MBP 2011 and Intel SSD 510

I just noticed in 10.7 that my negotiated link speed is 3 gbps. I'll have to reinstall bootcamp and look at it in windows again.

http://blog.macsales.com/9754-owc-offers-fix-for-2011-17-mbp-sata-problems

DSoft.se wrote:

http://blog.macsales.com/9754-owc-offers-fix-for-2011-17-mbp-sata-problems

Yeah i see that.. Crazy huh? Another guy with a 17" just put cooking foil over the cable and SSD back on top and it cured his problem.. Full story here: http://macperformanceguide.com/blog/2011/20110415_1_Tinfoilfix--howto.html

Come on Apple, stop scrimping on cheap data cables!!

Haha that's great. I should mention that this problem was happening for me on a 13" 2011 MBP (MacBookPro8,1). Suspecting the drive itself was defective, awaiting replacement.

Apple provides no BTO SATA III drives, and virtually no 3rd party SATA III drive works.

There are plenty of 3rd party SATA III drives that work. The OWC SSD drives work fine as well as the new OCZ Vertex 3 which I am using without any issues.

c3mdigital wrote:

There are plenty of 3rd party SATA III drives that work. The OWC SSD drives work fine as well as the new OCZ Vertex 3 which I am using without any issues.

Because you run a 15" same as me, our units have been largely unnafected with this issue, but it is pretty widespread on the 17" and 13" models. Interestingly enough the sata cable on these both these models is slightly different from the 15"

I had no problems at all installing my OWC Mercury Pro 6G... and it's a screamer!

Ok...lets get to it....

After spending A LOT of time with this issue and speaking to the guys at OWC and local guys and electrical engineers and santa claus ive come up with some answers, mind you it still might not work!

1)The SATA cable in the unit SEEMS to be the issue.

2)The SATA cable on the 17 inch, 15 inch, and 13 inch are all different sizes.

3)The SATA cable runs closer to the Battery Indicator on the 17 inch than on the 13, and 15 inch.

4)THERE ARE ALWAYS LEMONS OUT THERE!

5)Electrical interference plays a big role!

6) MOST IMPORTANTLY.....IT IS NOT THE SANDY BRIDGE GLITCH SEEN DURING INITIAL RELEASE OF THESE PROCESSORS!

and 7) There could be flakey drives out there! (just have to say that)

My experience:

MBP 2.2 17inch...

Ii would take forever to post how many different scenarios i went through so if you have any questions....i work today but will respond to anyone truly interested in needing assistance.

overall....MAKE SURE THE SATA CABLE IS GROUNDED PROPERLY IN TWO SPOTS!

1)ON THE GOLD BLOCK THAT GROUNDS THE CABLE AFTER THE CONNECTION TO THE MOTHERBOARD

2)MAKE SURE THE TWO SCREWS MOUNTING THE CABLE TO THE CHASSIS ARE SECURE

ALSO...make sure the gold block on the SATA cable is COMPLETELY and NEATLY covered with conductive adhesive.

interference seems to be the main problem here...not drivers etc... EMPHASIS on SEEMS...cause we never know!

So get out there, check your cables, check for proper grounding and proximity to other electrical components and check the cables themselves...it's my contention that apple produced newer cables that the ones offered by ifixit, i could be wrong!

I hope this helps some people!

My speeds using diglloyd disktester - 434 MB/s WRITE, 508 MB/s READ

AJA - Using LARGEST FILE - 4096/2160 10 bit RGB, SIZE - 8 GB : Write 454 MB/SEC, READ - 507 MB/SEC

OWC 120 GB 6G SSD

HERE ARE SOME YOUTUBE LINKS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4C_vki8O7w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4aHCChJ5ck

To all INTEL510 and Macbook 17'' 2011 users:

SIT DOWN AND START CRYING:

I just received a new replacement sata III cable from Ifixit and the shielding kit from OWC and installed them in my macbook pro 2011 17''.

Read speed measured with "Disk Speed Test" gives 317MB/s (with the Intel 510 installed as replacement of the dvd reader i got 230MB/s)

HOWEVER: STILL GETTING BEACHBALLS.

Intel510+new cable from ifix it+owc shielding kit+macbook pro 17'' 2011 = Total failure.

:-(

Hi Delphi8000,

Any luck since April? I'm struggling with the same 17" MPB + Intel 510 issues now... :-(

Wilhelm

Hello Wilhelm,

No luck since April.

In the meanwhile, I decided to keep the 510 into the sata2 optybay while waiting for a fix from Apple. However, I have no idea if such a fix will come one day or only in my dreams? ;-(

Delphi8000

Hello everyone.

Delphi8000, I think you got the wrong cable from ifixit. The number of the bag your cable was delivered in says "162-015-1".

There is another one available. I read somewhere that you need this one:

http://www.ifixit.com/MacBook-Parts/MacBook-Pro-17-Inch-Unibody-Early-2011-Hard- Drive-Cable/IF162-022

As you can see, it's got another Apple Part Number.

Maybe with this cable your problem would be solved. I'm planning on getting a Vertex 3, and if I'll get the same issues, I'll ask my local AASP for that cable.

Hope this helps

Hi guys,

there are similair problems with the Corsair Performance 3.

See this thread for information:

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?p=501928#post501928

In the end I send in my MacBook Pro i5 and got it back with a working SSD. Apple didn't admit that they did anything nevertheless now it is working like a charm.

See the benchmarks:

New MacBook Pro with brand new Corsair Performance 3 HDD:

http://db.xbench.com/merge.xhtml?doc1=526687

Old MacBook Pro with old HDD:

http://db.xbench.com/merge.xhtml?doc1=526686

Okay, I spoke to Apple support earlier today, and they told me to get in touch with a local service provider to get a fix. I'll see where it goes from here, somehow I have a feeling that they're not going to understand the issue.

@Jbrow.

I am on a 13" MBP 2011 model. I tried to install a C300 128GB SSD using the optibay. I immediately ran into a number of issues. However there are a number of variables I need to consider so since your system is working I had to ask some questions.

1. Did you replace your internal drive with the SSD? Keeping the superdrive in it's place? Or did you replace the superdrive installing the SSD in it's place, effectively running two HDD's in the system.
2. What model of SSD did you use? Firmware vers?

In my case I tried to install the SSD where the superdrive was then use a drive enclosure to insall OSX from the superdrive as an external USB optical drive. I was never able to succesfully install the OS. It could never verify essentials.pkg. I could however install with the same disk on the spindle disk just fine. Secondly because the superdrive was removed i could not correctrly setup bootcamp. Apparently you cannot install windows with the disk if the superdrive is used as a usb drive.

It would be rather silly if installing on the SATA III Channel where the HDD is what I should ahve done, rather then replacing the superdrive. I don't see the logic in that but then again I don't see the logic in the super drive not working as a USB external optical drive either. Apple has some weird stuff going on here.

I have already returned my SSD. I was going to try this process again in about 6 months in hopes of some improvements.