You are so right in Windows desktops the standard SATA cable spec was good enough to run either SATA II (3.0Gbps) or SATA III (6.0Gbps) drives. But laptops is very different! Even Windows systems have had SATA cable issues. Unlike a desktop here we are running custom ribbon cables which are very thin!
The flat nature of the cable limits shielding from the neighboring wires and to add to it these wires are not even wires they are copper foils which can bend but just like a paperclip bending a bit much can cause it to fatigue weakening it so the signals don’t travel cleanly.
While today we have moved past SATA the early years of SATA had its ups and downs! Intel had issues within its chip set and the manufacturing of the cables used acid to etch away the excess copper and the foils where on the thin size on some (to thin) later better means of manufacturing came and the foils where made thicker. But the issue of creasing the cable then became more of an issue.
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I know a lot here! But it explains the why you need a cable that is spec’ed for SATA III use.
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I know it’s a lot here! But it explains the why you need a cable that is spec’ed for SATA III use.
Here’s a good writeup on another issue where the insulation of the cable gets damaged [link|https://beetstech.com/blog/prevent-a1278-mid-2012-hard-drive-cable-failure|Your Hard Drive Cable Is A Ticking Time Bomb] and to add to this the 15” systems have two plastic clips which hold the bottom cover away from the cables but if they are broken or missing a good bang on the cover can damage the cable where it crosses the optical drive! I place a piece of foam mounting tape along the corner of the optical drive to give the cable a better chance of not being damaged.
And lastly I use a BIC pen ink straw (empty) to help me form the bends as you don’t want the bends to exceed the radius of the straw which then damages the foils.
You are so right in Windows desktops the standard SATA cable spec was good enough to run either SATA II (3.0Gbps) or SATA III (6.0Gbps) drives. But laptops is very different! Even Windows systems have had SATA cable issues. Unlike a desktop here we are running custom ribbon cables which are very thin!
The flat nature of the cable limits shielding from the neighboring wires and to add to it these wires are not even wires they are copper foils which can bend but just like a paperclip bending a bit much can cause it to fatigue weakening it so the signals don’t travel cleanly.
While today we have moved past SATA the early years of SATA had its ups and downs! Intel had issues within its chip set and the manufacturing of the cables used acid to etch away the excess copper and the foils where on the thin size on some (to thin) later better means of manufacturing came and the foils where made thicker. But the issue of creasing the cable then became more of an issue.
I know a lot here! But it explains the why you need a cable that is spec’ed for SATA III use.
-
Here’s a good writeup on another issue where the insulation of the cable gets damaged [link|https://beetstech.com/blog/prevent-a1278-mid-2012-hard-drive-cable-failure|Your Hard Drive Cable Is A Ticking Time Bomb] and to add to this the 15” systems have two plastic clips which hold the bottom cover away from the cables but if they are broken or missing a good bang on the cover can damage the cable where it crosses the optical drive! I place a piece of foam mounting tape along the corner of the optical drive to give the cable a better chance of not being damaged. And lastly I use a BIC pen ink straw (empty) to help me form the bends as you don’t want toe bends to exceed the radius of the straw which then damages the foils.
+
Here’s a good writeup on another issue where the insulation of the cable gets damaged [link|https://beetstech.com/blog/prevent-a1278-mid-2012-hard-drive-cable-failure|Your Hard Drive Cable Is A Ticking Time Bomb] and to add to this the 15” systems have two plastic clips which hold the bottom cover away from the cables but if they are broken or missing a good bang on the cover can damage the cable where it crosses the optical drive! I place a piece of foam mounting tape along the corner of the optical drive to give the cable a better chance of not being damaged.
-
Here’s the needed cable [https://www.ifixit.com/products/macbook-pro-13-unibody-early-2011-late-2011-hard-drive-cable]
+
And lastly I use a BIC pen ink straw (empty) to help me form the bends as you don’t want the bends to exceed the radius of the straw which then damages the foils.
You are so right in Windows desktops the standard SATA cable spec was good enough to run either SATA II (3.0Gbps) or SATA III (6.0Gbps) drives. But laptops is very different! Even Windows systems have had SATA cable issues. Unlike a desktop here we are running custom ribbon cables which are very thin!
The flat nature of the cable limits shielding from the neighboring wires and to add to it these wires are not even wires they are copper foils which can bend but just like a paperclip bending a bit much can cause it to fatigue weakening it so the signals don’t travel cleanly.
While today we have moved past SATA the early years of SATA had its ups and downs! Intel had issues within its chip set and the manufacturing of the cables used acid to etch away the excess copper and the foils where on the thin size on some (to thin) later better means of manufacturing came and the foils where made thicker. But the issue of creasing the cable then became more of an issue.
I know a lot here! But it explains the why you need a cable that is spec’ed for SATA III use.
-
Here’s a good writeup on another issue where the insulation of the cable gets damaged [https://beetstech.com/blog/prevent-a1278-mid-2012-hard-drive-cable-failure|Your Hard Drive Cable Is A Ticking Time Bomb] and to add to this the 15” systems have two plastic clips which hold the bottom cover away from the cables but if they are broken or missing a good bang on the cover can damage the cable where it crosses the optical drive! I place a piece of foam mounting tape along the corner of the optical drive to give the cable a better chance of not being damaged. And lastly I use a BIC pen ink straw (empty) to help me form the bends as you don’t want toe bends to exceed the radius of the straw which then damages the foils.
+
Here’s a good writeup on another issue where the insulation of the cable gets damaged [link|https://beetstech.com/blog/prevent-a1278-mid-2012-hard-drive-cable-failure|Your Hard Drive Cable Is A Ticking Time Bomb] and to add to this the 15” systems have two plastic clips which hold the bottom cover away from the cables but if they are broken or missing a good bang on the cover can damage the cable where it crosses the optical drive! I place a piece of foam mounting tape along the corner of the optical drive to give the cable a better chance of not being damaged. And lastly I use a BIC pen ink straw (empty) to help me form the bends as you don’t want toe bends to exceed the radius of the straw which then damages the foils.
-
Here’s the needed cable [https://beetstech.com/product/macbook-pro-13-inch-a1278-hard-drive-cable-922-9771|New cable]
+
Here’s the needed cable [https://www.ifixit.com/products/macbook-pro-13-unibody-early-2011-late-2011-hard-drive-cable]
You are so right in Windows desktops the standard SATA cable spec was good enough to run either SATA II (3.0Gbps) or SATA III (6.0Gbps) drives. But laptops is very different! Even Windows systems have had SATA cable issues. Unlike a desktop here we are running custom ribbon cables which are very thin!
The flat nature of the cable limits shielding from the neighboring wires and to add to it these wires are not even wires they are copper foils which can bend but just like a paperclip bending a bit much can cause it to fatigue weakening it so the signals don’t travel cleanly.
While today we have moved past SATA the early years of SATA had its ups and downs! Intel had issues within its chip set and the manufacturing of the cables used acid to etch away the excess copper and the foils where on the thin size on some (to thin) later better means of manufacturing came and the foils where made thicker. But the issue of creasing the cable then became more of an issue.
I know a lot here! But it explains the why you need a cable that is spec’ed for SATA III use.
Here’s a good writeup on another issue where the insulation of the cable gets damaged [https://beetstech.com/blog/prevent-a1278-mid-2012-hard-drive-cable-failure|Your Hard Drive Cable Is A Ticking Time Bomb] and to add to this the 15” systems have two plastic clips which hold the bottom cover away from the cables but if they are broken or missing a good bang on the cover can damage the cable where it crosses the optical drive! I place a piece of foam mounting tape along the corner of the optical drive to give the cable a better chance of not being damaged. And lastly I use a BIC pen ink straw (empty) to help me form the bends as you don’t want toe bends to exceed the radius of the straw which then damages the foils.
Here’s the needed cable [https://beetstech.com/product/macbook-pro-13-inch-a1278-hard-drive-cable-922-9771|New cable]