I am running a late 2012 basic Mac mini with 16 GB RAM upgrade and changed a year ago to external boot from a Crucial SSD via USB (OS X 10.11.6). The first weeks everything was fine, then every few weeks the machine suddenly froze: I could not change users or apps, then it stopped reacting completely, showing only the color wheel. After manual restart it started up without problem or error message. My conclusion was that there where tiny interruptions between the external SSD and the internal processor stopping the OS in its tracks.
Now the error occurs more and more often, sometimes every few days. Perhaps the reason is a mechanical defect on the USB outputs leading to short interruptions of current when moved? What do you think? Any other ideas?
When it works, it works great, but more and more the freezes annoy. I thought about opening the machine up and looking for defects or even installing the SSD in it, but I am not very handy with those things and fear to destroy something. Of course I could try another SSD and/or enclosure or another mac to combine, but I would have to buy them.
Now the error occurs more and more often, sometimes every few days. Perhaps the reason is a mechanical defect on the USB outputs leading to short interruptions of current when moved? What do you think? Any other ideas?
When it works, it works great, but more and more the freezes annoy. I thought about opening the machine up and looking for defects or even installing the SSD in it, but I am not very handy with those things and fear to destroy something. Of course I could try another SSD and/or enclosure or another mac to combine, but I would have to buy them.
. You mean I should test this instead of the enclosure plus cable I use now?