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any issues when installing an SSD on an iMac?

Z

zoran

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 30, 2005
4,852
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Has anyone experienced hardware incompatibility issues when installing a second drive (an SSD drive) on his iMac. Issues like resulting inaccurate temperature reporting, causing erratic fan speeds, computer failing the apple hardware test, slowdowns due to lack of garbage collection etc.?
Is there some tool to

Is there a tool to check the SSD, to see if its working ok?
 
any issues when installing an SSD on an iMac?

If you are REPLACING the existing hard drive with an SSD in a 2009-2011 iMac, the temperatures will be misread and it will cause fans to run at 100% from boot to shutdown.

This will prevent that: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDIMACHDD09/

If you're adding the SSD into the spare SATA slot/replacing the SuperDrive, then you won't be touching the thermal sensor so will have no problem.

If you buy a decent SSD, TRIM does not need to be forced on - I would recommend OWC SSDs.

The SSD will work fine.
 
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In order to replace the original HDD of the imac 2011 with another HDD or an SSD you have to use the OWC thermal sensor. If you want to add another SSD in the spare sata port in the back of the logicboard (which is a more complicated procedure) you just need the special sata power cable which you can find on ebay or owc.

I am talking about the 2011 imac as I have one and have added the ssd in the spare sata port.
 
I have a mid2010 iMac, not a 2011 in case this means something different.
I want to just add a second drive, and that would be an SSD drive. Specifically i was thinking of getting a Samsung 850evo.
1. Might i have TRIM issues or any other bad surprises with that specific SSD?
2. I reckon that a Thermal Sensor would not be need to be placed if im gonna be doing such an upgrade... correct?
 
zoran said:
I have a mid2010 iMac, not a 2011 in case this means something different.
I want to just add a second drive, and that would be an SSD drive. Specifically i was thinking of getting a Samsung 850evo.
1. Might i have TRIM issues or any other bad surprises with that specific SSD?
2. I reckon that a Thermal Sensor would not be need to be placed if im gonna be doing such an upgrade... correct?
Click to expand...

I have a mid-2010 with an extra SSD inside, too. I used this SSD.

To answer Q2 - correct, you don't need to add/replace a sensor in your case.

I cannot comment on TRIM, since I don't have it enabled - the OWC SSD handles it for me.

Edit: I followed this video step-by-step and it worked perfectly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8Li_bPDAow
 
zoran said:
I have a mid2010 iMac, not a 2011 in case this means something different.
I want to just add a second drive, and that would be an SSD drive. Specifically i was thinking of getting a Samsung 850evo.
1. Might i have TRIM issues or any other bad surprises with that specific SSD?
2. I reckon that a Thermal Sensor would not be need to be placed if im gonna be doing such an upgrade... correct?
Click to expand...

1. You'll need to use TRIM Enabler to get it to work on that SSD.

2. If you plan to replace the HDD you'll need the thermal sensor. Otherwise you do not.

-----

andy9l said:
I cannot comment on TRIM, since I don't have it enabled - the OWC SSD handles it for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind when it comes time to upgrade my 2010 to an SSD. I'll be replacing the HDD completely.
 
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zoran said:
Use the TRIM Enabler on the Samsung 850evo SSD you mean?
Does the TRIM Enabler work on Snow Leopard and on Yosemite?
Click to expand...

Yosemite yes, but only if you disable KEXT signing (by default TRIM only works on Apple-branded/OEM SSDs, which is the reason for this). Snow Leopard I'm not sure about, but it is probably possible to get TRIM working there as well since TRIM support was introduced in SL.
 
redheeler said:
Yosemite yes, but only if you disable KEXT signing (by default TRIM only works on Apple-branded/OEM SSDs, which is the reason for this). Snow Leopard I'm not sure about, but it is probably possible to get TRIM working there as well since TRIM support was introduced in SL.
Click to expand...


This is correct with Yosemite however please note by enabling Trim with Yosemite this will be troublesome in that it needs to be re-installed anytime a PRAM reset is done and installing it also lowers security. I would recommend using a OWC SSD instead of the Samsung if TRIM is important. The SSD's OWC uses do not require TRIM to be enabled to get the same effects.

As for SL, TRIM can be enabled on that version of OS X.
 
rkaufmann87 said:
I would recommend using a OWC SSD instead of the Samsung if TRIM is important.
Click to expand...
You say "If TRIM is important"? I thought that it was mandatory to have it enabled!
Just a sec because i prolly havent understood correctly. If TRIM is not enabled (suppose i get a Samsung drive) what might happen in real life workflow? What issues might i notice?
 
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zoran said:
If TRIM is important? I thought that it was mandatory to have!
Just a sec because i prolly havent understood correctly. If TRIM is not enabled (suppose i get a Samsung drive) what might happen in real life workflow? What issues might i notice?
Click to expand...

Well, I've noticed on my two 512GB Samsung 840 Pro SSDs that when I run my system for a few weeks without TRIM enabled, that these SSDs would slow down quite dramatically.
 
Is there any other than OWC SSD brand that doesn't need TRIM to be enabled?
 
rkaufmann87 said:
If you can find one that uses the same controller as SSD then it should be OK. What is your objection to OWC, they sell the best quality out there?
Click to expand...
I always thought that Samsung 850Evo series
was the best, better than OWC. Now that people in here, say they OWC is the best, im thoughtful about it! :(
 
any issues when installing an SSD on an iMac?

OWC is a Mac specialist. Samsung, in the case of their consumer SSD product line, is not. If you're really worried about TRIM, just go for the OWC drive because you don't need it to be enabled, and therefore don't need to hack your OS after every update.

FWIW, my Samsung 840 in my MBP has been absolutely fine without TRIM. I don't push it, nor do I benchmark it. I'm sure it has deteriorated, but it isn't noticeable and it's been 3 years. My MBP doesn't have any important stuff on it, and is backed up anyway.

There are other people here more qualified/knowledgeable than myself to advise on the importance of TRIM.
 
I have the Samsung 850 in a 2011 MBP. I use Trim Enabler. What stinks is any OS X upgrade will force you to re enable TRIM. Yes TRIM is important long term.
 
Has OWC SSDs that are equivalent to the Samsung 850evo as far as specs (speed etc.) are concerned?
 
Which sensor is the right one?

andy9l said:
If you are REPLACING the existing hard drive with an SSD in a 2009-2011 iMac, the temperatures will be misread and it will cause fans to run at 100% from boot to shutdown.

This will prevent that: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDIMACHDD09/

If you're adding the SSD into the spare SATA slot/replacing the SuperDrive, then you won't be touching the thermal sensor so will have no problem.

If you buy a decent SSD, TRIM does not need to be forced on - I would recommend OWC SSDs.

The SSD will work fine.
Click to expand...

I have a 2011 iMac (27") that I decided to upgrade last year. I purchased the OWC kit to add an SSD and I also purchased a thermal sensor to upgrade the main HDD. I installed the SSD behind the optical drive and it worked as expected but I didn't have a good experience with their thermal sensor. The one they sold me is different from the one you link (see attached picture; the sensor is in a plastic bag below the upper part of the power cord in the picture). I wonder if you have used the sensor you link and what has been your experience with it. After I got tired of trying to upgrade the HDD I decided to buy a late 2013 iMac but I still want to finish what I started with the 2011.

Thank's in advance for any help!
 

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