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View Full Version : Room for 2 hard drives in iMac?




farmermac
Feb 13, 2010, 02:20 PM
Do iMacs have 2 Sata ports on the mother/logic boards?

I have a 24" from last gen.



old-wiz
Feb 13, 2010, 02:32 PM
You can remove the DVD drive and fit an SSd or HD in there. Voids the warranty though. There are plenty of threads about doing that here. Do a search with mroogle.

Hellhammer
Feb 13, 2010, 02:36 PM
iMac has two SATA ports but they're both in use, one for the HD and another for DVD drive. It's possible to take away the DVD drive and replace it with HD/SSD and then use USB/FW DVD drive

mrsir2009
Feb 13, 2010, 03:02 PM
Yeah, though yer going to have to sacrifice the DVD drive.

farmermac
Feb 13, 2010, 06:26 PM
Thanks for the answers! Wish apple had left a spot And an empty Sata slot for an SSD in there!!

Pachang
Feb 13, 2010, 08:19 PM
Thanks for the answers! Wish apple had left a spot And an empty Sata slot for an SSD in there!!

There is no space. If they left a spot they would have to have taken something elese out.

dukebound85
Feb 13, 2010, 08:20 PM
they should make it user replaceable as well imo

Wehrwolf
Feb 13, 2010, 08:38 PM
they should make it user replaceable as well imo

They used to. That's one reason why I won't buy an iMac anymore.

Hellhammer
Feb 14, 2010, 02:58 AM
they should make it user replaceable as well imo

So true. A slot in e.g. left hand side of the iMac would be great place for it. Take few screws off and take the slot off, plug in a new HD and put it in and play!

old-wiz
Feb 16, 2010, 09:51 AM
So true. A slot in e.g. left hand side of the iMac would be great place for it. Take few screws off and take the slot off, plug in a new HD and put it in and play!

You would think with that enormous 27" screen they could find some room!

hakr
Feb 16, 2010, 10:03 AM
You would think with that enormous 27" screen they could find some room!

Where would they put the spray can of yellow streak? :D

habi00
Jun 3, 2011, 11:52 AM
I´ve been thinking about changing the 3,5" drive 640GB drive in my 24" imac with and 2,5" 640GB drive AND an 1,8" sata ssd eg. intel x18M You would need to sacrifice only the airport card in the machine and the case should fit all this geometrically. If you anyhuu already use the 1 Gigabit ethernet port for internet connectivity this is a very small problem!!!

You need atleast:
-1x2,5" platter drive
-1x1,8" ssd (like intel x18-m or similar microsata connector drive) or and mpcie ssd like intel 310 which is even smaller and that 80GB drive is even faster than the x18-m. If you take the intel 310 then you need an mpcie to sata adapter to connect it to a sata cable.
-mpcie sata contoller (to use instead of the airport card)
eg this would do it and it has the drivers needed http://www.commell.com.tw/product/Peripheral/PCI%20Express%20mini%20card/MPX-3132.HTM
Actually with this you would allow for 2 x ssd drives like the intel 310 which you could use in a raid with the commel raid driver as the drives are so small.
-converters/cables. The mpx-3132 comes with to sata cables but you have to supply the power via a splitter to the two drives. you might have to use and extension for one sata cable or replace it with a longer. I will post some more info when Ive tried this myself...