• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Dual HDD MacBook Pro for $10 + cost of harddrive!

alfa147x

alfa147x

Lifer
I've been meaning to do this for a while. I finally ordered my SSD and it got lost during shippment 🙁.
...forward a couple of day. SSD! 😀

Things needed:
9.5mm Serial ATA Optical Bay Hard Drive Adapter <- ebay around $10
SATA 2.5 HDD

This is a MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011

Follow this tutorial: iFixit link

Make sure you do this:
20110914at172903.jpg



MacBook Pro before:
20110914at172814.jpg


Harddrive caddy with the harddrive installed:
20110914at174749.jpg


MacBook Pro after:
20110914at175837.jpg


ojcZU.png


A couple of notes:
Remove this front piece of the harddrive caddy. It's held on by two tiny screws
QeFzN.png


None of the screws that hold down the superdrive will fit. You can remove a small bracket from the superdrive and screw it on to the caddy.

Everything else fits perfectly. It only takes about 5 minutes to install.

Both SATA connectors are SATA3 @ 6 Gbit/s

This turned out a lot easier than I expected.
 
Was always wondering how long until something like this was commercially available. My preference is still for an optical, ssd inside, and external USB 2.5".

That said, your work looks clean. Any issues with the ribbon cables causing a fuss?
 
gizmo7 said:
Was always wondering how long until something like this was commercially available. My preference is still for an optical, ssd inside, and external USB 2.5".

That said, your work looks clean. Any issues with the ribbon cables causing a fuss?
Click to expand...

Nope not at all the ribbon cables were actually the easiest part. The hardest part was dealing with all of the antenna wires. A bunch of companies sell "kits" for this kinda install:

iFixIt: $59.99
http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/9-5-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-080

mcetech optibay: $99
http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/index.html

I just bought a generic off of ebay and it worked.
 
I was just about to post a thread about something similar. Are there adapters for whatever the internal drive uses as a connector to esata? I'd really, really like an esata port on my unibody Macbook (the original aluminum model). If I could get the right cable, I'm thinking I could put esata and power right in the DVD drive slot.

Thoughts?
 
sjwaste said:
I was just about to post a thread about something similar. Are there adapters for whatever the internal drive uses as a connector to esata? I'd really, really like an esata port on my unibody Macbook (the original aluminum model). If I could get the right cable, I'm thinking I could put esata and power right in the DVD drive slot.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

FQJIr.jpg
(The bottom one)

What you need is a Slimline SATA to esata adapter but no one makes one. You can make one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...F8&amp;me=&amp;seller=
+

(Something that goes from SATA + molex power to ESATA)

Or just use USB:
http://www.amazon.com/Male-eSATA-Pow...128789&amp;sr=1-15

I've never used eSATA so idk how well that would work. But you have a good idea.

Also it's easier if you don't need power. Just use that first adapter

Actually that SATA port is called a micro SATA so you could use something like this: Link
 
Last edited:
The terminology was what I was looking for - microSATA / Slimline SATA. I'm good enough with a soldering iron, so I could get connectors and make the adapter. Most eSATA devices I've seen have their own power brick because the interface itself isn't powered to any significant degree and external power is not expected. Thanks for the pics, that really helped!

I did some googling, but I wasn't sure what they were actually called.
 
sjwaste said:
The terminology was what I was looking for - microSATA / Slimline SATA. I'm good enough with a soldering iron, so I could get connectors and make the adapter. Most eSATA devices I've seen have their own power brick because the interface itself isn't powered to any significant degree and external power is not expected. Thanks for the pics, that really helped!

I did some googling, but I wasn't sure what they were actually called.
Click to expand...

I'm glad! I wasn't sure about how those devices are powered. I would look into a retractable esata cable.
 
alfa147x said:
I'm glad! I wasn't sure about how those devices are powered. I would look into a retractable esata cable.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the first adapter you posted (the slimline to esata + molex) internally, with a gender changer mounted in the DVD bay slot to make it basically like a PC eSATA port. I'm wondering if the molex connector gives you eSATAp or not, but if not I'm sure it can be wired up with the appropriate connector.

Then again, I'm leaning towards your project with the hard drive my laptop came with as a 2nd boot volume for Windows. I want to do some WP7 development on my laptop.

The only real reason I wanted eSATA is for faster backups 🙂 :thumbsup:
 
sjwaste said:
I was thinking the first adapter you posted (the slimline to esata + molex) internally, with a gender changer mounted in the DVD bay slot to make it basically like a PC eSATA port. I'm wondering if the molex connector gives you eSATAp or not, but if not I'm sure it can be wired up with the appropriate connector.

Then again, I'm leaning towards your project with the hard drive my laptop came with as a 2nd boot volume for Windows. I want to do some WP7 development on my laptop.

The only real reason I wanted eSATA is for faster backups 🙂 :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

What about fw800? Those are plenty fast. Plus my route it's easier to revert to stock for warrantee repairs or sale of the mbp




i
 
alfa147x said:
What about fw800? Those are plenty fast. Plus my route it's easier to revert to stock for warrantee repairs or sale of the mbp




i
Click to expand...

Ah, I'm on the first unibody Macbook (non-pro). I think it's the Macbook 5,1. 13", unibody, no FW or card slots. I guess it got confusing because in the next revision, all unibody aluminum Macbooks got the Pro label. So this is the 13" Unibody MBP before it was a Pro.
 
I ordered a $13.99 optical bay caddy. Looks like I'm installing the stock HD in that bay (it's sitting in a box, replaced by an SSD, so why not).
 
sjwaste said:
I ordered a $13.99 optical bay caddy. Looks like I'm installing the stock HD in that bay (it's sitting in a box, replaced by an SSD, so why not).
Click to expand...

Depending on the model SSD that you have, you are better off putting the SSD into the caddy assuming you have a model with SATA optical. Both ports are 3Gb/s, but the regular hard drive spot is the one with the motion sensor
 
TheStu said:
Depending on the model SSD that you have, you are better off putting the SSD into the caddy assuming you have a model with SATA optical. Both ports are 3Gb/s, but the regular hard drive spot is the one with the motion sensor
Click to expand...

This^ Also the hard drive spot also has rubber mounts. I need to swap mine.
 
I have this same setup. Mechanical HDD in the optibay and a 6Gbps SSD in my HDD bay. The speeds are phenomenal.

If you wanna take it one step further, you can have OSX point your user folder to the HDD. The reason why you wanna do this is that all of your personal files goes on the regular HDD and your applications are saved onto the SSD.

This also aides in reformatting your HDD and doing a clean install because your OS and personal files are separate.
 
MrX8503 said:
Its better to have the mechanical HDD in the caddy if he has a SATAIII SSD because the optibay is only SATAII.
Click to expand...

It is the SATA port for the optical drive that is SATAII, not the caddy. That is why I was saying that it is SSD dependent. If it is not a drive that can actually make use of SATAIII speeds, then leave the mechanical drive where it is.
 
I have a Macbook 5,1 - the original unibody aluminum (mid 2009). There is no SATA-III port, just SATA-II, IIRC.

Two questions for the experts:

1. If I put the SSD in the Optibay, which makes sense, is it difficult to make that the boot volume still? It's my boot disk now and I'd want to keep that.

2. Moving the /Users directory to the secondary HDD seems like a great idea. Problem is, I don't know how to do it. Is there some OS-supported method that doesn't involve me wiping everything and reinstalling? Or should I just move [SSD]/Users to [HDD]/Users and hardlink [SSD]/Users to the HDD location? Does OSX support symlinks or hard links across volumes?

Thanks! My caddy should be here on Monday, shipping from NY.
 
sjwaste said:
I have a Macbook 5,1 - the original unibody aluminum (mid 2009). There is no SATA-III port, just SATA-II, IIRC.

Two questions for the experts:

1. If I put the SSD in the Optibay, which makes sense, is it difficult to make that the boot volume still? It's my boot disk now and I'd want to keep that.
Click to expand...

It will work just as it is now. No work needed. 😀
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top