Help! Can't detect new SSD in my 2014 Mac Mini late edition

[Charsiufan]

I swapped out the HDD for a Kingston A400 SSD in my 2014 Mac Mini late edition. I tried to install the OS using a suitable USB but the new SSD didn't show up as an available partition.

I took the SSD out and put back the HDD - and it boots no issue.

I used another 2014 Mac Mini and connected the SSD to it using a USB SATA cable and was able to install Mojave on the SSD. This worked fine, the install was successful.

I put the SSD back in the original Mac Mini and it still can't boot. What am I missing!?

Thanks all

 

[cmaier]

Were you able to boot from the ssd with the second Mac?

 

[Charsiufan]

Were you able to boot from the ssd with the second Mac?

It rebooted at least once during the install so I guess yes but was connected by a SATA cable, not inside the device. I didn't want to pull 2 Mac Minis apart. The IR socket came off the motherboard on the first one ?

 

[fastlanephil]

It sounds like maybe an incompatibility issue with the Kingston SSD.

 

[Charsiufan]

It sounds like maybe an incompatibility issue with the Kingston SSD.

Good point. I did a bit of Googling but couldn't confirm that.

Any list of compatible SSDs?

 

[fastlanephil]

Good point. I did a bit of Googling but couldn't confirm that.

Any list of compatible SSDs?

I don’t think there is such a list. I vaguely remember reading something about this but I can’t confirm it. It might have been just from part of someone‘s brand recommendation rational in a post Like this one. Like “I always use Samsung because............ “

But from what you have been experiencing it could be a possibility. Maybe you should try and contact the SSD manufacture’s support about it before going through the hassle of trying a different brand’s SSD.