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Upgrading 2013-2015 Macbook Pro SSD to M.2 NVMe

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
maorattias said:
i had some problems with the adapter so i took it a little bit out so the pins sits correctly, than i start to realize that the speed is getting really low and not stable.
i dont know what should i do?!
please help me.
should i format the ssd and install the mac os again?
do you think that will make the change?
Click to expand...
Sounds like damage somewhere. Start by holding D key down when you start your Mac and run diagnostics. If you get a VDH code there is likely faulty hardware. You should also test your NVMe drive in another computer. Reinstalling the OS rarely fix these issues.
 
Audit13 said:
My apologies, I was thinking of someone else's 13" Pro while you have a 2015 15" Pro that has PCIe 3.0 x4.

Yes, there is something wrong but I am at a loss as to what it could be.

Do the adapters and drives give x4 on other MacBooks?

I assume you have tried a clean install of Mojave, Catalina, or High Sierra.
Click to expand...
i didnt tried it on other macbooks. i dont have ones to try it on.
so do you think it might be solving the issue?
just clean install mac os?
 
aplunatic said:
Hi, new to this form and i been trying to get this to work on my mac book air mid 2013 using a wd_black sn750 ssd. I cant get my mac to read the ssd or for the ssd to show up at all. I know the ssd working because i check on my PC and it reads fine. I has trying reform matting the ssd, wiping it again and brought two of the adapters thing. But I has not been able to get it to read it. Is there anything else to try? Also triming is enable, has try to disable but unable to, any help would be appreciated
edit: wrote mid 2012 meant mid 2013 13-inch with version 10.15.6 Catalina
Click to expand...
Is you MacBook running a High Sierra or newer bootrom?
 
Hi guys. Newbie to the forum.

Just wanted to know if anyone upgraded with a Crucial p5 on their Retina 15" mid 2014 mbp?

Since only the Crucial P1 is in the list, I was wondering anyone tried the P5?

I'm running Mojave.

Thank you.
 
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Audit13 said:
Did you install Catalina on the MacBook using the original Apple SSD?

The bootrom gets updated when you install or upgrade the OS and only with the original Apple SSD unless you are using a NVMe drive that supports bootrom updates.
Click to expand...
Yes, the catalina was updated on the original ssd
 
Birkan said:
Hey everyone, I'm watching this thread over two years now and I finally decided to buy the adapter that is mentioned through AliExpress since it was just around 3 Euro with shipping. The main problem I have is that my old Macbook Air's original SSD died on me couple of years ago (around 2017) and I'm currently on a bootrom (MBA61.0099.B51) that is older than what I need according to the first page of this post. I'm currently using an external USB drive with Mojave installed that is created using my up-to-date Macbook Pro. Is there any chance that my Macbook Air will see my NVMe SSD with this adapter even though the bootrom is old? What will be the expected behaviour in this scenario in your opinion?

As a side note, in case my Macbook Air doesn't see the NVMe SSD with old bootrom, I'll probably ask another friend to lend me his original Apple SSD to do bootrom upgrade to solve this issue but I would prefer if it just worked without asking my friend.
Click to expand...

So I finally received my adapter. Unfortunately, as I said before my bootrom (MBA61.0099.B51) is older than what I need (MBA61.0103.B00). My original Apple SSD is dead so I can't use it to update the boot rom. When I boot from external High Sierra or Catalina USB, installer recognises the NVMe drive inside and successfully copies the necessary files. However, since my bootrom is older than what I need, bootloader doesn't see the NVMe SSD when it comes to booting.

Just to give you some ideas about what I tried:
- I tried to clean install High Sierra/Catalina with NVMe drive installed as internal drive. Didn't update the firmware and couldn't finish installation.
- I tried to clean install High Sierra/Catalina with NVMe drive installed as USB drive (NVMe to USB adapter). Didn't update the firmware and couldn't finish installation.
- I tried to boot High Sierra/Catalina with NVMe drive after installing those OSs from another Mac with USB to NVMe adapter. Couldn't boot.
- I tried to manually bless SCAP firmware file while being booted from USB drive and having NVMe drive installed as internal drive. It successfully copies the SCAP firmware to internal NVMe drive but since it cannot boot, it doesn't do the firmware upgrade upon restart.

If anyone has any suggestions how I can update the bootloader without original Apple SSD, I'm all ears. Actually, I'm not sure if that's possible. I guess the only possible option is to source an original Apple SSD from a friend if I really need. Thanks!
 
Birkan said:
If anyone has any suggestions how I can update the bootloader without original Apple SSD, I'm all ears. Actually, I'm not sure if that's possible. I guess the only possible option is to source an original Apple SSD from a friend if I really need. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Some people mentioned success on this thread earlier by Installing HS/Catalina to a traditional USB drive, after booting from an external source (such as SD).

Maybe borrow someone else's Apple SSD and just reinstall the same version of their current OS on top - that will also perform a firmware update
 
herb2k said:
Some people mentioned success on this thread earlier by Installing HS/Catalina to a traditional USB drive, after booting from an external source (such as SD).

Maybe borrow someone else's Apple SSD and just reinstall the same version of their current OS on top - that will also perform a firmware update
Click to expand...
I tried to install HS/Catalina to a traditional USB drive as some people suggested but it did not work. I might consider asking a friend for his original SSD as a last resort.
 
UPDATE ON MY ISSUE.

So still same issue after putting kapton tape on the adapter.
I checked the SSD and Adapter with another MBP still same issue.
Checked with another SSD with same adapter, same issue.

Conclusion: Im assuming the Adapter is faulty. i have ordered another adapter. will keep update when i receive it.
 
wizlinkx said:
Hi guys. Newbie to the forum.

Just wanted to know if anyone upgraded with a Crucial p5 on their Retina 15" mid 2014 mbp?

Since only the Crucial P1 is in the list, I was wondering anyone tried the P5?
Click to expand...

I ordered a Crucial P5 and also a Crucial P2 to test both them, they will be added to the 1st post tables soon.
I'm also testing a Mydigital SSD BPX "eco" which is really a good drive..(with a Phison E13T controler, but TLC not QLC)

According to existing review, the P5 is a very good SSD, but it's very, very, very expensive.

Don't buy such a drive for a Retina 15" mid 2014 which will be limited to PCIe 2.0 bus..
Prefer a drive which has a good performances / power consumption ratio : any drive with a Phison E12 will be good (Corsair MP510, Sabrent Rocket -not Q-, etc.)
 
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Audit13 said:
I really don't know if a clean install will help. It's the last thing I can think of other than trying the parts in another MacBook or buying completely different parts.
Click to expand...
if ill try with different adapter?
i got another new adapter that i didnt used before.
do you think it might be the problem?
i really want to fix this ssd issue to get the best of it.
and i have one more question.
8tb nvme ssd with adapter for my macbook pro - mid 2015 15" can be install on this computer?
if yes, can you send me link for specific nvme ssd that compatible to this macbook pro?
thanks.
 
aplunatic said:
Yes, the catalina was updated on the original ssd
Click to expand...
You should have no problems with the NVMe as long as it is compatible. Maybe the WD NVMe doesn't work well with your MacBook.

maorattias said:
if ill try with different adapter?
i got another new adapter that i didnt used before.
do you think it might be the problem?
i really want to fix this ssd issue to get the best of it.
and i have one more question.
8tb nvme ssd with adapter for my macbook pro - mid 2015 15" can be install on this computer?
if yes, can you send me link for specific nvme ssd that compatible to this macbook pro?
thanks.
Click to expand...
I am not sure if an 8 TB NVMe will work with your MacBook because there was no 8 TB option from Apple.

I would try the new adapter and get x4 before trying other drives.
 
Last edited:
herb2k said:
Maybe borrow someone else's Apple SSD and just reinstall the same version of their current OS on top - that will also perform a firmware update
Click to expand...
Or alternately, if you didn't want to "tread on" the friend's existing system, you could simply add a new APFS volume (in Disk Utility) to his SSD, install to that, then delete it when you're done...
 
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gilles_polysoft said:
I ordered a Crucial P5 and also a Crucial P2 to test both them, they will be added to the 1st post tables soon.
I'm also testing a Mydigital SSD BPX "eco" which is really a good drive..(with a Phison E13T controler, but TLC not QLC)

According to existing review, the P5 is a very good SSD, but it's very, very, very expensive.

Don't buy such a drive for a Retina 15" mid 2014 which will be limited to PCIe 2.0 bus..
Prefer a drive which has a good performances / power consumption ratio : any drive with a Phison E12 will be good (Corsair MP510, Sabrent Rocket -not Q-, etc.)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.
I'll look for the PCIe 2.0 versions then. Finding them in this local market is the problem.
 
wizlinkx said:
Thanks for the info.
I'll look for the PCIe 2.0 versions then. Finding them in this local market is the problem.
Click to expand...

You won't find a lot of PCIe 2.0 only versions on the market now - what the previous poster meant is don't buy the highest end drive you can find as your machine can't take advantage of it :)

I recommend any of the ones mentioned previously that are based on the Phison E12 chipset as they seem to draw the least amount of power on MacBooks. ANY drive which has TLC (excluding "Q" or QLC drives) and has DRAM will perform up to the maximum allowed by your MacBook's PCIe speed.
 
Mid-2014 15" 11,3 (2.5GHz, 16GB, GT750M)
OSX 10.15.6, bootrom 162.0.0.0
WD SN750 1TB, 111110WD firmware
Adapter: this Jesot, no Kapton tape needed

Did a clean install of Catalina 10.15.6 last Thursday with the above WD drive. Laptop has been powered on for the last 93 hours with no kernel panics or other anomalies of note. The only issue I'm seeing is that it takes 1-2 minutes to get to the desktop after I enter my password (no speed issues getting from POST to login screen). I do have FileVault enabled, but I don't remember it taking that long with my OEM 512GB SSUAX even when it was at 90% capacity. Other than that, it's performing as expected.

R/W of approximately 1450/1340.

Idling at 37C - 39C, load 43C - 45C. 25.5C ambient.

Idle power usage from 0.924W - 1.056W, read around 2.64W, write from 3.267W - 3.828W. ASPM showing as disabled (as expected). Installed NVMeFix 1.0.3, which doesn't seem to have done bupkis.

Currently on hibernation mode 3; the few times I put it to sleep and woke it back up didn't show any issues, but I know that isn't the main issue at hand. Haven't tried mode 25.

I read through the last ~30 pages and haven't seen too many using the WD Black drives nor this adapter, so if anyone wants me to try something out, lemme know.
 
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herb2k said:
You won't find a lot of PCIe 2.0 only versions on the market now - what the previous poster meant is don't buy the highest end drive you can find as your machine can't take advantage of it :)

I recommend any of the ones mentioned previously that are based on the Phison E12 chipset as they seem to draw the least amount of power on MacBooks. ANY drive which has TLC (excluding "Q" or QLC drives) and has DRAM will perform up to the maximum allowed by your MacBook's PCIe speed.
Click to expand...

Ok got it. Thanks.
 
bobloblaw88 said:
Mid-2014 15" 11,3 (2.5GHz, 16GB, GT750M)
OSX 10.15.6, bootrom 162.0.0.0
WD SN750 1TB, 111110WD firmware
Adapter: this Jesot, no Kapton tape needed

Did a clean install of Catalina 10.15.6 last Thursday with the above WD drive. Laptop has been powered on for the last 93 hours with no kernel panics or other anomalies of note. The only issue I'm seeing is that it takes 1-2 minutes to get to the desktop after I enter my password (no speed issues getting from POST to login screen). I do have FileVault enabled, but I don't remember it taking that long with my OEM 512GB SSUAX even when it was at 90% capacity. Other than that, it's performing as expected.

R/W of approximately 1450/1340.

Idling at 37C - 39C, load 43C - 45C. 25.5C ambient.

Idle power usage from 0.924W - 1.056W, read around 2.64W, write from 3.267W - 3.828W. ASPM showing as disabled (as expected). Installed NVMeFix 1.0.3, which doesn't seem to have done bupkis.

Currently on hibernation mode 3; the few times I put it to sleep and woke it back up didn't show any issues, but I know that isn't the main issue at hand. Haven't tried mode 25.

I read through the last ~30 pages and haven't seen too many using the WD Black drives nor this adapter, so if anyone wants me to try something out, lemme know.
Click to expand...

Power consumption on the WD SN750 is quite high, even with APST applied (NVMeFix):
www.anandtech.com

The Western Digital WD Black SN750 SSD Review: Why Fix What Isn't Broken?

www.anandtech.com www.anandtech.com
 
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Whats the best performance and low power consumption/low temperature SSD for MBP 13” Late 2013?
 
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