Silver Tower Mac Pro Q&A - Updated May 28, 2013
- If you do want to access a copy-protected DVD on a Mac that doesn’t have a built-in drive, then you’ll need to purchase an external SuperDrive. To access a disc from another Mac: On the Mac that does have the optical drive, select the Apple logo from the toolbar and then select ‘System Preferences Sharing.’.
- As a mobile DJ, I wore out the optical drive in my MacBook from ripping thousands of CDs. Your online video gave me the confidence to replace the drive myself. Thank you so much for going above and beyond just selling parts.
- Find out if the optical drive on your Mac can burn discs. An optical drive is used to play, and sometimes burn, CDs and DVDs. Some Mac computers come with built-in optical drives; you can also use an external optical drive (for example, an Apple USB SuperDrive.).
The drive is designed with a slit opening to feed in disk and no mechanical way to eject. This would be ok if the drive function correctly but that is rare. Frequently the drive becomes obsessed with trying to process a disk and prevents the disk from ejecting, forcing you to wait 5, 10, or 15 minutes for it to decide its done with the disk. Later Apple discontinued manufacturing MacBook and iMac with optical drives in 2016 and mid-2011 respectively. With your new Mac devices, you are not able to run CDs or DVDs. For this purpose, you need to rely on external CD/DVD drives. Chirp for mac. Moreover, you need an external drive to import movies and music to iTunes.
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How do you install a second optical drive or replace the primary one in the Mac Pro models? What options are available for the second Mac Pro 'optical drive bay'?
Although the default optical drive in early models is an IDE/ATA, all Mac Pro models have two front-facing optical drive bays that can support two standard dimension 5.25' 3 Gb/s Serial ATA devices (also called SATA 2.0 or SATA II) courtesy of two Serial ATA ports.
Optical Drive For Mac
Replacing the primary optical drive or installing a second optical drive in the Mac Pro models is a simple procedure, but installation instructions still are useful nevertheless. Windows 10 for mac free. Apple provides official support for individuals installing optical drive(s) in the Mac Pro, as well.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Mac Pro)
Identification Help
To replace the primary optical drive or install a second one in the Mac Pro, the process is similar for all systems. However, there are some differences between the earlier A1186 and later A1289Model Number Mac Pro models, perhaps most notably that the earlier models do not include the necessary cables for a second drive. It is important to know whether you have an original (2006/2007) or 'Early 2008' model (A1186) or alternately a 'Early 2009,' 'Mid-2010' or 'Mid-2012' model (A1289).
In addition to the 'close enough' Model Number identifier, the Mac Pro lines each can be uniquely identified by EMC Number. The EMC number is listed on the rear of the system in small type.
Additionally, all Mac Pro lines can be identified to some extent by the Model Identifier in software. To locate the model identifier, select 'About This Mac' under the Apple Menu on your computer and click the 'More Info..' button. If the Mac Pro is running OS X 'Lion' (10.7) or later, click the 'System Report' button after clicking 'More Info..' as well.
Useful identifiers for the Mac Pro lines include:
Mac Pro Subfamily | Model Number | Model ID | EMC Number |
Original (2006) | |||
Original (2007) | |||
Early 2008 | |||
Early 2009 | |||
Mid-2010 | |||
Mid-2012 |
More details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.
EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature -- as well as the EveryMac app -- also can identify these systems by their Serial Numbers.
SuperDrive & Blu-ray Options
The only official custom configuration option Apple offers for the second 5.25' external Mac Pro 'optical drive bay' is a second 18X double layer DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive for an additional US$100.
However, the Mac Pro is capable of supporting third-party optical drive options that include Blu-ray. Apple provides no support for commercial Blu-ray movies, but commercial movies can be played with third-party software and the Blu-ray format can be used for convenient backups up to 50 GB.
Site sponsor Other World Computing sells a variety of Mac Pro compatible optical drives including internal Blu-ray drives that are capable of both reading and writing Blu-ray media.
Hard Drive & SSD Options
Particularly if you already have filled the four hard drive bays in your Mac Pro, you also can install additional storage in either of the Mac Pro optical drive bays using a third-party adapter from OWC's Multi-Mount series.
Which adapter to use depends on which Mac Pro you have and what you want to install -- a single 3.5' hard drive, a 3.5' hard drive and a 2.5' SSD, or two 2.5' SSDs -- but there are a variety of options that make the process easy.
Optical Drive Upgrade Instructions
Apple provides a PDF with instructions on how to install a second optical drive or replace the primary one in the Mac Pro -- and covers this information in the instruction manuals for each model as well (pages 63-68 for the 'Early 2009' line and pages 68-73 for the 'Mid-2010' and 'Mid-2012' lines). Microsoft excel for macbook pro.
The official documentation absolutely should be read before performing an optical drive installation. However, perhaps even better than the official drawings, OWC provides step-by-step videos of the upgrade process.
Mac Pro Optical Drive Upgrade Video
Original (2006 & 2007) & Early 2008 (A1186)
Original (2006 & 2007) & Early 2008 (A1186)
Mac Pro Optical Drive Upgrade Video
Early 2009, Mid-2010 & Mid-2012 (A1289)
Early 2009, Mid-2010 & Mid-2012 (A1289)
After watching these videos, it should be clear that installing an optical drive in all Mac Pro models is straightforward. However, if you do not feel comfortable -- or have the time -- to perform the installation yourself, hiring a professional always is a good idea.
Optical Drive Upgrade Purchase & Professional Installation Options
To ensure full compatibility, it always is best to buy an optical drive and other upgrades from a trusted company with Mac knowledge for the most trouble-free experience. https://coachingtree507.weebly.com/blog/defragment-for-mac.
In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells Mac Pro compatible internal Blu-ray drives as well as Multi-Mount adapter kits and other Mac Pro upgrades.
In Australia, site sponsor RamCity sells Mac Pro compatible internal Blu-ray drives in addition to SSDs that can be installed in the optical drive bays. All upgrades are offered with fast, flat rate shipping Australia-wide.
In Southeast Asia, site sponsor SimplyMac.sg sells Mac Pro compatible storage that can be installed in the optical drive bays with free delivery -- and optional upgrade service -- in Singapore and flat rate shipping to Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea.
Also see:
- How do you upgrade the hard drives in the Mac Pro to SSDs? What SSD options are available? Which SSD configuration provides the fastest performance?
- How do you install a second optical drive or replace the primary one in the Mac Pro models? What options are available for the second Mac Pro 'optical drive bay'?
- How many PCI slots of what type are provided by the Mac Pro models? How do you install a PCIe card in the Mac Pro?
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BestCD/DVD Drives for MaciMore2019
If you've recently upgraded to a new iMac or MacBook Pro, you're probably going to need an optical drive if you want to continue importing your movies and music to iTunes, or just access the content on your discs. If you think you'll need an external drive mostly for Blu-Ray discs, most of them will also play DVDs and CDs but are not readable/writable drives for CDs or DVDs. Either way, here are some solid options.
No adapter needed: Confoly USB-C Superdrive
Staff pickI have this model CD/DVD drive for my Mac computers for multiple reasons. For one, it's practically the same as Apple's SuperDrive in every way, and second, it's got a USB-C cable so I can connect it to my MacBook Pro without needing any additional adapters. Oh, there's a third reason, too. It comes with a USB-A adapter so I can connect it to any standard USB port.
$49 at AmazonCupertino's own: Apple USB SuperDrive
Cd Drive For Mac Pro
Apple's branded playable/burnable CD/DVD drive is the perfect complement to your iMac or MacBook Pro unless you have a late 2016 or newer MacBook Pro, in which case you'll need the USB-C to USB adapter. It's not much larger than the size of a CD case, so it fits snug in your computer bag without taking up a lot of room. All you have to do is plug it into your computer using the USB cable. There's no need for special software or external buttons that might get broken. It's solid, simple, and it looks great with your Mac products.
$79 at AmazonUSB-C and USB 3.0: VisionTech External CD/DVD Drive
With no eject button on the device and powered by USB the VisionTech External CD/DVD Drive is very slim and compact. You can tuck it away anywhere that makes the most sense for you. Preprogrammed for both Mac and Windows, you shouldn't need to do any formatting to get the drive to work. Plus, this drive has both USB 3.0 and USB-C cables, meaning you can plug it right into your MacBook with no adapter needed.
$31 at AmazonInexpensive choice: LG GP65NB60
LG makes a CD/DVD drive that is lightweight, fast, and doesn't cost much. It's made of a hard shell plastic material, so it isn't going to feel as sturdy as Apple's SuperDrive or Confoly's USB-C drive. However, in exchange, you get something that's about as light as a CD in its case.
$25 at AmazonAlso worth considering: Verbatim External CD / DVD Writer
Here's another inexpensive choice, this time from Verbatim. Weighing just 12 ounces, this CD/DVD burner is compact, lightweight, and USB powered. It's a suitable choice if you need to back up sensitive data, as well as music and video libraries.
$24 at AmazonStill serving a need
There are a lot of reasons why you'd need a CD/DVD drive for your Mac, despite the concept being heavily outdated in 2019. Whether you want to digitize your DVD collection or just view a disc on your computer, an optical drive is cheap and sometimes necessary.
As you can see, we've selected the Confoly USB-C Superdrive as our favorite since it's super similar to Apple's SuperDrive and you don't need adapters to utilize it. If you're working with a small budget, take a look at the LG GP65NB60. It gets the job done for a surprisingly low price.
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