2tb Samsung HDD + 250 Samsung 840 Pro SSD Fusion build!

[Ak907Freerider]

Ok so I have been searching around and think I found a sweet setup for the user upgradable Macbook Pros. I purchased a seagate backup plus portable 2tb HDD. I tore it apart carefully to reveal a Samsung momentus 2tb HDD that is the exact size as the stock 2.5inch 750gb Toshiba HDD that came in my early 2011 15-inch Macbook pro. So I ordered up the OWC data doubler after installing my Samsung 250gb 840 Evo SSD and 16gb of ram. The data doubler will be arriving on Friday and I will be installing this 2tb HDD into the optical bay. Once complete I will run it for a bit making sure it is stable. Then I will be making a DIY Fusion drive of the SSD and HDD. Anyone else try this out? I have done it on other electronics without issue, so hopefully this will be perfect on my laptop. I have a 1tb fusion on my iMac and love it. So a 2tb Fusion on a Macbook should be beast, could load all my movies+music over 600gb worth and still have tons of room to spare. And can get rid of the irritating external 2tb that I use.

I will be video recording this build on Friday if anyone is interested in it.

Upgrade Prices:
$118 Samsung 840 Evo
$98 Seagate Backup Plus Slim
$35 OWC Data Doubler
$160 16gb Ram

Total= $411

 

[alphaod]

It will work, but why? If one drive fails your lose data on both, and you don't get to choose what goes on the SSD and what goes on the HDD.

I would suggest just putting all your media on the HDD and use the SSD for boot.

 

[Ak907Freerider]

It will work, but why? If one drive fails your lose data on both, and you don't get to choose what goes on the SSD and what goes on the HDD.

I would suggest just putting all your media on the HDD and use the SSD for boot.

Well I hate managing all my HD Video work, and a fusion is perfect for that. So what if it fails more than likely it will be the HDD that fails, so Im out $98 no biggie. This is why I have multiple backups.

 

[modelsown]

I made a Fusion drive on a spare late 2009 white Macbook about a year ago and it was pretty straight forward. Definitely gave new life to it. Boots in about 15 seconds. Runs the public Yosemite beta pretty well too.

 

[Ak907Freerider]

I made a Fusion drive on a spare late 2009 white Macbook about a year ago and it was pretty straight forward. Definitely gave new life to it. Boots in about 15 seconds. Runs the public Yosemite beta pretty well too.

I agree after using Fusion in my iMac I realized how well it works, so having it in a portable solution would be ideal. I have to carry around my 2tb external anyways might as well put it inside and breathe new life to it with the SSD Fusion. Plus less likely to have it drop if its in the laptop as compared to on my lap dangling from a cord.

 

[alphaod]

Well I hate managing all my HD Video work, and a fusion is perfect for that. So what if it fails more than likely it will be the HDD that fails, so Im out $98 no biggie. This is why I have multiple backups.

I didn't say anything about cost, but more about the issue of inconvenience of having to rebuild your system from a backup.

Anyways what you want to do will work.

 

[Ak907Freerider]

I didn't say anything about cost, but more about the issue of inconvenience of having to rebuild your system from a backup.

Anyways what you want to do will work.

Inconvenience? A failed HDD is a inconvenience no matter what. So if I do it as two seperate drives and the HDD fails I have to redo drive anyways. So either way its the same. Plus odds are better of messing up externally then internally. I don't throw my laptop around like I do my external. And with a 1year old running around that is wanting to grab everything with a cable I would rather have it all in one and no cables.

Also gets pretty old plugging in a external every time I need my larger files, thats a inconvenience.

 

[Ak907Freerider]

Well thought I would post a update on the install. Everything went pretty smooth actually got it done today and not Friday like I was hoping. I was able to enable trim no problem, and the fusion went fairly smooth. I did run into what was error on my end and not thinking couldn't unmount ssd but after a post here and having a cup of coffee I got through. So as it is right now I got my 2.2Tb fusion drive, 250 samsung ssd+2tb hdd. Working like a champ and no slow down. Iam installing all my media so we will see how this all pans out! Cheers!