iMac 27" SSD Upgrade - Important Tip!

[NATO]

For anyone interested in upgrading their new 27" iMac with an SSD drive, it's a fairly painless process, I found it to be a little easier than the previous 24" iMac (refer to the teardown guide at ifixit.com if you're interested in the process of taking it apart).

I installed my SSD drive but noticed that when I was installing Snow Leopard the system fans seemed to be running very high. I discovered the 'HDD Fan' was ramped up to over 3200RPM. Remembering back to installing the SSD drive, there is a connector connected to the jumper block of the original hard drive (in addition to the SATA and Power cables). I traced this wire back to the motherboard and discovered that it is marked as 'HDD Temp'. I'm not quite sure how Apple gets a hard drive temperature from the jumper block of the hard drive but after shorting the two terminals of this connector with a little piece of wire the fans behave normally.

So just a tip for anyone else who might be considering installing an SSD drive...

[C64]

I'm not quite sure how Apple gets a hard drive temperature from the jumper block of the hard drive but after shorting the two terminals of this connector with a little piece of wire the fans behave normally.
That sounds like a scary thing to do to a (new) Mac. Is that safe? And what if you wanted to put the original SATA drive back?

But congrats on the SSD http://gathering.tweakers.net/global/smileys/smile.gif . Must be running amazingly fast now, no?

[NATO]

Based on the way the connector was just connecting on to two jumper pins on the hard drive, I figured there wasn't really inherently unsafe in giving that a go. It's a sensor wire rather than something carrying any significant current so I figured it would be ok :)

If you wanted to put your original hard drive back in it's the same process as before, there's nothing to show that you've had the computer opened up so for warranty purposes etc it's fine.

The system is very fast, I'm totally sold on SSD drives these days (along with a suitable external HDD for stuff like movies etc which you don't necessarily need to have on the SSD).

In retrospect I should probably have turned the computer on first when I took it out of the box to make sure it worked before cracking it open :rolleyes:

[jessica.]

In retrospect I should probably have turned the computer on first when I took it out of the box to make sure it worked before cracking it open :rolleyes:

Well since it works, yes, but you should always turn it on as it comes and make sure it is ok.

[zeigerpuppy]

now the next question...
will a SATA port multiplier allow putting 2xSSD in software RAID in the iMAC

This is likely to max out the SATA throughput , perhaps doubling up the drives by replacing the optical drive (as suggested by ifixit) is better

or... if there is room:

SATA 0 - SSD
SATA 1 -> multipler -> Optical + SSD

This would load balance a lot nicer....

Anyone know more about port multiploers and whether they would work??

I am thinking there would be no reason at all to get a MP Quad for me if this is the case... (esp 'cos the iMac even has socketed CPU and GPU)

[darrellishere]

This is all very interesting! Keep it coming!

[Inno]

What brand of SSD was it, and how does it feel compared to the HD your replaced.

SSD's should feel a real pop, are you feeling that pop-pop-pop?

[Mac Fly (film)]

I cried tears of pain when I read your post, as I don't have a clue what it means. For now I have the pervious 24" and I really really really want to put an SSD in it.

My MacBook Air with its SSD does most common tasks faster than my iMac.

[zeigerpuppy]

I haven't done this yet, so take it with a grain of salt....

iMacs are not that hard to upgrade, it's just that you have to take a little time to be careful and have a decent work space and tools.

1) read the ifixit teardown for your model,
eg: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iMac-Intel-27-Inch/1236/2
2) get a set of torx screwdriver heads and suction cups from your local electronics store
3) unscrew here, lift glass there, unplug lcd panel cable before pulling up there... (RTFTeardown)

4) unscrew old HDD and insert SSD

Done...

The process may be a little more complicated for CPU and GPU and one needs to consider heat dissipation (and sensors) but there is very little chance of causing problems as long as you don't yank cables out of sockets and and stick with parts that someone else has already found to be compatible...

[NATO]

I put an OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD drive in my iMac, it was picked up straight away by the OS X installer disc.

I would agree with zeigerpuppy, iMacs aren't that hard to upgrade so long as you're careful, slow and methodical (carefully organising the screws you remove so they go back in the right place etc).

And yeah, the iMac is a totally different beast with an SSD - start-up times are practically non-existent, application launching is instantaneous. Very impressive stuff, I wouldn't go back to a traditional HDD for a boot volume ever again.

[Zach Schible]

Just wondering. Is it possible to remove the Optical drive on the new iMac and replace that with an SSD. For me this would be great since I can't remember the last time I used a CD/DVD.

Also if this is possible would anyone know if the performance would be worth it?

Thanks & and congrats on you new setup.

[zeigerpuppy]

yes, replacing the optical drive is quite easy, especially with this:

http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081

[OldCorpse]

Fascinating thread - thank you OP for starting it! My biggest objection to the new iMacs, apart from a lack of matte option, was a lack of an SSD option and no easy access to the HDD for the user.

I have been toying with the idea of installing an SSD in the new 27" quad. I'm glad people are doing it, so I can see what experience they're having. I'm still worried by a host of issues - TRIM, what size SSD, and the weird shorting of wires the OP mentioned... hmm, maybe iFixit will have a guide at some point!

Keep it coming folks, anyone else? I'm glad it seems easier to open up this iMac than the previous version.

[arjen92]

Fascinating thread - thank you OP for starting it! My biggest objection to the new iMacs, apart from a lack of matte option, was a lack of an SSD option and no easy access to the HDD for the user.

I have been toying with the idea of installing an SSD in the new 27" quad. I'm glad people are doing it, so I can see what experience they're having. I'm still worried by a host of issues - TRIM, what size SSD, and the weird shorting of wires the OP mentioned... hmm, maybe iFixit will have a guide at some point!

Keep it coming folks, anyone else? I'm glad it seems easier to open up this iMac than the previous version.

Well, I believe once you removed the glass from the iMac the screen is matte :D.

[zeigerpuppy]

Just had another thought,
the iMac has a mini-PCIe port for the wireless card.
This can also be used for storage with a mini-PCIe to SATA adapter or directly with mini-PCIe SSD cards.
No sure if the speed will be any good.

http://www.sourcingmap.com/mini-pcie-pci-express-sata-usb-coverter-adapter-green-p-36454.html?currency=GBP

-- update
these drives are fairly common for netbooks, apparently get up to 100MB/sec read/write
http://www.cdfreaks.com/hardware/product/95073-RunCore-Mini-PCI-e-SSD-128GB.html

not sure if the imac will boot from this drive??

[amd4me]

Thats a really great tip. Thank you very much!:)

[Rudy69]

I would upgrade to an SSD drive if it didn't involve removing the glass etc. If I could somehow open it from the back I'd consider it... :(

[Ice Dragon]

This does look slightly difficult though then again I am very new at it. Considering the HDDs shipped are only 7,200 rpm, upgrading to 1 or even 2 SSDs seems worth it.

[pixelbart]

I'm a bit disappointed with the fact that there still isn't an SSD option for the iMac. I'd love to have an iMac with an 80GB SSD for OS+Apps and a cool, silent and large (like, Samsung EcoGreen) HDD for /Users. Maybe even with half of the SSD configured to automagically mirror often-used data from the HDD. It would need some changes in OS X, but could work really fast without sacrificing storage space.

With the current iMac, the HDD is by *far* the slowest part of the system.

(btw, how fast is an SSD connected to FireWire 800? Is booting from FW still possible?)

[macchiato2009]

opening a new imac by removing the glass really scares me

in addition to all the wires behind the panel itself...

if only there was absolutely 0 risk, i would do it...


do you think that a CMAA would do it if we pay for HDD replacement ?

[NATO]

Well, I believe once you removed the glass from the iMac the screen is matte :D.

The LCD panel behind the glass is a glossy panel, very much like the glossy screens on the MacBook Pro before the new glass-fronted MacBook Pros were released.

I'm a bit disappointed with the fact that there still isn't an SSD option for the iMac

I agree, although unlike HDDs which have similar performance between manufacturers, SSDs are a bit of a mixed bag - performance differs wildly between manufacturers and even models made by the same manufacturer. While Apple could theoretically provide a SSD option for the iMac, it seems the fact the iMac uses a 3.5" drive rather than a 2.5" drive, Apple don't seem to think it worth their while to design a suitable bracket for holding the smaller 2.5" drive in place (I used a standard 2.5"-->3.5" bracket myself). Even if Apple did offer it, it would likely be far more expensive than buying it 3rd party, and you wouldn't know what model you were getting and it mightn't be a good performer compared to the likes of the Intel X25 or OCZ Vertex SSDs

Another side benefit of the SSD in an iMac is that you don't have any audible noise coming from the machine. I do have an external HDD connected for storing media and other less frequently accessed files, but it only spins up when required and is off to one side. It's quite nice to have a computer that is absolutely silent!

[macchiato2009]

what kind of 3.5" enclosure did you use to install the ssd ?

[Inno]

The LCD panel behind the glass is a glossy panel, very much like the glossy screens on the MacBook Pro before the new glass-fronted MacBook Pros were released.



I agree, although unlike HDDs which have similar performance between manufacturers, SSDs are a bit of a mixed bag - performance differs wildly between manufacturers and even models made by the same manufacturer. While Apple could theoretically provide a SSD option for the iMac, it seems the fact the iMac uses a 3.5" drive rather than a 2.5" drive, Apple don't seem to think it worth their while to design a suitable bracket for holding the smaller 2.5" drive in place (I used a standard 2.5"-->3.5" bracket myself). Even if Apple did offer it, it would likely be far more expensive than buying it 3rd party, and you wouldn't know what model you were getting and it mightn't be a good performer compared to the likes of the Intel X25 or OCZ Vertex SSDs

Another side benefit of the SSD in an iMac is that you don't have any audible noise coming from the machine. I do have an external HDD connected for storing media and other less frequently accessed files, but it only spins up when required and is off to one side. It's quite nice to have a computer that is absolutely silent!

When SSD's that perform like Intel/OCZ are cheaper and larger next year, or the year after or whenever, that is going to be a wicked stock iMac when they come with one by default.

[NATO]

what kind of 3.5" enclosure did you use to install the ssd ?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37602

I used one of these. You need to mount the adapter bracket in such a way so that the connectors are in approximately the same place as the original hard drive (the SATA and power cables are just long enough to reach that area).

[300D]

For me this would be great since I can't remember the last time I used a CD/DVD.

Especially since its not Blu-ray. :rolleyes:
It wouldn't be too difficult to find an external USB case for it either.

What would really kick azz is if they offered an SSD option like the xServe where it doesn't displace the stock drive.

Yet another option, for those that use an external sound system like me, is to put an SSD in place of one of the speaker assemblies.

[Cockroach]

I want to RAID0 two SSDs by putting the second one in the optical bay. You can get adaptors that are for 9mm drives, but this iMac is 12mm. Would it still work?

[ntrigue]

Level of difficulty putting an SSD in the optical bay, maintaining the 2TB HDD and plugging in a Blu-ray drive via USB/FW800?

[OldCorpse]

I'm hoping someone would do a step by step illustrated/photo instructions on putting in an SSD for those of us who are nervous taking apart an iMac. I've changed hard drives and memory in a mini, so I'm not a total coward, but still I'd be sweating pulling apart a 27"... maybe iFixit will come through with a nice guide!

[doofoo]

I'll be giving this a shot more than likely this weekend. The only thing that I worry about as everyone else said is this whole shorting out of a cable.. Is there no alternative to control the fans via software somehow?

[macchiato2009]

isn't it a probe with a cable ?

or is it really connected to the HDD ?

because if it's just a probe, then you'll just have to stick it to the SSD

i don't see why the temperature probe would work with the stock HDD but not with the SSD

[NATO]

isn't it a probe with a cable ?

or is it really connected to the HDD ?

because if it's just a probe, then you'll just have to stick it to the SSD

i don't see why the temperature probe would work with the stock HDD but not with the SSD

It's not a probe (my old 24" had a thermistor which was attached to the surface of the HDD to monitor temperature).

On the 27" iMac, it's actually a 6-way connector block which plugs into the jumper section of the hard drive (there are 8 jumper pins). Oddly even though it's a 6-way connector, only two pins are actually connected to wires. The thing is that the jumper block of the HDD is for configuring the drive for stuff like SATA-150 etc, there's no temperature data being sent over those jumper pins. Even if the HDD is not powered up, just having this connector block attached lets the fans operate normally so there's definitely no temperature data going back to the motherboard.

Something makes me think that they maybe intended to put a thermistor in there but for some reason changed their mind and put this in instead. It's very odd, but just completing the loop and shorting the two wires of the connector together seems to sort it out.

[doofoo]

It's not a probe (my old 24" had a thermistor which was attached to the surface of the HDD to monitor temperature).

On the 27" iMac, it's actually a 6-way connector block which plugs into the jumper section of the hard drive (there are 8 jumper pins). Oddly even though it's a 6-way connector, only two pins are actually connected to wires. The thing is that the jumper block of the HDD is for configuring the drive for stuff like SATA-150 etc, there's no temperature data being sent over those jumper pins. Even if the HDD is not powered up, just having this connector block attached lets the fans operate normally so there's definitely no temperature data going back to the motherboard.

Something makes me think that they maybe intended to put a thermistor in there but for some reason changed their mind and put this in instead. It's very odd, but just completing the loop and shorting the two wires of the connector together seems to sort it out.

So how exactly did you end up shorting the two together? Did you just whack the end of the connector off and twist them together, or did you actually go through the effort to make a two pin U-Shaped type short to plug it into?

[NATO]

So how exactly did you end up shorting the two together? Did you just whack the end of the connector off and twist them together, or did you actually go through the effort to make a two pin U-Shaped type short to plug it into?

I just got a piece of single-core wire and formed a small 'U' shape and pushed it into the connector to connect the two wires together then secured it so that the connector didn't touch any other part of the computer.

[NATO]

Since you said you're likely to be trying this yourself, here's exactly what I did:

1. Lie the iMac down with the iSight camera closest to you.

2. Get a suction cup and attach it at the top corner of the glass. Lift gently until it comes away about half an inch, enough to get your finger underneath. Carefully swing the glass forward (there are metal tabs at the bottom so make sure to pivot the glass away from the top until you can then lift it away.

3. Using a properly sized Torx screwdriver, remove the 8 screws (4 either side of the screen).

4. you'll need something thin to get under the metal tab at the top of the LCD display to lift it from the top, you can lift it from the iSight end like a car bonnet, but be careful not to lift it more than an inch initially as there is a little ribbon cable attached to the right. Carefully pull this cable horizontally out of the connector then you can hinge the display upwards by about 6 inches or so.

5. You'll see the HDD bay in front of you. Detach the SATA and Power cables, unscrew the two torx screws and lift one side of the HDD and pull it towards you and it'll come away completely. Unscrew the legs attached to each corner of the HDD as you'll need these for attaching the SSD drive.

6. Attach your SSD drive to a suitable mounting bracket, making sure the connectors are in roughly the same position as the original HDD (the SATA and Power cables are short and will only reach to that area). As best you can, secure the mounting bracket using the same legs as Apple used with the original HDD. Attach SATA and Power cables.

7. Using a suitable piece of wire, form a 'U' shape and slide it into the connector which used to be connected to the jumper block of the original HDD. Secure it appropriately so it doesn't touch anything else.

8. Re-assemble in reverse order. A can of compressed air is good for making sure you clear any dust away before replacing the glass.

Of course that's just what I did, I can't assume responsibility for anything you do to your own system but this worked fine for me.

[doofoo]

Since you said you're likely to be trying this yourself, here's exactly what I did:

1. Lie the iMac down with the iSight camera closest to you.

2. Get a suction cup and attach it at the top corner of the glass. Lift gently until it comes away about half an inch, enough to get your finger underneath. Carefully swing the glass forward (there are metal tabs at the bottom so make sure to pivot the glass away from the top until you can then lift it away.

3. Using a properly sized Torx screwdriver, remove the 8 screws (4 either side of the screen).

4. you'll need something thin to get under the metal tab at the top of the LCD display to lift it from the top, you can lift it from the iSight end like a car bonnet, but be careful not to lift it more than an inch initially as there is a little ribbon cable attached to the right. Carefully pull this cable horizontally out of the connector then you can hinge the display upwards by about 6 inches or so.

5. You'll see the HDD bay in front of you. Detach the SATA and Power cables, unscrew the two torx screws and lift one side of the HDD and pull it towards you and it'll come away completely. Unscrew the legs attached to each corner of the HDD as you'll need these for attaching the SSD drive.

6. Attach your SSD drive to a suitable mounting bracket, making sure the connectors are in roughly the same position as the original HDD (the SATA and Power cables are short and will only reach to that area). As best you can, secure the mounting bracket using the same legs as Apple used with the original HDD. Attach SATA and Power cables.

7. Using a suitable piece of wire, form a 'U' shape and slide it into the connector which used to be connected to the jumper block of the original HDD. Secure it appropriately so it doesn't touch anything else.

8. Re-assemble in reverse order. A can of compressed air is good for making sure you clear any dust away before replacing the glass.

Of course that's just what I did, I can't assume responsibility for anything you do to your own system but this worked fine for me.


Perfect.. Thanks a lot. I'm just trying to decide now if I want to get the C2D or the 5i Quad core. I'm so impatient. :)

[dyn]

I put an OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD drive in my iMac, it was picked up straight away by the OS X installer disc.

The OCZ Vertex does not have an internal temperature sensor (=official answer from OCZ you can check on their forum; iStat Pro will also return 0). I'm guessing the cable you found needs to be hooked up to the drive to get a reading from the internal temperature sensor. As there is none in the Vertex ssd this could cause the fan to either spin at its max or at its minimum setting. The Vertex has the ability to use jumpers but be careful, with a jumper you can put the ssd into flash mode (used to do a backflash to 1.10). You might want to check out OCZ's own forum on this subject.

[chp5592]

Since you said you're likely to be trying this yourself, here's exactly what I did:

1. Lie the iMac down with the iSight camera closest to you.

2. Get a suction cup and attach it at the top corner of the glass. Lift gently until it comes away about half an inch, enough to get your finger underneath. Carefully swing the glass forward (there are metal tabs at the bottom so make sure to pivot the glass away from the top until you can then lift it away.

3. Using a properly sized Torx screwdriver, remove the 8 screws (4 either side of the screen).

4. you'll need something thin to get under the metal tab at the top of the LCD display to lift it from the top, you can lift it from the iSight end like a car bonnet, but be careful not to lift it more than an inch initially as there is a little ribbon cable attached to the right. Carefully pull this cable horizontally out of the connector then you can hinge the display upwards by about 6 inches or so.

5. You'll see the HDD bay in front of you. Detach the SATA and Power cables, unscrew the two torx screws and lift one side of the HDD and pull it towards you and it'll come away completely. Unscrew the legs attached to each corner of the HDD as you'll need these for attaching the SSD drive.

6. Attach your SSD drive to a suitable mounting bracket, making sure the connectors are in roughly the same position as the original HDD (the SATA and Power cables are short and will only reach to that area). As best you can, secure the mounting bracket using the same legs as Apple used with the original HDD. Attach SATA and Power cables.

7. Using a suitable piece of wire, form a 'U' shape and slide it into the connector which used to be connected to the jumper block of the original HDD. Secure it appropriately so it doesn't touch anything else.

8. Re-assemble in reverse order. A can of compressed air is good for making sure you clear any dust away before replacing the glass.

Of course that's just what I did, I can't assume responsibility for anything you do to your own system but this worked fine for me.

Thanks for the detailed description. I'm thinking of buying the base 27 inch and upgrading the hard drive to 2tb myself instead of BTO.

I'm most worried about lifting the glass. How many suction cups did you use? Was one enough and were you concerned at all about cracking the glass as you lifted up the top right edge? Would using two suction cups help? How much resistance did you have? To confirm, just tilt the glass up, pivoting along the bottom edge?

Thanks in advance.

[C64]

Isn't it almost impossible to place the glass back without leaving some dust behind it?

[gnasher729]

yes, replacing the optical drive is quite easy, especially with this:

http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081

Would be great if someone created an SSD drive that is actually the size and shape of an optical drive. There is no technical reason why an SSD drive has to be the size and shape of a 2.5" hard drive. You would save the money for another enclosure, and the added space could be used to either build the same capacity as a 2.5" SSD drive using much cheaper technology, or to add much more space.

[AAPLaday]

Isn't it almost impossible to place the glass back without leaving some dust behind it?

You don't notice it once the screen is on

[mariuscmorar]

Thanks everyone for the great tips. I want to replace the optical drive with an SSD to run the OC and keep the original 2gb HDD in place as storage. I'm new to mac and I've never opened a iMac before. In fact, I'm switching to Mac because the new 27' iMac. Could anyone list the parts and steps needed to do this? I would be really appreciated by everyone.

I think apple doesn't allow an SSD because they want you to pay more for an Mac Pro in order to use the SSD. It's their business strategy. You want the extra speed? Go for the Mac Pro.

Thanks in advance!

[Cockroach]

Mac Pro doesn't have an SSD option. Only portables...

[NATO]

Thanks for the detailed description. I'm thinking of buying the base 27 inch and upgrading the hard drive to 2tb myself instead of BTO.

I'm most worried about lifting the glass. How many suction cups did you use? Was one enough and were you concerned at all about cracking the glass as you lifted up the top right edge? Would using two suction cups help? How much resistance did you have? To confirm, just tilt the glass up, pivoting along the bottom edge?

Thanks in advance.

I used one little suction cup from a small hockey jersey which you hang on your car window, it had a little piece of plastic attached to it which allowed me to grip and pull on it properly. It does take an initial force to lift the glass a few millimetres, but once it's lifted slightly it gets a lot easier . The glass has a metal surround so it seems very well reinforced. It would probably be best to use two suction cups, one at each corner to lift it evenly but I didn't have any issues with lifting from one corner. You're right though, you tilt the glass forward away from the iSight camera, pivoting along the bottom edge.

In terms of dust etc, I did find that while working on it a little bit of dust settled on the screen and glass but a can of compressed air to clear them both before putting the glass back on had it completely free of any visible dust, and if you notice anything you can always tilt the glass forward and give it another blast of compressed air to clear anything that you might have missed initially.

[rtrt]

it's at least possible that the optical sata could be the slower 1.5G variant - might be worth checking somehow before deciding to use it for an ssd and expecting the full benefit.

otherwise you might end up trying to snake sata data data cables around to get the ssd data to the hdd sata which i'd assume would be full sata 3G

[darrellishere]

"Would be great if someone created an SSD drive that is actually the size and shape of an optical drive."

Or try this, sure it would fit in the imac too? or are the sata conectors different?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200396636230&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2558wt_1167

[andyOSX]

Can anyone please tell me? According to iFixit, I can use this (http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081) to install an SSD in the optical bay of the new 27" iMac.

My question is, are the power and data connectors for the optical drive identical to what would be used on the SSD? IE is the connection SATA 3Gb/s, and would I get the speed performance as if it were connected in place of the regular 3.5" drive?

Also, would I be able to use the 3.5" drive as a secondary media drive and the optical bay SSD as the boot drive? Could I just set this in Startup Disk preference pane or would I need some sort of hack/workaround.

Thanks so much to whoever can answer this for me. I would really like to have an X25M G2 80GB SSD as my boot drive in the optical bay, and use the stock 3.5" SATA drive for media etc.

[andyOSX]

OK cool, I see some others are interested in the same thing I am. I found out that the connectors (while SATA) used for the optical drive are not the same as the SATA and power connectors on an HD. However, the enclosure I linked from iFixit converts the optical connectors to HD ones.

I am just wondering if anyone knows for sure if the optical drive connection is 3Gb/s? Or maybe 1.5 like someone else mentioned? Also can I for sure use the second drive in the optical bay as my boot drive easily?

[HellDiverUK]

I don't see there being any sense in making the optical drive 1.5G - 3G is available on the "southbridge" in pairs.

[Cockroach]

Or try this, sure it would fit in the imac too? or are the sata conectors different?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200396636230&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2558wt_1167
That's what I'm trying to figure out. That is for a 9.5mm drive, but the iMac is 12.7mm.
Can anyone please tell me? According to iFixit, I can use this (http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081) to install an SSD in the optical bay of the new 27" iMac.

My question is, are the power and data connectors for the optical drive identical to what would be used on the SSD? IE is the connection SATA 3Gb/s, and would I get the speed performance as if it were connected in place of the regular 3.5" drive?

Also, would I be able to use the 3.5" drive as a secondary media drive and the optical bay SSD as the boot drive? Could I just set this in Startup Disk preference pane or would I need some sort of hack/workaround.

Thanks so much to whoever can answer this for me. I would really like to have an X25M G2 80GB SSD as my boot drive in the optical bay, and use the stock 3.5" SATA drive for media etc.
All caddies take care of the different connectors (i.e. 9.5mm ones)??
I'm sure you can just change the startup disk.

OK cool, I see some others are interested in the same thing I am. I found out that the connectors (while SATA) used for the optical drive are not the same as the SATA and power connectors on an HD. However, the enclosure I linked from iFixit converts the optical connectors to HD ones.
But do other ones? Like 9.5mm ones that are more easily available?
I am just wondering if anyone knows for sure if the optical drive connection is 3Gb/s? Or maybe 1.5 like someone else mentioned? Also can I for sure use the second drive in the optical bay as my boot drive easily?

I don't see there being any sense in making the optical drive 1.5G - 3G is available on the "southbridge" in pairs.
I agree, it would be more effort to make it 1.5Gb/s as they would have to limit it. The two ports inside my MacBook are reported as "3 Gigabit".

[mariuscmorar]

Great stuff guys!!! Keep it comming. If anyone of you replaces the optical drive with SSD could you take some photos and let us know what you used and what were the steps. If we could make this work, it would be a crazy deal!

Thanks everyone!

[Evostar*]

would this work?

http://www.photofast.tw/2009ENG/products/ssd-evo.html

for sata raid ssd? in original hdd slot?

or have one sdd and get extension cable for other slot to a 2.5" drive in spare space?

[Phillip U.]

would this work?

http://www.photofast.tw/2009ENG/products/ssd-evo.html

for sata raid ssd? in original hdd slot?

or have one sdd and get extension cable for other slot to a 2.5" drive in spare space?

That would be neat. What I really want to know is whether the SATA controller on the 27" iMac is compatible with port multipliers. That would be awesome.

[vince82it]

what about using one of these??

http://oc.adata.com.tw/1_product_detail.asp?pid=ASECZZZZBK

2 SSD in RAID 0 in a 3.5" case would be the best solution. 256GB x 2...
I'll go for this solution next year...

[wfj5444]

I am also pretty disappointed this isn't an option on an iMac.

An SSD would significantly increase the speed of the system overall. Always upgrade the slowest component. (Well not counting the optical drive). Best bang for you buck.

[parallax7d]

Could you do me a favor and pop off the glass when the computer is running? Would you mind commenting on any apparent shimmer on the LCD? I'm going to guess it has very low shimmer even compared to the Apple Displays.

thanks!

[gianly1985]

My experience (pics inside):

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=8742722&postcount=9

(it is about an old 17" iMac but I think it could be useful here)

[sentros]

I had a few questions regading SSDs. Now I'm sorry if these questions are a bit noobish, but I am a bit unexperienced in the mac world.

I'm thinking of replacing the optical drive with an Intel X25-m, but I'm not sure if it is supported by mac os x. And by that I mean that I have no idea, if it needs some kind of drivers to work(?). I mean, from what I've read about for example hackintoshes, is that they are very sensitive to hardware, meaning that they work on only specific platforms. So it would be wise to use an SSD that is used in for example MBA because it would be supported by Apple. But seeing as how it's pretty damn slow I'd like to put in something a bit faster.

Now I saw that the OP had put in a OCZ manufactured drive and as far as I know, none of the Apple sold products have a drive like that in them. And if the OP got that drive working am I to assume that an Intel made equivilent would work too?

edit: nvm, found a thread with some guy succesfully putting an Intel X25-M to his mac mini

[Cockroach]

Hard drives are generic devices that don't need specific drivers. It's things like graphics cards and wireless cards that don't work on Hackintoshes.

FWIW, I have a X25-M (G2) in my MacBook that I intend on moving to an iMac when I get one.

[sentros]

Hard drives are generic devices that don't need specific drivers. It's things like graphics cards and wireless cards that don't work on Hackintoshes.

Thanks for the reply! Oh btw does anyone have confirmation if the optical drive on the new iMac is connected to SATA-300 or SATA-150?

[Cockroach]

Not sure there's any conformation, but I refer you to my previous post:
...it would be more effort to make it 1.5Gb/s as they would have to limit it. The two ports inside my MacBook are reported as "3 Gigabit".

[jzn21]

Today I went to the Apple Service for a HD Swap. I can do it myself but I wanted to keep the warranty. I gave the guy my own selected HD (samsung hd103si) because it's the most quiet drive currently on the market.

After 20 mins of waiting the guy calls me with a problem: the conncetor of the old drive was 2 pins and the connectors of the new Samsung counted 4. Than I told hum to short it. I had to sign a contract that they are not responsible for any damage cause by this joke.

I said the guy this will be a problem in the future because the SSD's are coming.

Anyway I am satisfied with the drive, but I guess that I still lost my warranty even when it's done by a authorized tech guy because when the mac is broken they can always say "it's because a broken temp sensor"?

Am I right about loosing the warranty?

[MooCow34]

I am also pretty disappointed this [SSD] isn't an option on an iMac....

Well yeah, but in the UK a decent SSD costs around £160+, so I imagine the upgrade cost would be £300+ to UPGRADE. Early SSD pc upgrade options were in excess of £300 but that was a while ago. Mac upgrade options are never cheap though.

I think they want to be able to ship significant storage, so I guess it becomes an option if they provide space for an SSD AND a full size drive. I can't see an SSD getting hotter than a mechanical drive, maybe it can, but I don't think heat is the issue.

[chp5592]

How would the speed be if you put an SSD in firewire 800 enclosure and boot from it? I figure although 800 mbits/sec is much slower than SATA which is max at 3 gbits/sec (probably SSD exceeds 800 mbits/sec transfer rate), but it would still be faster than a traditional hard drive.

If this is viable, you could boot from your SSD/firewire, don't have to open up your new iMac, and use the internal hard drive as data drive.

I have been eyeing the second generation intel SSD with 80GB which would be big enough to hold the OS and applications...

If someone had an SSD to test this, that would be great!

[53x12]

I put an OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD drive in my iMac, it was picked up straight away by the OS X installer disc.

I would agree with zeigerpuppy, iMacs aren't that hard to upgrade so long as you're careful, slow and methodical (carefully organising the screws you remove so they go back in the right place etc).

And yeah, the iMac is a totally different beast with an SSD - start-up times are practically non-existent, application launching is instantaneous. Very impressive stuff, I wouldn't go back to a traditional HDD for a boot volume ever again.

NATO, any chance you did some benchmarking with the new SSD in the iMac?

[sanjuvarma]

Hi, I'm interested in looking more in to this drive in my new iMac 27" Core i5 -- the OCZ Colossus 120GB 3.5" -- http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/solid_state_drives/ocz_colossus_series_sata_ii_3_5-ssd

Does anyone have more info on this?

[rgarjr]

where's all the pics on the SSD transplants..

[motegi]

Hopefully when The shop does mine next week they will let me take some piccies when they do it.

[300D]

where's all the pics on the SSD transplants..

You will need to do something similar to this.
http://images.appleinsider.com/macmini-090406-4.jpg

[motegi]

You will need to do something similar to this.


Not if its replacing the current drive.

[300D]

Not if its replacing the current drive.

Why would you want to castrate its storage capacity?

And don't say "USB/Firewire hard drive", a HD will saturate them and performance will be choked, an external blu-ray drive can't come close to using all USB's bandwidth.

[motegi]

Actually exactly that. External storage for me is a perfect solution. 160GB of storage for apps, games and current projects files, and then a couple TB of raid5 redundant storage and media.

Movies and music will stream perfectly from the external devices. The only time you will notice is if you work from the drive (how many gb's do you need seriously?) or when you are dumping to it, which if you're being honest wont be all that often.

[300D]

Then you have an ugly and loud box sitting near your imac vs a slim silent blu-ray drive.

[sanjuvarma]

Actually exactly that. External storage for me is a perfect solution. 160GB of storage for apps, games and current projects files, and then a couple TB of raid5 redundant storage and media.

Movies and music will stream perfectly from the external devices. The only time you will notice is if you work from the drive (how many gb's do you need seriously?) or when you are dumping to it, which if you're being honest wont be all that often.

Hi - I notice you've already upgraded your iMac i7 to an Intel SSD. I was hoping you would help me clear a few things:
1) Is the X25-G2 better than the OCZ Vertex Turbo for the iMac? Doesn't your X25 have far lesser write speeds than the OCZ VT, and almost the same read speeds.
2) How did you mount your 2.5" Intel to the HDD bracket? Did u get the retail version of the X25 with the bracket/enclosure and put it in your iMac?
3) What do u think about this -- http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...ata_ii_3_5-ssd ---- It's the 3.5" version of the OCZ Vertex Turbo I feel. But the read/write speeds for the 120G is just amazing. This also will eliminate the need for brackets/enclosure for the iMac 27" too. Not sure of the heat dissipation problems, but it can't be worse than a HDD.

Thanks

[sanjuvarma]

Hi - I notice you've already upgraded your iMac i7 to an Intel SSD. I was hoping you would help me clear a few things:
1) Is the X25-G2 better than the OCZ Vertex Turbo for the iMac? Doesn't your X25 have far lesser write speeds than the OCZ VT, and almost the same read speeds.
2) How did you mount your 2.5" Intel to the HDD bracket? Did u get the retail version of the X25 with the bracket/enclosure and put it in your iMac?
3) What do u think about this -- http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...ata_ii_3_5-ssd ---- It's the 3.5" version of the OCZ Vertex Turbo I feel. But the read/write speeds for the 120G is just amazing. This also will eliminate the need for brackets/enclosure for the iMac 27" too. Not sure of the heat dissipation problems, but it can't be worse than a HDD.

Thanks


My bad -- that link to OCZ website is broken. This is it -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LE8C9O/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002L7EO20&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=07R0ETM2YRS5FAD25YPF

[motegi]

Then you have an ugly and loud box sitting near your imac vs a slim silent blu-ray drive.

The price you pay for redundant storage.

and this aint ugly, nor really that loud.
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11113

BluRay drives rotate too. Have you used external optical drives?

[mariuscmorar]

what about using one of these??

http://oc.adata.com.tw/1_product_detail.asp?pid=ASECZZZZBK

2 SSD in RAID 0 in a 3.5" case would be the best solution. 256GB x 2...
I'll go for this solution next year...

I'm seriously thinking about this. Does anyone know how much faster will this be in Radid 0 than just one SSD. I also don't need that much space, so I'm thinking that 2x64 (128gb) would be enough. Is it worthed in terms of speed?

Also what would be the best ssd's to fit in this? Will any ssd fit?

[sanjuvarma]

I'm seriously thinking about this. Does anyone know how much faster will this be in Radid 0 than just one SSD. I also don't need that much space, so I'm thinking that 2x64 (128gb) would be enough. Is it worthed in terms of speed?

Also what would be the best ssd's to fit in this? Will any ssd fit?

Wouldn't this be better -- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&camp=1789&tag=macrumors-20&creative=9325&path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB002LE8C9O%2Fref%3Dpd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1%3Fpf_rd_p%3D4 86539851%26pf_rd_s%3Dlpo-top-stripe-1%26pf_rd_t%3D201%26pf_rd_i%3DB002L7EO20%26pf_rd_m%3DATVPDKIKX0DER%26pf_rd_r%3D07R0ETM2YRS5FAD25YPF

This actually has 2x 60gs in Raid 0.

[300D]

and this aint ugly, nor really that loud.

That isn't ugly, thats "WTF?".

[motegi]

its awesome. fuly metal enclosure and superb finish. quality is as good if not better than apple.

[flying-dutchman]

Hi, I'm thinking of using this for video editing.
Now to me, there's only one central issue: the lack of a fast external storage interface...
Like expresscard/34 on the Macbook pro - or perhaps in this case, just some sata / esata cable coming out somewhere.
That way, I can connect a four or five bay raid-5 enclosure and I'll have a superb editing station, even without paying loads of money for SSDs I don't need.

Now my questions: did anyone test this port multiplier option yet? And does anybody have an idea, what would be a suitable place to lead a cable out, without having to make holes in the case or similar?

Thanks, FD

[Cockroach]

I wouldn't have thought the motherboard SATA connections would support port multipliers - I don't know of any that do. But how about removing the optical drive and having a SATA cable come out the slot? I guess you might need a specialist/custom plug to fit it through or connect it afterwards.

[flying-dutchman]

I wouldn't have thought the motherboard SATA connections would support port multipliers - I don't know of any that do. But how about removing the optical drive and having a SATA cable come out the slot? I guess you might need a specialist/custom plug to fit it through or connect it afterwards.

Are you (or is anyone else) sure about the lack of pm-support?
I'd find it better, if one could retain the optical drive - so in case anybody knows for sure, port multiplying is(n't) supported, that'd be a great help.

Maybe it's possible to have the cable come out, where the RAM is accessed, build some aluminum coverage which is similar to the original, only with a hole in it?

Cheers, FD

[Cockroach]

Well I'm not taking my PMP out of my NAS to check if it works, I just find it highly unlikely. PMPs are slow at best anyway.

If I ever get mine, I'll have a look at what might be possible when I take it appart, but GbE is fast enough for my external requirements.

[macgizmoguy]

what kind of 3.5" enclosure did you use to install the ssd ?

Icy-Dock makes a fantastic 3.5" form factor SATA II case with standard screw mounting holes - just plop a 2.5" SSD into it. Merely closing the lid mates the edge connectors.

[sanjuvarma]

For those who are interested, the Intel X25-M G2 - 160GB (SSDSA2MH160G2C1) for under $500.00
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch_v3.asp?scriteria=BA32078
Coupon Code: HARVEST09 to save another $10.00

[sanjuvarma]

Newegg has the Intel X25-M Mainstream G2 2.5" 160GB SATA Solid State Drive for $590 - $175 via promo code "BFPEEKSSD160" = $415 with free shipping.

[ma2ha3]

imac with ssd is so wrong.

mp with ssd and hdd is slightly possible. even that is not for some pro. because os x does not allow application to be on another hdd. so basically what tiny space you have left, is limiting the number of application you can store.

fw800 hdd for data but slower, but still, ssd limiting the amount of application you can store, and ssd is tiny.

it is new, taking it apart to install ssd also void the warrenty. which is also wrong.

[53x12]

it is new, taking it apart to install ssd also void the warrenty. which is also wrong.


That is false, false, false. I'm not sure why people keep repeating something that is not true. It will not void your warranty. :rolleyes:

[zeigerpuppy]

imac with ssd is so wrong.

mp with ssd and hdd is slightly possible. even that is not for some pro. because os x does not allow application to be on another hdd. so basically what tiny space you have left, is limiting the number of application you can store.

fw800 hdd for data but slower, but still, ssd limiting the amount of application you can store, and ssd is tiny.

it is new, taking it apart to install ssd also void the warrenty. which is also wrong.

Actually OS X is quite happy having applications just about anywhere. Sometimes you may need to trick the OS a little, which is easily done by symlinking. I do this routinely on my laptop, even symlinking out files that I like to keep in a data partition, like the mail cache and some Libraries. I also keep a sparse volume on my ipod that I mount for infrequently used applications.
eg: to symlink to a directory
open terminal
cd /Applications
ln -s /Volumes/OTHER_DRIVE/Programs/MYPROGRAM

Using an SSD for a system/scratch disk is a great idea and will not void your warranty (in most sane countries) and there is plenty of space on a 120GB disk for apps and scratch, especially if you use my tip and move your home directory and other directories that tend to bloat over time to a slower drive.
The good news is that yu can always undo this later or change your symlinks.
Just watch out for partition formats... don't try moving files that OS X expects to be on HFS+ from HFS+ to MSFAT if you want things to work properly!

[300D]

it is new, taking it apart to install ssd also void the warrenty. which is also wrong.

That is completely false.

[adamjohn_98]

Newegg has the Intel X25-M Mainstream G2 2.5" 160GB SATA Solid State Drive for $590 - $175 via promo code "BFPEEKSSD160" = $415 with free shipping.

WOW. Thanks for this coupon :)

[53x12]

Ordered a Intel X-25 160gb and a 4gb memory kit yesterday and they should be arriving today. Will finally have a setup I have been dreaming of; SSD, 8gb memory, a beautiful monitor and a quad core cpu. Other than eventually upgrading to 16gb of ram in the future (when prices are better), not sure what else can make this setup even better.

[sanjuvarma]

I have a brand new MBP (two weeks old), and I installed an OCZ Vertex 60GB SSD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227394&cm_re=ocz_vertex-_-20-227-394-_-Product) in it. I still have to install the Intel X25 160GB G2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167017&cm_re=intel_x25-m-_-20-167-017-_-Product) which came in last night, in my iMac Core i5 but I wanted to share my booting time video for my MBP.

About 15-17 seconds!!! -- with Firefox/SabNZBd/Growl/Dropbox as start up applications -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIFlRr4Nd6M

Imagine X25

[mariuscmorar]

Ordered a Intel X-25 160gb and a 4gb memory kit yesterday and they should be arriving today. Will finally have a setup I have been dreaming of; SSD, 8gb memory, a beautiful monitor and a quad core cpu. Other than eventually upgrading to 16gb of ram in the future (when prices are better), not sure what else can make this setup even better.

What memory did you get? The iMac has 4 mermory slots. If I just the the 2x2 that come by default, could I add later another 2x4gb for the remaining slots? Will it run well under this configuration? Also, is it hard to change the memory? Do I have to open it up? Does it void the warranty?

Will you replace the optical drive or the hdd?

Also, does anyone know whether 2 SSDs in raid perform better than just one SSD? And by how much? Is it worthed?

Thanks!

[jvalente]

Also, does anyone know whether 2 SSDs in raid perform better than just one SSD? And by how much? Is it worthed?


I'd also like to know this, because I thought that RAID was a way of speeding up the read and write times for two spinning HDDs by striping data over both drives, meaning the heads didn't have to travel as far. If that's the case, RAID is completely redundant on SSD's.

Someone explain?

[bmstrong]

All Mac's should come with SSD's standard. The HD is so yesterday. Very cool upgrade.

[300D]

All Mac's should come with SSD's standard.
Not in a multimedia machine. The only way an SSD option would work is an add-on that doesn't replace anything, which is how its done in the Xserve.

I'm surprised HD manufacturers aren't offering a ~1TB hard drive with an SSD integrated into the drive's controller board.

The HD is so yesterday.
And its the next 5-10 years too.

Unless you don't mind paying $3500 for an equivalent 1TB SSD, hard drives are not going anywhere for the next few years.

[Cockroach]

I'd also like to know this, because I thought that RAID was a way of speeding up the read and write times for two spinning HDDs by striping data over both drives, meaning the heads didn't have to travel as far. If that's the case, RAID is completely redundant on SSD's.

Someone explain?

If a spinning disk drive is capable of X MB/s read Y MB/s write, using two in parallel will give you 2X MB/s read and 2Y MB/s write. The same is true with SSDs, it's just that X and Y are higher values to begin with.

[PsyD4Me]

Not in a multimedia machine. The only way an SSD option would work is an add-on that doesn't replace anything, which is how its done in the Xserve.

I'm surprised HD manufacturers aren't offering a ~1TB hard drive with an SSD integrated into the drive's controller board.


And its the next 5-10 years too.

Unless you don't mind paying $3500 for an equivalent 1TB SSD, hard drives are not going anywhere for the next few years.

so true, buying an Imac as a professional workhorse and limiting yourself to 128gb kinda defeats the purpose, i guess you could fit a 256gb one as well but the price is steep.

[macchiato2009]

SSDs don't have the pins on the back to connect with temperature cable like regular HDD

how did you guys manage to install the SSD then ?

when the wire is not connected, fans are going crazy...

temperature control over the HDD cannot be turned off by software that's why apple used the cable...

[bmstrong]

Not in a multimedia machine. The only way an SSD option would work is an add-on that doesn't replace anything, which is how its done in the Xserve.

I'm surprised HD manufacturers aren't offering a ~1TB hard drive with an SSD integrated into the drive's controller board.


And its the next 5-10 years too.

Unless you don't mind paying $3500 for an equivalent 1TB SSD, hard drives are not going anywhere for the next few years.

Price will come down with greater numbers. I agree to disagree. I've seen the future, near and far. I remain convinced the faster the SSD is adopted the better off we will be.

[Cockroach]

SSDs don't have the pins on the back to connect with temperature cable like regular HDD

how did you guys manage to install the SSD then ?

when the wire is not connected, fans are going crazy...

temperature control over the HDD cannot be turned off by software that's why apple used the cable...

As per the first post, I intend on shorting the connector.

[macchiato2009]

As per the first post, I intend on shorting the connector.


what do you mean by shorting the connector ?

[Cockroach]

Put a wire across it.

[300D]

SSDs don't have the pins on the back to connect with temperature cable like regular HDD

Thats because they don't get hot.

[Gaijin de Moscu]

A question to someone who has already replaced their stock hard drive with a SSD. Will this thing work for the i7's HDD nest connector- and size-wise?

http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/solid_state_drives/ocz_colossus_series_sata_ii_3_5-ssd

They are way too expensive now (500 GB SSD is 2,000 CHF and the 1TB one is 4,000 CHF as of this posting), but maybe in a couple of years, when the price falls, I'll want to stick one in to keep my iMac current.

[scottness]

I'm much more inclined to spring for one of these now.

[macchiato2009]

Put a wire across it.

connecting the 2 pins together on the cable ?


a picture would be clearer to me (sorry)

i try to avoid any misunderstanding then any mistake

[Cockroach]

When I've got my iMac, I'll post a picture of what I've done.

[sanjuvarma]

Does an SSD/HDD Upgrade to iMac 27"/21" Void Warranty?

[300D]

Only if you break something in the process.

[sanjuvarma]

Only if you break something in the process.

Ok so if you don't break anything and have a clean installation/upgrade, and then anytime in the future if your iMac gives a problem that you have to take it to the nearest store and you're under your first year warranty or on APP, they'll notice that your HDD is been upgraded. If your current problem is that SSD related, or not, I doubt if they'll like it that you upgraded this yourself or using any other non-Apple certified technician. Will this situation void your warranty then?

[300D]

I doubt if they'll like it that you upgraded this yourself or using any other non-Apple certified technician. Will this situation void your warranty then?

A manufacturer cannot legally void a warranty based solely on the presence of user modifications.
If you break something in the process or the modification is the cause of the failure, then they can deny it.

[sanjuvarma]

Can anyone post in their XBench results of a similar system or their iMacs with SSD. I wonder if these are comparable results with other systems with the Intel X25-M G2 160GB ....

System Info
Xbench Version 1.3
System Version 10.6.2 (10C2234)
Physical RAM 8192 MB
Model iMac11,1

Stock Seagate 1TB - ST31000528ASQ
Overall Results = 202.69
Disk Test 65.57
Sequential 186.91
Uncached Write 188.29 115.61 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 183.75 103.97 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 158.04 46.25 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 231.52 116.36 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 39.76
Uncached Write 11.99 1.27 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 295.28 94.53 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 115.70 0.82 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 192.00 35.63 MB/sec [256K blocks]

After Upgrade .....
Intel X25-M G2
Overall Results = 296.00
Disk Test 302.49
Sequential 198.51
Uncached Write 164.68 101.11 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 158.41 89.63 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 190.96 55.89 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 395.52 198.78 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 635.17
Uncached Write 660.48 69.92 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 300.99 96.36 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 2433.00 17.24 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 952.26 176.70 MB/sec [256K blocks]

[NATO]

Ah good job, I see you got your Intel X25-M installed. Did you find your iMac easy enough to open up and re-assemble? Did the wire trick work okay for you?

My i7 iMac will be here today so I'm planning on getting mine installed this evening. I had the C2D 27" iMac before so it'll be a simple job, I'll try to take a few pictures this time!

Out of curiosity, what mounting bracket did you use and was it a perfect fit in the iMac's HDD bay?

[sanjuvarma]

Ah good job, I see you got your Intel X25-M installed. Did you find your iMac easy enough to open up and re-assemble? Did the wire trick work okay for you?

My i7 iMac will be here today so I'm planning on getting mine installed this evening. I had the C2D 27" iMac before so it'll be a simple job, I'll try to take a few pictures this time!

Out of curiosity, what mounting bracket did you use and was it a perfect fit in the iMac's HDD bay?

1. Open the iMac very carefully. Trust me, the balancing of the 27" LED screen is pretty important

2. Torx 8 is good

3. This is enough -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EJI6CO/ref=ox_ya_oh_product --- for the bracket

4. Use the old iMac 24" temp sensor wire which doesn't need shorting, and leave it alone.

5. Use iStats widget to monitor your HDD temps.

6. Intel X25 is the BEST. Although, my OCZ Vertex on the MBP 2009 performs great too. I just don't have much on my new iMac 27 to compare the Intel X25 with.

7. Booting up in 20 seconds .. come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TechViking]

Can anyone post in their XBench results of a similar system or their iMacs with SSD. I wonder if these are comparable results with other systems with the Intel X25-M G2 160GB ....


sanjuvarma,

Can you comment on the noise level after installed the SSD compared to before?

I am considering getting the i7 imac and replace the HD with the X25-M G2 aswell.

Does the iMac now produce any noticable noise at all, 1) when idle and 2) when doing heavy processing?

Thanks.

[sanjuvarma]

sanjuvarma,

Can you comment on the noise level after installed the SSD compared to before?

I am considering getting the i7 imac and replace the HD with the X25-M G2 aswell.

Does the iMac now produce any noticable noise at all, 1) when idle and 2) when doing heavy processing?

Thanks.

Yes noticeably quieter than a HDD running in the iMac. And a tad cooler as well. I was ripping a 3-4 DVDs to MKVs the other night, using Handbrake, and the CPU Fan started blowing faster - around 1800 RPM noticed on iStat widget and there was a bit of noise. But when the ripping was over, the fan speeds returned to normal which is less than 1000 RPM and all qas quiet again.

But SSDs don't make noise, nor dissipate as much heat as HDDs. What you should be more concerned is the need for speed!!!

[MesMaker]

Sound like you were able to avoid shorting hack with an extra part... Have a part number for that sensor and cable? And/Or picture?
And awesome call on this one...

[TechViking]

Yes noticeably quieter than a HDD running in the iMac. And a tad cooler as well. I was ripping a 3-4 DVDs to MKVs the other night, using Handbrake, and the CPU Fan started blowing faster - around 1800 RPM noticed on iStat widget and there was a bit of noise. But when the ripping was over, the fan speeds returned to normal which is less than 1000 RPM and all qas quiet again.

But SSDs don't make noise, nor dissipate as much heat as HDDs. What you should be more concerned is the need for speed!!!

Thanks. I have two X25-M already, and while the speed increase is nice, for me the biggest advantage over a HDD is it's silent operation. Cant use a noisy computer.

[i7QuadCoreMania]

1. Open the iMac very carefully. Trust me, the balancing of the 27" LED screen is pretty important

4. Use the old iMac 24" temp sensor wire which doesn't need shorting, and leave it alone.


Can you elaborate on what you mean by # 4? Ive had a 24" imac and know that there is a thermistor type sensor attached a plastic clip that is stuck on by adhesive to the underside of the HDD.

So you're saying we can use that same sensor wire on our new drives? do you happen to take any pics? thx.

Also I have a question for those who have taken of the front glass. It seems that on these models you need to pull off from the top the magnets and pivot it out??? the ifixit pictures where unclear. the old 24" units you pulled the glass straight out.

[sanjuvarma]

Can you elaborate on what you mean by # 4? Ive had a 24" imac and know that there is a thermistor type sensor attached a plastic clip that is stuck on by adhesive to the underside of the HDD.

So you're saying we can use that same sensor wire on our new drives? do you happen to take any pics? thx.

Also I have a question for those who have taken of the front glass. It seems that on these models you need to pull off from the top the magnets and pivot it out??? the ifixit pictures where unclear. the old 24" units you pulled the glass straight out.

Sorry, I didn't take pics. The older iMac's wire can be attached to the SSD so thats what I did. The guy at Tekserve told me to, and he sold me the wire for $10 so thats what I did.

[NATO]

Here's a pic of my finished Intel X25-M installation, I just shorted the temperature sensor wire, the fan runs at 1200RPM which is absolutely fine for an SSD.

To answer the above question, yeah you need to pull the glass away from the top about 30-45 degrees then lift it upwards as there are tabs at the bottom which keep it held at the bottom. There's no force required when lifting the glass away, the only force required is to lift the glass away from the magnets initially.

http://www.240volts.com/fileshare/intel_ssd.jpg

[justit]

so tempting to sell my MP Quad for a 27"

[macchiato2009]

how do you short the cable ?

just pluging the + and - together directly or did you use a jumper ?
thx

[i7QuadCoreMania]

how do you short the cable ?

just pluging the + and - together directly or did you use a jumper ?
thx

Cant really tell from the picture but there looks like a little wire loop on the pin header that is on top the hard drive bracket.

Nato thanks for the pic, is there a reason why you tie strapped the X25 3.5" bracket to the holder for the Hard drive?

[mariuscmorar]

Has anyone tried to replace the optical drive with an ssd yet?

Also I asked at the mac store today and they said it is not good to have memory in the combination of 2x2+2x4=12gb. They said you need all slots to have the same type of memory. Is this correct? also what type of memory do I need? I'm thinking of getting the default 2x4 memory and uptate with another 2x4 when photoshop cs5 comes out. I don't need more now since photoshop won't handle it.

Thanks guys!

[NATO]

Yeah, there's just a little wire loop joining two pin headers to short the cable.

I had to use a cable tie to hold the SSD mounting plate to the original hard drive mounting bracket because my particular mounting plate wasn't long enough. I was considering a few other mounting options but since this particular bracket allowed me to get the SSD very close to the original SATA power and data wires I thought I'd just be creative. The SSD and its mounting bracket aren't very heavy so it's really just to stop it being able to move at that end really.

[NATO]

Here's a close-up of the connector. Oddly it's different from the one they use with Western Digital hard drives, but again it's only really connecting to two pins on the back of the HDDs.

http://www.240volts.com/fileshare/intel_ssd2.jpg

[motegi]

is the other end of that cable removeable from the mainboard? couldnt you just jumper it like this?

http://img.tomshardware.com/us/2006/02/27/in_search_of_true_ddr2_bleeding_edge_memory/cmos_jumper.jpg

[NATO]

It connects to the motherboard with a very tiny connector, I don't have any jumpers handy to be able to do that unfortunately. It would be a good idea though.

After playing about with the system last night I have to say just how fast the Intel X25-M 160GB is. Even compared to what I considered to be a particularly fast OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD, the Intel just feels even faster again. I can't wait for the revised firmware at the end of the month which will push the write speeds over 100MB/s :)

[macchiato2009]

awesome

i already have the intel ssd in my MBP

can't wait to see it run on the new imac :p


you didn't need to stick the cable to the enclosure as you shorted it right ?

is it to avoid a loose cable in the machine ?

[Gaijin de Moscu]

If I install my OS on a SSD drive in an external enclosure with a Firewire, for example, will I see any speed benefit vs. the stock internal drive?

[sascha h-k]

not really ..

[Cockroach]

You should still see quick boot and app launches, as random read/write won't be limited by FW400.

[sascha h-k]

no, as i have tried it with my intel 160gb and even startup takes much longer ..

all this with my mbp 3.06ghz with 3.0 gigabit controller.

p.s. there would be no reason to put an ssd inside if it's nearly as fast in an extern box ..

[Gaijin de Moscu]

no, as i have tried it with my intel 160gb and even startup takes much longer ..

all this with my mbp 3.06ghz with 3.0 gigabit controller.

Hmm, thanks. I won't waste my money on this, then - will simply hope for an iMac with a quiet stock drive this time...

[sascha h-k]

i have done also copying (superduper) from ssd (inside) to ssd (extern) and it's close same speed as cloning to an extern hdd (7.200rpm)

my i7 2.8 imac is on the way and i will also put an ssd (intel) inside ..

[NATO]

i didn't need to stick the cable to the enclosure as you shorted it right ?

is it to avoid a loose cable in the machine ?

Yeah, it's just to keep it tidy and stop it possibly moving around and shorting something or getting caught in a fan etc. I actually put a strip of electrical insulation tape over it before I closed it up again.

[macchiato2009]

forgot to tell you: great job !

the imac is tricky to disassemble but you made it...


i already have an intel ssd in my mbp, i'll put one for sure in all my future macs


what a huge difference compared to stock HD

my machine can even compete with faster macs...


can't wait to see in running on the imac :)

[knewsom]

Hey fellas, awesome thread. I just laid in an order for a new core i7 27" iMac, and the idea of adding an SSD for the system drive seems an excellent one! I hope you don't mind, but I've got a couple of questions for you.

I've been hoping to find a dual-volume "hybrid" SSD/hard disk, but they just don't seem to be on the market yet... I don't want to rely SOLELY on an SSD, and I don't want my only other storage solution to be my external via FW800 (a DROBO on its way). Ideally, I'd keep the stock HD in place, and use it for /Users, etc. I'd like to keep my optical drive until I can lay in a Blu-Ray drive, and even then, if I could use that for a second hard disk for a RAID-0 secondary drive that'd be pure sweetness. The question is this - I'm entirely willing to give up my mini PCIe Airport card for an SSD boot volume, but there's definitely not going to be room in the case for a random drive. I've seen mini PCIe cards that ARE SSD's, I'm curious if any of them will work in the MacOS. The ones I've seen list windows and Linux under OS support, but we all know that there's plenty of hardware that while not officially supported can easily work in OSX. Are there any cards like this where that's the case?

TIA,
K

[300D]

I've seen mini PCIe cards that ARE SSD's, I'm curious if any of them will work in the MacOS.
Nope. They would be very common around here if they were.

[knewsom]

Nope. They would be very common around here if they were.

Curses! Well, maybe I'll wait until one of them is. ...or just replace the optical drive. :( Thanks anyhow man.

[knewsom]

http://www.activemp.com/SSD/Asus-EeePC-SATA-MiniPCIe-SSD-S4.htm

Even stuff like this won't work? ...but it says Mac OS10.x.....?? Is it a limitation with not being able to boot off of PCIe?

[a0911091837]

Someone please help me!! Tried to upgrade to ssd today....

Did I break the cable? If not how do I put it back...

I have tried for 2 hours already.... Please help me:(

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4147376350_767d46ac9b_b.jpg

Thanks..

[charlesbronsen]

So are some of you guys replacing the optical drive with an SSD allowing you to keep both the original hard drive and the SSD in the machine as well?

[Cockroach]

I'll be getting my iMac tomorrow and will post pics of how I replace both HDD and ODD. Please ask now for anything specific as I won't be opening it more times than I have to.

[a0911091837]

I'll be getting my iMac tomorrow and will post pics of how I replace both HDD and ODD. Please ask now for anything specific as I won't be opening it more times than I have to.

Hi, http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iMac-Intel-27-Inch/1236/1

at step 6 when it says disconnect the vertical sync cable from the logic board. Can you possibly take some photo or video of how you disconnect and reconnect it? I have tried today and have no idea how to reconnect it back...

Thank you very much. Antonio.

[TennisandMusic]

Interesting that the photo above says "Rev B".

And yeah, that cable looks busted to me, but I could be wrong. It looks like it should be in that black box there, and those kinds of cables simply don't slip out like that. Ribbon cables have connectors attached to them.

[mrmicp]

at step 6 when it says disconnect the vertical sync cable from the logic board. Can you possibly take some photo or video of how you disconnect and reconnect it? I have tried today and have no idea how to reconnect it back...



This may sound daft, but do you just not slide it in :confused:

[Cockroach]

Those cables do often just push in. I've seen plenty without a connector on when dissembling Macs, iPhones etc.

[TennisandMusic]

Interesting that the photo above says "Rev B".

And yeah, that cable looks busted to me, but I could be wrong. It looks like it should be in that black box there, and those kinds of cables simply don't slip out like that. Ribbon cables have connectors attached to them.

[a0911091837]

Interesting that the photo above says "Rev B".

And yeah, that cable looks busted to me, but I could be wrong. It looks like it should be in that black box there, and those kinds of cables simply don't slip out like that. Ribbon cables have connectors attached to them.

Thanks for all the reply. I will try to fix it tonite.. if no luck then I will have to bring it back to apple..:apple:

[slicecom]

Someone please help me!! Tried to upgrade to ssd today....

Did I break the cable? If not how do I put it back...

I have tried for 2 hours already.... Please help me:(

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4147376350_767d46ac9b_b.jpg

Thanks..

The black flap on the connector should lift up, then you place the ribbon cable back in and close the flap on it. It's not broken.

[a0911091837]

The black flap on the connector should lift up, then you place the ribbon cable back in and close the flap on it. It's not broken.

How to lift it up? I have open my IMAC again... but I can't...

[Freis968]

Since you said you're likely to be trying this yourself, here's exactly what I did

NATO, if you were visting Florida or lived near me I would be you a bottle of Jameson 18yr for doing this for me!

[andyOSX]

So are some of you guys replacing the optical drive with an SSD allowing you to keep both the original hard drive and the SSD in the machine as well?

That's what I plan to do

[Freis968]

That's what I plan to do

I would love to do that as well.

Other than installing the odd software install CD I have no need for the optical drive. My solution, like everyone else probably, would be to just get a cheap external optical drive and keep it in the drawer for whenever I needed to install a program or game that comes on CD/DVD.

Perhaps one day we will see the iMac with the optical drive as an option in the BTO area of Apples Store and a 320 SSD and a 2TB HD as standard inside the iMac.

[NATO]

NATO, if you were visting Florida or lived near me I would be you a bottle of Jameson 18yr for doing this for me!

How did you know I loved Jamos? :D The 18yr reserve and everything, I must have done something good to deserve that!

No problem though, I love tinkering with things so it was good to be one of the first to crack the 27" open and get an SSD in there. In my opinion it's the single best performance enhancing upgrade you can do to a modern computer.

Hi, http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iMac-Intel-27-Inch/1236/1

at step 6 when it says disconnect the vertical sync cable from the logic board. Can you possibly take some photo or video of how you disconnect and reconnect it? I have tried today and have no idea how to reconnect it back...

Thank you very much. Antonio.

The vertical sync cable is a delicate ribbon cable which slides into the connector. You just need to gently pull it horizontally out of the connector when disassembling and carefully slide it back in when re-assembling.

[a0911091837]

How did you know I loved Jamos? :D The 18yr reserve and everything, I must have done something good to deserve that!

No problem though, I love tinkering with things so it was good to be one of the first to crack the 27" open and get an SSD in there. In my opinion it's the single best performance enhancing upgrade you can do to a modern computer.



The vertical sync cable is a delicate ribbon cable which slides into the connector. You just need to gently pull it horizontally out of the connector when disassembling and carefully slide it back in when re-assembling.

Finally got it.. maybe my understanding just too bad... :o

Anyway, my machine is now super silent and super fast. Thanks OP for the great tip!!:D

[Freis968]

How did you know I loved Jamos? :D The 18yr reserve and everything, I must have done something good to deserve that!

All Irishmen love Jameson...:) It says you are from Northern Ireland next to your forum name, I just took a "shot in the dark". Luckily you were not some fanatic that said screw Jameson and were into Tullamore Dew, Red Breast, Black Bush, Clontarf, Powers or anything other than Jameson...LOL!

You have not done anything to deserve the 18yr Jameson, but if you did come over to America, specifically to Florida and installed the SSD in my Mac for me, I would gladly buy you a bottle...:)

[mariuscmorar]

I'll be getting my iMac tomorrow and will post pics of how I replace both HDD and ODD. Please ask now for anything specific as I won't be opening it more times than I have to.

Yes, if you could specify what parts you used like cables, enclosures, etc

[NATO]

All Irishmen love Jameson...:) It says you are from Northern Ireland next to your forum name, I just took a "shot in the dark". Luckily you were not some fanatic that said screw Jameson and were into Tullamore Dew, Red Breast, Black Bush, Clontarf, Powers or anything other than Jameson...LOL!

You have not done anything to deserve the 18yr Jameson, but if you did come over to America, specifically to Florida and installed the SSD in my Mac for me, I would gladly buy you a bottle...:)

lol, funny you should mention that, I'm heading through Ft Lauderdale briefly in July next year for honeymoon ;)

[Cockroach]

I just installed two SSDs in my iMac. Here are some pics.

Wire to short connector:
http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDHDDWire.jpg

Wire in sensor:
http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDHDDSensor.jpg

Hard disk drive replacement. I took the screws out of the 1TB drive (T8, I believe), and used the 2.5"->3.5" holder that came with my retail G2:
http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDHDD.jpg

Optical disc drive replacement. I used this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350203976398&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT) off eBay. Does the job, but didn't fit in the caddy Apple put their ODD in, so it's just got a bit of tape holding it in - not very secure:
http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDODDL.jpg

From the right-hand side:
http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDODDR.jpg

Someone asked about the VSync cable iFixIt mentioned. Sorry I couldn't get a picture, I'm only one person and didn't have enough hands. All it is, is a ribbon that pulls out/pushes into a conector. There's actually another 3 cables you have to worry about disconnecting before you can tilt up/remove the LCD completely.

I did some benchmarks to choose the stipe size for RAID0 and will post those tomorrow. I'm quite tired after all this.

[macchiato2009]

fantastic

thx for the pics

[gianly1985]

Cool dual SSD setup....

[i7QuadCoreMania]

I did some benchmarks to choose the stipe size for RAID0

you installed a Raid controller or something? I have 2 X25-M Retails 160gb 2nd gen on the way, I was looking at doing something like those enclosures that install 2 2.5" drives in one 3.5" bay with raid 0 or raid 1.

Though I am not sure how much space is in there for it to fit:confused:

Can you elaborate on your Raid setup?

I have a Bluray UJ-135A drive on the way so I would like to keep the optical slot for drive.;)

[gianly1985]

you installed a Raid controller or something? I have 2 X25-M Retails 160gb 2nd gen on the way, I was looking at doing something like those enclosures that install 2 2.5" drives in one 3.5" bay with raid 0 or raid 1.


He's clearly using the OSX built-in SOFTWARE raid, not an hardware solution...

Whereas, if you want to keep an internal optical drive, you're going to use an hardware RAID controller, fitted inside one of those enclosure you're talking about. As far as the mac is concerned, the striped SSDs will be detected as a single disk, 'cause the raid happens inside the enclosure, OSX's got nothing to do with it... (this makes things definetly easier for bootcamp)

[Cockroach]

Yes, of course I am using software RAID0. There are only two SATA ports inside the iMac (none outside), so you need to remove both the ODD and HDD if you want two SSDs. I don't know of any device with RAID0 built into a 3.5" HDD size box that allows for two 2.5" SATA drives, but doing this would still limit you to the 3Gb/s of SATA.

I attach the results of my benchmarks. I did each test twice (a and b).

http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDXbench.png

I'm not convinced Xbench is very useful, and without examining the results closely, I chose 128K.

Running the system, to write a 1GB file using dd went at 154MB/s and reading it using dd went at 285MB/s. However reading it again with dd and bs=1000m went at 1.4GB/s and cating it > /dev/null was much the same speed, so I guess there was some kind of cacheing going on.

If nothing else, this proves using two drives, my write speed has doubled, as 80GB G2s only get around 80MB/s on their own.

[jonwd7]

Great results and pictures, Cockroach.

I myself am waiting for higher capacities from Intel, since my dual-boot, storage, and redundancy solution relies on a larger boot drive...

I have a 2TB arriving today (for my FW800 enclosure), half will be dedicated to Time Machine, and the other half will be "expendable media" (not covered by Time Machine, but losing it won't matter) so as to not clutter the 600GB/300GB dual-boot I have going on with SL and Win 7.

Otherwise, it gets really nasty because I'd have to offload nearly ALL non-OS stuff to one external, and then have a redundant backup in another. I refuse to have multiple externals: One, because there is only one FW800 port (I'm aware of daisy chaining); two, because the amount of noise would drive me insane. I could solve this by putting the redundancy inside a Drobo + DroboShare and put 2-3 2TB drives in there, then keep it AS FAR AWAY as possible, connected to the router, but I can't really blow $1000 on that set up. I'm hoping the 5400RPM Caviar Green is quiet enough for this external! The Caviar Blacks sure aren't...

ALSO... I've decided the ODD is USELESS. I had no idea when I purchased this iMac that ODD slimlines were limited to 8X DVD-ROM. Installing Windows 7 and a game and its expansion were absolutely, mind-numbingly painful to sit through. I believe the game + expansion took 45 minutes or longer, and the Windows 7 install an hour.

So, my ideal solution will be to hold out for ~512GB Intel SSDs and replace the 1TB HDD with two of these. I can then get a much faster external ODD for when I actually need one (not that often)...

OR, if it is found that this logic board allows for port multipliers, I'd actually rather buy a 3.5" RAID enclosure and set the two SSDs to SPAN or JBOD. I'm not going to waste the money on RAID0, but I do definitely need the higher capacity...

[NATO]

For anyone with the Intel X25-M, the new firmware has just been released. TRIM support and increased write speeds from 80MB/s to over 100MB/s.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/intel-ssd-firmware-02hd-brings-back-trim-support-sans-bugs/

[andyOSX]

This (http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081) is the optical bay enclosure I plan to use.

[bajee]

hi Cockroach,

Was wondering how would you able to deal with degradation issues with those drive, since TRIM won't be available to raid SSDs and even OSX for that matter.

Moreover SSD Toolbox isn't available in OSX

[bajee]

Can anyone confirm that the optical drive included in the new iMac Quadcore is Sata 3 Gbit/s rather than Sata 1.5 Gbit/s,

I reckon they have 1.5 Gbit/s in the old iMacs

[knewsom]

Can anyone confirm that the optical drive included in the new iMac Quadcore is Sata 3 Gbit/s rather than Sata 1.5 Gbit/s,

I reckon they have 1.5 Gbit/s in the old iMacs

It's 3.0, saw a screenshot from another thread.

[sanjuvarma]

For anyone with the Intel X25-M, the new firmware has just been released. TRIM support and increased write speeds from 80MB/s to over 100MB/s.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/intel-ssd-firmware-02hd-brings-back-trim-support-sans-bugs/

How do we upgrade the firmware for the Intel X25-M on OS X?

[kenshin21]

Is an optical bay caddy like the one at newmodeus.com the only way I can install an ssd in place of the superdrive? or can I just get a 5.25" mounting brackets and put that in? Any help is welcomed. Thanks.

[Cockroach]

This (http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081) is the optical bay enclosure I plan to use.
I might have gone for that if it wasn't so expensive.

hi Cockroach,

Was wondering how would you able to deal with degradation issues with those drive, since TRIM won't be available to raid SSDs and even OSX for that matter.

Moreover SSD Toolbox isn't available in OSX
Intel G2s hardly degrade which is a major region I chose them. Everyone goes on about TRIM, but it's useless in OS X and it's useless on a G2.

Is an optical bay caddy like the one at newmodeus.com the only way I can install an ssd in place of the superdrive? or can I just get a 5.25" mounting brackets and put that in? Any help is welcomed. Thanks.

The superdrive is not a 5.25" drive, it's a slim optical drive. You won't fit any 5.25" drive or caddy in there.

[kenshin21]

The superdrive is not a 5.25" drive, it's a slim optical drive. You won't fit any 5.25" drive or caddy in there.



Thanks for your quick response, so reading up more on ssds and the imac, i take it that the only way to install a ssd in the drive bay is to get the drive bay enclosure from the ifixit site for $60? Has anybody on here successfully completed this?

[knewsom]

Thanks for your quick response, so reading up more on ssds and the imac, i take it that the only way to install a ssd in the drive bay is to get the drive bay enclosure from the ifixit site for $60? Has anybody on here successfully completed this?

I think that with a little bit of double-sided tape, one could install it without the enclosure.

[NATO]

How do we upgrade the firmware for the Intel X25-M on OS X?

Go to the download page for the new firmware, there's a readme.txt and release notes available to read, but in summary you download the .iso file, burn it using Disk Utility then shut down the computer fully with the CD already in. It says to wait around 15 seconds before powering up (holding down 'c' to boot from the CD) then follow the instructions. Once you're done, power down and wait 10 seconds then start up as normal.

[300D]

This (http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/12-7-mm-SATA-Optical-Bay-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/IF107-081) is the optical bay enclosure I plan to use.

$60??? What are you thinking?

[mariuscmorar]

Yes, of course I am using software RAID0. There are only two SATA ports inside the iMac (none outside), so you need to remove both the ODD and HDD if you want two SSDs. I don't know of any device with RAID0 built into a 3.5" HDD size box that allows for two 2.5" SATA drives, but doing this would still limit you to the 3Gb/s of SATA.

I attach the results of my benchmarks. I did each test twice (a and b).

http://iain.rauch.co.uk/images/iMacSSDXbench.png

I'm not convinced Xbench is very useful, and without examining the results closely, I chose 128K.

Running the system, to write a 1GB file using dd went at 154MB/s and reading it using dd went at 285MB/s. However reading it again with dd and bs=1000m went at 1.4GB/s and cating it > /dev/null was much the same speed, so I guess there was some kind of cacheing going on.

If nothing else, this proves using two drives, my write speed has doubled, as 80GB G2s only get around 80MB/s on their own.


Where do you live?
I would pay you to do mine if you are close enough to me.

[OldCorpse]

Intel G2s hardly degrade which is a major region I chose them. Everyone goes on about TRIM, but it's useless in OS X and it's useless on a G2.

Could you please elaborate on that? I've read a certain amount on SSDs, but I guess I don't have a very firm grasp on all the issues.

When I originally came across TRIM, I got worried that it's seemingly not available on OS X. I mean, Intel developed it for a reason, not just for the heck of it. Are you implying that OS X does not degrade SSDs while Windows does? That doesn't seem very plausible, but what do I know - can you give a link showing that? Assuming degradation happens, I find it puzzling that you'd say "Intel G2s hardly degrade which is a major reason I chose them." I mean, if it was useless, why would Intel develop TRIM? That doesn't make sense at all - and Intel put in a lot - a lot of effort into TRIM and correcting the initial bugs. They would hardly bother if it made little difference or no difference.

I want to understand why TRIM is "useless on OS X". If OS X doesn't support TRIM, I see that as a negative that hopefully Apple corrects and catches up with Windows. SSDs are the future. It doesn't make sense for Apple to fall behind on the major storage revolution that's coming down the pike - not if it wants to claim the crown of having "the most advanced operating system".

I do want to install an SSD - clearly it seems there are major advantages to it. But I'm gonna wait until a few things happen - all of them hopefully soon. First, the price per GB has to come down to a more reasonable level - I'm not talking equal to present day spinning discs, but, say, so that I can buy 500GB for $300. Second, some further standardization has to happen for SSDs. Third, there still remain a few technical problems and I want to see some longevity studies that show that I can trust these drives not to crap out too soon or too suddenly. Fourth - and it pains me to say this - I hope Apple and OS X gets onboard the train, and leads the way, instead of being a distant laggard behind windows in supporting this vital technology.

What is the status of TRIM and other software support for SSDs on the mac platform? Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions/concerns!

[jonwd7]

Could you please elaborate on that? I've read a certain amount on SSDs, but I guess I don't have a very firm grasp on all the issues.

When I originally came across TRIM, I got worried that it's seemingly not available on OS X. I mean, Intel developed it for a reason, not just for the heck of it. Are you implying that OS X does not degrade SSDs while Windows does? That doesn't seem very plausible, but what do I know - can you give a link showing that? Assuming degradation happens, I find it puzzling that you'd say "Intel G2s hardly degrade which is a major reason I chose them." I mean, if it was useless, why would Intel develop TRIM? That doesn't make sense at all - and Intel put in a lot - a lot of effort into TRIM and correcting the initial bugs. They would hardly bother if it made little difference or no difference.

I want to understand why TRIM is "useless on OS X". If OS X doesn't support TRIM, I see that as a negative that hopefully Apple corrects and catches up with Windows. SSDs are the future. It doesn't make sense for Apple to fall behind on the major storage revolution that's coming down the pike - not if it wants to claim the crown of having "the most advanced operating system".

I do want to install an SSD - clearly it seems there are major advantages to it. But I'm gonna wait until a few things happen - all of them hopefully soon. First, the price per GB has to come down to a more reasonable level - I'm not talking equal to present day spinning discs, but, say, so that I can buy 500GB for $300. Second, some further standardization has to happen for SSDs. Third, there still remain a few technical problems and I want to see some longevity studies that show that I can trust these drives not to crap out too soon or too suddenly. Fourth - and it pains me to say this - I hope Apple and OS X gets onboard the train, and leads the way, instead of being a distant laggard behind windows in supporting this vital technology.

What is the status of TRIM and other software support for SSDs on the mac platform? Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions/concerns!

He says "hardly degrade", but I think he should be saying they don't degrade as much as every other SSD on the market.

The Intels still degrade, pretty significantly so:

4KB Random Write, IOQ=16___________Run 1_________Run 2
Intel X25-M 80GB TRIM Firmware_____37.9 MB/s_____13.8 MB/slink (http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3667&p=2)

But PLEASE note that the 14 MB/s Random Writes are higher than most SSDs and all HDDs if I'm not mistaken.

But to say they don't degrade (without TRIM) is a joke. Intel has just employed much better write combining algorithms, as well as other things to ensure the drive is still usable even if it's entirely full.

Your concerns about SSD longevity are common, but there is no real reason. If you write like 5GB a day to an Intel SSD the wear leveling algorithms ensure that the drive will last 1000 years before it's an issue. The actual longevity issue regards the length of time that NAND cells can hold their charge, and I think they last for only about 10 years. I find this point moot, since I have never kept the same drive for 10 years. Ever. And I don't think anybody does. If they want long term STORAGE, and not USAGE, there are much better methods of storing the data.

[sascha h-k]

How do we upgrade the firmware for the Intel X25-M on OS X?

you download the new firmware .iso from intel's site, burn it with diskutlity and restart your mac holding "c" ..
the rest explains itself

[Cockroach]

No, I'm not saying OS X doesn't degrade SSDs, I'm saying that G2s dont degrade on either platform.

From the same website jonwd7 posted against my argument:
The benefit however is that the G2 doesn't drop in performance when used...at all. Yep, you read that right. In the most strenuous case for any SSD, the new G2 doesn't even break a sweat. That's...just...awesome.
Src: http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=11

Intel bothered with TRIM because originally it was good idea. Since then, the garbage collection has improved significantly and it is less necessary. I'm not saying it's useless, but I think the main reason Intel are hurrying to get their firmware updated to support it is that it ticks another box for the marketing department. I really wouldn't get hung up over it. With or without TRIM, you will be getting a SIGNIFICANT improvement, and by the time you want to upgrade again, there will be more significant improvements (that don't rely on TRIM, but perhaps will need SATA 6Gbps).

OS X doesn't support TRIM, and so, it is useless for 'us'. Maybe Apple will catch up, but I don't expect it any time soon. If/when they do support it, it will probably have lost even more value. (Rather like Blu-ray).

Of course it's always nice for prices to drop, but prices are always going to drop more and more, so if you keep waiting, you'll never buy. (At least you have a target price, OldCorpse). I'm not sure what you mean by 'further standardisation' but in regards to longevity, I use TimeMachine, and don't care if the thing craps out.

mariuscmorar: HA5

knewsom: You can't use double-sided-tape. The iMac is curved where you'd be trying to stick it. Have a look at my pics to see what I did, but I it isn't very secure, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who moves their iMac regularly (or at all ;)).

[jonwd7]

No, I'm not saying OS X doesn't degrade SSDs, I'm saying that G2s dont degrade on either platform.


I'm sorry but you are wrong. On a full drive the Random 4K writes plummet from ~40MB/s ('new') to 14MB/s...

To quote them on the page in which I already linked:

As expected, performance goes down as the drive fills up. The second run is much slower than the first.

The other tests go on to show that performance does NOT degrade if you can manage to format the entire drive, or delete all files. These are the only ways to achieve zero degradation without TRIM support.

I'll include the link again so you don't have to fish for it in my post above: http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3667&p=2

Just because they mention how the PCMARK SCORES do not degrade does not mean the actual numbers do not degrade. The simple conclusion is that the PCMark test suite is not very rigorous, and cannot catch the degradation happening, and therefore is FLAWED.

So if you use the drive on OS X, without native TRIM support, you will have degraded performance on a full or partially full drive.

And does it matter? Yes and no. You're paying for Intel-level performance, but the Random Writes when fully degraded are at the level of other SSDs. Do Random Writes matter? Yes and no. Either way they still end up faster than 95% of all other drives, even fully degraded. Random reads are the most important and clearly a full drive or lack of TRIM support are not going to affect those. So I would still always suggest getting an SSD, regardless of degradation.

[Cockroach]

Perhaps you are correct that G2 does degrade, but I don't accept that it gets as bad as others. This whole conversation is moot, since there is no TRIM in OS X. If you want an SSD, you need the one that performs best without it, i.e. Intel G2.

Edit: Look here for used state performance of different drives: http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=22
If there is something wrong with the chart, please enlighten me.

Edit 2: Later in the article you link to:
The overall impact of the TRIM firmware is negligable, no real improvements here
I know this is out of context.

[knewsom]

Conceivably, if your entire system is well backed-up on a redundant drive, couldn't you just entirely reformat the SSD when it begins to degrade? Say, every two years or so until it no longer answers, at which point one must replace it?

What kind of factory warranties usually accompany SSD's?

[Cockroach]

I'm not sure if that would work either. You could certainly use Windows with TRIM support to do it, or run the maintenance tools.

[knewsom]

I'm not sure if that would work either. You could certainly use Windows with TRIM support to do it, or run the maintenance tools.

Well, that's pretty simple, I intended to do a dual-boot with Win7 anyhow. (well, really a tri-boot, adding Ubuntu to the mix)

In that case, one doesn't need to necessarily shell out for the Intel brand name. How much space does one actually NEED for a system drive with /Users on a separate HDD?

[Cockroach]

Depends if you want apps like iLife, Office and CS4. A basic system can fit on <20GB, but you shouldn't run it almost full, and extra space are needed for things like sleep-image (same size as the amount of RAM you have) and caches.

[zeigerpuppy]

Another method to prevent speed degradation is to leave some of the drive empty when you partition it.
I have seen various recommendations and I'm sure that someone here will have a better estimate, but I think what I read said that 15% free space was enough, so just partition the drive to less than it's capacity and then performance should be preserved (of course this means that you have less space, but seems like a fair trade off to me).

Also, curious if anyone has tried using the miniPCIe connector for an SSD drive yet (or for that matter an eSATA connector)....

ps. thanks for the benchmarks.
pps. has everyone seen the threads on the Mac Pro forum talking about disk corruption with software RAID0 on SSDs with the latest update of Snow Leopard... looks like there is an unspecified problem and they're suggesting not upgradin at the moment...

[zeigerpuppy]

If you're worried about fitting all your apps on the SSD, size may become an issue (especially with bloatware apps).
However, some judicious use of ln -s /OtherDrive/MyAPP /Applications/
can work wonders, you can even go more fine grained and move individual directories, for instance clip art to a slower drive.

I guess the same could be done for suspend images, which may become quite huge with a lot of RAM, but should be sequential read/writes to disk.

[andyOSX]

Your concerns about SSD longevity are common, but there is no real reason. If you write like 5GB a day to an Intel SSD the wear leveling algorithms ensure that the drive will last 1000 years before it's an issue. The actual longevity issue regards the length of time that NAND cells can hold their charge, and I think they last for only about 10 years. I find this point moot, since I have never kept the same drive for 10 years. Ever. And I don't think anybody does. If they want long term STORAGE, and not USAGE, there are much better methods of storing the data.

No no no, what you're talking about has nothing to do with the performance degradation issue of SSDs. On all SSDs (because they use NAND flash) you have pages and blocks. Usually pages are 4K of data each, and blocks are 128 pages. You can read from and write to pages, but you must erase entire blocks at a time. You cannot erase individual pages. If a block is full of invalid pages (files that have been overwritten at the file system level for example), it must be erased before it can be written to.

Don't forget that with ALL HDs, SSD or otherwise, when you "delete" something in the OS, the file is not actually erased, the OS just tells the HD that the space where the file was can be overwritten. This is a problem with SSDs because you can write to a much smaller segment of the drive then you can erase. If you have a block that has 8 deleted pages and 120 active ones, and you need to write to those 8 deleted pages, what the drive actually has to do is copy the 120 valid pages into spare memory, erase the ENTIRE block, then copy back those 120 pages it saved plus 8 new pages you are writing.

So even though an SSD is MUCH faster, after being heavily used you will sometimes run into situations where to write 8 pages, you actually have to read 120 pages, erase 128 pages, then write 128 pages, all just to write 8 pages. However, SSDs are SO fast that this is still MUCH faster than an HD writing 8 pages. Just not as fast as the day you bought the SSD new.

However, the G2 Intel SSDs have a new controller and firmware that seem to do some sort of magic that makes them somewhat immune to the performance degradation issue. Some speculate that since they have much more cache they are able to copy and overwrite blocks much faster.

4K random reads and writes are the most important speed benchmark for SSDs if you are planning on using them as you boot drive. These are the operations that the OS does a lot and having them sped up will make your computer "feel" the fastest. So not only is it faster on paper, but it's actually in such an important area that the difference seems amplified to the user.

Here are some benchmarks comparing the Intel G1, G2 and HDDs

4KB Random Write (New) - MB/s
-X25M G2: **36.1**
-X25M G1: 40.8
-WD 10,000 RPM Raptor: 1.5
-Seagate 5400 RPM Drive: 0.8

4KB Random Write (Used) - MB/s
-X25M G2: **35.8**
-X25M G1: 26.3
-WD 10,000 RPM Raptor: 1.5
-Seagate 5400 RPM Drive: 0.8

So you can see, where the Intel G1 drops from about 40MB/s to 26MB/s after being heavily used, the G2 goes from 36.1 to 35.8. Hardly any change. That being said, even the "degraded" peformance of the G1 at 26.3MB/s RAPES the 10,000 RPM raptor HDD at 1.5MB/s or the embarassing 0.8MB/s of a laptop HD.

So basically with the G2 TRIM is less important. However that number you posted without TRIM is also from a test on Anandtech, so basically his earlier tests said it didn't matter, now that TRIM is out he says it does, so it's a little mysterious...

[andyOSX]

I'm sorry but you are wrong. On a full drive the Random 4K writes plummet from ~40MB/s ('new') to 14MB/s...

To quote them on the page in which I already linked:



Anand did an earlier article on the same Intel X25 M G2 where he said without trim the drop from new to used was 36.1 MB/s to 35.8MB/s. Now that TRIM is out he's saying it drops from 40 to 14... so the tests are not very consistent

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=22

[andyOSX]

Conceivably, if your entire system is well backed-up on a redundant drive, couldn't you just entirely reformat the SSD when it begins to degrade? Say, every two years or so until it no longer answers, at which point one must replace it?

What kind of factory warranties usually accompany SSD's?

If you just do a reformat with something like Disk Utility it will actually make the problem worse. You would need to use the Intel software tools for the drive. They only work in windows but that's obviously not an issue if you are using bootcamp like many of us likely will be.

[andyOSX]

$60??? What are you thinking?

Well I'm already spending $549 for the drive, $75 for the installation, $60 for a new external optical, all plus tax (Canadian dollars) so about $766. So I'm definitely willing to spend another $60 to have a proper enclosure vs tape.

[jonwd7]

No no no, what you're talking about has nothing to do with the performance degradation issue of SSDs. On all SSDs (because they use NAND flash) you have pages and blocks. Usually pages are 4K of data each, and blocks are 128 pages. You can read from and write to pages, but you must erase entire blocks at a time. You cannot erase individual pages. If a block is full of invalid pages (files that have been overwritten at the file system level for example), it must be erased before it can be written to.

...snip...

So basically with the G2 TRIM is less important. However that number you posted without TRIM is also from a test on Anandtech, so basically his earlier tests said it didn't matter, now that TRIM is out he says it does, so it's a little mysterious...

"No, no, no"?? Did you even read what you quoted from me?? I was specifically addressing someone's question about LONGEVITY... Not about performance degradation. Before you tell me I'm "all wrong" about something make sure you have some idea of what I'm speaking about. I was trying to explain to this person that an SSD will last as long as they will probably need to use it before they get another SSD, so the LONGEVITY concerns are not a concern at all.

In fact I'm aware of every single thing you posted, probably more so, but thanks for the lecture about how SSDs work.

As for the inconsistent benchmarks in regard to Random Writes, who knows... That kind of concerns me, but at least the "degraded" numbers are higher than most other drives in existence.

[andyOSX]

In that case, one doesn't need to necessarily shell out for the Intel brand name. How much space does one actually NEED for a system drive with /Users on a separate HDD?

Well people aren't paying for the Intel name, they are paying for the fastest random 4K and 256K reads and writes on the market, and substantially so. For Mac users, the greatly reduced susceptibility to the performance degradation issue is extremely valuable as well.

If you do get a non-intel one, at least make sure you get one with an Indilinx controller, like the OCZ Vertex. Don't even get me started on the garbage Samsung SSDs Apple uses for its CTO computers. Such a shame... Would love to see Mac Pros and Macbook Pros with Intel SSD options CTO.

[bajee]

Anand did an earlier article on the same Intel X25 M G2 where he said without trim the drop from new to used was 36.1 MB/s to 35.8MB/s. Now that TRIM is out he's saying it drops from 40 to 14... so the tests are not very consistent

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=22

hey Andy, glad you're here, as I reckon you're one of the expert in SSDs is here in Macrumors.

That previous benchmark Anand did, was actually the pre TRIM firmware that G2 is used. The TRIM firmware will basically disable the voodoo that Intel does to battle the performance degration.

That's why when Anand tested the G2 with TRIM firmware, the degradation was so big, because it assumes the TRIM will do its job to battle the degradation.

So for OSX users, it is advisable not to install the TRIM firmware, because it disables what the Intel's voodoo for degradation issues.

Like Cockroach said, OSX doesn't support trim yet, so its obvious you don't need to install the TRIM firmware in an OS that doesn't support TRIM.

====================

Btw, you guys can read more about TRIM in osx to this post:

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=409366&postcount=5

I reckon the forum poster is a previous Apple engineer, he's basically saying the underlying technologies is there, its just a matter of Apple enabling it to support TRIM in OSX


===================

The actual benefits of installing the TRIM firmware in Intel X25-M G2s can only be seen in 160gb variants, were the right speed will increase 25 percent (from 80MB/sec to 100MB/sec)

I plan to raid two 160gb too, since TRIM isn't supported in raid configuration, you have to use a manual trim like the wiper.sh or Intel's SSD Toolbox. I do hope they release a version for OSX.

[jonwd7]

That previous benchmark Anand did, was actually the pre TRIM firmware that G2 is used. The TRIM firmware will basically disable the voodoo that Intel does to battle the performance degration.

That's why when Anand tested the G2 with TRIM firmware, the degradation was so big, because it assumes the TRIM will do its job to battle the degradation.

So for OSX users, it is advisable not to install the TRIM firmware, because it disables what the Intel's voodoo for degradation issues.

Like Cockroach said, OSX doesn't support trim yet, so its obvious you don't need to install the TRIM firmware in an OS that doesn't support TRIM.

====================

Btw, you guys can read more about TRIM in osx to this post:

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=409366&postcount=5

I reckon the forum poster is a previous Apple engineer, he's basically saying the underlying technologies is there, its just a matter of Apple enabling it to support TRIM in OSX

Interesting link. What concerns me then is all the users who will eventually buy an Intel SSD with the TRIM firmware already installed... They would have to somehow flash the previous version onto their drive, and I don't know if this is available or possible, and it sounds to me like something that could possibly void a warranty. (I would imagine some companies would not let you forcibly install an older firmware, since it is likely there are many bugs, some which permanently brick your drive, especially in Intel's case with the two bricking bugs they've had already)

If it's true that the TRIM versions disable all the other "voodoo" as you put it, then that does indeed explain the inconsistencies. I'm not happy about that though. Because what it means is that I am either stuck waiting for TRIM support in OS X (I dual boot Windows 7), or attempt to flash an older firmware and in doing so lose out on all the other benefits of newer firmware, like increased speeds and bugfixes.

But that link has me hopeful that TRIM support is not too far away. The only thing is that I don't think Apple ships many (or any) computers with hard drives that are considered user serviceable (instructions for doing so in the manual) other than the Mac Pros, and so they may feel that TRIM support is useless until they start including their own stock or BTO SSDs which support TRIM. And I have a feeling they won't be including Intel or Indilinx drives any time soon... But of course I hope I'm wrong. They could probably secure large quantities of Intel X-25M 160GB G2s for ~$400 a pop and then upsell them as a BTO for $600... heh.

[Cockroach]

I guess if you want an Intel SSD, you need to buy it NOW to ensure you get the old firmware. I bought my two G2s a month apart (mid Oct, mid Nov) and they both came with 02G9 firmware. The first was retail (SSDSA2MH080G2R5), and the second was OEM (SSDSA2MH080G2C1).

[knewsom]

I guess if you want an Intel SSD, you need to buy it NOW to ensure you get the old firmware. I bought my two G2s a month apart (mid Oct, mid Nov) and they both came with 02G9 firmware. The first was retail (SSDSA2MH080G2R5), and the second was OEM (SSDSA2MH080G2C1).

Trouble with that is, I JUST shelled out for the computer. It's gonna be tough convincing SWMBO that I need an SSD upgrade right away. :(

[i7QuadCoreMania]

Trouble with that is, I JUST shelled out for the computer. It's gonna be tough convincing SWMBO that I need an SSD upgrade right away. :(

So did I, I installed an 80gb 2g X25 in my Dell mini less than 1 week after purchase, and I have my 160gb 2g X25 waiting for me to install it in my i7 :D Old saying goes, if you want to play to gotta pay.:p

[knewsom]

YEaaah, I know, but really, as an Editor, the only real speed bump I'm gonna see apart from overall OS speed and snappiness, is in FCP's load time, unless I keep my media on an SSD, which is SO not gonna happen - that's what DROBO and FW800 is for. Tough to justify another couple hundred bux for it.

[wideblick]

Thank you for the infos, but I have one question.

I´m a new german apple user, I bought an i5 and sold my win pc, but not my vertex 120gb ssd.

Now I want to change the optical superdrive with the vertex, but i don´t know how to edit the boot partition on a mac.

how do i change it, that the ssd is the boot partition and the hdd is only a storage device?

thank you for help.

[mariuscmorar]

does anyone know where I could take the iMac to have the optical drive replaced with the ssd? I haven't done anything close to this before and I'm scared to do it.

[knewsom]

Thank you for the infos, but I have one question.

I´m a new german apple user, I bought an i5 and sold my win pc, but not my vertex 120gb ssd.

Now I want to change the optical superdrive with the vertex, but i don´t know how to edit the boot partition on a mac.

how do i change it, that the ssd is the boot partition and the hdd is only a storage device?

thank you for help.

If you have an external optical drive, skip to option B.

Option A:
1. check to make sure you don't have TRIM firmware installed on the SSD.

2. use a USB or FW enclosure to reformat your SSD.

2. install SL on the SSD.

3. Install the SSD in your optical bay.

4. Boot up your computer holding the option key on the keyboard.

5. Select the SSD install and boot.

6. Wipe the HDD clean with Disk Utility, and use it for whatever you want!

Option B:
1. check to make sure you don't have TRIM firmware installed on the SSD.

2. install the SSD.

3. boot from the SL DVD via your external optical drive, and install onto the SSD. Wipe the HD clean and do whatcha gotta do to put the /Users folder on it, if you like.

4. Enjoy.


Welcome to Macintosh!

[wideblick]

thank you for the answers, i have to use option B

Which Firmware shall I use of the vertex, 1.40 or 1.41?

If there´s the correct fw on the ssd, i want to install it in the imac, the optical drive should boot the mac os install in usb mode (usb 2 sata).

please specify point "3" ("Wipe the HD clean and do whatcha gotta do to put the /Users folder on it, if you like.")

during the install process i have to clean and format the ssd, what do i have to do after install the os ?

doesn´t need the imac a manual alignment as windows? does the imac know the boot hdd after install on ssd as a win pc?

[knewsom]

I'm not sure which version of the firmware is the correct one, as long as it's not TRIM, which I know OSX doesn't support.

You don't need to manually select a boot partition in OSX, as long as there's a viable OS installed on it, it'll see it and allow you to boot from it. The point of step 3 was to remove the system installed on the Hard Drive so your computer won't accidentally boot from it, and will ONLY boot from the SSD. You don't need to set some MBR or any of that junk with a Mac. Just install the OS and enjoy.

There are many options as to how you store your data, one popular one is to JUST keep the SSD for your system and applications, keeping your /Users folder on another drive. I'm not sure how to do this, but I'm certain that with a little help from Captain Google, it'll be easy as pie. I know people who have done so.

Have fun, and do report back with your results! I'm keen to know specifically how you MOUNT your drive in the optical bay. Pics are always good too.

[andyOSX]

That previous benchmark Anand did, was actually the pre TRIM firmware that G2 is used. The TRIM firmware will basically disable the voodoo that Intel does to battle the performance degration.

That's why when Anand tested the G2 with TRIM firmware, the degradation was so big, because it assumes the TRIM will do its job to battle the degradation.

Hmmm, very interesting! I guess I should go out and buy my X25-M very soon even though I won't be ordering my i7 iMac for a few weeks.

Does anyone know if it's possible to check which firmware an X25 has, either on the packaging or through software once the drive has been purchased?

[andyOSX]

There are many options as to how you store your data, one popular one is to JUST keep the SSD for your system and applications, keeping your /Users folder on another drive. I'm not sure how to do this, but I'm certain that with a little help from Captain Google, it'll be easy as pie. I know people who have done so.


I wouldn't recommend doing it this way. OS X doesn't like it if you try to move the Users folder out of the root level of the boot drive, especially when installing OS updates etc. Plus, you want to keep your library in your users folder on the SSD, as many of the small random reads and writes that SSDs are so good at will be to preference files, caches etc that are stored in this folder.

Just keep the Users folder as is, and leave all the folders empty. Then on your secondary HD, just create a documents, music, movies, photos etc folder. Just keep your iTunes folder, iPhoto/Aperture library etc. on there then.

If you have multiple users who use your system and you don't want them to be able to access those folders when they are logged in, you can always manually set the permissions.

[bajee]

nice tip you got there :) (moving out photos etc, and setting permissions)

guys, anyone seen this news (http://gizmodo.com/5417607/micron-realssd-drives-claim-title-of-worlds-fastest-by-a-lot)? They claim they're the fastest SSD in the market (video is their SSD versus Intel) , and the first SSD that takes advantage of SATA 6 Gbps. The one on the video is actually Intel, but they branded the SSD, as "leading competitor"

[wideblick]

I'm not sure which version of the firmware is the correct one, as long as it's not TRIM, which I know OSX doesn't support.

You don't need to manually select a boot partition in OSX, as long as there's a viable OS installed on it, it'll see it and allow you to boot from it. The point of step 3 was to remove the system installed on the Hard Drive so your computer won't accidentally boot from it, and will ONLY boot from the SSD. You don't need to set some MBR or any of that junk with a Mac. Just install the OS and enjoy.

There are many options as to how you store your data, one popular one is to JUST keep the SSD for your system and applications, keeping your /Users folder on another drive. I'm not sure how to do this, but I'm certain that with a little help from Captain Google, it'll be easy as pie. I know people who have done so.

Have fun, and do report back with your results! I'm keen to know specifically how you MOUNT your drive in the optical bay. Pics are always good too.


Thanks a lot.

I will post my results next time

[darrellishere]

Did anyone get a solution to the drive sensor on the on the mother board running the Fan at full speed.

Well if it hasn't been mentioned already, a rather simple solution would be to use SMC Fan Control.

I've been using it for years with a white imac to keep the mother board from chrashing!

Ramping up all three fans to full speed!

You should just be able to dial down the HDD Fan to normal level without shorting it!

SMC Fan control 2.2.2

http://www.eidac.de/?p=134

[andyOSX]

nice tip you got there :) (moving out photos etc, and setting permissions)

guys, anyone seen this news (http://gizmodo.com/5417607/micron-realssd-drives-claim-title-of-worlds-fastest-by-a-lot)? They claim they're the fastest SSD in the market (video is their SSD versus Intel) , and the first SSD that takes advantage of SATA 6 Gbps. The one on the video is actually Intel, but they branded the SSD, as "leading competitor"

Hmmm, that should be very interesting. However there are many different measures of speed and different drives perform better or worse in these various categories. While sequential/random sustained read and write are cool, for those of us using SSDs as our boot volume it's all about small random 4K and 256K reads/writes. Speeding up these operations is arguably the most notable change to the user. This is where the Intel drives REALLY smoke the competition.

Also, as Mac users, the G2s' (pre-TRIM firmware) strong resistance to the performance degradation issue means that that they will keep close to top speed while other drives slow to only a fraction of what they once were capable of after moderate use.

It will be interesting to see how these new drives fair in that arena. I wish they had given us some more concrete numbers in addition to the video.

[ssdar]

Is it possible to install/roll back to the 'old' firmware for a Intel 160Gb G2 ?

[morfeas-dsl-]

can i ask a question?
If at lets say, 6 months from now, ssd option becomes available for imacs, will i be able to officially upgrade my 27" imac?
If the answer is yes, then i might wait, if the answer is no then i shall take the risk and install one myself :)

Thnx a lot in advance

[macchiato2009]

nobody knows what kind of options there will be in 6 months...

[morfeas-dsl-]

nobody knows what kind of options there will be in 6 months...
i know that.. I assume that it will be an ssd option and i wanted to know IF i will be able to upgrade my imac officially if my assumption is correct :)

[sascha h-k]

thank you for the answers, i have to use option B

Which Firmware shall I use of the vertex, 1.40 or 1.41?

If there´s the correct fw on the ssd, i want to install it in the imac, the optical drive should boot the mac os install in usb mode (usb 2 sata).

please specify point "3" ("Wipe the HD clean and do whatcha gotta do to put the /Users folder on it, if you like.")

during the install process i have to clean and format the ssd, what do i have to do after install the os ?

doesn´t need the imac a manual alignment as windows? does the imac know the boot hdd after install on ssd as a win pc?


you need 1.4 (without trim)

please see here: http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63499

[rtrt]

i know that.. I assume that it will be an ssd option and i wanted to know IF i will be able to upgrade my imac officially if my assumption is correct :)

if i understand - you have an imac now and want to know if apple launch a new model in 6 months which has an ssd as std or as an option - then can you take your 6 month old imac and get them to instal an ssd?

thats a good q - don't know the answer :D

but am assuming that also means you also want to buy the the ssd from apple - i'd say forget it at that point - past history suggests it'll cost you a lot more for the drive from apple than buying it elsewhere.

[wideblick]

I did it.

Sorry, I wanted to upload my tutorial here, but it wasn´t possible because of limits (filesize)

You can download a German tutorial with an easy step-by-step and many pics inside here:

http://www.dooster.de/forum/showthread.php?p=31013#post31013

If a mod is not surprised about the link, please delete it.



Here are some pictures and tests of my SSD (OCZ Vertex FW 1.41):


http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c55e0dd4.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c55bd89d.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c560a48e.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c5622640.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c563a728.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c5656774.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e4e151d4ea.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e4e1504a6c.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e4e14dfcef.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e4e14c7044.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e4e153676f.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e4e156ab82.jpg




File Size 128MB: Write 212,5 MB/s – Read 200,1 MB/s

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c5677d40.jpg


File Size 1GB: Write 211,7 MB/s – Read 219,3 MB/s

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c56a7b71.jpg


File Size 4GB: Write 210,5 MB/s – Read 221,4 MB/s

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b1e1c56d3c58.jpg


I don´t understand, why Apple uses normal harddisks!?

[morfeas-dsl-]

more pics of how you unistalled the normal hdd and especially how you put together the temperature sensor will be more than welcome!

[kb27973]

If you have an external optical drive, skip to option B.

Option A:
1. check to make sure you don't have TRIM firmware installed on the SSD.

2. use a USB or FW enclosure to reformat your SSD.

2. install SL on the SSD.

3. Install the SSD in your optical bay.

4. Boot up your computer holding the option key on the keyboard.

5. Select the SSD install and boot.

6. Wipe the HDD clean with Disk Utility, and use it for whatever you want!

Option B:
1. check to make sure you don't have TRIM firmware installed on the SSD.

2. install the SSD.

3. boot from the SL DVD via your external optical drive, and install onto the SSD. Wipe the HD clean and do whatcha gotta do to put the /Users folder on it, if you like.

4. Enjoy.


Welcome to Macintosh!

Hi,
I read the whole thread but got a little lost with all the TRIM talk. I just bought this drive:
SSDSA2MH160G2C1

How can I tell if TRIM is installed? From the discussion I'm not really sure how to get rid of it or even if I can. Are people getting rid of TRIM or just leaving it? If I leave it will I take a big performance hit?

[300D]

Or, you could make a clone of the install disc on to one of those $13 8GB usb sticks and install from there.

[knewsom]

Hi,
I read the whole thread but got a little lost with all the TRIM talk. I just bought this drive:
SSDSA2MH160G2C1

How can I tell if TRIM is installed? From the discussion I'm not really sure how to get rid of it or even if I can. Are people getting rid of TRIM or just leaving it? If I leave it will I take a big performance hit?

I would guess that you should use the included utilities to check the firmware version currently on the drive, and then google that firmware version, or look it up on their website.

If you have the TRIM enabled firmware, I believe it can cause you some degradation and speed loss, since the OS doesn't support TRIM, and that ver. of the firmware DOES disable the "voodoo" that's already on the drive.

[kb27973]

I would guess that you should use the included utilities to check the firmware version currently on the drive, and then google that firmware version, or look it up on their website.

If you have the TRIM enabled firmware, I believe it can cause you some degradation and speed loss, since the OS doesn't support TRIM, and that ver. of the firmware DOES disable the "voodoo" that's already on the drive.

Thanks for the reply. In the description of the drive it says:

The Intel X25-M SATA Solid State Drive features the Intel SSD Toolbox with Intel SSD Optimizer, which manages the health and boosts the performance of your drive.

Sounds to me like it has the "voodoo" disabling firmware. Maybe I'm making to big of a deal about it and it will run fine as is?

[Reao]

Looking at the DVD drive in the iMac this might be an option also. http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/
Maybe the one for the 17" MacBook Pro fits the iMac.

[300D]

Looking at the DVD drive in the iMac this might be an option also. http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/

$99 is a bit steep, but it looks like it will work and it includes a USB case for the optical.

From: arnie@mcetech.com
Subject: Re: MCE OptiBay
Date: December 9, 2009 12:33:02 AM MST
Hi,

Thank you for your inquiry...

Yes, the OptiBay will work inside the iMac as with the Mac mini and can be used to replace the superdrive with an SSD. It would also include and enclosure so that you will still be able to use your SuperDrive externally via USB.

The CD slot does not need to be plugged since CDs and DVDs enter in less than an inch before they contact the solid OptiBay and will not go any further. There is no way to jam them in.

Please let me know if you have anymore questions or need any additional information or would like to order a unit for your iMac.

Best Regards,


Arnie Ramirez
MCE Technologies, LLC
http://www.mcetech.com
714-674-0800
714-674-0832 fax

[andyOSX]

Hi,
I read the whole thread but got a little lost with all the TRIM talk. I just bought this drive:
SSDSA2MH160G2C1

How can I tell if TRIM is installed? From the discussion I'm not really sure how to get rid of it or even if I can. Are people getting rid of TRIM or just leaving it? If I leave it will I take a big performance hit?

You want the 02G9 firmware. This is the pre-TRIM-enabled firmware. As to how to check, I am not totally sure, maybe someone else can shed some light on that? I would assume if you use Intel's SSD tools they will say somewhere, but I believe they only run in windows so you will have to use boot camp or parallels for that I think.

In terms of performance, the pre TRIM Intel G2 drives have about 36MB/s for small file random writes both used and new. Once the TRIM firmware is installed, the drive assumes you are using TRIM which is not supported in OS X, so after moderate use your performance of small file size random writes will drop down from about 38MB/s new to around 17MB/s used. This is still much much faster than any HDD and most SSDs in fact, but obviously you want to get as much performance out of it as possible. If you do have the TRIM firmware, the only workaround I know of is to run the intel SSD tools periodically while using windows 7 in boot camp and wipe the drive clean using TRIM. Then restore from your OS X backup.

However, I have not heard any reports yet of people receiving drives with the new firmware already installed, so I would say chances are pretty good that you will have the original firmware on your drive still.

I actually picked on up yesterday even though I will prob not be getting my iMac until January because I really wanted to get the old firmware. I managed to find a store that had a drive that was packaged on Oct 8, so I'm confident it will not have the new firmware. Best of luck to you.

If anyone knows specifically how to check the firmware version of the Intel drives via software or any other means please, do tell.

[andyOSX]

Also I just want to emphasize that with any SSD, the performance degradation issue only affects write speeds, not read.

[kb27973]

You want the 02G9 firmware. This is the pre-TRIM-enabled firmware. As to how to check, I am not totally sure, maybe someone else can shed some light on that? I would assume if you use Intel's SSD tools they will say somewhere, but I believe they only run in windows so you will have to use boot camp or parallels for that I think.

In terms of performance, the pre TRIM Intel G2 drives have about 36MB/s for small file random writes both used and new. Once the TRIM firmware is installed, the drive assumes you are using TRIM which is not supported in OS X, so after moderate use your performance of small file size random writes will drop down from about 38MB/s new to around 17MB/s used. This is still much much faster than any HDD and most SSDs in fact, but obviously you want to get as much performance out of it as possible. If you do have the TRIM firmware, the only workaround I know of is to run the intel SSD tools periodically while using windows 7 in boot camp and wipe the drive clean using TRIM. Then restore from your OS X backup.

However, I have not heard any reports yet of people receiving drives with the new firmware already installed, so I would say chances are pretty good that you will have the original firmware on your drive still.

I actually picked on up yesterday even though I will prob not be getting my iMac until January because I really wanted to get the old firmware. I managed to find a store that had a drive that was packaged on Oct 8, so I'm confident it will not have the new firmware. Best of luck to you.

If anyone knows specifically how to check the firmware version of the Intel drives via software or any other means please, do tell.

Thanks for the info. I will post back here after I get mine and take a look at it. Should be here today. I'm almost tempted not to do the switch. My i7 27" is working perfectly. Not a single flicker, quiet as a mouse and no yellow tinge. :)

[Cockroach]

The firmware version is printed on the label.

If you already installed it, you can check the S.M.A.R.T. info. Mine reports 2CV102G9, though on the label it just says 02G9.

[kb27973]

Cool. It says FW: 02G9. So I guess I'm good to go. Will be ripping my Mac apart tonight....

[bajee]

Hmmm, that should be very interesting. However there are many different measures of speed and different drives perform better or worse in these various categories. While sequential/random sustained read and write are cool, for those of us using SSDs as our boot volume it's all about small random 4K and 256K reads/writes. Speeding up these operations is arguably the most notable change to the user. This is where the Intel drives REALLY smoke the competition.

Also, as Mac users, the G2s' (pre-TRIM firmware) strong resistance to the performance degradation issue means that that they will keep close to top speed while other drives slow to only a fraction of what they once were capable of after moderate use.

It will be interesting to see how these new drives fair in that arena. I wish they had given us some more concrete numbers in addition to the video.

Micron just posted 4KB Random IOPS numbers, guess what? its ahead of Intel's enterprise SSD by 10 percent on SATA 3 GBs, and 33 percent on SATA 6GBs.

http://www.micronblogs.com/2009/12/you-asked-for-it-realssd-c300-random-iops

This card is turning to be real Intel killer. Note that Micron is the company that makes nand chips for Intel SSDs, and yes, they made the nand chips in the G2 drives :)

Now if only they post random 4kb reads and writes :)

[aaphid]

If you have an external optical drive, skip to option B.

Option A:
1. check to make sure you don't have TRIM firmware installed on the SSD.

2. use a USB or FW enclosure to reformat your SSD.

2. install SL on the SSD.

3. Install the SSD in your optical bay.

4. Boot up your computer holding the option key on the keyboard.

5. Select the SSD install and boot.

6. Wipe the HDD clean with Disk Utility, and use it for whatever you want!

Option B:
1. check to make sure you don't have TRIM firmware installed on the SSD.

2. install the SSD.

3. boot from the SL DVD via your external optical drive, and install onto the SSD. Wipe the HD clean and do whatcha gotta do to put the /Users folder on it, if you like.

4. Enjoy.


Welcome to Macintosh!

I've also heard ppl say that you should change a few of the settings on the Mac. eg:-
dissable sudden motion sensor
enable don't sleep, no safe sleep
apply noatime
disable spotlight
don't defragment

Any others??

Also, I'm not sure if it will work OK but once I get my SSD I was thinking of placing my Music, Pictures, and Movies folders on an external HDD. I was possibly considering doing this for the Desktop folder as well. Then make an alias of them and place these in the Users folder on the SSD replacing the original folders. Hopefully the OS will treat them the same.

[Jaspa]

My plan is to replace the ODD with my intel g2 SSD and use the optical as external.

I guess I would go this way http://newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31_32&products_id=201 if I had time and patience or could find a store in Europe that sells these..

Until then.. duct tape it! (at least for me) :D

[justit]

This card is turning to be real Intel killer. Note that Micron is the company that makes nand chips for Intel SSDs, and yes, they made the nand chips in the G2 drives :)

1st gen micron controller were very bad, and degraded quickly. I'm not sure if the speeds you are reading about are sustainable. For a quick chart on SSDs http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=736

However, I have not heard any reports yet of people receiving drives with the new firmware already installed, so I would say chances are pretty good that you will have the original firmware on your drive still.

The G2s are in short supply and new inventory will probably have the new firmware.

Sounds like Vertex on a mac (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227434&cm_re=vertex_mac-_-20-227-434-_-Product) is probably a better longterm performer than the Intel G2s? :confused:

[jacobzking]

also, regarding the 2 pint jumper for the 3.5" drive spot...

the factory installed drive has modified firmware that reports to these imacs. while replacing my superdrive with a SSD, I also upgraded my 1TB Apple drive to a 1.5TB drive that I already had. even with the temp sensor connected properly, just as it was with the original drive, i still got 3,500rpm + fan speeds for the HDD. so I swapped out the 1.5 and put the original 1TB drive back in and my fan speeds went back down.

[knewsom]

also, regarding the 2 pint jumper for the 3.5" drive spot...

the factory installed drive has modified firmware that reports to these imacs. while replacing my superdrive with a SSD, I also upgraded my 1TB Apple drive to a 1.5TB drive that I already had. even with the temp sensor connected properly, just as it was with the original drive, i still got 3,500rpm + fan speeds for the HDD. so I swapped out the 1.5 and put the original 1TB drive back in and my fan speeds went back down.

Balls! That sucks! I REALLY should've gotten the 2TB drive. Dangitall. Why'd Apple have to go and do that?

[bajee]

1st gen micron controller were very bad, and degraded quickly. I'm not sure if the speeds you are reading about are sustainable. For a quick chart on SSDs http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=736


I think you meant JMicron company who made that controller. I'm taking to the makers of the NAND Chips (the actual memory that Intel is using (80GB, 160GB) not the controller. It was made by the company Micron. They didn't made that ******* controller.

=================

Guys, I'm sorry if I'm hyping this up, but this is a very promising SSD, Intel has been dethroned in the random 4kb write.

Basically Intel lacks sequential write speed, which is roughly around 70mb and 100mb/sec in 160gb variant, as compared to the competitors' 200 mb/sec ++. But low and behold an SSD which has sequential read 260MB and 204 mb/sec sequential write, and around 60MB/sec 4k random write speed :)

sources here:
http://www.micronblogs.com/2009/12/as-benchmarks-for-realssd-c300/

the benchmark (AS SSD Benchmark) is being used by legit reviews, for comparison with Intel X25-M G2:

Intel X25-M G2
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7913/ss20091211130208.png
sources from legitreviews.com

Micron RealSSD C300
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2334/ss20091211130104.png

sources from micronblogs.com


http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1022/11/

http://forums.legitreviews.com/about21729.html

here's hoping the independent reviewers like pcper and anand could get the hands of this new gem.

I noticed that the one used in LegitReviews is an older version, now I welcome anyone who has the Intel G2 drive can download the benchmark and post the results.

[justit]

I think you meant JMicron company who made that controller. I'm taking to the makers of the NAND Chips (the actual memory that Intel is using (80GB, 160GB) not the controller. It was made by the company Micron. They didn't made that ******* controller.

ah.. :eek:... ok, explicatives aside, let's all be more objective than just dumping information from a company PR website.

Now, show and tell hour, how do you plan to install their card in an imac? :rolleyes:

[bajee]

well the same as you install an Intel-x25m g2 SSD :)

I'm just saying we finally have a SSD contender to Intel's random reads/write and is king when comes to sequential reads and writes too.

[andyOSX]

The G2s are in short supply and new inventory will probably have the new firmware.

Sounds like Vertex on a mac (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227434&cm_re=vertex_mac-_-20-227-434-_-Product) is probably a better longterm performer than the Intel G2s? :confused:

No it is much slower than the X25M (even the G1) at 4k random reads and writes both used and new.

[andyOSX]

Now, show and tell hour, how do you plan to install their card in an imac? :rolleyes:

You can install it without the card and use SATA 3Gb/s and it's still faster than the X25-Ms it seems.

[mutle]

My plan is to replace the ODD with my intel g2 SSD and use the optical as external.

I guess I would go this way http://newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31_32&products_id=201 if I had time and patience or could find a store in Europe that sells these..

Until then.. duct tape it! (at least for me) :D

I ordered a similar product from a french vendor: http://www.macway.com/fr/product/14108/optical-bay-sata-hard-drive-caddy-support-disque-dur-macbookmacbook-pro-unibo.html

It took only a few days to ship this to Germany. MacBidouille has a review of it too: http://www.macbidouille.com/news/2009/07/13/nouvel-adaptateur-pour-remplacer-un-superdrive-par-un-disque-dur

(TIP: Use google translator if your french is as rusty as mine)

Unfortunately I'm still waiting for my iMac to ship, will be another week or two until I can finally use the Intel SSD.

[wideblick]

a very cheap method is following:

Additional to this post, please have a look on my last post with many other pictures:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=8927668&postcount=225




yesterday i opened my i5 again and tested following adapter (SLIM-SATA --> SATA), appr. 10 Euro / 14 USD


http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b21fcd3c9d22.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b21fcd3e2a28.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b21fcd406a86.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b21fcd41f1a0.jpg

http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b21fcd437679.jpg http://www.dooster.de/forum/imagehosting/14b21fcd44f9bc.jpg


If you didn´t move or pull your imac, you can fix the ssd with tape, but it´s not recommended.


With new and cheap adapter everything works perfect.

Silent and fast system

:)