Mac mini dual hard drive-setup question

[MacFillip]

Mac mini (late 2012)
Yosemite 10.10.5
2.3 Ghz Intel Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
I have a full backup on a portable SSD.

I have a new 1TB HDD (thank you Apple Care). I'm going to add a 1TB Samsung 250 Pro SSD that will be installed by a couple of Japanese certified Apple Repair Technicians. My Japanese is not that good in this area.

I'm thinking, since I have so much space on the SSD, I'd like to have the SSD "fully loaded" with the whole enchilada (system, document, applications-everything) as the main boot up drive disk and make the HDD a bootable backup (using ChronoSync)

My Questions:

1. Is this doable?
2. Will having the SSD being a 'full bootable' slow the dive down significantly?
3. If YES for '2', what is a better 'speed performance' option?
4. In the event that it would be better to run 'System & Applications' off the SSD and use the HDD for my files, ie, User Folder, how do I go about making a backup of all this that will be bootable?

Appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

 

[JamesPDX]

Mac mini (late 2012)
Yosemite 10.10.5
2.3 Ghz Intel Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
I have a full backup on a portable SSD.

I have a new 1TB HDD (thank you Apple Care). I'm going to add a 1TB Samsung 250 Pro SSD that will be installed by a couple of Japanese certified Apple Repair Technicians. My Japanese is not that good in this area.

I'm thinking, since I have so much space on the SSD, I'd like to have the SSD "fully loaded" with the whole enchilada (system, document, applications-everything) as the main boot up drive disk and make the HDD a bootable backup (using ChronoSync)

My Questions:

1. Is this doable?
2. Will having the SSD being a 'full bootable' slow the dive down significantly?
3. If YES for '2', what is a better 'speed performance' option?
4. In the event that it would be better to run 'System & Applications' off the SSD and use the HDD for my files, ie, User Folder, how do I go about making a backup of all this that will be bootable?

Appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

Option 4. Did you already purchase the Samsung SSD? Also, see this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/guide-ssd-tweaking-guide.1505922/

 

[MacFillip]

Option 4. Did you already purchase the Samsung SSD? Also, see this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/guide-ssd-tweaking-guide.1505922/

Hi, thank you your reply. The link has a lot of Terminal Commands, would like to go about this is in a simpler and easier way. Also it's a little outdated in regards to needing to use a "Trim Enabler". From my research, Yosemite 10.10.4 adds trim support to 3rd party SSD's via the terminal.
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/07/01/os-x-trim-ssd/

But thanks for your recommendation is greatly appreciated. I look into how best to set "4". Thank you.

PS: Yes, I already ordered the SSD.

 

[JamesPDX]

Go right to 10.5.5. And yeah, you have to keep them from being formatted "together" to make a big funky fusion drive, so read that stuff. System and Apps go onto the SSD. I use Disk Sensei and Carbon Copy Cloner. Try CCC and clone the system onto the SSD into a temporary external enclosure so if anything goes wrong, you don't have to tear it all out. The OWC kit is pretty good, but you need really good lighting and patience. Use you phone or iPod's camera to document your disassembly for a backup. If you have a hurricane-blower (for a camera) that's really useful for cleaning as you go. Here are some good tools choices: http://amzn.to/1MsW9UM -the longer spudgers are handier than the short ones. Make sure your doubler kit contains the logic board removal tool. All that said, if you have a spare case, I'd just put the 1TB spinner in the exterior case and put in -one- SSD into the Mini. The logic board and power supply removal and put-back are tricky enough to give second thoughts. If you go with the dual drive setup, LMK how you enjoyed that! Just know that once you get an SSD, everything else is going to seem like a dog. JSYK.

 

[MacFillip]

Go right to 10.5.5. And yeah, you have to keep them from being formatted "together" to make a big funky fusion drive, so read that stuff. System and Apps go onto the SSD. I use Disk Sensei and Carbon Copy Cloner. Try CCC and clone the system onto the SSD into a temporary external enclosure so if anything goes wrong, you don't have to tear it all out. The OWC kit is pretty good, but you need really good lighting and patience. Use you phone or iPod's camera to document your disassembly for a backup. If you have a hurricane-blower (for a camera) that's really useful for cleaning as you go. Here are some good tools choices: http://amzn.to/1MsW9UM -the longer spudgers are handier than the short ones. Make sure your doubler kit contains the logic board removal tool. All that said, if you have a spare case, I'd just put the 1TB spinner in the exterior case and put in -one- SSD into the Mini. The logic board and power supply removal and put-back are tricky enough to give second thoughts. If you go with the dual drive setup, LMK how you enjoyed that! Just know that once you get an SSD, everything else is going to seem like a dog. JSYK.

Awesome James, thank you so much.