E14: Can you disconnect the Optical Drive?

Not sure if anyone knows, but in the E14, would it be possible to disconnect the power cable to the ODD to save battery? On the same note, anyone figure out how to remove the ODD yet?

 

Harb67 has already disassembled his laptop, including the removal of the ODD.

 

Ahh. Good stuff. Btw, does that mean I can leave it empty? Would that promote better temps, since there's no big ol' hot brick running? Will ventilation or cooling (please specify which) benefit from the big empty space?

 

Logic says temps will be better, the cooling is pretty centralized to the two fans with big ol' heatsinks and pipes running around them. The empty space would make it lighter and cooler. But (depending on how this doohicky is assembled) you would get massive keyboard flex where the ODD was removed.

But why would you wanna remove the ODD, that was a huge selling point for me. ( I know, I know CDs are SOOOOO 1990. Well I still use them)

 

Can that area be used for another HDD or something?

 

If you found a bracket that could hold the HDD and fit. Maybe a couple 1.8" or a 2.5" would fit, but thickness matters too.
Most viable option would be to custom build another HDD bracket.

 

You can buy ODD -> HDD adapters. I have one in my m15x and I am going to install it into my envy soon.

 

I don't think it would save much battery if at all. It's not really drawing any power when sitting idle. It would just reduce weight and probably improve cooling slightly.

And yes, there are HDD caddy's not sure which one will work with the Envy yet though. But something like this:

Laptop Connectors

I don't think a traditional caddy will work though because most have an external bezel for tray load drives. This one is a slot load so you'd need to find one that would work. Plus depends on the connector internally.

 

Just duct tape the hard drive to the back pannel ... plenty room to tape like mad man there, could even fit two 2.5" xD or just a big 3.5" one. If you cross tape it a couples times it won't move, unless you smash your envy held horizontally against a wall at 30 miles an hour. You can just fill any extra space above the hard drive or SSD with random stuff so it will definitely not more upwards which is what the tape will not like.



Taping :
+ Cheap, saves you money to buy an external ODD even.
+ Improves cooling by leaving free space, allows air flow to enter from the ODD slot and fly by the hdd then right to the cpu gpu fans.
+ Solid and secure if you use the proper electrician tape
+ SSD + HDD for the win

- Would need to install (tape or glue ?) a dust filter membrane on the ODD slot.

 

Taping? I hope you're kidding. It wouldn't be too difficult to make-shift a metal bracket with a dremel, drill, and a good vice and vice grips, as long as there's a couple decent attachment points, at least use the same attachment scheme of the ODD.

 

Can you let us know how it works out? I'd be willing to give it a go in mine if it works alright.

 

So where does one buy a dust filter/membrane thingy?

 

I would never tape a HDD in there, but you can bet I'd duct tape an SSD in there.

You could put an SSD in there and let it haphazardly bounce around and I bet it would be fine.

 

You guys are underestimating the strenght of tape, and that's not even high grade tape. Seriously, just try yourself tape up with cross linked bands a 500g brick (and a SSD or HDD weight even less than that) to a metal plate and shake it as much as you want, it won't move an inch.
The more tape surface you've got in contact with the backplate the more strengh the assembly will have. If over that you overtape all the tape that is already taped to the backplate with a "cross figure" it's "lol ho noes how do I remove it".



As for brackets and such, I don't see any easy screw attachment point on that picture... Unless you drill a hole or solder the bracket to the backplate It's a much more complicated and unclean solution.

 

LOL @ baby duct taped photo.

Duct tape is definitely strong. But it is by no means a way to secure a hard drive. Vibration and heat, even with a small weight, over time *could* pull back the tape and dislodge the drive, even without you knowing, then next time you aggressively move your laptop when running, you could damage your drive.

I don't see any attachment points there either, but there's gotta be a way the ODD is attached.

 

Yea but most people are speaking of a SSD here, which is totally inert
Even a HDD would be secure with tape, vibrations, provide your hdd is a good one with low vibration level, are not going to move anything since tape is an elastic component.

To me it still sounds as the easiest way to secure something in that bay, the odd only holds in there because there are some plastic parts clipping on it somehow.

Gl finding the right caddy anyway. I'll go with the tape for my SSD + some wedges.

 

can someone make a how to video of envy 14 ODD removal. I am scared of breaking something during the process

 

Bump for where to buy dust filter/membrane.

Thx

 

Amazon.com: 3-Pack of DustX Computer Dust Filters: Electronics

Search for something like that at your local store, at the computer maintenance department. Take care you don't buy one with glue all over on one side, it filters badly and will rather fail for what we're doing on the envy. I believe this pack has sticky glue only on the borders of the filter, you'd just have to cut out the good shape from the middle and simply stick it with something else inside the envy.

 

Cool, thanks! This'll work. Frys would have 'em right?

 

bump: has anyone replaced the odd yet?

 

Doubt it.

Question to proz/owners: Does the ODD in E14 = standard size ODD, meaning I could replace it with something from newegg/frys/etc (obviously needing to be slotload-capable)? Or are slotloads custom made by Apple/HP/etc.?

 

Make your choice, it's rather cheap, I recommend at least taking a Panasonic one. No names I wouldn't try lol. There again the cheap dell ones at 90$ sound like good deals, even if it breaks after a year you can get another two for the price of only one panasonic ! And the sellers is top rated so heh, go for that dell ones if you don't need a very good blu ray drive. Look carefully at the pictures and dimensions of the model you'll get, there's a lot of different screws/fixation patterns ! Then again if you manage to get one screw right or just put something adesive like double sided tape and tuck the ODD in it won't move, there's a security metal spacer piece on the envy that "traps" and retains the odd from going toward the motherboard.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=slot+load+bluray+&_cqr=true&_nkwusc=slot+load+blueray&_rdc=1

 

Meh so pricey! I was thinking in the 40$ range, but maybe only DVD burners are that much(le$$)?

 

Meh yeah, blu ray is very pricey, and those are still the cheapest ones...
The sony slot load blue ray drive costs like 500-750$ and they are performing very poorly when cost compared to the no name ones dell uses.

 

JEEZ. Where's Samsung or Lite-On when you need 'em?

 

Took out the ODD today... pretty simple process but took alot of time. Also, some of the service manual pics and guide does not match some of the steps for the envy 14, I think its using a different system?

edit: this adapter would fit perfectly I believe. http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Female-Slimline-Adapter-Power/dp/B002O1W6ZK

 

If the instructions aren't good enough, could you please make a basic tuto for us? Please include pix if possible.

Thxxxx