SSD in Optical Bay 2011 MacBook Pro 13"

So I have a MacBook Pro 8.1, late 2011 13". I want to put an SSD in it using OptiBay or an equivalent. I don't want to put the HDD in the optibay because I want all the protection the original slot provides for the HDD. I have read a lot about incompatabilities about SATA III in the optibay slot. I have confirmed that I have SATA III for the optibay connection. So will my MacBook support a SATA III SSD in the optibay? If not, will it still support one just at SATA II speeds? Will it support a SATA II SSD?

You may be able to get it to work but you'll likely end up with nothing but problems. MacBook Pros simply expect the boot drive to be in the HD bay, NOT in the optibay. SO many people have tried that configuration and been sorely dissapointed.
Clinton

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Is there a compatibility guide for SSDs in the late 2011 macbook pro model?

Is there a compatibility guide for SSDs in the late 2011 macbook pro model? I'm looking to purchase a 15.4" Late 2011 Macbook pro and was looking a SATA3 SSD that was supported (outside of the ones provided by Apple). Does anyone have any success stories they wish to share? I assume the problem with secondary bay and SATA3 has still not been resolved.

Have you looked at the OWC web site? They specialize in Mac peripherals and they have a good line of SSDs and secondary bays as well. My experience with them has been good but I am not ready for SSDs. For my needs the cost/benefits are not there.
Ciao.

SSD drive for late 2011 Macbook Pro

Hi there
Has anyone any experience with late 2011 macbook pros and upgrading to ssd ?
Looking at the Samsung 840 ssd but whats the biggest difference between the Samsung 840, 840 pro and evo.
And what is there performance in like in a mac ?
Regards
Paraic

Bear008,
A dock like this "docking station":
...where you just plug your hard drive in instead of putting it in an enclosure.
Clinton

New Sandisk SSD Plus on 2011 Macbook Pro is slow

Hello everyone,
Before I get into my issue here are some screen shots of system information.
I have recently installed a new Sandisk SSD on my early 2011 Macbook pro. After install of 0S and waited for finder to do its things I tested read and write speed using Black Magic Speed Test. My results are shown below.
ACTIVITY MONITOR
WHAT I HAVE ALREADY TRIED.
Used disk utility to verify disk and repair no issues found one problem found when repairing disk permissions but it was repaired.
Fresh install of OS 10.7
NAVRAM reset.
Verified disk was actually selected in systems preferences.
Im at a standstill I have ran out of ideas of what it could be. I cannot appear to find anyone else who did not resolve this issues by following one or more of the steps above.

I searched that kernel process that is shown eating up my CPU and applied to following commands in Terminal.
Terminal method of fixing Kernel_Task RAM / CPU / Memory problem in Mac.
Use terminal in Mac to fix Kernel_Task RAM / CPU / Memory problem in Mac.
Command to check ModelIdentifier of your Mac:
system_profiler -detailLevel mini | grep "Model Identifier:"
Command to change directory to Resources:
cd /System/Library/Extensions/IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/ACPI_SM C_PlatformPlugin.kext/Contents/Resources/
Command to list the names of ModelIdentifier in Resources directory of your Mac:
ls
Command to move YourModelIdentifier.plist file to Users directory:
sudo mv YourModelIdentifier.plist /users
[Please Replace YourModelIdentifier.plist with Your Model Identifier.plist name. Like mine was MacBookPro8_2.plist. In My Case the command will be: sudo mv MacBookPro8_2.plist /users]
Video tutorial shown below.
http://teamdurga.wix.com/durga#!terminal-way-to-fix-kerneltask-problem/c7zd
rechecked system speed using Black Magic Speed Test
Thank you OGELTHORPE for the helpful hint on changing the vies on the Activity Monitor which allowed me to find the problem.

Putting a SSD in the optical drive bay of a late 2011 MacBook Pro.

I want to put a large Solid State Drive in the optical drive bay of my late 2011 (Model ID 8,2, 2.4 GHZ quad i7, 8 Gigs RAM, SSD boot drive) using the carrier and drive from Other World Computing. The "About This Mac" box shows that the optical drive is 6G so I'm thinking that it should be OK putting a 6G drive in that bay, but OWC says that MacBook Pros have only a 3G optical drive capability. I know this was true on earlier models, but my bay says 6G.   The 6 G SSD's are faster and have a longer warranty. I do pro audio work and want to record to the new drive with speed and reliability. Is there any way to prove that my MBPro will handle 6G? I was told by someone at OWC who looked up my my serial number that it would work, but another tech guy at OWC said they didn't recommend it. I'm thinking that they just issue a blanket "no" answer to cover themselves against people ordering a 6G drive for a machine that wouldn't handle it. Before I order a 6G drive is there a way I can know for sure if it will work?
Many thanks,
Robert

If the computer is correctly identified as 15-inch Late 2011 MacBook Pro, and not an Early 2011 build series,
according to MacTracker database (http://mactracker.ca download application) optical drive interface supports
the same spec as the hard disk drive...
Hard Drive Interface    6.0 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA)
Optical Drive Interface    6.0 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA)
So should there be an error in identification, that would make a difference. Some Early 2011 models may
have the 3.0 Gbps or 6.0Gbps data rate in the optical drive. All Late 2011 models should be 6.0 Gbps.
Good luck & happy computing!

SOLUTION: DOES MY 2011 MACBOOK PRO HAVE 3G OR 6G IN OPTICAL BAY FOR SSD? *ANSWER*

Hey guys, I just wanted to share the love and tell you I've finally spoken with Apple tech support (had to go through a handful of them to find the answer).. I have a [b][u]Late 2011 MacBook Pro (8,2) (MacBookPro8,2)[/b][/u], which was [B]*PURCHASED ON APRIL 4, 2012*[/B] and wanted to upgrade both the main HD and the optical bay/SuperDrive with Dual SSD's.. but saw so much conflicting info. on the internet about how some 2011 MacBook Pros only have 3G capabilities for the optical drive, where others (released later on) had 6G drive capabilities in BOTH the main drive and optical drive bay..
so now I'm probably sure you're asking yourself...
WHICH CONNECTOR DOES MY MACBOOK PRO SUPPORT FOR A [B]2ND SSD IN THE OPTICAL DRIVE/SUPERDRIVE BAY?[/B]
3G (SATA-II) OR 6G (SATA-III)
I literally had to call Apple a half a dozen times, spoke to 2 different managers, and then eventually got them to spill the beans.. The thing with Apple is that they beat around the bush big time when it comes to things like you personally replacing/upgrading components.. As soon as you bring up the connector for the optical bay, they start asking questions.. It eventually took me to 5th call to end up speaking with some chill dude who was able to pull up my "About My Mac" and interpret if I were part of the 2011-MacBook Pro releases which had the (6G main + 3G optical) or the group that had the (6G main + 6G optical).. Literally tried everywhere on the internet, but SO HAPPY to finally have a solid answer from Apple themselves..
[b]My specific MacBook Pro Model:[/b]
[u]MacBook Pro (8,2) - Late 2011 (purchased April 4, 2012) - 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 - 15"[/u]
[B][U]*SOLUTION*[/B][/U]
If you pull open your "About this Mac", click "More Info", and then "System Report", click on "SATA" on the left column, and then if your stats in those windows match the stats from the 2 screenshots I posted, then your Optical Drive Bay/SuperDrive is equipped and handle a 6G/SATA-III drive or SSD! I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter at all what your "MacBookProX,x" number is, as long as you have #'s that match mine in those screenshots, you're good to go!
ENJOY!

Could you provide some rationale(s) behind it? As far as I know, the mid 2010 Macbook Pro, the HDD is running via the SATA interface at running at 3.0 Gb/s, which is SATA II, and the Super-drive and/or the Optical drive, which is also running via SATA II interface, so I would assume the performance (i.e. primarily in speed) would be similar if not the same by placing the SSD drive in either one of the two places.
Also, wouldn't it be better by placing the SSD in the optical so the OEM HDD could be kept in the original main bay since it has the shock-sensing feature there?

Late 2011 Macbook Pro with SSD Freezing

Hello,
I have a late 2011 macbook pro and about six or so months ago I have it a new lease on live with a Samsung 840 SSD (non pro).
I haven't really had any problems with that until recently - the machine started locking up on wakeup. This meant that the beachball of doom would start and each program would gradually in turn become unresponsive. Shutdown command wouldn't work and would time out, force quit wouldn't open, and although I could move the mouse around and sometimes switch between programs, they didn't work and the only cure was to hold the power button until it switched off.
This has also started happening just when the computer has been on for a certain amount of time *without sleeping*. For example, if I watch an episode of a tv show, by the end of it the video is still running but all of the other programs are locked up - clicking out of VLC causes the beachball of doom. This also happens in other programs - it's even happened as I've been writing this, and the only remedy seems to be a hard restart.
The problem doesn't seem to occur in windows. In OSX I have 'put hard drives to sleep' turned off, and TRIM enabled. I also disables the sudden movement sensor. I have also reset the SMC.
Does anyone know of a remedy short of a full reinstall of Mountain Lion?
Oh and I used samsung magician in windows to update the firmware of the drive. It reports that the drive should be fine.
Thanks very much for any help anyone can give me with this!

anything is possible - corrupt files - corrupt drivers - it could be anything.
try doing a nvram/pram reset and see if that sorts it out.
i have ssd installed in all my Macbook/Macbook Pro and have never had any issues.
Then again, I don't have windows installed in any of them.
hopefully the nvram/pram reset sorts it out for you.
once you've done that reset - go back to system preferences - startup disk and select your ssd as the startup drive again - then restart it again.

Intel SSD 530 240gb - 17" late 2011 Macbook Pro

I was given a new in the bag Intel SSD 530 240gb
I have a 17" late 2011 Macbook Pro..
I can afford to buy another brand and sell this one online/ebay...
Am I asking for problems installing and using this? My laptop is the core of my business so I need stability.
I have not only a timecapsul backup but also a daily copy clone to a internal hard drive in my MB too..
If I choose not to use it is the general consensus Samsung the most Mac compatible.
I'm in Bali and so warrantee follow up is a nightmare..
Thanks in advance..

I do not have experience with the Intel SSD's but I also heard of some problems (that you can solve with a firmware update, which is not easy to do).
I would go for the lowest risk and buy Crucial SSD.
Samsung is NOT the most compatible for Mac, it is as compatible as most other brands. The disadvantage in the Samsung SSD's is that it does not have the best diskcontroller. Crucial has the Marvell controller which is by far better.
I have experience with Samsung, Crucial, Micron (same as Crucial), Mercure. They all work well, with the best experience with Crucial. About 10 MacbookPros upgraded to SSD.
Lex

My optical drive in my Early 2011 MacBook Pro doesn't work...

Hi, my optical drive stopped working on me... I have an Early 2011 MacBook Pro and do you guys have fix for this?

Greetings TheSnapDude,
It appears your optical drive is not responding. Based on the information you have provided, your MacBook Pro's optical drive may need to be serviced. The following link should help you get started with the process and has links with additional information on topics such as warranty and service pricing, battery replacement, and express replacement service.
Apple - Support - Service Answer Center
There is an additional method which allows you to use another computer's optical drive. Take a look at this link which will help you learn how to share drives and check if your computers meet the requirements:
OS X Yosemite: Use another computer’s DVD or CD drive
Thank you for contributing to Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Bobby_D

Slow ssd in my 2011 macbook pro

my kingston ssd is slow in my 2011 macbook pro
its around 60/100 mbs and it should be like 400 or more
did i do something wrong

Did you prep it correctly?
Drive Partition and Format
1. Boot from your Recovery HD. Wait for the Utilities Menu to appear.
If you are preparing an external or a non-startup drive, then open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Apply button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
You should also check to see if TRIM is turned on. If it isn't, then download Trim Enabler 3.3.

Is the Kingston SSD 240GB Sata3 2.5" SSDNow V 200 compatible with a LATE 2011 Macbook Pro 13?

I need to know if it is 100% compatible and not give me problems in the future.
I hope some help, thanks!!!

Kingston Hyper X is compatible with your Macbook.
Another SSD to look at is the Samsung 830 Series and Sandisk Extreme.
There are a few of us here using the Crucial M4. I have the 256GB and 512GB Crucial M4 drives.
As for the RAM. You can use Crucial, Mushkin, Corsair and Patriot.
I use Crucial on my Late 2011 Macbook Pro 15 Inch and Patriot Signature Series on my Late 2011 13 Inch Pro.
Both are 16GB with no issues. Patriot Signature Series is currently on sale for $100 (16GB)....Not sure which part of the world you live in so can't give you any stores that sells them.
In any event, good luck with your transplant.

What SSD do Apple use in MacBook Pro (Early 2011)

Hi, my MacBook is becoming a little sluggish (3 and half years of solid use) so I'm looking to give it a bit of a facelift, I've upgraded the RAM but I've read that changing from HD to SSD will improve my performance significantly, so what SSD do Apple use that will be suitable for my MacBook or can anyone reccommend anything better?
Also when I do swap to SSD if I do a backup on time machine right before, then install the new SSD, will it allow me to just restore from backup to the new drive?
Thanks

LukeCarberry,
you can use any SATA SSD with a 2.5 inch form factor, up to 9.5 mm tall. Your Early 2011 MacBook Pro would get best performance with a SATA III SSD, with a 6.0 Gb/s burst throughput rate. Popular SSD choices here include various models from Crucial, OWC, and Samsung, but there are certainly more options available.
If your SSD has a capacity no smaller than that of your current HDD, then you should be able to restore a Time Machine backup onto your SSD.

Do the 2011 Macbook Pros with an Apple installed SSD have cooling fans?

Do the 2011 Macbook Pros with an Apple installed SSD have cooling fans? In other words, I pre ordered the 256 SSD option with my purchase from Apple. I have searched and searched the internet for a clear answer. I have called Apple and have gotten contradictory answers. Can anyone definitively answer this question?

It's unbelievable that anyone purporting to represent Apple could have misinformed you in such a ridiculous way. Apple has never produced a MBP that didn't have one or more cooling fans in it. The percentage of total heat generated by a MBP that comes from its hard drive (or SSD) is tiny — I would guess it's considerably less than 5%. The notion that the machine could dispense with cooling fans as a result of switching from a conventional drive to a SSD is laughable.
I can only assume that you posed the question in such a way that it was not clearly understood by the people responding.
Message was edited by: eww

Upgrade to SSD or HDD? Late 2011 MacBook Pro

Hi,
I have a late 2011 MacBook Pro, running Yosemite with 500GB hard drive & 4 GB of RAM.
I'm going to upgrade the RAM to 16GB regardless to speed things up a little.
I'm a very basic level user. Mainly use it for web surfing, watching movies, downloading music etc.
I don't think I want to lose the SuperDrive as I burn cd's to play in my car.
Reckon an upgrade to an internal HDD should do the trick. Looking to get 2TB at least. Can anyone recommend anything to me please & explain to me how I go about transferring data from current HDD to the new 1?
Thanks!

Vendors to check are OWC, DataMem, and Best Buy. I would recommend Seagate, HSGT, and Toshiba. The latter now makes a 2 TB notebook sized drive you can use in that model. I believe this is the largest capacity for a notebook drive.
Adding RAM only makes it possible to run more programs concurrently. It doesn't speed up the computer nor make games run faster. What it can do is prevent the system from having to use disk-based VM when it runs out of RAM because you are trying to run too many applications concurrently or using applications that are extremely RAM dependent. It will improve the performance of applications that run mostly in RAM or when loading programs.

2011 MacBook Pro Battery Not Charging

17" 2011 MacBook Pro 2.2ghz i7 8GB RAM (upgraded OWC), 128GB SSD (in optical bay), and stock 750 GB HD. Running Lion. Battery cycle count: 15
Battery is not charging after a heavy GPU or CPU load (gaming, editing, HD movie streaming). Tried multiple SMC resets and a PRAM reset. It was charging after you let it sit for several hours. I sent it into Apple for a repair and was rejected because of the missing optical drive (that's another story), anyhow, when it came back it won't charge at all. Battery says (not charging) but running on AC power. The Magsafe light is not lit. The Magsafe port was replaced on the computer, but that didn't fix it.
Trying to avoid having to reformat and send into Apple (change it back to stock config).
Anyone have a solution?

The battery can't be charged when the cpu is under full load because in that situation it is using power from the battery. Shut the MBP down (not sleep) to see if it will charge in that mode.

SSD in Optical Bay 2011 MacBook Pro 13"

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