well, the problem got worse, the laptop now couldnt even read discs, and then it disappeared from the Sys config. I went to the Apple store, and finally they were able to test it and see the problem.

MacBook out for a logic board swap. I think this is it. Whew.

Thanks for your help, and this is an excellent site + great community. Apple products are amazing when they work, and when they don't, well, one is usually S.O.L. This site helps make it a bit easier

- S

I'm having nearly the exact same issue. My logic board suffered some unfortunate liquid damage earlier this year (MBP wouldn't even boot). I found a guy on ebay who does logicboard repairs rather than replacements (saved me hundreds) and my computer worked fine for a couple months. I recently replaced the SuperDrive with a Kingston SSD and everything was working fine for a few weeks.

One day when I got home from work I got a kernel panic and my computer refused to boot. I reinstalled SL onto the 320GB HDD that came with the computer via firewire and Target Disk mode (I had converted it to a storage drive) but was unable to write to the SSD. I was able to recover data from the drive using DiskWarrior, but I could not write, erase or repartition the SSD. I tried to repair the SSD using Disk Utility several times, each time with "success" but I could not use the drive. After a day or two, the SSD stopped being recognized by the computer (not showing up in Disk Utility or System Profiler).

I removed the SSD from my MBP and put it into my hackintosh where it functioned normally. This obviously rules out drive failure. So I put the SuperDrive back into my MBP to test the SATA connection, and it too fails to be recognized by Disk Utility or System Profiler.

Now I am having the exact same issue as you. There is a problem with either my Super Drive cable (flex cable?) or my logic board itself. Since I've already had issues with this logic board (and that was the cause of your problem as well) it seems only reasonable that it's the culprit in my situation as well. Perhaps an important difference is that my computer continues to function normally when booted from the other internal drive regardless of whether the SSD is connected.

I think maybe I just melted a solder or something (or with a huge amount of luck, I just need to replace a cable). What are the odds of being able to repair my MBP without a full logic board replacement? It's already out of warranty (which was surely voided when the logic board was repaired the first time anyway).

I could probably send my computer back to the guy that fixed it the first time, but that cost several hundred dollars and shipping to Canada ain't cheap. I guess I technically don't NEED the other SATA port, but SSD's large enough to replace both drives are too expensive for my recent-college-graduate budget. :-(

-Eli

Eerily similar problem here. Identical setup to the OP, except an older MB.

I have a Mid-2009 15"MBP. Swapped the optical drive for an OCZ Vertex 2 SSD and Optibay Knockoff two days ago. Worked great for about 12 hours before the system crashed and the computer became un-bootable.

-Took the system back apart, and nudged, unplugged, and plugged cables for a while to try to isolate the problem. Seems to be a physical problem - it would occasionally boot after disconnecting and reconnecting... but a tiny nudge would screw the whole thing up. I'm fairly sure the problem is where the logic board connects to the optical drive cable.

-SSD is still working in an enclosure. No such luck for the Optical Drive, which is now back in its proper place. It seeks on boot but isn't recognized by the OS. Yikes! Hoping the problem is with the cable, but like the OP I'm not terribly optimistic.

-Will be taking it to the Apple store soon... would rather not drop $30 on the cable if it's not necessarily the problem.

-Weird to have the same problem with the same SSD. Hope it's a coincidence...

Steven, what knockoff OptiBay are you using? Mine is the Nimitz model, available on ebay.

-Apple store and stomaching the logic board replacement if necessary is all I can think of now. Worth noting that this would be the second time the logic board has failed. Last time it was the actual HDD bay.

Anyone have other suggestions to test or repair it?

Thanks,

Ben

I have this exact same issue with a mid 2009 MacBook Pro. I'm using an OWC data doubler. I think it's the data cable, but it sounds like it's actually a problem with the connector on the logic board. It probably becomes damaged when disconnected the first time. Oh well, I'm just going to get a mobile enclosure for my HD and deal with it for a year till I get a new machine.

I have the same problem. I used OptiBay knock off. I have the Vertex 3 SSD in the standard slot and original 750 GB HDD in the optibay.

At first the I could only see the HDD drive in Disk Utility, but I could not format it. However, it worked fine when I put it back to its original slot.

Now I figured the optibay is just broken and put everything back, Superdrive and all, but the eject button doesn't work and the whole Superdrive is gone from the system profiler. So, Superdrive has power and hums sometimes, but it's not visible to the OSX.

I can see that I broke a little bit of the optical flex cable so I'll order a cable and see what happens.

I feel like an idiot now. Why god, why?

UPDATE (22 FEB 2013)

1. closely examine have you damaged the superdrive cable. If you see a small tear in cable, it's probably it.

2. Buy a new one (choose one that is correct for your mac, there were more than one..)

Mine (Late 2011 MB Pro) was fixed with a new 30 dollar "Optical Drive Superdrive Cable for MacBook Pro 15" Unibody"

Model: Mid-2009 Models (922-9032)

SKU17233112

Bought it from powerbookmedic.com.

Started working right away.

Same problem here VRA. Did the cable help?

I'm having the same problem. Mid-2009 MBP will not recognize the HD I added to the optical bay.

The SuperDrive was not functioning (would not read/write) for some time before I decided to get rid of it and instal an optibay.

I'm hoping it's a problem with the SATA connector cable or the optibay and not the logic board. The HD in the optibay works fine and the machine runs fine on its own. The only reason it might be the logic board is that I did have some water damage about a year ago and soon thereafter the SuperDrive started to fail. Could it be that the SuperDrive itself is fine and the logic board isn't communicating with it properly?

I'm going to replace the SATA connector cable and try and different optibay. Hope that solves the issue...

Sorry--I forgot to ever repost my solution. It was the flex cable for me (and probably just about everyone in this thread). Apparently they're pretty fucxing delicate.

(this one for my model: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-922-9060-1...)

I went ahead and took my computer to the apple store. I was sure they weren't going to fix it, though I was hoping they might have a spare cable they could test to rule out LB failure (again).

I put the original optical drive back in (unrecognized in sys profiler) and told the techs I had tested the drive in another computer and that I thought I might have a malfunctioning SATA port. They looked at me sideways and told me my warranty was suposed to be void if I'd cracked the shell, but took the computer anyway. They gave me/the machine the standard rundown of patronizing tests, but when it all showed up like I'd said, they just shipped it off and fixed it for free (awesome and unexpected). You'll hear no complaints from me about apple customer service

When the work order came back, the only thing replaced was the flex cable. I swapped the optical drive back out for the SSD again (painstakingly careful with the cable this time) and everything has been smooth since

Short version: You may get lucky at the apple store, but if not I'd go ahead and spring for the new cable.

Thanks for the encouraging response, Eli. I've ordered a new cable and will report back whether or not it fixes the issue in a few days. Thanks!

Update (1/10/13):

So I replaced the cheap optibay I got off of ebay with a the pricier data doubler from OWC today. Now the hard drive in the optibay mounts, reads, and writes just fine. Seems like the original optibay was a dud. I've still got a connector cable on the way from ifixit.. I'll either return it or hold onto it just in case.. haven't decided yet.

Has anyone had issues with the optibay SATA connectors failing over time? If so, I'll probably hold on to the one from ifixit. I already paid for express shipping on the thing... Oh well. Happy that everything is working (for now...) and that it wasn't a logic board issue like others have experienced.

I have the same problem.

My mac doesn't see the HDD in the superdrive adapter. But (i've tried!), my HDD is fine if i plug it through external usb case (that i've bought to make internal superdrive works as external-one).

I've also tried to switch the SSD (now in the main drive-bay) with the HDD (in the superdrive-shape bay). What can i do??Maybe the Sata superdrive connector is fired?

HELP!!