Any update on updating firmware w/o having to take apart a MBP & data doubler combo and reinstalling the superdrive?
I remember reading that an alternative solution was being worked on.

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP51.007E.B05
SMC Version (system): 1.33f8
Serial Number (system): W88451TR1GN
Hardware UUID: 32B453B2-2E22-5E4C-A790-CC9FD59C226A
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled

without updating my Boot ROM Version MBP51.007E.B05 to MBP51.007E.B06 should i go ahead and upgrade to 8Gig ram?

I will be going for data doubler with a 6G mercury extreme 240GB SSD soon to add to the stock 250 SSD currently present in my mac version 8,2 . I will have to swap the drives as a work around for 6G issue on the optical bay.
But before I do I would like to figure out some things.
Can I span the two drives into one big volume?
Currently I don’ t have bootcamp installed, but the goal is to have it installed. From what I understand, this could be an issue because windows requires an internal CD drive to install to a bootcamp partition.
As you guessed I would like to do that on the new big volume as a separate partition or by keeping both disk separated and install it on the vanilla disk .
To make things a little more complex I’ m actually trying to achieve a triple boot with ubuntu/refit.

Any one got any experience with this kind of setup with a data doubler?

For those asking why. I’ m a developer and need to be able to test software on the three OSes.

“MacBook Pros with a Model ID of MacBookPro5,1 should have a Boot ROM Version of MBP51.007E.B05.”

Checking in to see if there is anything we as consumers and tech-geeks can do to ask apple to please consider resolving the SATA 3.0 6G issues… even if its the next generation of 17” MBP’s. The tech sites mention some great upgrades, retina displays, CPU/RAM/GPU/display/storage bumps… to the newest release of MBP’s (not just wish-list items) and the possible deletion of the MBP or 17” MBP anyway.

Understanding that apple and every user wants stability of both hardware and software, and keeping the user experience as simple and painless as possible. That being said a lot of us users are more than just students looking for that cool looking computer made of aluminum/glass, and rely on our equipment to perform at top speed and are continually pushing the technology limits to accomplish this and spend ten to twenty times the amount of money on that equipment/software, as the average student or end-user, using Face-time, eMail, iChat, iPhoto, or maybe Pages, Keynote, and Numbers.

I have been a Mac/Windows user since the late 80’s and some of the software I use, has to run on windows only, some are server addressed and we pay a very high monthly fees to access the software on our machine, Xactimate, Chief Architect, SolidWorks, Catia, RISA, AutoCAD, Rivet, Maya 3D, 3ds Max, Inventor, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project, Visio, BDXL Disc burning, and… all run better on Windows.
CS5/6 Master Collection/Design-Web-Production Creative Suites, Photoshop Extended, Lightroom, AfterEffects, PS Audition, Premier Pro, FCP7, Logic Studio, Ableton 8, and… all run better on Mac OSX. CAD rendering/raytracing, uncompressed video processing, lossless sound processing, extra large super-size files/super-heavy Excel usage, etc… All of these are CPU/GPU/RAM/SSD Super-Hogs.

Not everyone wants to use just a windows based PC… of which we all know there is a plethora or myriad of hardware/software available. If I were a heavy gamer and want spend seven to twenty-five+ thousand dollars, I could have a very nice machine dual six-core Xeon processors wH2O cooling, 96GB+DDR3 RAM, four-way GPUs, with four to six huge super 4K-SHD monitors, SSD’s for each OS/App’s, as many storage drives in server racks as budget will allow, etc… and/or a Maxed-out MacPro to a similar config with OSX Server or XSAN w/fiber connection for mega storage. We have been waiting over two years for the new MP… (your new PCE SSD looks great!!!) Still waiting… for the New MP release soon maybe, (great for fixed location), the only problem with that it would not be very portable if need-be.

That is why I use a pair of late 2011 17” MBP 2.5GHz 500GB SSD, 16GB RAM with an OWC DD/SATA2 3G 500/750GB HDD in the second bay for storage, Pioneer BDR-XD04 ext. BDXL/DVD/CD drive, the factory MBP superdrive in the OWC enclosure, Wintec 48GB SSD 3G ExpressCards (MS-DOS Format) and eSATA Drive ExpressCards in the ExpressCard 34 slot to enable fast FTR (SATA 3G) usage between OSX/Windows transferring of files or computers if need-be (also Flash Drives of all sizes, but not as fast FTR). When at the office or home I can use two Thunderbolt Displays and TB/FW/eSATA Storage, or if need-be I have a portable work station that I can take anywhere, to meet with customers or just outside to get fresh air.

It would be really nice to see a MBP 17” with a retina display with 2560×1600+ res, Intel 2.7 GHz i7-3820QM or ++ Ivy bridge Quad Core CPU, 16/32GB 1600/2000 MHz DDR3 RAM, two 500-1TB 6G SSD’s (Like a lot of other PC Manufacturers already do, for RAID or OS/Separate Storage), TB/USB 3.0/FW/eSATA/ExpressCard 34/54 to run whatever, external BDXL/DVD/CD Drive for optical disc usage (Ext. slim Pioneer BDR-XD04 or Int. Pioneer BDR-206MBK desktop 5.25” in an enclosure), up to 100-125GB on one BRXL-SL/DL/TL/QL Optical Disc for back-up or an extra archive for the multiple back-up HDD’s.

Dear Apple… please do not drop to the 17” MBP line, even if it only sells half as many units, there are tested professionals now making a living with it, and it is the best portable PC I have ever used or owned, it is a serious work station with many options, and an excellent portable work-horse all in one!

Note about compatibility and throughput:
Compatibility:
Fully compatible with Mac Pros and PCs offering an available PCIe 2.0 x4 slot or better.
For full throughput on PCs:
PCIe 2.0 x4 slot or better is required. Use of a PCIe 1.0 x4 slot will reduce performance.
For full throughput on Mac Pros:
2010 & 2009: Installing Accelsior into any open x4 or x16 PCIe 2.0 slot will deliver full throughput.
2008: Mac Pros have two x16 PCIe 2.0 slots, which enable Acceslsior to deliver full throughput. Installing Accelsior into of the two x4 PCIe 1.0 slots will result in Accelsior being addressed as a gen one, one-lane card with performance limited to real world 190-200MB/s data rates.
2007 & 2006: Mac Pros utilize four PCIe 1.0 slots. By utilizing the Expansion Utility in OS X, you can configure these slots for your needs. Installing Accelsior in Slot 2 can deliver up to 380MB/s data rate performance, but will reduce video graphics card speed. Installing Accelsior in Slot 3 or 4 will deliver 190-200MB/s data rates, but will not affect video graphics card speed. Slot 1 should only be used for video graphics cards.

Questions:

1. You say that the Accelsior runs best on PCI 2 slots. Have I already used up mine? I can’t find any information on which slots are PCI 1 or PCI 2 for my Early 2008 Mac.

2. Any idea when blades for this device will be available or how much they’ll cost? I’m trying to decide whether to wait since I can’t afford and expensive Accelsior right now. If I can add memory while also keeping, say, a 256 card in the original I’ve bought, that would be ideal, but chat tells me at this point no one knows when these blades will be available or how much they might cost.

MacPro 3,1 – Lion 10.7.3 and Lion 10.7.4

Firmware updater stay at ‘Getting device firmware configuration…” for 30 seconds, then ERROR in updating firmware.

I own other 4 OWC SSD and I was able to update them.
This one absolutely refuses to have its firmware updated!