Replace superdrive on Macbook 13" late 2008

[philbrown84]

Hi,

I have a 13" aluminium unibody MacBook from late 2008. The superdrive is faulty and needs to be replaced. The original superdrive has the model number UJ868A.

Does anybody know what/if any other drives are compatible? I'd like to get a second hand/cheap one as I'm planning on selling it once fixed.

I've seen a UJ890 which looks like it may fit (from the pictures it has the same kind of dimensions/look/connection). Any help or advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Phil

 

[azentropy]

Hi,

I have a 13" aluminium unibody MacBook from late 2008. The superdrive is faulty and needs to be replaced. The original superdrive has the model number UJ868A.

Does anybody know what/if any other drives are compatible? I'd like to get a second hand/cheap one as I'm planning on selling it once fixed.

I've seen a UJ890 which looks like it may fit (from the pictures it has the same kind of dimensions/look/connection). Any help or advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Phil

Yeah, the UJ868A was just the part number at the time from Mat****a. There are plenty of equivalent model numbers that should work. I'd check eBay as many vendor list other models that replace "UJ868A". Also many people have replaced their superdrives with caddies to add a second HDD or a SSD and then turn around and sell their used drives.

 

[inscrewtable]

Might be worth replacing the faulty superdrive with a 128GB SSD using an OWC data doubler cradle. I just did that in a friends 2009 macbook and it feels like a new computer 20 second boot up instead of nearly 2 minutes and instant app opening. Extremely easy to do, takes about 20 minutes. Then get an external superdrive. That would be my suggestion to consider.

 

[DisplacedMic]

Might be worth replacing the faulty superdrive with a 128GB SSD using an OWC data doubler cradle. I just did that in a friends 2009 macbook and it feels like a new computer 20 second boot up instead of nearly 2 minutes and instant app opening. Extremely easy to do, takes about 20 minutes. Then get an external superdrive. That would be my suggestion to consider.

i was about to suggest the exact same thing.
OWC or Optidrive...

 

[JLEW700]

Might be worth replacing the faulty superdrive with a 128GB SSD using an OWC data doubler cradle. I just did that in a friends 2009 macbook and it feels like a new computer 20 second boot up instead of nearly 2 minutes and instant app opening. Extremely easy to do, takes about 20 minutes. Then get an external superdrive. That would be my suggestion to consider.

This is probably a really stupid question but I'm looking at getting a 480gb owc ssd but what is a "owc data doubler cradle"? Is that some you purchase in addition to the ssd?

 

[inscrewtable]

This is probably a really stupid question but I'm looking at getting a 480gb owc ssd but what is a "owc data doubler cradle"? Is that some you purchase in addition to the ssd?

Yeah, you leave your HDD where it is (or install a larger one) and you put the 2.5" SSD into a special cradle which the SSD plugs into. The cradle has the external dimensions of the superdrive including the socket to plug what was the superdrive cable into the new data doubler cradle. There are OWC videos on you tube. It's piss easy to do. http://youtu.be/sBHJRD8p3xg

 

[DisplacedMic]

Yeah, you leave your HDD where it is (or install a larger one) and you put the 2.5" SSD into a special cradle which the SSD plugs into. The cradle has the external dimensions of the superdrive including the socket to plug what was the superdrive cable into the new data doubler cradle. There are OWC videos on you tube. It's piss easy to do. http://youtu.be/sBHJRD8p3xg

wouldn't it be better to install the old HDD into the data doubler and put the SSD in its place? That way you can boot from the solid state and use the spinner for storage.

this helps avoid some of the issues OSX tends to have botting from the "optical drive"

 

[inscrewtable]

No because the mechanical drive is designed to be where it is with regards to cooling and i can confirm that in the earlier mbp's that are sata II like the 2009 model, it boots fine from the superdrive bay