2008 MacPro SSD upgrade questions

[ChuckBlack]

Hey there, just a few questions on an upgrade I'm planning. I want a 240GB SSD from OWC and here's what I'm wondering...

1. Is there not a sled option for a 2.5" SSD to fit inside one of the factory HD slots? Do I really have to install it into the optical bay?

2. If so to the above, does that drive in the optical bay plug into the factory HD bay for it's SATA connection or onto the motherboard. Reason I ask is because I have that port on the mobo extended to a PCI slot for my Drobo.

3. Will I see any performance gain by getting the 6 Gbps unit in my 3 Gbps system?

3. If not to the above then does anyone see a problem with getting a much cheaper external 2 port 6 Gbps PCI card (cheaper than one with internal ports) and simply run the SATA cables through an empty PCI slot back into the tower?

This is the PCI card I'm looking at...
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/MXPCIE6GS2/

Thanks!

 

[gpzjock]

Drive bay driveby.

I used the OWC method: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/SSD2MX240/
and http://eshop.macsales.com/item/IcyDock/MB882SP1S2B/
will let you put it in a HDD bay and is only 3 Gb/s anyway, a 6 Gb/s one won't go any faster in a 2008 MP.

The 6 Gb/s eSATA PCI card will run 3 Gb/s when connected to your older motherboard.

 

[Glen Quagmire]

MaxUpgrades and Transintl do sleds that allow you to put a 2.5" HDD or SSD in a 3.5" Mac Pro hard drive bay:

http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?category=2787
http://www.maxupgrades.com/istore/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=180&ParentCat=257

You can also get an Icy Dock housing, but I've heard mixed reports on them. Some people have had no problems at all, others have had all kinds of weird issues.

One reason to get a 6Gbps unit over a 3Gbps unit is if you're likely to upgrade your Mac Pro within the lifetime of the SSD.

 

[ActionableMango]

You can also get a 3.5" SSD and just bolt it directly to the drive sled without adapters. This is what I did.

 

[ChuckBlack]

Thanks guys, nice to see a sled option or 2 out there for the '08.

SHOCKING to me that a 6 Gbps card would run at 3 Gbps on my system, I meet the PCI requirements. Oh well I guess, just the plain SSD option will have to suffice.

 

[gpzjock]

Why does my 6 lane highway not get me to work faster?

The 6 Gb/s PCI card can only move as fast as the connector it is attached to on the motherboard.
Sure you can build a 6 lane highway from your external RAID array but if you only have 3 lanes after the next roundabout the bottleneck is still there.