better performance if you put the SSD in the main HD bay and move the HD to the DVD bay. Its to do with the SATA bandwidth on the connections between the two storage areas. The DVD is apparently related at SATA II speeds whereas the main bay is rated at SATA III.

However, I researched this for my Feb 2011 MBP and not your earlier model. It might be worth checking as I have a feeling that your model HD bay might only be SATA II anyway.

 

[nbnbxdnb]

Thanks, everyone! Glad to hear that it should work.

Mikepro, I like your idea. It is very thoughtful. My only concern is whether there will be shock absorber in the hd caddy like the ones in main bay. I think HDD is a little vulnerable without that, while it is not much a concern for SSD.

 

[nbnbxdnb]

There was a problem with these SSD's but a patch was released. Read here http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Crucial-m4-Firmware-BSOD,news-37588.html.

The OCZ Agility and Vertex line are very good and a similar price. Either way no problem with either.

You will probably get better performance if you put the SSD in the main HD bay and move the HD to the DVD bay. Its to do with the SATA bandwidth on the connections between the two storage areas. The DVD is apparently related at SATA II speeds whereas the main bay is rated at SATA III.

However, I researched this for my Feb 2011 MBP and not your earlier model. It might be worth checking as I have a feeling that your model HD bay might only be SATA II anyway.

Its a good move either way.

However, for a a better price upgrade you might want to check out one of these hybrid drives. http://www.ebuyer.com/222310-seagate-500gb-momentus-xt-2-5-hybrid-ssd-st95005620as

Watch the video down the page for claimed performance comparisons between a hybrid drive and a straight SSD and a normal HD.

Yep, my main bay and optical bay are both Sata 2. And thanks for the thread you posted. I am thinking should the newly purchased Crucial m4 be patched in factory since the problem was discovered half a year ago? Anyway, I will check the revision.