Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

SSD 3.5" Drive Sled

milbournosphere said:
Hi guys,

I'm thinking about picking up this OCZ SSD to use as a boot drive. It comes with a 3.5" adapter sled. Has anybody bought an OCZ drive and had success with the sled, or am I going to have to pick up a third party product?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227542

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

That sled will not work with a mac pro in the 4 standard slots. that sled side mounts to the computer and bottom mounts to the ssd use alphaod's pick

http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-316035...17994064&cm_re=icydock-_-17-994-064-_-Product
 
Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm gonna go ahead and pick up that sled to go with the SSD. I looked at a 3.5" drive, but it's more expensive for just a little bit more space and this is only going to be a boot drive, so space isn't the most important thing in the world.
 
Use the current adapter

Since I already had SSD in my optical bay, I needed to figure out how to install a second SSD on the cheap. I've heard of people using tape to hold the SSD to the top, so that the connector doesn't have any stress on it, but tape? Come on.

Since the OCZ drive I got came with an adapter of sorts, I thought I'd give it a try. Problem that has already been stated, is that it mounts the SSD from the top, and adapts it for a side mount, but the Mac Pro mounts drives from the top, so what am I to do?

Since I had a HDD installed in the bay beside the one I was going to install the SSD into, I figured I could use it to support the SSD. So I came up with the following solution.


  1. I installed the SSD free hanging onto the connectors, since the SSD is so light, there isn't much pressure on the connector, but enough that I wouldn't want it hanging there forever. It also isn't horizontal so the connection may come loose at some point.
    P1040720.jpeg

  2. Use the adapter and screws that came with the OCZ drive, and attach it to the drive next to the bay you want to install the SSD into.
    P1040721.jpeg
  3. There are already holes on the HDD that line up with the adapter, and they are threaded to the same pitch as the screws that come with the SSD, so I used those.
    P1040722.jpeg
  4. Slide the HDD partially into place, but it can't go the entire way because the SSD is hanging down.
    P1040723.jpeg
  5. Push the SSD up a little so that the adapter can slide under it.
    P1040724.jpeg
  6. Then push the HDD all the way into place. You can see that the SSD is now sitting horizontal, and no pressure is being put onto the connectors. It is also impossible for it to fall down.
    P1040725.jpeg
  7. In order to put the Mac Pro HDD adapter back into place, you need to remove two of the screws from their rubber mounts, otherwise the screws get caught on the SSD
    P1040726.jpeg
  8. Here it is, finished looking good from the outside, since all the Mac Pro HDD sleds are in place, even though one of them isn't directly being used.
    P1040727.jpeg
 
Or just get the 3.5 version of Vertex 2. Most of the time it's cheaper than the 2.5 version.
 
milbournosphere said:
Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm gonna go ahead and pick up that sled to go with the SSD. I looked at a 3.5" drive, but it's more expensive for just a little bit more space and this is only going to be a boot drive, so space isn't the most important thing in the world.
Click to expand...

Einz said:
Or just get the 3.5 version of Vertex 2. Most of the time it's cheaper than the 2.5 version.
Click to expand...

Like milbournosphere, the 3.5" version was more expensive (in Canada), and so I got the 2.5". Where did you find the 3.5" cheaper?
 
Define "more expensive". Mind you, the converters such as the Icydock cost somewhere around 20 USD. If the 3,5" is 10 USD more expensive than the 2,5" it will in fact be cheaper in total since you don't need the extra converter.
 
silby101 said:
Like milbournosphere, the 3.5" version was more expensive (in Canada), and so I got the 2.5". Where did you find the 3.5" cheaper?
Click to expand...

I got my 3.5" at Newegg. The 3.5" models are priced lower there, and that's not even including the extra cost of an adapter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back