Any reasons not to prep a ssd via usb?

[npn]

Today I was planning on replacing the hard drive in my 2014 mac mini with a 500G Samsung EVO, but was foiled by by the T6 Security Screw. I am planning on a clean install and then re-installing my apps, etc.

Are there any reasons I can't / shouldn't just do a fresh install with the ssd hooked up in a usb 3 enclosure and then just swap the drive when I get the right screw driver? I realize TRIM does not work over usb, but I can turn in on once I have it installed via sata.

 

[satcomer]

You should get the NewerTech OWC 14-Piece Potable ToolKit. I still have mine since 2009 and still works great through 3 Macs!

 

[npn]

Does the T6 driver on that have a hole in it to match the pin in the screw? I had a t6 driver, but not one with a hole in it. Looked around locally and best I could find was a t7 with the hole, all the T6 were solid tips, and the mac mini 2014 has t6 screws with pins.
See step 4 of the teardown:

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Mini+Late+2014+Teardown/30410

 

[Analog Kid]

Hopefully someone with more than anecdotal evidence will back me up on this, but I'm pretty sure what you have in mind is fine- especially if the SSD is attached to the machine you intend to install it in. I've never had a problem transferring drives from one machine or enclosure to another. OS X is pretty robust in that way.

When I moved from PowerPC to Intel, I pulled a 4 drive software RAID array from one and installed it in the other and it just booted up without question.

I've also got a fast USB3 thumb drive with installers and bootable partitions for all of Yosemite, El Cap and Sierra that I use if I need to jumpstart a machine.

The things I'd be careful of is make sure whatever version you're installing on the external drive supports the hardware you'll be moving it to, and don't run any of these "cleaner" apps that go through your boot drive and throw away "unneeded" files. You may need them when you change hosts.

 

[npn]

Thanks Analog Kid, worst case I gotta do it all over again, but seems like it should be OK. Main concern is if TRIM should be on when I do the install.

BTW Great song from a Great Album Countdown is my favorite if not most nostalgic.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks Analog Kid, worst case I gotta do it all over again, but seems like it should be OK. Main concern is if TRIM should be on when I do the install.

BTW Great song from a Great Album Countdown is my favorite if not most nostalgic.

Nah... it won't hurt anything to do that. Once you get it swapped in internally and TRIM activated, you might want to command-r boot to recovery once and from there run a Disk Utility first aid. That will TRIM unused space on the drive and give it like new performance.

 

[thedeske]

Does the T6 driver on that have a hole in it to match the pin in the screw? I had a t6 driver, but not one with a hole in it. Looked around locally and best I could find was a t7 with the hole, all the T6 were solid tips, and the mac mini 2014 has t6 screws with pins.
See step 4 of the teardown:

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Mini+Late+2014+Teardown/30410

Amazon has Torx Security screwdrivers. Single or sets. Bought a Titan set years ago - very handy.

 

[npn]

@thedeske - thanks I did see ifixit driver (I used their guide!). I originally picked up this package since it was local, but they did not have the hole. I was thinking about a Titan set on amazon, but ended up getting this set, which did the job, but in the end I should have just purchased the tools on ifixit.

The prep via usb and then moving it internally work perfectly. I enabled TRIM after booting and all seems fine.
@Weaselboy - I will look at maybe running first aid once I get a good back up of what I have.

My read and write speeds improved from under 100 MB/s to about 500 MB/s