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White Unibody MacBook Q&A - Published May 15, 2017
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Is it possible to add a second internal hard drive or SSD to a White "Unibody" MacBook? If so, how?
The White "Unibody" 13-Inch MacBook models -- the MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.26 13" (Late 2009) and MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13" (Mid-2010) -- were not initially intended to accommodate a second internal hard drive or SSD.
However, if you do not use the internal optical drive -- or you are happy to use an external one should you need it from time-to-time -- it is quite possible, even straightforward, to swap out the internal optical drive in a White "Unibody" MacBook with a second, high capacity hard drive or a fast SSD. Installing the second storage drive is simply a matter of buying an upgrade kit and the right hardware.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (White "Unibody" MacBook, A1342)
Identification Help
Both White "Unibody" MacBook models use the same upgrade kit and tools, so precise identification almost isn't necessary. If you have a white MacBook with a gray rubber bottom, it is a White "Unibody" MacBook.
However, confirming identifiers still is a good idea to make sure that you purchase compatible parts.
Both the MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.26 13" (Late 2009) and MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13" (Mid-2010) can be externally identified by the A1342 Model Number listed in tiny print on the bottom toward the hinge. They also can be uniquely identified in software by the MacBook6,1 and MacBook7,1 Model Identifier, respectively.
EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature also can uniquely identify these models by the Serial Number and more.
Additional details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.
Secondary Storage Upgrade Kit & Instructions
The easiest way to replace the optical drive with a second hard drive or an SSD is to use a bracket like the Data Doubler from site sponsor Other World Computing.
Both White "Unibody" MacBook models can support any 9.5mm tall 2.5" SATA hard drive or SSD. However, for optimal performance, it is important to use a SATA 2.0 (3 Gb/s) drive as a faster SATA 3.0 (6 Gb/s) drive only will run at SATA 1.0 (1.5 Gb/s) in these models.
For storage compatibility details for each Mac, including all MacBook models, refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Storage Upgrade Compatibility Guide.
OWC provides this helpful video that covers the entire installation procedure:
After watching the video, you should be able to determine whether or not this is an upgrade you would feel comfortable performing yourself or if you would prefer to hire a professional.
In addition to the Data Doubler, OWC sells a wide selection of hard drives and SSDs and external optical drives that will work with this MacBook.
Also see:
- How do you upgrade the RAM in the White "Unibody" MacBook models? What type of RAM do they use? How much RAM do they actually support?
- How do you upgrade the hard drive in the White "Unibody" MacBook? Do these models support an SSD?
- What are the capabilities of the optical drive provided by the White "Unibody" MacBook?
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