Samsung 1 tb ssd install in mid 2011 27" iMac

[Bast65]

Hi All,
Have an install kit on its way from macsales and a Samsung 850 1 tb. internal drive on its way from Amz. I plan on replacing the main hdd.
I hear that a ssd will breathe new life into my iMac and I'm ready to tackle the project...but I have a few brief questions:

I have a 1tb external drive that operates in the Time Machine fashion. Can I just copy over things I want: pictures, music, personal items after wiping the time machine drive and then add them in after a fresh install of the newest OS?

Having never done so before, if I had NO hdd ( as in it died) and I put the new drive in, does the hardware "see" the drive and phone home to apple? or is there some usb stick -file that can jumpstart it?

If I want the cleanest install what's the best practice? It seems to me a fresh install, delete time machine and copy over pics and music only to the former time machine external drive...Right?


Thanks in advance

 

[EugW]

Hi All,
Have an install kit on its way from macsales and a Samsung 850 1 tb. internal drive on its way from Amz. I plan on replacing the main hdd.
I hear that a ssd will breathe new life into my iMac and I'm ready to tackle the project...but I have a few brief questions:

I have a 1tb external drive that operates in the Time Machine fashion. Can I just copy over things I want: pictures, music, personal items after wiping the time machine drive and then add them in after a fresh install of the newest OS?

Having never done so before, if I had NO hdd ( as in it died) and I put the new drive in, does the hardware "see" the drive and phone home to apple? or is there some usb stick -file that can jumpstart it?

If I want the cleanest install what's the best practice? It seems to me a fresh install, delete time machine and copy over pics and music only to the former time machine external drive...Right?


Thanks in advance

Probably the easiest is just to clone your boot drive over to the SSD, while the SSD is external. (Buy a USB SATA dock.) That way after you put the drive in, it's already got everything on it already.

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

For mine TM is the devil to migrate from. I prefer to have a cloned backup on an external drive, which is bootable. Boot from the external with the new drive installed, use Option to connect from it, format the new internal Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and then run the cloning software from the backup to the new drive and everything will be carried over, passwords, mail, networks etc.

My preference is SuperDuper and there is a free download from the Shirt Pocket site, see link. Like everything in life, the faster version with auto backup is not free.


http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

 

[Bast65]

So I did the install. Technically not bad too bad if you are handy. Some of the little ribbon connectors were a little challenging. What I decided to do is put the samsung evo in without reformatting or cloning. The reason why is the sata adapter for external use did not function.
So I ended up installing high sierra from a usb stick. The program is approx. 6 gb.

My question now is can I JUST restore music and photos from my time machine drive?