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SSD replacing superdrive configuration question

Z

zwodubber

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 1, 2011
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I ordered an Intel 320 120GB SSD and OWC data doubler bracket to replace the superdrive on my 2011 i5 MBP. I was planning on installing OSX on the SSD and setting the existing 320GB HDD for a 60GB Win7 partition and the rest of the space for data storage.

Windows is only used for 3 programs I need for work that are not mac compatible and I have MacDrive so I can copy data to the Mac partitions.

I'm looking for ideas on the best way to go about this, or suggestions on other options...

I currently run SL with a 60GB bootcamp partition of win7 if that helps.

One more question, what do you suggest for a USB "superdrive" option?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Return the 120GB Intel drive (too expensive) and get a Corsair, OWC, etc. of a higher density (250 GB) and run both OSs on that drive. Make a 40 or 50 GB partition for Win7. Don't run Win7 from an external hard drive using USB. It's too slow. You COULD run Win7 on the other hard drive using an optibay caddy or the like and taking out your dvd drive but I doubt that's what you want to do.

Seriously- why have an SSD that makes you choose one or the other? Get a larger SSD and run them both on there. Trust me. I speak from experience.
 
BigBeast said:
Don't run Win7 from an external hard drive using USB. It's too slow. You COULD run Win7 on the other hard drive using an optibay caddy or the like and taking out your dvd drive but I doubt that's what you want to do.
Click to expand...

Actually i was replacing the superdrive with the SSD...

I am going to run win7 from the existing internal 320GB drive, partitioned at 60GB and 260GB for storage.

I would only need a USB DVD drive for burning discs. The intel SSD was only like $20 more than OWC's 115GB and had better reviews.

If I would go the route you suggest, is it possible to clone my 320GB with 2 partitions to a smaller 240GB SSD drive? If so I might do this...
 
I must've skipped the part where you said you had the data doubler. My bad. Either way, I missed my DVD drive. I like to watch movies and stuff on it. Why do you need so much room for a Win7 partition?


You've got me a little confused. Are you partitioning the 320 GB drive- 60 for Win and 260 for Win storage?
 
BigBeast said:
I must've skipped the part where you said you had the data doubler. My bad. Either way, I missed my DVD drive. I like to watch movies and stuff on it. Why do you need so much room for a Win7 partition?


You've got me a little confused. Are you partitioning the 320 GB drive- 60 for Win and 260 for Win storage?
Click to expand...


No problem, I was going to install OSX on the new SSD which will replace the superdrive with the OWC data doubler.

The factory 320GB 5400RPM HDD would have 2 partitions, a 60GB for win7 and a 260GB mac formatted partition simply for data storage (music, files, etc...)

I really don't need 60GB for windows, that is just how I partitioned my factory HDD. What would be the smallest size partition for a win7 install?
 
zwodubber said:
No problem, I was going to install OSX on the new SSD which will replace the superdrive with the OWC data doubler.

The factory 320GB 5400RPM HDD would have 2 partitions, a 60GB for win7 and a 260GB mac formatted partition simply for data storage (music, files, etc...)

I really don't need 60GB for windows, that is just how I partitioned my factory HDD. What would be the smallest size partition for a win7 install?
Click to expand...

I think 20 GB for win7 is minimal- 40 GB should be perfectly fine. 190 GB left on the SSD should be fine for the rest of OS X and storage. That's how I did it. It's great. Do you think you need more storage than 190 GB? If so, why? What do you have that takes up THAT much space? BTW- I use my DVD drive to burn movies and place them on an external hard drive. I also house my iTunes video files on the same external hard drive. The movies still show up in iTunes- just need to have the external hard drive to play them.
 
BigBeast said:
I think 20 GB for win7 is minimal- 40 GB should be perfectly fine. 190 GB left on the SSD should be fine for the rest of OS X and storage. That's how I did it. It's great. Do you think you need more storage than 190 GB? If so, why? What do you have that takes up THAT much space? BTW- I use my DVD drive to burn movies and place them on an external hard drive. I also house my iTunes video files on the same external hard drive. The movies still show up in iTunes- just need to have the external hard drive to play them.
Click to expand...

The reason I went with the 120GB SSD was basically price. The jump from 120GB to OWC's 240GB was an additional $269. To answer your question, no I really don't need that much storage space internally. Currently my iTunes library is on my HDD but I could move it to my external.

This is why I was asking for suggestions, now you have me questioning my decision. Do I really want to rely on an external DVD drive? What if I need to copy or burn data on the go, i would have to lug around the drive. Thank you for your help so far BigBeast, keep it coming :D
 
Leaving out the DVD drive was a pain for me.

If it's out of your price range, I'd say keep the regular hard drive and return the SSD. I wouldn't want to be without my DVD drive and you obviously want the space. While it won't be as fast as the SSD, you won't be making any compromises.
 
I guess the speed of the SSD made me jump the gun and lead me into yet another impulse buy... I thought I would be fine without the superdrive but now you have me thinking twice.

Maybe I should just pull the trigger on the 240GB SSD, get an OWC enclosure for my current 320GB HDD to use as external storage and keep my superdrive.
 
BigBeast, how do you like your OWC SSD? I have OWC's RAM in my 2011 and their battery in my 2006 and have had no problems with their hardware. Do you recommend their SSD?
 
I like it. First SSD I've owned, but no problems here. It's easy to get caught up in all the deals and minutiae when it comes to buying an SSD. Brand A has better garbage collection, Brand B has beter 4K writes, Brand C... and so on. When I placed it in, it was fast and consistently fast. Good enough for me:)
 
So if I do send back the 120GB, I still need to know if I can clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one or if I should reinstall everything. I only ask because I never "downgraded" in size. Windows is no biggie as I only use 3 programs, but I have a lot of software on the OSX side.
 
Cloning a drive only copies the amount of data on the drive. If you have a 200GB hard drive but have only written 50GB, then 50GB is all that will be cloned (copied). Therefore, if you have 320 GB of data you need copied, then no, you won't be able to place all that data on a smaller drive. If however, you have less data than the size of drive you purchase, you'll be fine.
 
Great!, I'm only using about 100GB between osx and bootcamp. So cloning it to a 240GB will preserve the bootcamp installation?
 
I'm not sure about that. You should check with the maker of your cloning software. They should have that sort of info for you.
 
Thank you BigBeast. Even though you're costing me more money I think you saved me some hassle down the line :D

looks like the 120GB is going back
 
:) Sorry about the money, but if you have it, it will save you some trouble. You'll be much happier. Think of it this way- you can send back the caddy and don't have to buy an external DVD drive- that can go towards the larger SSD :D
 
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