Upgrading Rev A 1.6 80g Macbook Air with Mtron mobi3000 SLC 32gb SSD

[fan9]

I just ordered a 1.8" 32gb Mtron mobi 3000 SLC ssd with pata zif connector 5mm thickness off ebay. I am planning on replacing my 80gb 4200rpm hdd in my rev A macbook air with this ssd. The specs are pretty impressive with 100MB/s both read and write. Apparently there are two versions of this ssd one is 8mm the other one is 5mm. So make sure you get the 5mm one if you are planning to use it in your Air. Here is the link for those that are interested http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Mtron-SSD-PATA-1-8-32GB-Zif-SLC-Solid-State-Disk_W0QQitemZ150316310089QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCC_Drives_Storage_Internal?hash=item150316310089&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

The seller claims that it is 100% compatible with the Macbook air. My question now is, how do I install OSX on to this new ssd? I don't have the external drive for air, can I do remote install using this new ssd? Thanks!

 

[neiltc13]

So you went from 80GB of storage to 32. Sounds like a downgrade to me.

 

[fan9]

You serious? constructive replies plz...

 

[AIRniloc]

You serious? constructive replies plz...

if you have an external HD with a USB connection and the original OS discs that came with your air, you'll be fine..

go to a buddies house who has a mac with a superdrive, take with you your external HD and your OS install discs..


make a disk image (.dmg) of the OS install discs in disk utility..

make a small partition on your external HD (8-10 Gb)

restore this newly created partition from the OS .dmg (source=.dmg, destination=new partition)..

then you're all set...


install your new SSD drive, then plug your USB external HD drive into your air and shut down..

hold down the option key while you boot your macbook air with the new SSD in it, don't let go of the option key until you see the newly created partition on your external HD and then select it.

now you're basically just booting off of your install disk...

then go to disk utility (under utilities menu) and select your MOBI SSD, go to 'partition' and set up as Mac OS extended (journaled) format, then go to option and select GUID partition...oh yeah, and name your HD..

once the partition is done, quit disk utility and enter the leopard installer...if i were you, i would skip all of the printer downloads and foreign languages to save as much space as possible ( you can do this under 'options' on the final page of the installer BEFORE you press 'install')

your MOBI 32Gb SSD will probably only have a capacity of about 28GB or so right out of the box, and doing a skin and bones install of the OS will leave you with roughly 18-22 GBs of free space after the OS install...

first app you should download is xBench, so you can tell me your score with the MOBI ssd in it

good luck, and congrats on the MOBI score....i thought about doing the same thing, but just opted for selling my Rev A and scored the Rev B SSD...curious what score you'll get with the MOBI's incredible read/write speeds..

 

[fan9]

Thank you so much for your reply! I will definetly let you know the score of this ssd when I get it going. But I have to wait for about 2 weeks, since its being shipped from Korea. Again, thank you for your detailed instructions!

 

[lankox]

Would love to get my info about this as well.

 

[mcpryon2]

I'll be waiting to hear how this turns out, as well. Good luck with it, I can't wait to hear of the results.

 

[poky]

I have tried both Samsung zif SSD and Mtron one, which are the only 2 ZIF 5mm SSD that will fit in the Rev. A MBA.
I thought the Mtron one will be much faster, as the specs says 100mb/s read, 80 mb/s write.
But here's the real world test by Xbench.
As you can see, the Mtron SSD is faster, but not by far from the Samsung's.
But it consumes more power, even more then the original 80gb HDD.
The power consumption according to my test is Mtron>Samsung 80gb>Samsung SSD.

There's one way to make the Mtron SSD to achieve it's original speed, is by turn on the UDMA-7 support from the Mac OS X, default was set to UDMA-6, which explain the slow speed.
Because the same Mtron was installed a bootcamp with Vista, and forced turn on the UDMA-7 support, and the speed achieve 80mb/s in read.

Please let me know if anyone knows how to turn it on in Mac OS X.

 

[lankox]

Thanks Poky for taken the time to post your results. The numbers are disappointing. Hopefully someone will chime in with a solution. Surprised to find out that is consumes more power?

 

[fan9]

wow, thanks for the charts, thats very interesting. Oh well, time to find a way to enable udma-7 in OSX...

 

[mac jones]

Those Mtrons are power hogs.

Apparently, they use some sort of generic controller that consumes copious amounts of power.

Sort of defeats it's purpose in an ultralight.

I have a pre-order for a Runcore 64GB 1.8" 5mm PATA ZIF drive ($200) that gets around 60MB/s read AND writes that should be out in a few days. I don't know the power specs but at this price who cares

There are some graphs for this at the JKmobile blog. It's a MLC drive but should be ok. (the new Samsungs SATAs in the rev B are also MLC)

 

[LinMac]

Those Mtrons are power hogs.

Apparently, they use some sort of generic controller that consumes copious amounts of power.

Sort of defeats it's purpose in an ultralight.

I have a pre-order for a Runcore 64GB 1.8" 5mm PATA ZIF drive ($200) that gets around 60MB/s read AND writes that should be out in a few days. I don't know the power specs but at this price who cares

There are some graphs for this at the JKmobile blog. It's a MLC drive but should be ok. (the new Samsungs SATAs in the rev B are also MLC)

Let us know how the install goes. I'd like to upgrade my Macbook Air to an SSD, but only one that will work properly.

 

[jtamac]

Those Mtrons are power hogs.

Apparently, they use some sort of generic controller that consumes copious amounts of power.

Sort of defeats it's purpose in an ultralight.

I have a pre-order for a Runcore 64GB 1.8" 5mm PATA ZIF drive ($200) that gets around 60MB/s read AND writes that should be out in a few days. I don't know the power specs but at this price who cares

There are some graphs for this at the JKmobile blog. It's a MLC drive but should be ok. (the new Samsungs SATAs in the rev B are also MLC)

Where did you order the Runcore SSD from? I am interested in buying one for my Rev A MBA. Thanks.

 

[frimple]

Should have gotten the X25-M.

EDIT: I knew I was posting the wrong model... X18-M... srry

 

[mac jones]

Where did you order the Runcore SSD from? I am interested in buying one for my Rev A MBA. Thanks.

http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/Ca...se+By+Brand:RunCore:RunCore+1.8+inch+ZIF+SSDs


Note: the 128GB is 8mm and WILL NOT FIT!.

So it's 64GB or less. But these will fit.

Also, this site is legit (has been around for a while...)

 

[justit]

Note: the 128GB is 8mm and WILL NOT FIT!.

I wonder if cutting a square on the bottom panel where the drive fits would work? Ugly , but to get 128SSD on a Rev A definitely worth it for me.

 

[mac jones]

I wonder if cutting a square on the bottom panel where the drive fits would work? Ugly , but to get 128SSD on a Rev A definitely worth it for me.

There's some room in there if you don't use the bracket. I don't know how much but it might be doable.

Better idea is to get a USB 32GB (or another 1.8" SSD with a 1.8" enclosure)

I have one and it makes for a very portable solution with decent speed.

 

[poteck]

Problem Here With Mtron

HI all,

I bought last week those drive to the same ebay vendor. What can i say, simple IT DOES NOT WORK on my AIR. Don´t know why, i´m waiting the reply from the vendor. I just swap the old one and then install the new Mtron MSD-PATA3018Z2, my mac don´t detect it. Fan9 did you do something special to the disk?

What is more strange is that the disk work if i connect it to an external USB box, but not in my Air ZIF conector. IDEAS???

Please Fan9 could you look at your BOX the model number, in my box in the green adhesive it said MSD-PATA3018Z2(B)
and in the P/N:MSD-PATA3018-032-ZIF2

Is the same model that work for you?


I open a support ticket in MTRON but i don´t wait any kind of help from them at all. Just wait and see...
I will tell you...

Thanks.

Poteck

 

[justit]

Is the same model that work for you?

Did you follow AIRniloc's instructions in this thread?

 

[AIRniloc]

HI all,

I bought last week those drive to the same ebay vendor. What can i say, simple IT DOES NOT WORK on my AIR. Don´t know why, i´m waiting the reply from the vendor. I just swap the old and put the new Mtron MSD-PATA3018Z2 and my mac don´t detect it. Fan9 did you do something special to the disk?

What is more strange is that the disk work if i conect it to an externas USB box, but not in my macbook air ZIF conector. IDEAS???

Please Fan9 could you look at your BOX the model number, in my box in the green adhesive it said MSD-PATA3018Z2(B)
and in the P/N:MSD-PATA3018-032-ZIF2

Is the same model that work for you?


I open a support ticket in MTRON but i don´t wait any kind of help from them at all. Just wait and see...
I will tell you...

Thanks.

Poteck

*whispers* try re-seating your SSD ZIF connector...that thing can be a biotch

 

[fan9]

Sorry to hear that...but I haven't gotten the drive yet. Try taping the zif connector down with electrical tape..maybe that will help. Good luck!

 

[mac jones]

The Mtron 32GB 3000 1.8 PATA ZIF that i had didn't work in my Air.

It wouldn't even format correctly on a couple machines using an 1.8" enclosure.

It did work in a Samsung Q1-EL though.

Save some time and just get rid of it.

They are power hogs anyway. (not good for an Air)

I wanted it to work as it's specs were better (on paper) than the Samsung SSDs.

But in 'real world' you probably wouldn't see much difference.

 

[poteck]

SO, at all it doesn´t work on my Air. I connect it in a USB box and format on my mac mini with the GUI mode but my Air continue to not detect it.

I wrote to MTRON support team waiting for a solution, but i don´t wait too much about this "solution".

About the Tape solution for the ZIF connector didn´t work, i don´t think is a problem of contact in the ZIF connector.

Mac jones where did u get those 64GB runcore? sounds good..

Thanks.

Poteck

 

[AIRniloc]

SO, at all it doesn´t work on my Air. I connect it in a USB box and format on my mac mini with the GUI mode but my Air continue to not detect it.

I wrote to MTRON support team waiting for a solution, but i don´t wait too much about this "solution".

About the Tape solution for the ZIF connector didn´t work, i don´t think is a problem of contact in the ZIF connector.

Mac jones where did u get those 64GB runcore? sounds good..

Thanks.

Poteck

perhaps you should contact poky...he had his MTRON in his MBAir rev a...

if its formatted properly and being recognized in disk utility on your mac mini, there is NO REASON why it shouldn't be recognized in your air..really

 

[poky]

perhaps you should contact poky...he had his MTRON in his MBAir rev a...

if its formatted properly and being recognized in disk utility on your mac mini, there is NO REASON why it shouldn't be recognized in your air..really

Hi, make sure you have latching the connector (the black small piece that tights the cable), without latching it might seems works fine, but problem occasionally appear, I had exactly the same problem as you before. As the drive formats fine, but errors appears while the installation etc.