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2017 5k 27" most flawless method to replace fusion with ssd? 1 or 2 tb which brands etc
- Thread starter lasloduncan
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iMac 27" 2017 Hard Drive Replacement
Follow this guide to replace the hard drive for your iMac. Replacing the hard drive requires separating the display and moving the left speaker....
www.ifixit.com
If you aren't comfortable prying the iMac open (there is definitely a risk of breaking things inside during a drive upgrade), you could do this:
Get an external USB3.1 gen2 SSD, such as:
- Samsung t7 shield
- Crucial X-9
- or buy an nvme blade SSD, and put it into the USB3.1 gen2 enclosure of your choice.
Then, migrate your internal setup (you could use CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper) to the external SSD...
Then, set it to be the new boot drive using the startup disk settings pane, and then...
... boot and run that way.
USB3.1 gen2 on an external SSD will give you read speeds around 850-900MBps or even a little better at times. Quite snappy.
Change the display?
If both the display AND the drive are giving you problems, it's probably time to be looking for a replacement.
Get an external USB3.1 gen2 SSD, such as:
- Samsung t7 shield
- Crucial X-9
- or buy an nvme blade SSD, and put it into the USB3.1 gen2 enclosure of your choice.
Then, migrate your internal setup (you could use CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper) to the external SSD...
Then, set it to be the new boot drive using the startup disk settings pane, and then...
... boot and run that way.
USB3.1 gen2 on an external SSD will give you read speeds around 850-900MBps or even a little better at times. Quite snappy.
Change the display?
If both the display AND the drive are giving you problems, it's probably time to be looking for a replacement.
Or, for a 2017 iMac, a faster SSD in a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure. More money, more performance.
Too easy:
Risk free solution:
Take the iMac to a local repair shop (not the Apple) and let them do it for you.
If you lived in my neighborhood (city), you wouldn't even have to go to the shop.
Just call them and arrange for their visit.
Only cost extra 20$.
Your face is familiar, have we met at aspen ??
seriously, i do this upgrade all the time. You cut off the screen and replace the 3.5in spinner with a 1,2 or 4tb crucial sata ssd in a cradle.Then you reboot off an external and install your OS on the crucial ssd and import your files from the backup. Then you erase the mobo ssd format as apfs and delete the little volume so you can ignore it from now on ..... its the best way i have done dozens of them. just be careful with the tool to remove the screen or get someone else to do it whos done one before !
seriously, i do this upgrade all the time. You cut off the screen and replace the 3.5in spinner with a 1,2 or 4tb crucial sata ssd in a cradle.Then you reboot off an external and install your OS on the crucial ssd and import your files from the backup. Then you erase the mobo ssd format as apfs and delete the little volume so you can ignore it from now on ..... its the best way i have done dozens of them. just be careful with the tool to remove the screen or get someone else to do it whos done one before !
Thanks all, no it wasn't Aspen--probably France =next time speak up and introduce your self I am good with name....and faces
I agree with this advice. External booting is a good solution if you don't want to open it up.
I have a now-retired 2015 of the same size with a slight crack in the corner (barely noticeable on the visual part of the screen) that I've considered replacing since I got it (got it unused) -- but it's too expensive to bother. It's like $350-500 for the screen....and to fix a 2015-2017.... it didn't make sense for me.
I went on eBay and scooped up a 2019 for less than $1k with a core i9... and that has been a worthy upgrade for sure. Personally I would look into that route because iMacs are CHEAP on eBay if you don't mind a used machine. You just have to be careful with what you're buying because a lot of sellers put newer years in the titles than the machines actually are. Lots of 2012 models with 2019 software...for example.
Hope that helps!
agree if you are not used to opening them up there is a risk of cracking the screen, and its not worth getting a new screen so that would be that. Since its a fast usbc/thunderbolt connection on the back, and external nvme blade in a housing will work well, provided the internal spinner is not actually failing and can just be ignored..... gosh, even a sata ssd in a usbc housing works ok, but a blade would of course be better.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Most flawless method: locate an Apple shop that is NOT Apple Inc... one of the enthusiast shops that loves Apple products but is not actually Apple Inc. Contact them to see if they can do the job (usually they can). Bring the drive you want installed to them so that you only need the labor (to minimize cost of service vs. paying some extra for them to buy the same drive and mark it up). They then do the installation, hand you back the removed drive and new SSD-based Mac.
Reload your stuff on the SSD Mac and enjoy a much faster Mac.
Caution: it's OLD in Apple's eyes, already in the vintaged window if not already vintaged and thus it will likely start having issues with key apps in whatever level of macOS it can run no longer working right. For example, Safari will stop working with some websites, though you can replace that with Chrome or similar.
The point: before you sink much into it, be sure you want to spend the money only to have the OS then leave newer hardware behind. You may want to simply redirect all potential upgrade money towards a new one... and/or go PC where the same money will easily buy more computer because all of the competition makes margins much tighter. Yes, people like Apple and thus detest Windows... but if money is an issue in trying to salvage a nearly 10-year-old Mac, the very same money can buy more of a new PC to replace it. Bonus: Microsoft tends to support their older PCs much longer than Apple does... so you might get more than 10 years out of a good PC selection.
Reload your stuff on the SSD Mac and enjoy a much faster Mac.
Caution: it's OLD in Apple's eyes, already in the vintaged window if not already vintaged and thus it will likely start having issues with key apps in whatever level of macOS it can run no longer working right. For example, Safari will stop working with some websites, though you can replace that with Chrome or similar.
The point: before you sink much into it, be sure you want to spend the money only to have the OS then leave newer hardware behind. You may want to simply redirect all potential upgrade money towards a new one... and/or go PC where the same money will easily buy more computer because all of the competition makes margins much tighter. Yes, people like Apple and thus detest Windows... but if money is an issue in trying to salvage a nearly 10-year-old Mac, the very same money can buy more of a new PC to replace it. Bonus: Microsoft tends to support their older PCs much longer than Apple does... so you might get more than 10 years out of a good PC selection.
I went through this about two weeks ago and followed Fishrrman's advice. Works great, totally unobtrusive. I thought I'd be annoyed by an external gizmo, but it self powers and makes no noise. I wouldn't bother cracking the thing open at all.
I have done this upgrade myself, to multiple iMacs, including those with the "glued" screens.
Actually not that bad, just take your time, and don't rush it.
Fusion drive is a horrible legacy thing, I had so many issues with mine, with it being "de-fusioned" multiple times while simply trying to use bootcamp, or upgrade my iMac.
Actually not that bad, just take your time, and don't rush it.
Fusion drive is a horrible legacy thing, I had so many issues with mine, with it being "de-fusioned" multiple times while simply trying to use bootcamp, or upgrade my iMac.