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Installing a 2nd DVD Drive

fluidedge

fluidedge

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 1, 2007
1,365
16
Hi,

Can i install a second DVD drive myself. I only ordered a single drive mac pro, but if i can buy a DVD burner for about £20 i thought it would be an easy/cheap upgrade.

Is it doable? Any brand/model recommended?

Is there any DVD player software that will play blu ray on OS X? I know Apple's own DVD Player application wont. Will VLC manage Blu-Ray?
 
It is very easy to install a second PATA DVD Burner, SATA DVD drives are a lot harder to install.

Not sure if the manual for the new Mac Pro is the same/similar to the old ones, but in my 2006 Mac Pro User Guide has the "Replacing the Optical Drive" instructions on pages 42 - 46. Apple even provides spare screws attached to the side of the optical drive carrier for the second optical drive.
 
Dark Dragoon said:
SATA drives are a lot harder to install.
Click to expand...

Let me see if I'm clear on how to do this:

1) Get SATA drive: something like an LG GGW-H20L, yes? :D
2) If it didn't come with one, get a SATA power to 4-pin molex adapter
3) Take fan assembly out
4) Route optical drive SATA cable down to open SATA port on motherboard
5) Install optical drive in drive bay and connect cables
6) Connect SATA power to 4-pin molex to internal molex
7) Replace everything, start up

That's right, isn't it?
 
Tallest Skil said:
Let me see if I'm clear on how to do this:

1) Get SATA drive: something like an LG GGW-H20L, yes? :D
2) If it didn't come with one, get a SATA power to 4-pin molex adapter
3) Take fan assembly out
4) Route optical drive SATA cable down to open SATA port on motherboard
5) Install optical drive in drive bay and connect cables
6) Connect SATA power to 4-pin molex to internal molex
7) Replace everything, start up

That's right, isn't it?
Click to expand...

No... you forgot one...

8) Pray it works. :D
 
Tallest Skil said:
Let me see if I'm clear on how to do this:

1) Get SATA drive: something like an LG GGW-H20L, yes? :D
2) If it didn't come with one, get a SATA power to 4-pin molex adapter
3) Take fan assembly out
4) Route optical drive SATA cable down to open SATA port on motherboard
5) Install optical drive in drive bay and connect cables
6) Connect SATA power to 4-pin molex to internal molex
7) Replace everything, start up

That's right, isn't it?
Click to expand...

Yeah that's right, unless you happen to have an early Mac Pro where Apple managed to put too much loctite on a couple of screws holding the memory cage in place (screw turns with the metal standoff), thus stopping you from removing the fan assembly. :(

Took me a while with a couple of long screwdrivers, torch and a pair of needle nosed pliers to install my SATA optical drives.
 
Then there's that one problem about there only being one drive door on the front of the tower cover..
 
Tallest Skil said:
Eh?!
Click to expand...

Compare:
macprovspowermac.jpg


(Mainly the drive doors, I know they are two different machines)
 
this might be a good thread to post this question, with installing a second drive with the IDE cable in my 07 2.66 MacPro:

currently my 2.66 MacPro has a SONY Dvd drive, but i was curious those that have the Pioneer 112D drives, if i purchase one and add it to my macpro will i need to install any additional software or firmware or is it ready go out of the box? (aside from double checking the jumper pin)


thanks!

=)
 
AppleNewton said:
this might be a good thread to post this question, with installing a second drive with the IDE cable in my 07 2.66 MacPro:

currently my 2.66 MacPro has a SONY Dvd drive, but i was curious those that have the Pioneer 112D drives, if i purchase one and add it to my macpro will i need to install any additional software or firmware or is it ready go out of the box? (aside from double checking the jumper pin)


thanks!

=)
Click to expand...

Should be ready to go out of the box.
 
cmturner2 said:
I'm actually hoping Apple releases a Blu-Ray drive of some kind for me to fill my second slot with.
Click to expand...

Think you'll have to buy a new desktop as Blueray for Mac will also be hardware driven so no updates to fix the BlueRay
 
ragu said:
Think you'll have to buy a new desktop as Blueray for Mac will also be hardware driven so no updates to fix the BlueRay
Click to expand...

First of all, this is a three year old thread.

Secondly, it IS possible to play back commercial blu-ray movies using existing hardware and software.
 
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