MacBook Pro :: Leave Secondary HDD Powered Off Until I Need It?
Apr 25, 2012
Like many others, I'm thinking of replacing my HDD with an SSD and replacing my optical drive with the original HDD. I plan on using the SSD as my boot volume and the HDD for storage. Part of the reason I am switching to an SSD is that I carry my laptop around quite a lot and don't feel confident that the HDD won't fail because of all the motion.
My question is: Can I leave the HDD powered off until I want to use it? Thus saving battery life and reducing the risk of HDD failure from being moved around too much. I would like to be able to mount the drive when I want to access the storage and unmount it when it is not in use. Is this possible?
Info:
MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.3)
I'm sure this should be simple but I can't figure it out.
I have my iMac connected to my TV and am using Plex to watch stuff on the TV.
What I'd like to do is turn my imac screen off without turning off the second monitor output (i.e. tv) as the imac screen is a bit bright/distracting (even on lowest brightness) when watching in the dark.
we are trying to hook up our TV as a secondary monitor (for hulu, netflix, etc) but it defaults as the primary monitor. We would like to keep the imac as the primary monitor, and have the TV as a secondary, but cannot figure out how to do it! The only way we can get the imac back to primary status is if we use mirror mode. Once we take it off mirror mode, the TV becomes the primary monitor again, and there appears to be no way of switching it in OSX display preferences.
I've done similar hookups with my laptop, and the TV defaults as the secondary monitor. Why isn't this happening with our iMac? Any ideas?
Of course i'll unplug it 2-3 times a month and run the battery down to condition it, but other than that, is it bad to leave it plugged in 24/7, including when not using it and it's turned off?
I know it's okay to leave it plugged in 24/7 as long as I complete at least one battery cycle a month, but should I unplug it when i turn it off, or does it matter?
Is it OK to leave the MB on sleep. On my previous Laptop I never shut it down unless it was necessary, im talking the computer never shutdown for like 2 or 3 weeks of use. Not continuous use, I use the laptop 3,4 maybe 5 times a day and its kinda hard for me to wait for the boot up, i usually just close it (sleep) and go away. Can I damage my MB doing that?
I just ordered a sonnet express card 21in1 card reader for my early 2009 MBP 15" (the last one with the express card port) anyhow I chose this one because it sits nicely flush with the MBP body. My question is would it be ok to leave the reader in the computer all the time? (without the card) i have my computer sleeping like 97% of the time. I would like to just leave the expresscard in there but dont know if this would be ok.
I recently got a Macbook and have a iPhone and iPod shuffle. The thing is there isn't enough usb ports on the Macbook so I had to get a hub. The hub I got IS self powered and does not require a external power adapter. My concern is that I am withdrawing too much power from my usb port through this hub. It is a 4 port hub and a External HDD ( has own power supply), Optical mouse is connected to it. also I charge my iPhone and shuffle via the same hub.
I am afraid that there is power limit feature and it will fry my computer. I notice if I boot in boot camp to windows. Windows will display a error message telling me, I am not allowed to have this many device drawing this much power. Anyone know if I should be okay as long as OS X doesn't give me a message or should I really consider getting a USB hub with its own power adaptor?
I share a quite common problem. My macbook doesnt boot-up.It does power on and gets into the booting up process but nothing happens... To be more precise, after powering on the MB, the grey display appears and after a while the apple logo and the circle of lines starts to move around.
After that nothing else happens...
I ve tried everything possible... SMC reset, PRAM reset, verifying the disc by booting up either from single user and check it with fsck or with the booting disc and run all the verifying tests and the repair ones... Everything there were just as NORMAL...The OS refuses to open either in normal mode, or at safe mode or even the verbose mode, though it does boot up in single-user mode.
I even took out the HDD and place it in a HDD cover and then plug it as an external device to my other MBP. I run the tests once again but everything seems to be NORMAL again...The only thing that is left to check is whether the boot files have any problem...
I own a late 2009 MBP that I use with an external monitor as my work computer each day. At the end of the work day I generally unplug the network cable, Apple Cinema Display, and then just put it to sleep by closing the lid. Some days I use it later after I get home, others I don't. If I leave it in Sleep mode I generally lose about 5-8% of the battery by the next morning.
I'm just wondering if I'd be better off shutting it down completely each night. Any pros/cons? Battery considerations?
I have a late 2009 macbook pro unibody 15" and I hardly use the optical drive, in fact that startup whine is really annoying, would it be harmful if I just removed the drive completly and not leave anything plugged in?
I bought a Belkin powered USB hub and hooked my MacBook Air Superdrive to it and it won't work. I was under the impression it would in a powered USB HUB. Anyone share any experiences with me on this?
My battery seems to have lost the plot. I can turn my machine on when running off the battery and it fires up as normal. Once it gets to my desktop everything is frozen. The arrow is always stuck in the top left corner and the only thing that works is the power button, but I can't even turn it off because I can't select switch off.
It works fine if I take the battery out and run off the adaptor but kinda defeats the purpose of having a laptop.
A friend and I will be going to Europe in a few weeks. We both have iPhones and I was hoping to charge both of them using my Air so that I do not have to bother with buying extra power converters. I already have the UK and EU plugs for the Air adapter.
I've been trying to find a good, solid powered-USB hub to use with my Macbook Pro. I tried the Belkin 7-port, which had good reviews, but it just stopped working after 2 weeks, and it was never powering self-powered USB hard drives properly (even though it was supposed to).
So I'd like some recommendations for a good USB hub that has sufficient power to use with self-powered USB hard drives and that won't slow down or stop working when i connect too many devices.
My MacBook has suddenly gone dark. It charges fine and the battery lights show there's charge. The screen is very dark when powered up? When I turn the brightness down fully, then go to turn it up the screen lights up for a second then goes again?
This probably seems a bit ridiculous, but after having my first power supply melt and short out on me I've been completely paranoid of this happening again. My first power supply was one of the older models from 2006. I then got it replaced by one of the newer smaller models. After about a half a year it started twisting around on the inside of the cable which got me worried. The apple store wouldn't replace it unless it was melted so I called Apple and got a new one.
I've had the newer one for about a year and the cable seems to be wrapping around itself on the inside again. There doesn't appear to be a place where it's melting or breaking. I take care to not wrap it too tightly. Using it as a desktop replacement I'd like to not have to worry about leaving it plugged in when I'm gone. I find it crazy that this is even an issue but after having the first one melt right in front of me I find it hard to trust. Are the newer power supplies any better?
Is it harmful to my macbook to leave the lid open in sleep over-night for iAlarm? I know it seems slightly naive, but is sleep different when the lid is closed versus open?
I just got my mac about a week ago. I'm currently arguing with my grandmother over whether it's better to leave the MBP plugged into the adapter all the time or let it drain the battery.
i need a good usb hub that can be powered off the other usb port on my 13in macbook pro cause i have a portable usb hd that when one usb port wont power it can get power off the other and operate but that claims the other port
