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Undo
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Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 151
Location: Colorado
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 Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: Second SATA hard drive in Mac mini |
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Hello, I found an old thread on the topic of installing a 2nd hard drive but it had become a discussion of PCIe instead, so here's a new thread.
I just finished installing a second hard drive in my 2009 mini and it was quite simple. Thanks go to philiparcario for suggesting I use this hard drive caddy purchased through eBay. The caddy/sled replaces the internal optical drive. Cost with shipping for the caddy which arrived in about 10 days from Hong Kong was about $23.
Installation took about 20 minutes. There is nothing particularly difficult about it and no soldering involved. A small plastic tabbed strip must be detached from the caddy so it will fit in the mini.
I'm pleased to now have two fast internal SATA drives. Loss of the optical drive is insignificant since I have an external drive to use on those rare occasions I need one. And now I have a spare internal optical drive if needed for my other Mac mini.
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NRecob
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Joined: 13 Aug 2007
Posts: 210
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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thinking seriously about dumping my optical drive in my Late 2009 2.53 Mini and putting in a hybrid (make the hybrid the Boot HDD & the original HDD the Time Machine HDD) and top it off with a new slotless cover:
http://bit.ly/9gmnng
my question is, why is the hard drive caddy even necessary? Is it acting as a heat sink? Is there some electrical connectivity issue it solves? Both? Neither i.e., some other reason? |
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Undo
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Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 151
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:39 am Post subject: |
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| I was unable to find a cable which would connect a hard drive to the SATA connection in the Mac. The caddy solves that problem. |
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NRecob
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Posts: 210
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:20 am Post subject: |
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| Undo wrote: | | I was unable to find a cable which would connect a hard drive to the SATA connection in the Mac. The caddy solves that problem. |
Newer HDD's are SATA--what am I missing? Is the connector plugged into the optical drive something other than SATA?
Philip[arcario] can you shed any light on this (since you seem to be the resident expert on these sorts of things)?
Last edited by NRecob on Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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philiparcario
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Joined: 19 Jun 2006
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Location: Howell NJ USA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:37 am Post subject: |
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yeah I am looking for a good picture.
_________________
2010 Mm 2.4 C2D oem 320gb hdd 8gb ram
2012Mm base 2.5 with 16gb ram diy fusion drive
2012Mm quad with 8gb ram oem 1tb hdd
promise pegasus r6 3x 3tb + 3x 4tb =21tb hdds
lacie little big disk 2x 512gb ssds
synology 2tb disk station |
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philiparcario
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Location: Howell NJ USA
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billb
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Joined: 18 Jan 2009
Posts: 1311
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:33 am Post subject: |
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| NRecob wrote: | | my question is, why is the hard drive caddy even necessary? |
Its not, but acts as a good stable mounting frame for an HD. | NRecob wrote: | | Is it acting as a heat sink? |
That to. | NRecob wrote: | | Is there some electrical connectivity issue it solves? Both? Neither i.e., some other reason? |
Neither.
_________________
2011 Mac mini 2.7 GHz i7 with
16GB RAM, Samsung 512GB SSD
MacBook AIR 11 Inch
Mac mini, Model 1.1, 2.33 GHz C2D Proc
20" iMac G4 PPC |
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billb
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Philip, Philip, Philip,
Do you think this interconnect board
could be used to up-grade
my OLD Mac mini (model 1.1 Intel)
with A SATA/IDE Interconnect Board
to a SATA/SATA Model mini?
Is it worth a try?
What do you think?
_________________
2011 Mac mini 2.7 GHz i7 with
16GB RAM, Samsung 512GB SSD
MacBook AIR 11 Inch
Mac mini, Model 1.1, 2.33 GHz C2D Proc
20" iMac G4 PPC |
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philiparcario
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Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Posts: 4570
Location: Howell NJ USA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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| billb wrote: | | NRecob wrote: | | my question is, why is the hard drive caddy even necessary? |
Its not, but acts as a good stable mounting frame for an HD.
IF YOU HAVE A 2009 MINI THAT IS NOT A SERVER MODEL. YOU NEED TO ADAPT THE TOP MINI SATA TO A PROPER SATA!!
| NRecob wrote: | | Is it acting as a heat sink? |
That to.
AGREED!!
| NRecob wrote: | | Is there some electrical connectivity issue it solves? Both? Neither i.e., some other reason? |
Neither. |
THE CADDY SOLVES THE CONNECTION ISSUE YOU CAN NOT DIRECTLY CONNECT TO THE TOP SATA SLOT IF YOU FIND AN ADAPTER YOU CAN.!! ALSO IF YOU BUY THE SERVER CONNECTOR YOU WILL HAVE 2 STANDARD SATA HOOKUPS!
NOTE THIS IS A BITCH TO HOOK UP BUT IT GIVES 2 STANDARD SATA CONNECTS
ALSO THE TOP DRIVE WILL WOBBLE without something to hold it. see below
http://www.applecomponents.com/items/922-9112_board-interconnect-dual-hard-drive/0000004317?pn=1&cmp=0161&per_page=30
_________________
2010 Mm 2.4 C2D oem 320gb hdd 8gb ram
2012Mm base 2.5 with 16gb ram diy fusion drive
2012Mm quad with 8gb ram oem 1tb hdd
promise pegasus r6 3x 3tb + 3x 4tb =21tb hdds
lacie little big disk 2x 512gb ssds
synology 2tb disk station |
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philiparcario
Veteran Member
Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Posts: 4570
Location: Howell NJ USA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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| billb wrote: |
Philip, Philip, Philip,
Do you think this interconnect board
could be used to up-grade
my OLD Mac mini (model 1.1 Intel)
with A SATA/IDE Interconnect Board
to a SATA/SATA Model mini?
Is it worth a try?
What do you think? |
a shot in the dark but it is low cost get the server one with 2 of the same sata connections and it is 10 bucks cheaper.
http://www.applecomponents.com/items/922-9112_board-interconnect-dual-hard-drive/0000004317?pn=1&cmp=0161&per_page=30
warning lots of small parts.
_________________
2010 Mm 2.4 C2D oem 320gb hdd 8gb ram
2012Mm base 2.5 with 16gb ram diy fusion drive
2012Mm quad with 8gb ram oem 1tb hdd
promise pegasus r6 3x 3tb + 3x 4tb =21tb hdds
lacie little big disk 2x 512gb ssds
synology 2tb disk station |
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NRecob
Member
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
Posts: 210
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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| philiparcario wrote: | | billb wrote: | | NRecob wrote: | | my question is, why is the hard drive caddy even necessary? |
Its not, but acts as a good stable mounting frame for an HD.
IF YOU HAVE A 2009 MINI THAT IS NOT A SERVER MODEL. YOU NEED TO ADAPT THE TOP MINI SATA TO A PROPER SATA!!
| NRecob wrote: | | Is it acting as a heat sink? |
That to.
AGREED!!
| NRecob wrote: | | Is there some electrical connectivity issue it solves? Both? Neither i.e., some other reason? |
Neither. |
THE CADDY SOLVES THE CONNECTION ISSUE YOU CAN NOT DIRECTLY CONNECT TO THE TOP SATA SLOT IF YOU FIND AN ADAPTER YOU CAN.!! ALSO IF YOU BUY THE SERVER CONNECTOR YOU WILL HAVE 2 STANDARD SATA HOOKUPS!
NOTE THIS IS A BITCH TO HOOK UP BUT IT GIVES 2 STANDARD SATA CONNECTS
ALSO THE TOP DRIVE WILL WOBBLE without something to hold it. see below
http://www.applecomponents.com/items/922-9112_board-interconnect-dual-hard-drive/0000004317?pn=1&cmp=0161&per_page=30 |
Now I'm getting it Philip-THANK YOU! I hope to have the opportunity to be as helpful in the future...
SO COOL you found that board at the same place where I was going to buy the slotless cover 
Thanks again!
--
BillB-thank you as well. |
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