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Added second SSD to mini, odd behavior

S

santos.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2012
28
12
Should've gotten a 500GB way back when, that 250 went fast...

After running out of space on the SSD (Samsung 840 250GB) I swapped my stock HDD for, I decided to add a second one (Samsung 840 EVO 250GB). But it wasn't as straightforward as it should've been.

The first SSD was in the "lower" position, the same spot the HDD occupied, and I never had any trouble with it. Using the iFixit dual hard drive kit, I added the second SSD to the "upper" position, but couldn't get it partitioned. iFixit swapped out the cable for an OEM cable but still no dice.

Here's where it gets odd, and where my question comes in. I swapped the hard drive positions, but then couldn't get my original hard drive to work (flashing folder with question mark). Then I swapped the cable positions. Looking at the motherboard from the bottom with the drive bays on top, the cable socket on the left should be for the lower drive. But the only way I could get both drives to work simultaneously was by forcing the upper drive's cable (the new, longer one) into the left socket.

Now both drives are working, but the cables are crisscrossed. There is a lot of tension on the original shorter cable for it to reach to right socket, and I'm not loving it.

Anyone else run into something similar? Anyone think it will be risky to have the cables stretched to the opposite sockets?

For reference, here is the default position for the original cable, and the socket to the right is the one I had to stretch it to:
gFshH6jov5IGgQLl.huge
 
opeter

opeter

macrumors 68030
Aug 5, 2007
2,680
1,602
Slovenia
On ebay you can buy to type of cables, one for the upper bay position HDD drives and another option for the lower bay position drive.

Here is a link for that:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dual-Hard...ing_Drive_Cables_Adapters&hash=item27dfdcb5f1

Important Notice:

Description:

Pls make sure your Mini Mac Hard Drive is shown as LOWER in the system info before you buy this flex cable.
For other Mini Mac HD shown as UPPER in system, Pls buy the other type of FLEX CABLE in following listing,

Maybe that is the problem, that you have one of the cables for a different bay, than you need and it is simply to short.
 
drsox

drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,706
201
Xhystos
santos. said:
Should've gotten a 500GB way back when, that 250 went fast...

After running out of space on the SSD (Samsung 840 250GB) I swapped my stock HDD for, I decided to add a second one (Samsung 840 EVO 250GB). But it wasn't as straightforward as it should've been.

The first SSD was in the "lower" position, the same spot the HDD occupied, and I never had any trouble with it. Using the iFixit dual hard drive kit, I added the second SSD to the "upper" position, but couldn't get it partitioned. iFixit swapped out the cable for an OEM cable but still no dice.

Here's where it gets odd, and where my question comes in. I swapped the hard drive positions, but then couldn't get my original hard drive to work (flashing folder with question mark). Then I swapped the cable positions. Looking at the motherboard from the bottom with the drive bays on top, the cable socket on the left should be for the lower drive. But the only way I could get both drives to work simultaneously was by forcing the upper drive's cable (the new, longer one) into the left socket.

Now both drives are working, but the cables are crisscrossed. There is a lot of tension on the original shorter cable for it to reach to right socket, and I'm not loving it.

Anyone else run into something similar? Anyone think it will be risky to have the cables stretched to the opposite sockets?

For reference, here is the default position for the original cable, and the socket to the right is the one I had to stretch it to: Image
Click to expand...

My suggestion for this is to get another long cable from iFixit and use that in place of the shorter one. If both drives work then both sockets and cables also work. Maybe there is an alignment problem between cable and socket in the "upper" config.
 
S

santos.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2012
28
12
Thanks guys.

opeter- I have one of each of the appropriate cables already!

drsox- problem is the long cable simply doesn't work in the socket for the long cable (right). The short cable works in either and the long cable only works in the closer (left) socket.
 
drsox

drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,706
201
Xhystos
santos. said:
Thanks guys.

opeter- I have one of each of the appropriate cables already!

drsox- problem is the long cable simply doesn't work in the socket for the long cable (right). The short cable works in either and the long cable only works in the closer (left) socket.
Click to expand...

What does iFixit think the problem might be ?
 
S

santos.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2012
28
12
They thought the original (knockoff) cable that came with the kit might have been the problem, but they sent me an OEM cable that acted the same. The cables were literally identical though, right down to the insignia, so I wondered if there was actually a difference, but they assured me there was. Short of that they said they have no other ideas, and don't seem to believe the problem is the cable. But I don't see how it could be anything else.
 
drsox

drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,706
201
Xhystos
santos. said:
They thought the original (knockoff) cable that came with the kit might have been the problem, but they sent me an OEM cable that acted the same. The cables were literally identical though, right down to the insignia, so I wondered if there was actually a difference, but they assured me there was. Short of that they said they have no other ideas, and don't seem to believe the problem is the cable. But I don't see how it could be anything else.
Click to expand...

I guess you have already reviewed your friends/contacts to see if they have a Mini that might be used as a second test subject ?

Otherwise, is the Mini in warranty/applecare ? If it is, install the original HDD drive in the "bad" position and see if you can get Apple to venture an opinion. Unlikely though.
 
S

santos.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2012
28
12
Good idea, but it's a 2011 so I'm well out of warranty. And I'm the only person i know with a mini! Will probably just live with it since it's working currently, just a bit maddening, and killing my OCD with the cables crisscrossed and stretched like that. Hope it doesn't cause any long-term issues with the cable or socket...
 
drsox

drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,706
201
Xhystos
santos. said:
Good idea, but it's a 2011 so I'm well out of warranty. And I'm the only person i know with a mini! Will probably just live with it since it's working currently, just a bit maddening, and killing my OCD with the cables crisscrossed and stretched like that. Hope it doesn't cause any long-term issues with the cable or socket...
Click to expand...

I fear it might, but you will know quickly enough. Better make sure CCC and/or TM are working OK !
 
S

santos.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2012
28
12
Well at least I'm pretty sure I can dis/reassemble my mini with my eyes closed at this point!
 
hfg

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
I have had the drive cable become unconnected at the mother board when the perforated metal shield was screwed down (it screws to the case and to the bottom disk drive (top when opened upside down)). It was really hard to see that it slightly jacked the plug out when the screws were tightened.

Confirming that the drives were mounted correctly and the the cables were laying correctly seemed to fix the issue for me. I was using a OWC dual drive upgrade kit with cable.

Good luck with your problem ....
 
S

santos.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2012
28
12
Thanks... Even with the mini partially disassembled so I could more easily swap connections (and verify they were solid) it behaved like above.
 
mmomega

mmomega

macrumors demi-god
Dec 30, 2009
3,879
2,089
DFW, TX
I just received my ifixit double drive kit this evening and while getting caught up on Scandal I did my 2012 Mini tear down and I removed my Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD from the mix.

What I replaced it with was a 1TB Samsung Spinpoint that I removed from a Lacie Rugged USB 3 enclosure. I mounted this drive on top with the stock ribbon cable.

On bottom I put in an older Samsung 830 128GB SSD with the ifixit included cable.

I have everything buttoned up and ready to go but I will not have time to see how well everything works until sometime tomorrow evening.

I am wanting to go all DIY Fusion drive and see how well this works.

My Mini is my headless server with a few Thunderbolt and usb3 externals. It just serves as an iTunes server as well as TimeMachine, CrashPlan backup server and file server.

I'm ready to see how it works and if I run in to into problems along the way with the cables.

I'll report back with any issues if any.
 
W

wwohl

macrumors regular
May 2, 2013
135
25
there are known issues with the ifixit cables (and other aftermarket cables) and SSDs.

It could be a cable issue...

Since youre running two SSDs, id recommend tracking down the apple brand cable for the mini servers to run both SSDs if you continue having problems with the aftermarket ones.

Bill
 
mmomega

mmomega

macrumors demi-god
Dec 30, 2009
3,879
2,089
DFW, TX
satcomer said:
Just follow the steps in this Dark Drgoon Mavericks change in DIY fusion Drives because they change the DIY practice from 10.8 to 10.9.
Click to expand...

Actually Mavericks is installing as we speak and I didn't really have to do anything.
I connected my USB Install disk
booted to it and opened disk utility
DU immediately said there was a problem and that the Fusion Drive wasn't working properly and asked if I wanted DU to fix the problem.
I clicked fix and within seconds there was one drive showing a total of 1.12TB.

I will check speeds and a few other things once I can get to the desktop but so far OS X has done all of the work, I am just sitting by watching.
 
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