Difficulty of replacing optical drive with a hard drive caddy?

I am looking to buy a laptop and something I would really like to do is replace the optical drive with a hard drive caddy, so I have both a large, regular hard drive for data storage, but also a smaller SSD in the primary slot to run Windows and programs off of. However, I don't know much about laptop disassembly, and while I've heard that these things are pretty easy to do, just removing a few screws and such (example http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY®-caddy-12-7mm-Universal-DVD-ROM/dp/B0056EW4A4), I have also heard that some models are harder than others and the like.

How difficult is it to do this, what things do I need to look out for (like all this SATA stuff), and what are the risks involved? I am looking at buying an Asus, either a U46E or U47A (obviously used), and I have also heard that ASUSes are difficult for this type of thing.

Thanks.

 

It's super easy on my precision M4800. Can't really say about the ASUS models, sorry. Is there a service manual online you can look at?


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should be fairly easy unless you have slot loader with closed off ODD bay, which is not common.

 

It will be as easy or hard as removing the optical drive will be. As long as you have quick and easy access to the optical drive, it'll be ridiculously easy.

 

So long as you get/have a notebook with a tray-loading optical drive, it will be easy. If you go with a slot-loading optical drive, then it can be challenging to open up the notebook to remove the drive and install the hard drive caddy.

 

Hold on reading your reply are you asking for two HDD and a SSD? That like a 3 bay laptop and that is a failry large laptop aka 17 model or higher something like a Gateway P7811 that has two drive bay and a OD that would make 3 drive without a OD. So reading your question is confusing your asking for something with two bay to make it into a 3 bay is next to impossible to do unless you get a desktop replacement laptop that has two drive bay and a OD which swapped out for a HDD bay would make it 3 drive. So you need to see what your asking since it is talking about two different size of laptop in question.

 

A tray-loading optical drive is your traditional "click the button and the tray slides out", while the slot-loading is like on a Mac where the drive is built into the frame, right?

This is the laptop I am looking at getting, I can get it used for a pretty good price

ASUS U47ARF-RHI7N15 14" Laptop Computer Refurbished - Aluminum Grey U47A-RHI7N15 - Micro Center

I just don't want to buy a laptop and then find out that it doesn't allow me this capability. The other laptop I was looking at was the ASUS U47A-BGR4 which I know for a fact it can be done with (someone with the same model left a review on a caddy on Amazon) but this one has better specs and is a better value

No, I want one normal hard drive in the optical bay and one SSD in the primary slot.

 

Ditto on the 6700. And that's coming from someone who hates going under the hood. But once open, its just a one screw affair and it slides right out. And the Precision is a slot loading design so I had to order the HDD case. It look identical to the OEM electable main HDD on the opposite side.

I still use my OD, so I ordered a case for it. I just needed the extra 1 TB of storage internal more. If could have afforded two 1 TB mSATA and 2nd drive, I would not have bothered, but this was the much more economical solution to my storage needs.

 

Should be fairly easy enough. Make sure - as others have said- the size (e.g. 9.5mm) and type (slot/tray) of that particular model.

When I replaced my optical bay I just had to remove a few screws ^^.