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Has anyone tried to ADD SSD to 2011 imac for HDD+SSD?

iSayuSay said:
Thank you .. I was just trying to find a price reference and comparison about additional fees (labor, tools, cables etc). I want to go with 120Gb SSD, We don´t lose SuperDrive by installing SSD along with stock HDD, right? It´s 27¨ iMac i´m talking about
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No you can keep the optical drive, because the 27s (at least the 2011s) have 3 SATA ports. 1 for HD. 1 for SSD. 1 for optical.
 
I attempted to connect a SATA-cable to the motherboard without removing it today but it failed. So I decided to go ahead and remove the motherboard and then connect a third SATA-cable. I now have one 2,5" Vertex 3 and one 2,5" HDD taped together in the same place as the original 3,5" HDD was mounted.
The original SATA-cable is connected to the SSD. I am not experiencing any fan problems.
 
Why did you remove the 3,5" in favor of a slower and smaller 2,5" and just taped the SSD behind the mainboard?

I am just wondering because I actually like the idea of a quiet 2.5" drive in addition to the SSD. I am planning to upgrade on the weekend (OCZ Vertex3 in addition to factory 1TB).


Alkohol said:
I attempted to connect a SATA-cable to the motherboard without removing it today but it failed. So I decided to go ahead and remove the motherboard and then connect a third SATA-cable. I now have one 2,5" Vertex 3 and one 2,5" HDD taped together in the same place as the original 3,5" HDD was mounted.
The original SATA-cable is connected to the SSD. I am not experiencing any fan problems.
Click to expand...
 
If I understand you experts correctly the only option I have if I want to install an SSD drive in to my new 27" i7 iMac as a second drive (not touching the HDD) is to use a Y-spitter. And by doing this the thermal status of the HDD becomes unknown to the OS ?
Is there any other way to do this ?

regards
Peter
 
Pemoz said:
If I understand you experts correctly the only option I have if I want to install an SSD drive in to my new 27" i7 iMac as a second drive (not touching the HDD) is to use a Y-spitter. And by doing this the thermal status of the HDD becomes unknown to the OS ?
Is there any other way to do this ?

regards
Peter
Click to expand...

Basically, how does the SSD for the 2010 factory-installed SSD get its power, why would this be different in the 2011? I guess we don't know what it will look like since they haven't shipped yet, maybe the change in connectors is why there is the delay on the SSD-equipped ones...
 
thorbenh said:
Why did you remove the 3,5" in favor of a slower and smaller 2,5" and just taped the SSD behind the mainboard?

I am just wondering because I actually like the idea of a quiet 2.5" drive in addition to the SSD. I am planning to upgrade on the weekend (OCZ Vertex3 in addition to factory 1TB).
Click to expand...


Well, I didnt have the SSD mounting bracket when I first installed the SSD in the 3,5" place, and then I thought it would be easier to just add the 2,5" instead of attempting to move the SSD to the secondary drive place + reinstalling the 3,5" HDD.
 
Dresevski said:
Basically, how does the SSD for the 2010 factory-installed SSD get its power, why would this be different in the 2011? I guess we don't know what it will look like since they haven't shipped yet, maybe the change in connectors is why there is the delay on the SSD-equipped ones...
Click to expand...

I have two hypotheses:

1) Even though the connectors fit, the pin layout is different on the 2011 motherboard / power supply vs the 2010 (perhaps something to do with Sandy Bridge?) If true, I'm lucky nothing fried when I hit the "Power" button with a 2010 SATA power cable connected.

2) There is no difference and the 2010 SATA power cable I received was defective.
 
Dresevski said:
Basically, how does the SSD for the 2010 factory-installed SSD get its power, why would this be different in the 2011? I guess we don't know what it will look like since they haven't shipped yet, maybe the change in connectors is why there is the delay on the SSD-equipped ones...
Click to expand...

Guess we will just have to wait to see how Apple solves this in the SSD equipped systems when they finally ship.....
 
I want to add a DSS to my 27" inch. Was about to order a Crucial M4 512GB and contacted a local Apple Authorized Service center to put it in. I am confident I could do it, but rather they do it to avoid warranty arguments. The would charge me $150 to come to my house and do this.

But I decided to wait until I see what Apple comes out with on their DSS and see more reports of the various DSS units - many appear to have issues such as the right cable, the fans, the beach-ball, new firmwares that have no Mac updater, etc.

It is running fast enough on the 2TB and I do not boot that often (stays on all the time). But I have the factory DSS 512GB on my MacBook Pro 2011 and absolutely love the performance, supported TRIM and no issues whatsoever, even though it is not the DSS with the highest specs.
 
likegadgets said:
I want to add a DSS to my 27" inch. Was about to order a Crucial M4 512GB and contacted a local Apple Authorized Service center to put it in. I am confident I could do it, but rather they do it to avoid warranty arguments. The would charge me $150 to come to my house and do this.

But I decided to wait until I see what Apple comes out with on their DSS and see more reports of the various DSS units - many appear to have issues such as the right cable, the fans, the beach-ball, new firmwares that have no Mac updater, etc.

It is running fast enough on the 2TB and I do not boot that often (stays on all the time). But I have the factory DSS 512GB on my MacBook Pro 2011 and absolutely love the performance, supported TRIM and no issues whatsoever, even though it is not the DSS with the highest specs.
Click to expand...

If it helps, I can confirm that the 256GB Crucial M4 works well in my iMac. Aja tests in the mid-200's write and mid-400's read (w/ TRIM enabled). That's right on par with Anandtech's tests.
 
Mashuri said:
If it helps, I can confirm that the 256GB Crucial M4 works well in my iMac. Aja tests in the mid-200's write and mid-400's read (w/ TRIM enabled). That's right on par with Anandtech's tests.
Click to expand...

Did you use it to replace the internal HD or added it? Is your iMac a Mid 2011?
Are you getting 6GB SATA connection? And lastly did you add this yourself?

Thanks
 
likegadgets said:
Did you use it to replace the internal HD or added it? Is your iMac a Mid 2011?
Are you getting 6GB SATA connection? And lastly did you add this yourself?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Please see my signature and read this entire thread.

Quick recap: I installed this myself into a 2011 iMac as an additional HD. I have a 6GB connection (the transfer rates I'm getting would not be possible with 3GB connection) and TRIM enabled. Drive is partitioned evenly (128GB / 128GB) between fresh installs of 10.6.7 and Win 7 SP1 on Bootcamp.
 
Mashuri said:
Please see my signature and read this entire thread.

Quick recap: I installed this myself into a 2011 iMac as an additional HD. I have a 6GB connection (the transfer rates I'm getting would not be possible with 3GB connection) and TRIM enabled. Drive is partitioned evenly (128GB / 128GB) between fresh installs of 10.6.7 and Win 7 SP1 on Bootcamp.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I may just go ahead and get it. I assume that you change in preferences to boot from the DSS
 
why has everyone put in an ssd and hd why not two ssd's?

also another question is it possible to install the 2gb 6970 graphics card to switch out 1gb one or do you have to do logic board as well?
 
ecstacy2012 said:
why has everyone put in an ssd and hd why not two ssd's?
Click to expand...

Because SSD's are amazing for something like an operating system or the next application you want to open but unnecessary for playing music in iTunes...the cost of the SSD is prohibitive considering you own an all-in-one. All of the media and stuff that doesn't really matter goes on the HUGE (compared to SSD size) HDD because the difference in speed is not crucial, then you put the common stuff on the SSD for instant access.

I intend to use a 120GB SSD (probably Vertex 3 if it keeps dominating in a month or two) for Lion and Windows 7 and accompanying apps/games. Everything else will be on my 2TB HDD.
 
i understand the basic reasoning but alot of people on here spend thousands and also people on here try things out just to see whats possible thus my question... I wanted to try dual 120gb sata 3 owc drives and maybe software raid see what it would end up but wanted to know by someone with experience in actually doing things with the 2011 imac there thoughts or if I'm missing something since there is need for shorting of wires etc...
 
ecstacy2012 said:
i understand the basic reasoning but alot of people on here spend thousands and also people on here try things out just to see whats possible thus my question... I wanted to try dual 120gb sata 3 owc drives and maybe software raid see what it would end up but wanted to know by someone with experience in actually doing things with the 2011 imac there thoughts or if I'm missing something since there is need for shorting of wires etc...
Click to expand...

If it helps, we plan on posting info concerning a software raid with 2x240GB Vertex 3's next week. Stay tuned....
 
centenario said:
Under DVD ROM (http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/XMBpXCwasYbKbIPw.huge). I do not think it's a problem. For me the main issue was the ability to connect SSD without removing the motherboard.
Click to expand...

SSD should fit there as long as you don't want the optical drive back installed

But you seem a bit stubborn about installing the sata cable without removing the motherboard - I had to as have others (see post #102 in this thread)

If you are so confident then just do it, but perhaps you should listen to others that have actually done it rather than relying on photos and hoping.

Frosty
 
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