iMac late 2012 upgrade

[davidgnomo]

I'm about to change my iMac with a new one and my dad is getting my old late 2012 : I saw on iFixit a kit to upgrade from a Fusion Disk to SSD and I'd like to give it a try ... can anyone link me a guide to do the job ? On YouTube I found something but they only do the "hardware" part, I need to know what to do with the OS and stuff ...

 

[Fishrrman]

If you're going to give the 2012 iMac to your dad, and if the fusion drive is still running ok, why not just leave it in place for now?

As far as the OS is concerned, IF the currently-installed OS is running well enough, I'd do this:
1. Create a new administrative account for your dad with a username and password he chooses.
2. Log out of your account and log into HIS account
3. DELETE your old account (don't archive it, delete it).

This should remove just about all your personal stuff (unless you have created other folders OUTSIDE of your home folder, you will have to remove those as well.

 

[mikehalloran]

I agree. If the Fusion drive works... Fishrrman's way is fine.

But to your question, OWC and iFixIt have directions for these.


If you're going down that road, first hook the new SSF up using a USB 3 dock like this.
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Docking-Station-DS-UBLK/dp/B00IKAQ538

Next install the desired OS onto it.
Boot or Option-boot into the external to make sure it fires up but don't do anything else. Shut down and disconnect the external.

I'll assume that you've already pulled your info off the 2012, right? If so, wipe this Mac clean—this will destroy the data on the blade part of the Fusion drive—you'l deal with the HHD later. If not, see *

Now install the new SSD into the 2012.

You can make a new Fusion drive between the blade and SSD (Google is your friend). I don't recommend it but you can if you keep the blade in there. You can get a few $ for the used blade, however.

Your dad has an older Mac? If so, *connect them via ethernet. Use Migration Assistant from the 2012 to pull everything over.

If he doesn't then set up the new (to him) iMac as you would any other.

Now, using that external dock, set the old HHD into it and wipe it writing to zeros 7 times. This was not necessary with the blade—TRIM made the data unreadable within a minute after you wiped it.

Sell the blade and recycle the HHD.