Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

16

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

1

  • Internal SATA Bluray Drive (Early 2008)
  • 16 steps

Flags

Member-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

  • BackMac Pro 2006-2008 (First Generation)

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Internal SATA Bluray Drive (Early 2008)
  • Before beginning make sure all power and external cables are removed from the Mac Pro.

Before beginning make sure all power and external cables are removed from the Mac Pro.

1024

Step 2

  • Begin by removing the side door on the Mac Pro.

Begin by removing the side door on the Mac Pro.

Step 3

  • Make sure that the locking latch on the back-right side of the Mac Pro is in the unlocked “Up” position
  • Then, remove all 4 of the drive bays and set them aside.

Make sure that the locking latch on the back-right side of the Mac Pro is in the unlocked “Up” position

Then, remove all 4 of the drive bays and set them aside.

Step 4

  • Look inside the PCI Express Bay at the top right of the Mac Pro. You’ll need to remove items from this location next.
  • Using a Phillips P0 screwdriver, loosen the PCI Express cover retaining plate and remove it.
  • There is a tab at the top that the metal plate latches into. You’ll need to unscrew the 2 screws and slide the plate down out of the tab.

Look inside the PCI Express Bay at the top right of the Mac Pro. You’ll need to remove items from this location next.

Using a Phillips P0 screwdriver, loosen the PCI Express cover retaining plate and remove it.

There is a tab at the top that the metal plate latches into. You’ll need to unscrew the 2 screws and slide the plate down out of the tab.

Step 5

  • Warning: When removing or installing a card, handle it only by the edges. Do not touch its connectors or any of the components on the card. Lift the card straight out from the connector to remove it, and insert it straight into the connector to install it. Do not rock the card from side to side and don’t force the card into the slot.
    1. Release the small locking clip at the front of the card’s logic board connector by pushing the clip up toward the media shelf.
    1. Holding the card by the top corners, pull up the card and remove it from its expansion slot.

Warning: When removing or installing a card, handle it only by the edges. Do not touch its connectors or any of the components on the card. Lift the card straight out from the connector to remove it, and insert it straight into the connector to install it. Do not rock the card from side to side and don’t force the card into the slot.

  1. Release the small locking clip at the front of the card’s logic board connector by pushing the clip up toward the media shelf.

  2. Holding the card by the top corners, pull up the card and remove it from its expansion slot.

Step 6

  • Using a long-handled, magnetized #1 Phillips screwdriver, remove the screw at the top rear of the front fan assembly that mounts the assembly to the logic board.
  • Remove the second Phillips screw at the bottom front of the assembly.

Using a long-handled, magnetized #1 Phillips screwdriver, remove the screw at the top rear of the front fan assembly that mounts the assembly to the logic board.

Remove the second Phillips screw at the bottom front of the assembly.

Step 7

  • Note: The heatsink cover is held in place by a number of tabs and magnets on the underside of the cover. You must release the tabs before you can remove the cover from the enclosure.
  • Place the fingers of one hand under the lip of the heatsink cover nearest the logic board. Lift the lip slightly toward the media shelf to release the tabs and magnets under the top face of the cover
  • With your fingers still under the cover’s bottom lip, lift the cover straight up to release the remaining tabs and magnets under the front face of the cover
  • Remove the cover from the enclosure.

Note: The heatsink cover is held in place by a number of tabs and magnets on the underside of the cover. You must release the tabs before you can remove the cover from the enclosure.

Place the fingers of one hand under the lip of the heatsink cover nearest the logic board. Lift the lip slightly toward the media shelf to release the tabs and magnets under the top face of the cover

With your fingers still under the cover’s bottom lip, lift the cover straight up to release the remaining tabs and magnets under the front face of the cover

Remove the cover from the enclosure.

Step 8

  • Remove the screws holding the fan enclosure in place. Mine had one at the top which screwed directly into the logic board, and another at the bottom (underneath the left yellow arrow on image 1). Place one hand on each end of the fan, lift straight up, and remove the fan from the enclosure.
  • Replacement Note: Before re-installing the front fan assembly in the enclosure, make sure that the fan cables are routed correctly in the fan channel. This can also be slightly tricky so pay attention to the alignment of the connectors on the fan unit and logic board.

Remove the screws holding the fan enclosure in place. Mine had one at the top which screwed directly into the logic board, and another at the bottom (underneath the left yellow arrow on image 1). Place one hand on each end of the fan, lift straight up, and remove the fan from the enclosure.

Replacement Note: Before re-installing the front fan assembly in the enclosure, make sure that the fan cables are routed correctly in the fan channel. This can also be slightly tricky so pay attention to the alignment of the connectors on the fan unit and logic board.

Step 9

  • Make sure the latch on the back panel is up, so that the drives and carriers are unlocked.
  • Pull the optical drive carrier part way out of the computer.
  • Disconnect the power and ribbon cables from the optical drive(s) and remove the carrier.

Make sure the latch on the back panel is up, so that the drives and carriers are unlocked.

Pull the optical drive carrier part way out of the computer.

Disconnect the power and ribbon cables from the optical drive(s) and remove the carrier.

Step 10

  • Now that you have fully exposed the logic board, look for the 2 SATA ports, circled here.
  • Insert the L shaped SATA cable into the top SATA port on the logic board.

Now that you have fully exposed the logic board, look for the 2 SATA ports, circled here.

Insert the L shaped SATA cable into the top SATA port on the logic board.

Step 11

  • Start routing the SATA cable that you have already attached to the logic board up through the corner of the optical bay, following the existing wires.
  • Make sure you have the cable all the way tucked in behind the connector before proceeding. See the first graphic as an example.

Start routing the SATA cable that you have already attached to the logic board up through the corner of the optical bay, following the existing wires.

Make sure you have the cable all the way tucked in behind the connector before proceeding. See the first graphic as an example.

Step 12

  • Insert your new SATA optical drive into the carrier in the empty lower bay.
  • Note: There are 4 screws provided by Apple already on the back side of the drive carrier. Remove and use them to fasten the drive to the carrier.

Insert your new SATA optical drive into the carrier in the empty lower bay.

Note: There are 4 screws provided by Apple already on the back side of the drive carrier. Remove and use them to fasten the drive to the carrier.

Step 13

  • Using a paper clip, insert the paper clip into the emergency eject hole, which will release the drive door 1/2’'.
  • Using your finger tips, pull the tray out about 2''
  • Then in accordance with the optical drive design remove the drive plate door.
  • Note: When buying a optical drive, ensure that it is Mac Compatible. This will confirm that the drive door is removable.

Using a paper clip, insert the paper clip into the emergency eject hole, which will release the drive door 1/2’'.

Using your finger tips, pull the tray out about 2''

Then in accordance with the optical drive design remove the drive plate door.

Note: When buying a optical drive, ensure that it is Mac Compatible. This will confirm that the drive door is removable.

Step 14

  • Connect the power converter cable to the already provided secondary power connector.

Connect the power converter cable to the already provided secondary power connector.

Step 15

  • Insert the SATA cable and the power cable in the new drive.
  • Note: Also connect the PATA and power cable to the other optical drive, if applicable.

Insert the SATA cable and the power cable in the new drive.

Note: Also connect the PATA and power cable to the other optical drive, if applicable.

Step 16

  • Set the optical drive assembly into the optical drive bay. There are two screws that line up onto a track in the bottom of the bay.
  • Warning: Carefully route the cabling so that it is not pinched or disconnected when fitting the carrier into the optical bay.
  • Fully insert so the drive assembly is flush with the bay.
  • New optical drive is installed. Reassemble Mac Pro.

Set the optical drive assembly into the optical drive bay. There are two screws that line up onto a track in the bottom of the bay.

Warning: Carefully route the cabling so that it is not pinched or disconnected when fitting the carrier into the optical bay.

Fully insert so the drive assembly is flush with the bay.

New optical drive is installed. Reassemble Mac Pro.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      17 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 4 other contributors 


                    Joshua Byrne

Member since: 05/03/2013

7,344 Reputation

                                      10 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       16







                                                        +13 more badges

jkempinger - Jan 5, 2016

Reply

Just did this with my 2007 Mac Pro and the steps are the same.

I used straight SATA cables (since I had two lying around), which get bent a bit by the fan assembly. It should work ok if you’re real careful with the assembly steps, but if you have a choice, get a SATA cable with an L-shaped end as shown in the guide.

Steve Mulrine - May 17, 2017

Reply

Many thanks Joshua. I have also found a UK company able to supply a Blu-Ray player with instructions for installation.

Best regards from Steve in Brighton, England.