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Replacing a Macbook Pro SuperDrive with Nothing?

M

maomix

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 4, 2012
6
0
Hi guys,

I'm planning to open up my early 2011 Macbook Pro and doing some thermal paste re-application. I also want to get rid of my SuperDrive.

The question is, can I just take it out and leave the slot empty?

I know a lot of people replace it with an HD, or move their optical HD there when they upgrade to SSD. But what if I just want a lighter Macbook?

Beyond that, is there any sort of special cooling solution I can put in that slot? (I have MAJOR heat issues with my MBP)

Cheers!
Maomix
 
maomix said:
I'm planning to open up my early 2011 Macbook Pro and doing some thermal paste re-application. I also want to get rid of my SuperDrive.

The question is, can I just take it out and leave the slot empty?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't recommend it.
maomix said:
But what if I just want a lighter Macbook?
Click to expand...
It wouldn't be just lighter. It would be less balanced.
maomix said:
Beyond that, is there any sort of special cooling solution I can put in that slot? (I have MAJOR heat issues with my MBP)
Click to expand...
What kind of cooling issues, specifically?
 
I removed the drive out of my macbook becuase a disc got stuck. It does run a bit cooler without the extra drive and its lighter too.
 
I understand the Macbook would be unbalanced and that will come with some minor issues.

But as long as it doesn't need the Superdrive in there to be structurally stable... I'd probably be OK with it.

As for cooling issues. My CPU runs at over 60C when just browsing the web, and under heavy load it runs at over 90C and throttles performance very noticeably. Ran the extended hardware test and everything is fine so that's why I'm going in with the thermal paste.
 
maomix said:
As for cooling issues. My CPU runs at over 60C when just browsing the web, and under heavy load it runs at over 90C and throttles performance very noticeably. Ran the extended hardware test and everything is fine so that's why I'm going in with the thermal paste.
Click to expand...

Those temperatures are not out of the ordinary.

Not really sure why GGJ "doesn't recommend" leaving the optical drive out. As if an open SATA port does any harm...?
 
miles01110 said:
Those temperatures are not out of the ordinary.

Not really sure why GGJ "doesn't recommend" leaving the optical drive out. As if an open SATA port does any harm...?
Click to expand...

The problem is not that those temperatures are out of the ordinary, but that the temperatures would go higher if not for throttling. If I force clock speeds on the GPU for instance, GPU temp can climb up to 97C and higher (I turned the clock speeds down then!)

The end result is a much weaker computer running nowhere near its potential. Wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't noticeable!
 
Sounds like a nice ideal to solve the heating and weight problem but just two facts might happened:
1. Balancing problem;2. Dusts problem, remove the optical drive will exposure the motherboard etc. to the dust from outside through empty CD insert port，unlike the cooling holes with fan can extract air from inside to outside all the time while MBP turned on.
 
I would say that it would be noticeably lighter, but I wouldn't remove the optical drive just to remove it. Install an SSD drive and move your Harddrive into it's place. SSD's are lighter than your standard RPM hard drive, only marginally but you do notice the difference.
 
OK so, this has not much to do with the original thread question but... just re-applied thermal paste (arctic silver) and temps are down.

Did not remove the superdrive based on feedback here and elsewhere.
 
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