MP 7,1 Help! adding 2nd 256GB Apple SSD to 7,1. Apple config fails

[Gr1f]

Hi all,
I got a second Apple 256gb ssd to add to the base 256gb.

Installed it fine then attached to MBP via its USB-C power cable. Then plugged in the Mac Pro holding the power button for 3 sec. All fine.

In Apple Configurator I right-clicked the DFU screen and selected a revive but it keeps failing right at the end

Any help appreciated!!

Note: I also tried a restore but it fails too...

Update:
Removed the newer SSD and it's recovering now. Doesn't solve the problem but at least I can get back to where I was!

 

[rondocap]

I've actually just tried the same exact thing yesterday, and gave up. Got the same error, could not get two 256gb drives to sync up.

Maybe it's not possible or something different has to be done if it is the 256gb. One works fine, but two doesn't.

Using Apple's 1tb upgrade kit also works fine, but for some reason I could not get these 256gb drives to work as one.

 

[Gr1f]

I've actually just tried the same exact thing yesterday, and gave up. Got the same error, could not get two 256gb drives to sync up.

Maybe it's not possible or something different has to be done if it is the 256gb. One works fine, but two doesn't.

Using Apple's 1tb upgrade kit also works fine, but for some reason I could not get these 256gb drives to work as one.

Thanks for piping in! Good to know I'm not alone.

Hmm... this would be very uncool if we can't get this to work. I had thought of trying to do a reset with only the newer SSD to see if it at least resets it to work with this T2 but need a running system before the day is out!

I might try Apple support tomorrow see what they say.

 

[DFP1989]

I wonder if there is some limitation (artificial or otherwise) in either the SSD or 7,1 firmwares. Apple don’t offer a 512GB option after all.

I’ve wondered if you could do this, I don’t struggle with 256GB on my system drive, but it never hurts to have a bit more wiggle room!

 

[Gr1f]

Yea, I thought I'd get away with 256 boot but iCloud hammered it :-/

 

[rondocap]

The base 256 GB is also half the speed of all of the other options, since all of the other ones are actually 2 SSD’s and raid 0

 

[DFP1989]

Yea, I thought I'd get away with 256 boot but iCloud hammered it :-/

I don’t have any of that stuff downloading to mine, Photo library and iMessages all stay in the cloud, otherwise they’d collectively take up over 400GB on my machine.

 

[deconstruct60]

Hi all,
I got a second Apple 256gb ssd to add to the base 256gb.

#1. These aren't SSDs. They are NAND cards. They are subcomponents of an SSD. Apple calls them "SSD modules" [ which means they are modules of an SSD. ]


#2. They are also slot specific. 1-card and 2-card.

" ... Important: The modules are marked “1” and “2”. The module marked “1” must be installed in the socket marked “1” and the module marked “2” must be installed in the socket marked “2”. ...."

Uninstall and install SSD modules on Mac Pro

Instructions for uninstalling and installing SSD modules in Mac Pro tower.

support.apple.com

They are suppose to be installed in pairs. A "2" card comes with a "1" card. The 256GB cards are only 1-cards.

Can replace a failed 256GB with a new 256GB. But they are not random pieces of a SSD.

 

[flowrider]

^^^^Yup:



Lou

 

[DFP1989]

That'd explain it. Curious design, but nothing really new there!

 

[Gr1f]

well that was a wasted £170…..

 

[macguru9999]

Wow that really sux .... but at least you know why .... I would install a pcie card mounted SSD with a heatsink and boot everything off that... maybe a 1 or even 2 TB model. There are even bigger ones up to 8TB !. I use a 1TB samsung 970pro in my 5,1. I think you have to change a setting to boot off the pcie slots but i'm sure you already know that.

 

[rondocap]

#1. These aren't SSDs. They are NAND cards. They are subcomponents of an SSD. Apple calls them "SSD modules" [ which means they are modules of an SSD. ]


#2. They are also slot specific. 1-card and 2-card.

" ... Important: The modules are marked “1” and “2”. The module marked “1” must be installed in the socket marked “1” and the module marked “2” must be installed in the socket marked “2”. ...."

Uninstall and install SSD modules on Mac Pro

Instructions for uninstalling and installing SSD modules in Mac Pro tower.

support.apple.com

They are suppose to be installed in pairs. A "2" card comes with a "1" card. The 256GB cards are only 1-cards.

Can replace a failed 256GB with a new 256GB. But they are not random pieces of a SSD.

Good info, I had a suspicion this was the case, so at least we now have some good information for other people that may search in the future. It’s not clear in any of Apple‘s documents for a normal user, but this makes sense. The 1 TB kit and higher seems to be the only next upgrade after the base to 256

 

[Gr1f]

Wow that really sux .... but at least you know why .... I would install a pcie card mounted SSD with a heatsink and boot everything off that... maybe a 1 or even 2 TB model. There are even bigger ones up to 8TB !. I use a 1TB samsung 970pro in my 5,1. I think you have to change a setting to boot off the pcie slots but i'm sure you already know that.

Yep, already have a few SSDs installed. I was using the 256 as a boot just to keep it all in the family really. I've already moved most apps (that can) to another drive so the system drive only has some apps and iCloud.

 

[Gr1f]

Apple are so flakey these days. In all honesty if I had thought for a second that I couldn't just add another Apple 256 I would have opted for the 1TB option at purchase. I guess I should have smelled a rat with there being no 512GB option but who would have ever thought the 2 modules were different!?! The only headache I have ever read about was the T2 re-authentication process.

 

[macguru9999]

Apple are so flakey these days. In all honesty if I had thought for a second that I couldn't just add another Apple 256 I would have opted for the 1TB option at purchase. I guess I should have smelled a rat with there being no 512GB option but who would have ever thought the 2 modules were different!?! The only headache I have ever read about was the T2 re-authentication process.

Its another unintended slap in the face for people buying the minimum spec. They should discount the 1TB kit for present owners, and give the Mac Pro a spec bump and a price cut now, before upgrading the intel processors in the 7,2. Thats the least I would do however I imagine sales of these units are extremely thin (0?) worldwide nowadays.

 

[deconstruct60]

It’s not clear in any of Apple‘s documents for a normal user, but this makes sense. The 1 TB kit and higher seems to be the only next upgrade after the base to 256

Documents for normal users? What the printed material in the box? Or the generic "welcome to your mac" e-book in iBooks? Hardly, talking about the support documents for the device though.

https://support.apple.com/mac
pick Mac Pro from line up
https://support.apple.com/mac/mac-pro
Install parts in your Mac Pro
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210556
Learn how to install SSD

Install or replace SSD modules in your Mac Pro (2019) - Apple Support

Learn how to install SSD modules in your Mac Pro and how to use Apple Configurator to set them up for your Mac.

support.apple.com

The last is the documented I linked it. If go though and read it , the the limitation is there plain as day. It isn't like this was "hidden" in super secret manual. Apple doesn't put docs in the box anymore. Or even write specific e-books for for Macs. But the support site is for general consumers. These days that is the manual.

On Apple's website if looking for storage accessories for the Mac Pro .

https://www.apple.com/shop/accessories/all/storage?page=1&f=macpro2019-ssd&fh=40aa+4b82+464d

You'll find that Apple doesn't even sell the 256GB module. They only sell the pairs. Folks buying used 256GB off of eBay or 3rd party marketplace is suspect. Or spare parts that fell off the back of a truck.

The pairs all have a big "1" and "2" on them.

example 1TB pair:

1TB SSD Kit for Mac Pro

The 1TB SSD Kit for Mac Pro enables you to upgrade the internal SSD storage capacity of your Mac Pro. This kit, containing two 512GB modules, replaces the current SSD module(s) in your system. Installation required.

www.apple.com

Long term, buying used SSD modules is probably a bad idea. They are not SSDs. They are just NAND chips with a communication buffer. The SSD controller "brains" of the Mac Pro are in the T2 chip. The T2 SSD is fully encrypted. If move to a new machine that probbaly also nukes the metadata about the SSD data layout and history. The wear data history the SSD had built up? Probably gone. Bad cells that had been mapped out? Probably Gone. The SSD control is probably going to assume that this is a brand new drive with no real usage in the field.

Folks who upgrade from 256GB could just keep that "old" module around as 'cold spare' in case upgrades fail later at some point if need the Mac Pro for higher availability (than waiting on Apple to deliver remote parts).

 

[deconstruct60]

The base 256 GB is also half the speed of all of the other options, since all of the other ones are actually 2 SSD’s and raid 0

Any SSD that has write speeds about the same level as read speeds is using something "RAID 0" like internally. These are NOT SSDs. There are just "brainless" Flash storage chips (NAND chips) on a daughter board.

Apple has basically split what is normally just one board of a SSD into 3 (or 2 ) parts. The T2 chip contains the SSD controller (the brains). The boards just contain the data ( and gradually wear out). More accurately they are the SSD's module. Not a "Module" that is a SDD.

They are all "RAID 0" like in that the data is being read/writen across mulitple NAND chips concurrently. The two daughtercards mainly just increase the possible max stripe width. Not necessarily going to to get "double speed" here because there is still just one SSD controller.

Apple using two daughtercard primarily gets them a path to higher capacities by using more mainstream NAND chips than they could if limited to the classic limited SSD single logic board area. There is some speed increase as capacity goes higher. ( and that's is realtively normal in mainstream SSD implementations also. )