SSD in optical bay troubles

[AHDuke99]

Hi all,

I decided to take the plunge and install a second HD in my 2011 MacBook pro. I purchased a crucial M4 and a OWC data doubler. I installed it this morning with the ssd in the optical drive. When I initially booted from the ssd, the OS was so unresponsive and the beach ball spun so much that I assumed the drive needed to be wiped. I did that and attempted to install Lion from the image on my HDD desktop. It downloads the components and then restarts into the installation screen. When it gets midway through, it freezes and then starts again, continuing this for about an hour or so without progress. I eventually just shut it down.

What is wrong with the drive? It works fine in the HD bay, but I'd prefer to use it in the data doubler. I have the EFI firmware update installed.

 

[psykick5]

Just switch it to the main slot... the main HD slot also has SATA III speeds now after the last patch.

Why are you so set on having it in the ODD bay?

 

[AHDuke99]

More protection for the HDD in the HD bay. The SSD does not have movable parts, so if it gets jarred in the optibay, then no big deal.

 

[psykick5]

Most people have problems with SATA III in the optical bay. The EFI update has yet to address the problem.

 

[robots3humans0]

Have you updated the drive to firmware 0009? Mine m4 is on that and runs perfectly fine.. granted not in the optibay.. but it still works.

 

[jdecraene85]

You should put your SDD in your main drive slot and the HDD in the optibay, especially with the M4, since it's Sata III.
The EFI 2.2 update didn't change the sata speed of the optical drive bay slot.
The FW0009 update is great but won't help you with this.

 

[robots3humans0]

edit: nevermind

 

[AHDuke99]

I switched them around and all is fine. I have no idea if my firmware is up to date or how to do it without burning a CD, and I can't burn a CD yet until the enclosure for my drive comes in.

 

[robots3humans0]

I switched them around and all is fine. I have no idea if my firmware is up to date or how to do it without burning a CD, and I can't burn a CD yet until the enclosure for my drive comes in.

There was a forum post on the crucial website about how to do it via USB.


http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Solid-State-Drives-SSD/Updating-firmware-on-Macs-without-a-superdrive/td-p/61259

Also, see the attached picture for how to find what revision your M4 is running. Mine was shipped with rev. 2 but i updated to rev. 9 anyways. Rev.2 brought compatibility for our machines and rev.9 increased the read speeds and boot times.