SSD in optical bay slot

[AlexBass]

So I bought a caddy to put an ssd in the optical bay slot (Mid 2010 13" MBP). I did this, no problem, but when I booted up it took a lot longer than usual. Not only this, when it supposedly booted up, everything looked like it should- my login apps started (caffeine and smcFanControl), my external HDD showed up on the desktop and my bluetooth magic mouse showed up as 'connected'. HOWEVER, when I moved the trackpad, everything seemed normal as it usually would, until I decide to click on something, at which point everything is completely unresponsive (I don't mean laggy or frozen, nor did the beach ball appear), absolutely NOTHING happens.

After multiple attempts at this, I removed the caddy and the ssd which was inside it, replacing it with its original superdrive. Everything worked normally again.

I checked and the SSD I used in the caddy was working fine, it appears the only thing that isn't is the caddy. What do you think it causing this problem? Is it the caddy, or am I not doing it correctly?

I bought a fairly cheap caddy which I probably shouldn't, here it is if it makes any difference- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drive-Caddy...S6/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1342370335&sr=8-11

I'm using Samsung 830's.

If it's the caddy I'm sending it back and purchasing the trusty OWC Data Doubler which I should have done in the first place.

 

[AlexBass]

Wow, thanks for all the help.

 

[669532]

Wow, thanks for all the help.

^Not a good way to get help.

This is one of the most covered topics on the forums, however I don't know much about this so I can't help you. Sorry.

Charlie

-If you want to keep this thread alive bump once a day, not every few hours on a Sunday.

 

[AlexBass]

^Not a good way to get help.

This is one of the most covered topics on the forums, however I don't know much about this so I can't help you. Sorry.

Charlie

My apologies, it was a discreet way of bumping it... I'm sorry.

 

[mohsy90]

Are you using the SSD as the boot drive? Trying putting the SSD where the original HD goes and put the HD in the optical bay. If it's giving you the same issues than it could be a faulty caddy connector that may be causing issues.

It's preferred that you use disk utility to first format the SSD and do a clean install of Lion.

 

[AlexBass]

Are you using the SSD as the boot drive? Trying putting the SSD where the original HD goes and put the HD in the optical bay. If it's giving you the same issues than it could be a faulty caddy connector that may be causing issues.

It's preferred that you use disk utility to first format the SSD and do a clean install of Lion.

I currently have a 64GB Samsung 830 in the hard drive bay, that is acting as my boot drive at the moment. But my second 64GB Samsung 830 won't work (for some reason, details above) in the optical bay with this possibly defective caddy.

I know it seems weird to purchase such low storage ssd's, but I'm going to put them in RAID 0 when it all works.

 

[mohsy90]

I currently have a 64GB Samsung 830 in the hard drive bay, that is acting as my boot drive at the moment. But my second 64GB Samsung 830 won't work (for some reason, details above) in the optical bay with this possibly defective caddy.

I know it seems weird to purchase such low storage ssd's, but I'm going to put them in RAID 0 when it all works.

Have you formatted the drive properly? If you have a recovery partitions setup boot into that and format the drive, if not, create a bootable lion usb and use disk utility to reformat. I'm assuming you can't access disk utility when the new SSD is in the optibay.

 

[AlexBass]

Have you formatted the drive properly? If you have a recovery partitions setup boot into that and format the drive, if not, create a bootable lion usb and use disk utility to reformat. I'm assuming you can't access disk utility when the new SSD is in the optibay.

I've formatted it to have one partition using an external thing.

So you mean put the new SSD in the optibay and boot into an external drive? (I have the sytem backed up on it using time machine)

I just looked at system information and it says "Link speed: 3Gb ; Negotiated link speed: 1.5Gb" does this mean it is only SATA I? And if it is, does the samsung 830 work on SATA I?

 

[mohsy90]

I've formatted it to have one partition using an external thing.

So you mean put the new SSD in the optibay and boot into an external drive? (I have the sytem backed up on it using time machine)

I just looked at system information and it says "Link speed: 3Gb ; Negotiated link speed: 1.5Gb" does this mean it is only SATA I? And if it is, does the samsung 830 work on SATA I?

Yeah, it's not using the full Sata II speeds. I've heard that it often falls back to Sata 1 and running at Sata II results in bottlenecking. I'm not too knowledgable on that subject matter.

What I was suggesting was to put the new SSD in the main Hard drive slot. Create a bootable lion USB. Boot into the USB and reformat the new SSD to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Then put it back into the optibay and replace the main HD slot with your OS SSD. Then try it and see if it works. If it's still not working then it's got to be a connector issue on the caddy.

 

[AlexBass]

Yeah, it's not using the full Sata II speeds. I've heard that it often falls back to Sata 1 and running at Sata II results in bottlenecking. I'm not too knowledgable on that subject matter.

What I was suggesting was to put the new SSD in the main Hard drive slot. Create a bootable lion USB. Boot into the USB and reformat the new SSD to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Then put it back into the optibay and replace the main HD slot with your OS SSD. Then try it and see if it works. If it's still not working then it's got to be a connector issue on the caddy.

Thanks for the help, I'll try it.

 

[alphaod]

There is a post by OWC on this topic. With older SATA II Macs like your 2010 MacBook Pro, when running a SATA III drive will link at SATA I speeds. That would explain the link speeds that you have seen.

As with the slowdown it's possible a combination of the lower link speed and a lack of optimization. Try repairing permissions, make sure the SSD is set as the default boot volume, etc. Definitely try using the SSD in the regular HDD bay.

Anyways you may have to get a SATA II SSD (ie. Samsung 470).

 

[Rajpdx]

So I bought a caddy to put an ssd in the optical bay slot (Mid 2010 13" MBP). I did this, no problem, but when I booted up it took a lot longer than usual. Not only this, when it supposedly booted up, everything looked like it should- my login apps started (caffeine and smcFanControl), my external HDD showed up on the desktop and my bluetooth magic mouse showed up as 'connected'. HOWEVER, when I moved the trackpad, everything seemed normal as it usually would, until I decide to click on something, at which point everything is completely unresponsive (I don't mean laggy or frozen, nor did the beach ball appear), absolutely NOTHING happens.

After multiple attempts at this, I removed the caddy and the ssd which was inside it, replacing it with its original superdrive. Everything worked normally again.

I checked and the SSD I used in the caddy was working fine, it appears the only thing that isn't is the caddy. What do you think it causing this problem? Is it the caddy, or am I not doing it correctly?

I bought a fairly cheap caddy which I probably shouldn't, here it is if it makes any difference- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drive-Caddy...S6/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1342370335&sr=8-11

I'm using Samsung 830's.

If it's the caddy I'm sending it back and purchasing the trusty OWC Data Doubler which I should have done in the first place.

SATA 3 SSD won't work in the optical bay for some reason. You'd expect it to drop the SSD down to SATA2 but it doesn't. You either need a SATA 2 SSD or to put the SSD in the Main bay.

 

[AlexBass]

SATA 3 SSD won't work in the optical bay for some reason. You'd expect it to drop the SSD down to SATA2 but it doesn't. You either need a SATA 2 SSD or to put the SSD in the Main bay.

I think this is my best bet. I'm going to return one of my samsung 830's and get a vertex 2 instead. Thanks.

----------

And, considering the optibay in my mac is only SATA I 1.5Gb, would that mean a SATA II ssd would work and drop down to SATA I speeds?

----------

Will this work?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006C1IIB4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A17AS5ETPMZ9A1

 

[Rajpdx]

I think this is my best bet. I'm going to return one of my samsung 830's and get a vertex 2 instead. Thanks.

----------

And, considering the optibay in my mac is only SATA I 1.5Gb, would that mean a SATA II ssd would work and drop down to SATA I speeds?

----------

Will this work?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006C1IIB4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A17AS5ETPMZ9A1

Can't say if that drive will work or not. I can't see why it wouldn't though. I'd recommend a Samsung 470.

As for the speed, an optical drive will negotiate a link speed of 1.5 on a 3.0 bus, the SSD should connect at 3.0 if that's the speed of the bus - but it doesn't matter all that much, the SSD will be blazing fast.

 

[latestmonkey]

is it even possible for the caddy to be defective? I thought all it did was hold the ssd/hdd in place?

 

[mohsy90]

I think this is my best bet. I'm going to return one of my samsung 830's and get a vertex 2 instead. Thanks.

----------

And, considering the optibay in my mac is only SATA I 1.5Gb, would that mean a SATA II ssd would work and drop down to SATA I speeds?

----------

Will this work?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006C1IIB4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A17AS5ETPMZ9A1

Have you considered just going with a 128GB SSD and selling your old 64Gb one. Would make installation way easier. Would probably cost you the same amount you'll end up spending on a 64Gb SSD and a data doubler.

 

[669532]

My apologies, it was a discreet way of bumping it... I'm sorry.

Not a problem. Looks like you're getting some more help now.

 

[AlexBass]

Can't say if that drive will work or not. I can't see why it wouldn't though. I'd recommend a Samsung 470.

As for the speed, an optical drive will negotiate a link speed of 1.5 on a 3.0 bus, the SSD should connect at 3.0 if that's the speed of the bus - but it doesn't matter all that much, the SSD will be blazing fast.

Yeah, thanks I purchased the 470, fingers crossed it works.

----------

Have you considered just going with a 128GB SSD and selling your old 64Gb one. Would make installation way easier. Would probably cost you the same amount you'll end up spending on a 64Gb SSD and a data doubler.

I want to enable RAID for ultra-insane speeds, not that it's capable with such an 'old' machine as mine.

----------

is it even possible for the caddy to be defective? I thought all it did was hold the ssd/hdd in place?

I'm sure it is, just as it is for any electronic device.

 

[Sairo]

SATA 3 SSD won't work in the optical bay for some reason. You'd expect it to drop the SSD down to SATA2 but it doesn't. You either need a SATA 2 SSD or to put the SSD in the Main bay.

What happens to sms (sudden motion sensor) when putting an HD into the opti bay? Still available or worthless?

I own a mid 2010 13" and am considering the Samsung 830 to put in the optibay and keep my HD in place.
But if i read your message this isn't such à good idea.

 

[reberto]

What happens to sms (sudden motion sensor) when putting an HD into the opti bay? Still available or worthless?

That all depends if the HD has SMS built in or not. If the drive doesn't then it won't function.

 

[latestmonkey]

I'm sure it is, just as it is for any electronic device.

What part of it is electronic?

 

[huythanhv2]

Hmm I don't know what is this all about.

I have a OWC 120GB SATA III (yes 6Gbs) and it works perfectly in my optical bay slot of MBP 2010 15".

It is downspeed as SATA II though.

 

[greytmom]

is it even possible for the caddy to be defective? I thought all it did was hold the ssd/hdd in place?

I guess it is possible, but many here have used that caddy, including me, with no issues.

I vote for the MBP being picky about the type of SSD being used.

 

[Rajpdx]

What happens to sms (sudden motion sensor) when putting an HD into the opti bay? Still available or worthless?

I own a mid 2010 13" and am considering the Samsung 830 to put in the optibay and keep my HD in place.
But if i read your message this isn't such à good idea.

You may have to test it - but the point is that Apple design the main bay for a drive and the optical bay for an optical drive.

I'd put the SSD in the main bay. The sudden motion sensor will work fine in the optical bay - it sends a signal to the drive not the bay.

 

[AlexBass]

Hmm I don't know what is this all about.

I have a OWC 120GB SATA III (yes 6Gbs) and it works perfectly in my optical bay slot of MBP 2010 15".

It is downspeed as SATA II though.

If you have a chance, could you do me a favour and check system information for the link speed of the optibay?

System information > Serial ATA

Thanks.