2019 27" iMac SSD Problems

[Albert2011]

I have a 2019 27" iMac with a full 1 TB SSD - not a fusion drive. I was experiencing problems with certain applications like iMovie and decided to do a full Time Machine restore. The drive was at around 60% capacity. Multiple attempts at restore failed at around 60%. I reformatted the drive and found that I had only 733 GB available on the drive. It looks like a drive partial failure. A replacement SSD is quite expensive and replacing one requires massive disassembly. My guess is an Apple certified shop would charge $1200 to $1500.

My solution is to get a 1 TB external Lightning SSD for about $300 and use it as the boot drive.
Have others experienced SSD issues? I understand that the SSD on 2020 models is soldered in!

Thanks.

 

[Fishrrman]

Question about reformatting (erasing) the SSD:

When you had disk utility open, did you go to the view menu and choose "show all devices"? This is a VERY important step.

It's required so that one can erase the ENTIRE drive (which is "the top line" on the list).

You may have done this already.
Just asking.

If it was me, and if I could only get 773gb on the internal SSD, I'd use it anyway.

I would "move off" or toss out "all the extra junk" that was filling up the drive, and get the size of what's on it down to around, say, 600-650gb.

And keep the rest "free" for the "headroom" the OS needs in which to operate.

Use an external drive to hold the stuff that won't fit on the internal drive...

 

[Nicole1980]

I'll disagree with Fisherman with respect to still using the drive if you can fully confirm it's somehow faulty and only has 773gb avail. If you do anything of any importance on that drive, it's liable to fail on you at any time, IMO.

I personally would take it into a repair shop and have them replace the drive. Perhaps even buy and upgrade drive from OWC and have the shop install it.

Caveat however: Here in Atlanta we have a great place called 'Peachtree Computers' and I FULLY trust them to do a good job of any repair like this. If you don't have a repair shop that you trust like I trust them, I would take it to Apple and see what their cost is. Unfortunately my guess is that Apple would charge you at least double the price of a regular repair shop.

@Fishrrman

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

What were you booted from when you formatted the drive APFS? Ever have a partition for that 267GB which may not have been claimed back? Must add that never ever trusted TM for backing up and migration.

 

[Fishrrman]

Are the SSDs in 2019 iMacs "replaceable"?
Or... are they "soldered to the motherboard"?

If it's replaceable, perhaps replace it.
But... an Apple-labeled part is probably going to be expensive.

 

[Nicole1980]

Are the SSDs in 2019 iMacs "replaceable"?
Or... are they "soldered to the motherboard"?

If it's replaceable, perhaps replace it.
But... an Apple-labeled part is probably going to be expensive.

It is replaceable, just check out iFixit. However replacing the blade SSD is extremely difficult. On the other hand, swapping out the hd portion of the fusion drive with a standard SATA ssd is much easier.

If they do want to try the difficult blade ssd replacement themselves, OWC does sell replacement blade ssds that work for 2013-2019 iMacs so you wouldn’t have to go through apple to get the part. The OWC blade replacement is about $450 for the 2tb drive and $200 for the 1tb

 

[kretek]

OP need not be limited to OWC for the 2019 model.

Any brand for the NVME drive (1TB - $90-$160) will work together with the Sintech NVME adapter ($10-$15), plus heatsink ($10).

 

[Nicole1980]

OP need not be limited to OWC for the 2019 model.

Any brand for the NVME drive (1TB - $90-$160) will work together with the Sintech NVME adapter ($10-$15), plus heatsink ($10).

You are correct sir. The only thing is the OWC drives have the 'native' connection type and work seamlessly, like any Apple drive. I have tried the standard NVME with Sintech adapter a couple times and it led to wonky results. Admittedly, that was only with High Sierra and Mojave so maybe the compatibility has gotten better. Or perhaps I was just unluckly.

Bottom line, I can assure the OWC drives will work seamlessly like a factory drive. NVME with adapter? I'm not able to guarantee that.

 

[Albert2011]

Are the SSDs in 2019 iMacs "replaceable"?
Or... are they "soldered to the motherboard"?

If it's replaceable, perhaps replace it.
But... an Apple-labeled part is probably going to be expensive.

Replaceable but about 2 hours of labor and about $600 to $800 for an Apple compatible drive, if you can find one!

 

[Albert2011]

It is replaceable, just check out iFixit. However replacing the blade SSD is extremely difficult. On the other hand, swapping out the hd portion of the fusion drive with a standard SATA ssd is much easier.

If they do want to try the difficult blade ssd replacement themselves, OWC does sell replacement blade ssds that work for 2013-2019 iMacs so you wouldn’t have to go through apple to get the part. The OWC blade replacement is about $450 for the 2tb drive and $200 for the 1tb

I did a search and only found a 2 TB internal for $900 on Amazon. Labor is about 2+ hours and difficult. Do you have a link for the compatible blade drive? I ordered a 1 TB external WD Thunderbolt SSD for $270 and intended to use that as a boot drive. The iMac is full SSD not fusion.

 

[Nicole1980]

I did a search and only found a 2 TB internal for $900 on Amazon. Labor is about 2+ hours and difficult. Do you have a link for the compatible blade drive? I ordered a 1 TB external WD Thunderbolt SSD for $270 and intended to use that as a boot drive. The iMac is full SSD not fusion.

Here you go

OWC Aura Pro X2 2.0TB SSD for iMac

Get all the tools and installation components you need to upgrade the SSD of your 27-inch or 21.5-inch iMac (Late 2013 - 2019).

eshop.macsales.com

 

[kretek]

You are correct sir. The only thing is the OWC drives have the 'native' connection type and work seamlessly, like any Apple drive. I have tried the standard NVME with Sintech adapter a couple times and it led to wonky results. Admittedly, that was only with High Sierra and Mojave so maybe the compatibility has gotten better. Or perhaps I was just unluckly.

Bottom line, I can assure the OWC drives will work seamlessly like a factory drive. NVME with adapter? I'm not able to guarantee that.

Madam, I think you may be just unlucky.

I've used this adapter first on a late 2015, and then again on a 2019 iMac, both using the very same adapter and NVME drive (Samsung 970 Pro) without any issue.

Besides there is a lengthy thread on users performing this upgrade.


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/a-list-of-successful-imac-27-2012-2019-ssd-upgrades.2162435/

 

[Nicole1980]

Madam, I think you may be just unlucky.

I've used this adapter first on a late 2015, and then again on a 2019 iMac, both using the very same adapter and NVME drive (Samsung 970 Pro) without any issue.

Besides there is a lengthy thread on users performing this upgrade.


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/a-list-of-successful-imac-27-2012-2019-ssd-upgrades.2162435/

So no issues with the boot manager when you press the option key during startup to boot from another disk?

 

[kretek]

Non what so ever.

Able to boot and login, without any issue.

 

[Nicole1980]

Non what so ever.

Able to boot and login, without any issue.

Looks good. My attempts, as I said earlier, were not long after support for NVME drives was implemented, so perhaps whatever issues I had were either bad luck, or early bugginess.

 

[haddy]

I have a 2019 27" iMac with a full 1 TB SSD - not a fusion drive. I was experiencing problems with certain applications like iMovie and decided to do a full Time Machine restore. The drive was at around 60% capacity. Multiple attempts at restore failed at around 60%. I reformatted the drive and found that I had only 733 GB available on the drive. It looks like a drive partial failure. A replacement SSD is quite expensive and replacing one requires massive disassembly. My guess is an Apple certified shop would charge $1200 to $1500.

My solution is to get a 1 TB external Lightning SSD for about $300 and use it as the boot drive.
Have others experienced SSD issues? I understand that the SSD on 2020 models is soldered in!

Thanks.

Okay this happen to me twice..2017 iMac 1TB SSD.
The drive would not boot.
About a year apart... replacement/repair $NZ2000 aprox.
Under NZ's Consumer Act it didn't cost me anything.
And it took only 4 days to get it repaired with the new SSD coming from Aust.
My startup drive is now a 2TB external NVME SSD in a Thunderbolt enclosure.