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Lian Li SSD adapter for Optical Bay and Icydock pics

H

Honumaui

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 18, 2008
770
55
put in some extra SSD inside the mac and ended up using the IcyDocks and a 5.25 adapter from Lian Li

the icy dock is pretty cool setup

icy_1.jpg


index.html




these little tabs help hold down the SSD
icy_5.jpg




this little thing kinda flips but when the cover is on it pushes forward keeping the SSD in tight ! along with the sliding locks and the bumps from above its very secure in their !
icy_4.jpg



complete and ready to slide in
icy_6.jpg







to put two extra SSD up in the Optical bay this is what I decided to try
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995034
$9.99 from newegg
lian_1.jpg


lian_2.jpg




some reviews on NewEgg say it has pilot holes ? I think they dont understand they are screw holes ?
lian_3.jpg



easy to screw the drives in
lian_4.jpg



Plenty of space inbetween
lian_5.jpg



SSD installed and ready to slide in
lian_6.jpg



the only downside is the holes dont quite match up ?
so one screw on each side since their is no rotation on these its plenty secure but would be better if it lined up
optical_1.jpg




Installed in the optical sled
optical_2.jpg




the other option drill a few holes and mount it back farther since their is so much room this is what I would do if I were going to have the other SATA stay on the optical drive ?
the other thing it fits quite snug once you tighten back up the optical drive so its not going anywhere ? and again since no rotation of platters their is no movement

update on the cable stretch issue :)

I somehow was so simple minded to not think about turning the thing around :) and the screw holes still dont line up but it puts the connectors back more so no cable stretch :)

DDOOOHHHHH was to excited when I first got it :) also I had run this just to test it out ? not final now that I got to final install today looked at it with both eyes open :)
 
just to review the IcyDock is plastic but seems well made and thought out ? the holes line up perfect so it does the job for SSD in the drive sleds on the Mac Pro !


the Lian Li ? for $9.99 its a nice clean way to mount them ? I did have them attached to my other HDD with these long velcro straps that worked well just thought it would be fun for $10 to see how this works ? quite clean and easy
 
Very nice write up. Quick question. How do you hook up your Optical drive if the 2 SSD are using the power and SATA ports?
 
going to try this
http://www.cooldrives.com/index.php/usdemivebrfs.html
then bring the cable in from the back of the mac ? a big gheto but should work :)

not sure what the power spec is on the extra video rail ? but thought of coming off that since I have one card ? have not looked into it that much yet ? but going to first :) not sure that will work though ?

or I go outboard or I just keep the one up their and keep the other on SATA and keep the new mac :) a few more tests to do


do not like extensions ? but saw one that jumped off to a molex and sata from a backplane design ? thought that might work cool then put a y adapter for power to the optical and use the usb thing above ?

we have a few macs here so deciding on final configuration this coming week :)
 
Honumaui said:
going to try this
http://www.cooldrives.com/index.php/usdemivebrfs.html
then bring the cable in from the back of the mac ? a big gheto but should work :)

not sure what the power spec is on the extra video rail ? but thought of coming off that since I have one card ? have not looked into it that much yet ? but going to first :) not sure that will work though ?

or I go outboard or I just keep the one up their and keep the other on SATA and keep the new mac :) a few more tests to do


do not like extensions ? but saw one that jumped off to a molex and sata from a backplane design ? thought that might work cool then put a y adapter for power to the optical and use the usb thing above ?

we have a few macs here so deciding on final configuration this coming week :)
Click to expand...

There are PCIe cards with internal USB 2.0 or firewire ports, you could try that?
 
2contagious said:
There are PCIe cards with internal USB 2.0 or firewire ports, you could try that?
Click to expand...

downside is my Areca and two other PM cards are in their already :)

but good info for others to check out who are not full up in the PCI area :)

I could get the firmtek 4 port external SATA that is suposed to be quite nice and replace the two cards ? I need 3 PM ports ?

I wish their was a extra USB header on the MB ? not sure if their is :) but that would be good

if this becomes mine ? then I will end up doing just the single up above and give the wife my 3,1 which has the two ports and the optical on IDE ?

I have her setup with a raid 1/0 inside so that is why I was setting this one up for her :) just got done with a few tests and LR :) and got to say impressed by how much quicker it was over my 3,1 for moving from image to image and having the white sliders come into view :) so it might be mine :) in that case I will have one SSD up above and two below with a couple extra HDD for the OS clone ?
 
IcyDock has a newer product that I'm using which is made of metal.

Also don't use their dual drive RAID product as it right doesn't support SSDs in RAID 0/BIG modes and the screw holes don't fit the Mac Pro HDD's sled screws.

Honumaui said:
just to review the IcyDock is plastic but seems well made and thought out ? the holes line up perfect so it does the job for SSD in the drive sleds on the Mac Pro !


the Lian Li ? for $9.99 its a nice clean way to mount them ? I did have them attached to my other HDD with these long velcro straps that worked well just thought it would be fun for $10 to see how this works ? quite clean and easy
Click to expand...
 
I have the OWC mounts they work and if you're creative with cable ties you can put 3 SSDs into one of the 5.25" adapters.

Just a thought as an alternative.
 
alphaod said:
I have the OWC mounts they work and if you're creative with cable ties you can put 3 SSDs into one of the 5.25" adapters.

Just a thought as an alternative.
Click to expand...

Pictures please ;-)

i've got 3 SSDs that aren't in my machine right now. one hanging in the optical bay and two sleds open.
 
steffi said:
Pictures please ;-)

i've got 3 SSDs that aren't in my machine right now. one hanging in the optical bay and two sleds open.
Click to expand...

mr_3vertex2-092910.png


Anyways, they are currently not mounted this way (in my computer, so I cannot show pictures of it mounted); nonetheless this does fit in the optical bay slot.
 
alphaod said:
mr_3vertex2-092910.png


Anyways, they are currently not mounted this way (in my computer, so I cannot show pictures of it mounted); nonetheless this does fit in the optical bay slot.
Click to expand...

So that benefits from one SATA connector in the Optical bay and you use the other from where?

If I have a mid-2010 Mac Pro which of their OWC mounts can I use with 2 SSD drives in the second optical bay? It's a little confusing on their site as they have so many mounts and brackets. I'm looking for a $39.99 solution that will work with my machine.

I'd probably use the port that's currently used by the Superdrive drive as it's seldomly used.
 
Last edited:
steffi said:
So that benefits from one SATA connector in the Optical bay and you use the other from where?
Click to expand...

I have a hardware RAID card, a requisite if you need more than the available SATA ports. Power is supplied by the use of splitters.
 
Is that middle drive secured with tie straps?

Is that middle drive secured with tie straps?

That bracket only has holes for two 2.5” drives.

Thanks ... Ken
 
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