Renice K3vlar K3E (native PATA) SSD review in Rev A

[amasia]

I just received the K3VLAR E 120 GB (RN-K3E-Z1828), and the installation went smoothly. I formatted for MacOS extended journaled, cloned my HDD, and installed.

However, when I boot from the installed SSD, I'm getting a question mark folder. When I remove the SSD and put it back in the enclosure, I can boot find externally. (Actually, I'm running off of USB SSD right now). Booting internally from HDD works fine also.

EDIT: Booting from the SSD is working now. Not sure what finally fixed the problem, but in case others are having similar issues. I reset my PRAM and VRAM. Then added in an extra piece of electrical tape at the ZIF connector to make it tighter.

 

[mulubinba]

Thanks to Brent Holland's post last week I ordered a 120GB Renice K3E SSD from memoryc.com. It arrived by registered mail (from Ireland to Australia) yesterday (8 days after ordering). They had 5 in stock (and 10 60GB drives) when I ordered but it looks as though they have zero now
The installation instructions were non-existent but there was some information on the Renice website and I also read through a number of threads on these forums and eventually figured it out. Once you know what to do the installation is actually very easy. However I would not suggest this upgrade as the one to start on if you've never done such things before unless you have help available. (but I guess help is always available here at macrumors)
My 3 year-old MacBook Air has been transformed! It really does feel like a new machine. It is brilliant. I have been following these upgrade-to-ssd threads for a few months now and I extend my thanks to everyone who has posted their experiences and shared their knowledge. (if I encounter any issues as I use the new drive I will let you all know)

 

[shtodd]

Success with K3VLAR E 64 GB (RN-K3E-Z1864)

I just received the K3VLAR E 64 GB (RN-K3E-Z1864). I took 7 days from my order date at www.memorycusa.com to arrive to North Carolina from Ireland. Cost was $152.64 incl shipping after 5% coupon.

Installation went smoothly, using the directions at:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/MacBook-Air-Models-A1237-and-A1304-Hard-Drive-Replacement/860/1

System seems very snappy. Safari opens in less than a bounce. Mac OS 10.6.7 takes 33 seconds to show Desktop from beginning of startup "bong" sound.

Be sure to have a good, tiny, phillips head screwdriver. You may be able to get away with not removing the battery, that'll save you many screws.


Good luck to all!

 

[couto27]

I just received the K3VLAR E 64 GB (RN-K3E-Z1864). I took 7 days from my order date at www.memorycusa.com to arrive to North Carolina from Ireland. Cost was $152.64 incl shipping after 5% coupon.

Installation went smoothly, using the directions at:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/MacBook-Air-Models-A1237-and-A1304-Hard-Drive-Replacement/860/1

System seems very snappy. Safari opens in less than a bounce. Mac OS 10.6.7 takes 33 seconds to show Desktop from beginning of startup "bong" sound.

Be sure to have a good, tiny, phillips head screwdriver. You may be able to get away with not removing the battery, that'll save you many screws.


Good luck to all!

im using my rev A air has a spare machine at home with a fans army to chill, a few weeks ago the hard drive fail a few times.

time to replace it.....

today after reading a few posts, i just order a Renice K3 E 1.8" 40pin PATA ZIF 60GB RN-K3E-Z1860 to my air revA from asiatechtrade.com to europe by ems it cost me 157$.

questions to renice ssd owners...

the ribbon cable conector will fit ok in the new ssd ?
what about temp ?
the fans kicking to 6000rpm frequently?

will post my review and picks in 2 weeks time when i get my hands on it.

 

[Brent Holland]

Thanks to Brent Holland's post last week I ordered a 120GB Renice K3E SSD from memoryc.com. It arrived by registered mail (from Ireland to Australia) yesterday (8 days after ordering). They had 5 in stock (and 10 60GB drives) when I ordered but it looks as though they have zero now
The installation instructions were non-existent but there was some information on the Renice website and I also read through a number of threads on these forums and eventually figured it out. Once you know what to do the installation is actually very easy. However I would not suggest this upgrade as the one to start on if you've never done such things before unless you have help available. (but I guess help is always available here at macrumors)
My 3 year-old MacBook Air has been transformed! It really does feel like a new machine. It is brilliant. I have been following these upgrade-to-ssd threads for a few months now and I extend my thanks to everyone who has posted their experiences and shared their knowledge. (if I encounter any issues as I use the new drive I will let you all know)

You are welcome. as long as it can be helpful to u,that is my honor. Maybe sometimes for distributor, to order from Renice and shipping will cost some time, so one or two days they sold out and have no stock/

By the way, i just checked their website www.memoryc.com. they have stock again, and anyone wanna buy pls grasp the time and chance,

really a good SSD drive.

 

[couto27]

You are welcome. as long as it can be helpful to u,that is my honor. Maybe sometimes for distributor, to order from Renice and shipping will cost some time, so one or two days they sold out and have no stock/

By the way, i just checked their website www.memoryc.com. they have stock again, and anyone wanna buy pls grasp the time and chance,

really a good SSD drive.

it has been a ccouple days that i cannot acess memoryc.com website with any browser.
i am the only one or other users in europe are experiencing same problem.

best regards

 

[Brent Holland]

it has been a ccouple days that i cannot acess memoryc.com website with any browser.
i am the only one or other users in europe are experiencing same problem.

best regards

Hi.it is so strange , i can always be access into that site very smoothly.

 

[metoo88]

i just ordered one 120G RENICE K3 E from www.memoryc.com so many good comments about the item here. couldn't wait anymore for trying it in my air.

 

[couto27]

RENICE arrived installing......

i all
i order the renice 60gb from asian techtrade and they are very fast dispatch,it take about 5 days to arrive in portugal from hong kong since my online payment.

i will do business with them again im 100% sure.

about the installation with was very simple to perform using ifixt website ( it was my 2 time that i upgrade a hard drive/ 1st on the macbook air )

in the renice box ....everything perfect.
-ssd
-ribbon cable ( was the most difficult to put in) in old hard drive
-screws
-0mm keys
- external enclosure fit well in the old hard drive.

i made a clean install, the renice ssd jump from the box into the macbook air.
insert mac osx disc, disk utility, format extend journaled, installing....

WELL DONE RENICE SSD

 

[longbowman]

Could not wait any more for the new Renice K3 so went for a 120 K3E from memory C. Arrived and installed it in the supplied caddy case but it would not work, thought I might have the ribbon cable in upside down as there were no instructions in the box. Still wouldn't work then I noticed the cady usb connector was loose, it had come off the pcb!. Sent the whole lot back to Memory C who suppplied a a complete new SSD and caddy. This time I found the instructions for the caddy on the Renice website and all went like a dream. Mac Air rev A is like a new machine now.
I then tried to install win 7 using a USB but could not get it to work, succeded in making a brand new 16Gb usb stick read only Bit the bullet and bought a superdrive and now have OSX/Win 7 dual boot. Had a few hiccups when the Air decided to hibernate when I had only put it to sleep and it would not resume. Set win 7 to never hibernate and rebooted it a couple of times and it now works a treat

 

[N!ghtfly]

Hi,

I made this upgrade, too. I am a little confused about the benchmarks, that have been posted here.

First: spriters xbench results:
Samsung HDD: 2x.xx
RENICE K3E SSD: 11x.xx

Compared to my xbench results:
Samsung HDD: 4x.xx
RENICE K3E SSD: 7x.xx

Then the xbench result transmitted by shtodd
RENICE K3E SSD: 7x.xx

So it looks like my SSD is a much slower than spriters. Did I miss s.th. while I installed it?

My procedure:
-Installed the SSD in the RENICE enclosure
-Formatted to MacOS Extended (Journaled) and a GUID partition table
-Removed it from the enclosure
-Installed in my MBA Rev.A
-Install SnowLeopard

I read some hints in case of trouble:
-resetting PRAM and VRAM
-set hibernate mode to 0

What do these actions do? Will this speed up the system?

Greetings from Germany
Johannes

PS: Sorry for my bad english

EDIT:

Here are my results:

 

[N!ghtfly]

After testing nearly 2 Days, I am suprised. The every day performance is very nice. Its faster and equals the described speed of other users using the K3E. Safari & Mail 1 Bounce, Word less than 10sec, boot less than 30 sec.

So I wonder what the problem is with the benchmark. No one?