Best solution for a "speedy" external bootdisk?

[hfg]

Hi Guys,
I m planning on doing the same setup, a 256gb ssd i want to use as boot up for my late 27" 2012 iMac, i m thinking of going for Seagate Backup Plus Thunderbolt enclosure, i m planning to install a samsung evo 256gb in there, this enclosure doesn't have an external power source so will it boot the iMac through thunderbolt? i m a newbie in this so sorry for the questions. Anyone tried samsung evo ssd with this tb enclosure?

Thanks..

That will work fine for you. You can find the Seagate GoFlex "shells" on eBay to enclose the SSD for a finished look.

 

[insane79]

That will work fine for you. You can find the Seagate GoFlex "shells" on eBay to enclose the SSD for a finished look.

Do i need a goflex shell? i don't care about the finished look as its going to be hidden under my mtable Is there any other thunderbolt ssd dock thats better then this one?

Thanks..

 

[hfg]

Do i need a goflex shell? i don't care about the finished look as its going to be hidden under my mtable Is there any other thunderbolt ssd dock thats better then this one?

Thanks..

The Seagate GoFlex is probably the least expensive way to get a bus-powered enclosure, since most bus-powered ones already have a drive enclosed so the vendor can control what is used for a drive. I do also like the LaCie "Rugged Thunderbolt/USB3", but you would have to buy it with a SSD or get the cheapest hard disk model (refurbished is good) and swap out the drive.

The Delock enclosure seems to be popular here, however it does require a power supply which might not be a problem for you. Unfortunately, although AC powered, it doesn't have a Thunderbolt pass-through connection (all bus powered ones won't have a pass-through for power reasons).

The SSD will work fine without the shell, but is a bit exposed on the Seagate adapter. Put the shell around it and the drive is magnetically held firmly against the adapter sled.

 

[insane79]

The Seagate GoFlex is probably the least expensive way to get a bus-powered enclosure, since most bus-powered ones already have a drive enclosed so the vendor can control what is used for a drive. I do also like the LaCie "Rugged Thunderbolt/USB3", but you would have to buy it with a SSD or get the cheapest hard disk model (refurbished is good) and swap out the drive.

The Delock enclosure seems to be popular here, however it does require a power supply which might not be a problem for you. Unfortunately, although AC powered, it doesn't have a Thunderbolt pass-through connection (all bus powered ones won't have a pass-through for power reasons).

The SSD will work fine without the shell, but is a bit exposed on the Seagate adapter. Put the shell around it and the drive is magnetically held firmly against the adapter sled.

Thanks for the detailed reply, whats is the benefit of a thunderbolt pass through? is it needed for booting the iMac with the tb external drive? also could you provide me a link of the Delock enclosure?

Thanks..

 

[hfg]

Thanks for the detailed reply, whats is the benefit of a thunderbolt pass through? is it needed for booting the iMac with the tb external drive? also could you provide me a link of the Delock enclosure?

Thanks..

The pass-through is useful for daisy-chaining additional Thunderbolt devices from your computer, which may only have a single port, or 2 as on the current iMac. You cannot get a "hub" to expand Thunderbolt systems, so they must be connected in series similar to how FireWire used to work.

The Delock enclosure from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Delock-Extern...ie=UTF8&qid=1409507348&sr=8-1&keywords=delock

 

[insane79]

The pass-through is useful for daisy-chaining additional Thunderbolt devices from your computer, which may only have a single port, or 2 as on the current iMac. You cannot get a "hub" to expand Thunderbolt systems, so they must be connected in series similar to how FireWire used to work.

The Delock enclosure from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Delock-Extern...ie=UTF8&qid=1409507348&sr=8-1&keywords=delock

Ok, the pass through is something i can live without, will both the seagate & delock TB enclosure allow the ssd to be a boot drive? dunno if the external power source of the delock will be more handy for bigger drives like the 512gb or more? is there a special benefit having the external power like the delock has?

Thanks a ton.

 

[hfg]

Ok, the pass through is something i can live without, will both the seagate & delock TB enclosure allow the ssd to be a boot drive? dunno if the external power source of the delock will be more handy for bigger drives like the 512gb or more? is there a special benefit having the external power like the delock has?

Thanks a ton.

Yes, if you don't have additional Thunderbolt devices, or the SSD can be at the end of the Thunderbolt chain ... then the TB pass-through isn't an issue.

Either enclosure will allow the SSD to be assigned as the boot drive.

Having a powered enclosure will ensure a stable power source for larger SSD drives which "may" have problems with bus-powered enclosures. Newer SSD technology has significantly lowered average and peak power requirements, albeit at a somewhat lower performance level, than the older M4 and 840Pro drives which caused problems above 256GB. I am currently running some large 840 EVO drives in bus-powered enclosures and am not experiencing the problems I previously had with 512GB 840Pro drives.

 

[insane79]

Either enclosure will allow the SSD to be assigned as the boot drive.

Having a powered enclosure will ensure a stable power source for larger SSD drives which "may" have problems with bus-powered enclosures. Newer SSD technology has significantly lowered average and peak power requirements, albeit at a somewhat lower performance level, than the older M4 and 840Pro drives which caused problems above 256GB. I am currently running some large 840 EVO drives in bus-powered enclosures and am not experiencing the problems I previously had with 512GB 840Pro drives.

Hmmn, I m plannign to go for the 840 evo 512gb only so which enclosure are you using that is bus powered? so i guess the evo series from samsung is less power hungry? thanks for the help.

 

[hfg]

Hmmn, I m plannign to go for the 840 evo 512gb only so which enclosure are you using that is bus powered? so i guess the evo series from samsung is less power hungry? thanks for the help.

I use the 500GB 840 EVO in a couple of LaCie "Rugged" Thunderbolt enclosures (one of them was purchased new and came with the 840 EVO enclosed). I use a 1TB 840 EVO on a Seagate GoFlex Thunderbolt Adapter attached with Velcro to my 27" iMac stand.

 

[insane79]

I use the 500GB 840 EVO in a couple of LaCie "Rugged" Thunderbolt enclosures (one of them was purchased new and came with the 840 EVO enclosed). I use a 1TB 840 EVO on a Seagate GoFlex Thunderbolt Adapter attached with Velcro to my 27" iMac stand.

wow, thats some ssds you got there the 1TB 840 EVO runs fine with the seagate goflex thunderbolt adapter thats bus powered? ever tried using it as a boot drive? i m planning on using a 840 EVO 500GB as a boot drive for my 27" iMac, also what speeds are you getting with the 1TB 840 EVO attached to the seagate goflex TB adapter? also any idea whats the difference between the seagate goflex &backup plus portable thunderbolt adaptor? this one-
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backu...409594485&sr=8-1&keywords=sata+to+thunderbolt

Thanks..

 

[SaSaSushi]

Well, I ordered the Delock TB enclosure from eBay after all...

I hope you like it. I've had zero problems with mine since I started using it six months ago.

One question to those that are booting from external SSD in the Delock enclosure: what happens when you "put the mac to sleep" - does the disk/enclosure sleep as well? Or do you always turn both the mac and the enclosure completely off?

It's a good question. I never sleep my Mac so I decided to just test it for you. I put the machine to sleep and for about 10 seconds the LED on the Delock showed green, flashed a bit with disk access and then the LED turned off completely so it appears that it will indeed sleep with the machine.

 

[hfg]

wow, thats some ssds you got there the 1TB 840 EVO runs fine with the seagate goflex thunderbolt adapter thats bus powered? ever tried using it as a boot drive? i m planning on using a 840 EVO 500GB as a boot drive for my 27" iMac, also what speeds are you getting with the 1TB 840 EVO attached to the seagate goflex TB adapter? also any idea whats the difference between the seagate goflex &backup plus portable thunderbolt adaptor? this one-
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backu...409594485&sr=8-1&keywords=sata+to+thunderbolt

Thanks..

If you search around through these threads, you will find a great review by SaSaSushi on the Delock and other enclosures for some other choices.

So far ... things are running fine with the 1TB EVO on the Seagate sled.
If I see even a hint of a problem, I will probably purchase the Delock enclosure and use that instead.

The Seagate "GoFlex" and "Backup Plus" seem to be the same thing. I have one of each and see no physical or performance difference between them. It may just be a marketing name change for the product line.

I have posted the DiskSpeedTest for the 1TB EVO on the Seagate in other threads, but here it is again for you:

.

 

[Noeb]

I hope you like it. I've had zero problems with mine since I started using it six months ago.



It's a good question. I never sleep my Mac so I decided to just test it for you. I put the machine to sleep and for about 10 seconds the LED on the Delock showed green, flashed a bit with disk access and then the LED turned off completely so it appears that it will indeed sleep with the machine.

Sounds great, thanks ☺ Haven't received the Delock yet, though.

 

[insane79]

If you search around through these threads, you will find a great review by SaSaSushi on the Delock and other enclosures for some other choices.

So far ... things are running fine with the 1TB EVO on the Seagate sled.
If I see even a hint of a problem, I will probably purchase the Delock enclosure and use that instead.

The Seagate "GoFlex" and "Backup Plus" seem to be the same thing. I have one of each and see no physical or performance difference between them. It may just be a marketing name change for the product line.

I have posted the DiskSpeedTest for the 1TB EVO on the Seagate in other threads, but here it is again for you:

.

Hmmn, thanks for the pic, you getting good speeds but was expecking more from the samsung 840 evo & the seagate TB adaptor, you got this on a 27" 2012 iMac?
btw after googling about the 840 EVO, they say the next one 850 EVo is expected anytime soon sucks when this happens, dunno if i should play the wait game or just get it, thought its not urgent just need some goodies for my iMac