Adding SSD as 2nd drive in Mac Mini???

[Sean Dempsey]

I have a 60gb OWC SSD I'd like to use as my system drive in a new Mac Mini.

Is it possible to install the SSD in the Mac Mini, clone the system over, and then use the original drive as storage? I know there are kits to do this, so I am just wondering if there are any potential problems with using the OWC SSD, it's a little over a year old.

[philipma1957]

THE ssd may die off plenty of posts on that happening. I have had 3 ssds die on me. none were owc. you may break something doing the install. you may find 64 gb too small.

or the install works the ssd runs fine and you can deal with the 64 gb size.

both
paths can happen when the mod you ask about is done. no real break down of winners vs losers has been posted. personally i like bigger ssds so i have not bothered doing this mod with new minis I added on modded lacie little big disks instead. Less labor faster ops easy to repair 1tb ssd can be added or 128gb ssd can be added.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1280118

this is my post on the mod. down side is costly

[kas23]

I have done this, with a 120 GB OWC SSD. Works perfectly after a few bumps in the road.

As for the SSD dying, I think this is a function of where we are at with this technology. A few years ago, SSDs were even less reliable. This is why you should pick an SSD with an excellent warranty. OWC has an excellent warranty and very user-friendly track record. Plus you're not dealing with an Asian corporation when you need support.

As long as you have a good back-up, you have little to worry about.

[paulrbeers]

Originally Posted by kas23

I have done this, with a 120 GB OWC SSD. Works perfectly after a few bumps in the road.

As for the SSD dying, I think this is a function of where we are at with this technology. A few years ago, SSDs were even less reliable. This is why you should pick an SSD with an excellent warranty. OWC has an excellent warranty and very user-friendly track record. Plus you're not dealing with an Asian corporation when you need support.

As long as you have a good back-up, you have little to worry about.

Agreed. SSD's can be the best upgrade your average user can add to their computers, but since they are still relatively new (compared to mechanical hard drives), we still see a "high" level of failures. I wouldn't go back to an OS on a hard drive (data storage is just fine from a mechanical drive) even with the relatively "high" failure rate. As long as you have a good back up system (which you should have whether it is SSD or Hard drive), then IF a failure occurs it shoudn't matter.

With that said, I've had 6 or 7 SSD's over the last few years and have yet to have a failure, but I just bought 4 -2TB seagate Hard drives and one has already failed. So in that case, my SSD's seem to have a lower failure rate than my hard drives (of course this sample size is much too small to draw any real life numbers).

[Sean Dempsey]

I've had my 60gig OWC Mercury Extreme for about 15 months.

60 gig is more than enough for OS X and all my Apps.

It's funny, everyone here is talking about how SSD is untested and unreliable, but then say that they all use them and love them. hahahah.

[sunnyj]

Originally Posted by Sean Dempsey

I have a 60gb OWC SSD I'd like to use as my system drive in a new Mac Mini.

Is it possible to install the SSD in the Mac Mini, clone the system over, and then use the original drive as storage? I know there are kits to do this, so I am just wondering if there are any potential problems with using the OWC SSD, it's a little over a year old.

yes it possible.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1304156

[shortcut3d]

Originally Posted by philipma1957

THE ssd may die off plenty of posts on that happening. I have had 3 ssds die on me. none were owc. you may break something doing the install. you may find 64 gb too small.

or the install works the ssd runs fine and you can deal with the 64 gb size.

both
paths can happen when the mod you ask about is done. no real break down of winners vs losers has been posted. personally i like bigger ssds so i have not bothered doing this mod with new minis I added on modded lacie little big disks instead. Less labor faster ops easy to repair 1tb ssd can be added or 128gb ssd can be added.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1280118

this is my post on the mod. down side is costly

I have also done the LaCie Thunderbolt Little Big Disk mod with dual SSDs. The perform is not as good as a single internal SATA III 6G drive, but its much easier to do and provides more storage. I also removed the fan so its whisper quiet. The Samsung 830s are great because they are slim with better air circulation and draw less power so heat is never an issue.

I've swapped SSDs multiple times across 4 2011 Mac mini's and had only one issue to date. The SATA cable disconnected from the logic board apparently random during operation. It gave me quite a scare because I thought I was out a $400 240GB OCZ Vertex Max IOPs. I have nine (9) SSDs and have owned ten (10). Only one failure to date and that was a first generation Indilinx drive.

1 x 250GB G.Skill Titan (Indilinx) - Failed
1 x 240GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro (Sandforce 1200)
1 x 480GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro (Sandforce 2200)
2 x 240GB OCZ Vertex 3 (Sandforce 2200)
2 x 256GB Samsung 830
3 x 240GB OCZ Vertex 3 MAX IOPS (Sandforce 2200)