05-31-2009, 10:23 PM
In case you didn't know, there are a couple of unused sata ports on the original mac pro motherboards.
I picked up this UPS destroyed mac pro long ago (handles are bent out of shape) - it had 4GB of ram, 2 ATI x1900 video cards, and dual dvd burners for $1200 - a screaming deal at the time (assuming that it functions - and it does)
BUT the burners are WAY too loud to use. Even just reading data, the spinning make a huge screeching noise. Both of them. I picked up a very nice Lacie external a while ago that is my main dvd drive. It's VERY quiet and really fast.
While I had the case open to upgrade hard drives, I thought I finally take care of these noisy dvd drives. I opened the lacie case and found an sata drive - oh - surprise...
To properly install a SATA cable that runs up to the dvd drive, you have to take much of the machine apart - I was working off of an Apple service source guide. You have to remove the fan, the memory trays, slide the memory cage over a bit and remove the processor cover. Pretty simple, but rather involved.
The only hitch is that one sould really use right angle connectors to connect to the motherboard. I didn't have any and used regular cables. The fan needed about 3mm more clearance, but I forced it down a bit - didn't quite screw the fan all the way down - perhaps 2 of the 3mm, but it all seems just fine.
I ran the sata cable through to the dvd drive and ran a second one out the back of the machine for external connection.
anyway... for those interested in doing such a thing - it's not that hard...
I picked up this UPS destroyed mac pro long ago (handles are bent out of shape) - it had 4GB of ram, 2 ATI x1900 video cards, and dual dvd burners for $1200 - a screaming deal at the time (assuming that it functions - and it does)
BUT the burners are WAY too loud to use. Even just reading data, the spinning make a huge screeching noise. Both of them. I picked up a very nice Lacie external a while ago that is my main dvd drive. It's VERY quiet and really fast.
While I had the case open to upgrade hard drives, I thought I finally take care of these noisy dvd drives. I opened the lacie case and found an sata drive - oh - surprise...
To properly install a SATA cable that runs up to the dvd drive, you have to take much of the machine apart - I was working off of an Apple service source guide. You have to remove the fan, the memory trays, slide the memory cage over a bit and remove the processor cover. Pretty simple, but rather involved.
The only hitch is that one sould really use right angle connectors to connect to the motherboard. I didn't have any and used regular cables. The fan needed about 3mm more clearance, but I forced it down a bit - didn't quite screw the fan all the way down - perhaps 2 of the 3mm, but it all seems just fine.
I ran the sata cable through to the dvd drive and ran a second one out the back of the machine for external connection.
anyway... for those interested in doing such a thing - it's not that hard...