03-19-2011, 10:23 PM

Within the next 2-4 weeks, I'll be installing a 120-128GB SSD in my 13" MacBook Pro (Mid 2009). I currently have a 160GB so I'm not taking a huge hit in capacity, but it would still be nice to have extra storage and I can't afford a much bigger SSD. I think the MCE Optibay is an awesome idea, but I still use the optical drive and I like having it as an option, especially for ripping CD's into iTunes using the Apple Lossless format. So, the other day I looked at my SD card slot and suddenly wished the cards fit flush in the slot instead of sticking out about 3/8". If the SD fit flush, I could get a 32 or 64GB SD card and have some extra space. So I took out a MicroSD-to-SD adapter today and cracked it open using a razor blade around the edge where the two halves come together, and I was able to get it open without damaging anything. Inside, there's literally nothing except 8 copper contacts that are large SD-size on one end and touch the tiny Micro contacts on the other. My goal is to modify the adapter with a Micro SD permanently attached to the adapter and cut the adapter down so it fits flush in the slot. But my other idea is to open the laptop and hardwire a full-size SD card to the contacts that go to the card slot. Does anyone have any advice on this?

Second question: Does my mid-2009 13" MacBook Pro support SDHC and SDXC? Apple's website says that all MBP models with SD slots support SDHC and SDXC, but I think I remember reading somewhere that they don't support SDXC. Can anyone help me out here? Thanks.

03-19-2011, 10:59 PM

Just remember if you open your MBP and hard wire the SD, that you will probably void your warranty. Maybe your warranty has already expired unless you bought Apple care, so that might not be a factor.

As far as I know, I believe only the new model MBP 13" supports SDXC. Yours only supports SDHC but you can always test it to see. There may have been a firmware update that I don't know about.

03-20-2011, 02:22 PM

I never bought AppleCare and I bought the computer in October of 2009, so the 1-year warranty has long expired. The reason I didn't buy Apple Care is because my last Apple laptop, a 15" PowerBook, lasted from June of 2004 until around August of 2009 with the only problem being a burned out hard drive that I replaced myself around 2007. Replacing the HD in those aluminum PowerBooks and pre-unibody MacBook Pro's was not the easiest task, but replacing the HD in the Unibody models is easy. Plus, I bought this MacBook Pro refurbished for $999, and I couldn't justify paying $250 more for Apple Care when I'm confident I won't have any major problems like a fried motherboard.