2011 27" iMac SSD questions

[jeremiaha]

Hey everyone, I'm fairly new here and had a few questions regarding installing a 3rd party SSD. I've read about the 7pin SATA connectors and having to short them in regards to installing an SSD. My question is does this only apply to your main drive? Isn't there a secondary HDD slot in the iMac? Could I simply just buy an SSD, open up the iMac, and isntall it in the 2nd slot? Is there any point in waiting for external enclosures with Thunderbolt support? I just got this machine and just ordered some RAM (8GB for $65!). I've read so many conflicting reports about SSD and new iMac. I would love to keep the 7200 1tB internal for storage and just boot off of the SSD in the secondary slot. Thanks for everything!

 

[jeremiaha]

Hmmm

I guess nobody knows...? I'd really like to go ahead and install a secondary SSD drive to boot from.

 

[nightfly13]

afaik it's ok

I believe that the weird-pinned drive is only for the main 3.5" SATA HDD that comes stock. To fit a secondary SSD (likely to use as your primary/boot drive) you need your own cables, which aren't proprietary.

http://www.twam.info/hardware/apple/installing-additional-ssd-in-mid-2010-27-imac

 

[Bear]

To clarify things that may answer the original poster's question:

• There is space for a naked SSD (no enclosure)
• There is space for one hard disk. (This should use standard connectors.)

The slot for the hard drive could take a SSD in a disk enclosure.

But to answer your question, you could put a compatible SSD in the SSD space. You would need to find out what cables you need and such. As well as what SSDs fit.

And you can boot from either, depending on where you have Mac OS installed.