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Late 2009 iMac would like SSD + HD

O

OatmealRocks

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 30, 2009
626
3
Hi,

I spent some time searching but couldn't get a clear answer. I have a late 2009 i7 and would like to add a 2.5 SSD and retain the current 1TB HD. Is this possible? I don't want to replace the DVD. I have read I would need to short the temperature sensor. Could someone tell me what cable is required? Also do I need a special mount for the OEM HD(3.5?) + SSD?

Also another option, have SSD 2.5 and regular HD 2.5 to replace the standard 3.5" OEM HD. will this be possible? I read the logic board only have one SATA port but would like to know if it is possible to use a cable that fits both? Would this affect performance?

thanks
 
Last edited:
thx

Thanks for the link.

My question is since I want to add SSD and keep the OEM HD + (DVD), do I still use the SATA right angle cable? Which HD do I plug into or do I need a SPLITTER like the power Y SATA splitter cable?
 
Late 09 models only have one sata connection, so you can either connect a SSD or standard HD, not both. Trust me, I found that out by doing the install. I followed the steps, and when it was time to add the SATA cable, I found out there was only one connection.
 
The.316 said:
Late 09 models only have one sata connection, so you can either connect a SSD or standard HD, not both. Trust me, I found that out by doing the install. I followed the steps, and when it was time to add the SATA cable, I found out there was only one connection.
Click to expand...

This is correct guys, you need the 2010 iMac for 2 hard drives and SuperDrive.
 
Too bad, I was about to take the jump. Do you guys think an external SSD via FW800 would work well enough?
 
Forum member suggested an alternative would be to take out the DVD drive and use that to store the SSD which would allow me to retain the current HD. I might do this because I want the location of my PS and LR cache files to be stores on the OEM HD and OS/APPS on the SSD.

Looking for external enclosures now..
 
ivnds said:
Too bad, I was about to take the jump. Do you guys think an external SSD via FW800 would work well enough?
Click to expand...

I would (and did) go the other route... Installed the SSD (First an Intel X-25M then a OCZ Vertex 2**) in the main drive slot and an external (1TB WD Black) in a Firewire 800 Case (an IcyDock one to be precise)

This has been awesome and doesn't limit the SSD to the Firewire 800 speeds, which while still fast would limit it in some respects...

So I have the System and most everything else on the SSD (and even the 80GB Intel fits with 40GB Left and that includes Office 2011, Adobe CS Premium CS4 and CS5 and Acrobat X just the other day, iLife, iWork and a bunch of other programs, a few GB of Mail and tons of active work files [PSDs videos and web stuff])

The only thing I have on the external is my Photos, Music and Movies, My Desktop folder and Downloads Folder and this works just fine for me and keeps the apps SPEEEEDY!

I also have a Buffalo TS-XEL NAS with 4TB storage for all my Movies/Media that is shared to the TVs (Apple TV and PS3) and the other machines in my house, this setup has been tweaked over many years and I think I have it all just right! The NAS is in RAID 10 so everything nice and secure should a drive die, plus I can grab it and my time machine drive incase of a fire, etc.

I have My "Home Folder" Drive on the Firewire 800 Port and a 2nd 1TB Black on the Firewire 400 Port for Time Machine.

**For anyone interested: I went from the X-25M (80GB G2 Version) Intel SSD to the OCZ Vertex 2 120GB SSD. I feel the Intel is overall a better drive despite the higher "numbers" on the Vertex, Obviously the Read of 80MB/Sec is limiting on some things, but overall and in general daily design and video use the Intel just seems to keep up better overall and even when I fill it up it still holds it speed, So I am giving the Vertex some more time (since its a bitch to switch out on my older 24" iMac... and because of the much increased capacity I really really want the Vertex 2 to be the winner.... Damn Intel where is the G3 already and when will price drop enough for me to get a ~250GB model :(

Anyone have both X-25 and Vertex 2 care to chime in, (here or in a new thread? Sorry OP)
 
The.316 said:
Late 09 models only have one sata connection, so you can either connect a SSD or standard HD, not both. Trust me, I found that out by doing the install. I followed the steps, and when it was time to add the SATA cable, I found out there was only one connection.
Click to expand...

Last time I checked S in SATA stood for Serial...
can some explain to me why it is not possible to serially add an drive (SSD) to the existing SATA port?

Documentation on "AHCI Version 1.30 Supported" (found in system profile) suggests that up to 32 device are supported.
 
Apple TV

I like your setup. Does that Buffalo drive stream directly to the Apple TV?

zerostar said:
I would (and did) go the other route... Installed the SSD (First an Intel X-25M then a OCZ Vertex 2**) in the main drive slot and an external (1TB WD Black) in a Firewire 800 Case (an IcyDock one to be precise)

This has been awesome and doesn't limit the SSD to the Firewire 800 speeds, which while still fast would limit it in some respects...

So I have the System and most everything else on the SSD (and even the 80GB Intel fits with 40GB Left and that includes Office 2011, Adobe CS Premium CS4 and CS5 and Acrobat X just the other day, iLife, iWork and a bunch of other programs, a few GB of Mail and tons of active work files [PSDs videos and web stuff])

The only thing I have on the external is my Photos, Music and Movies, My Desktop folder and Downloads Folder and this works just fine for me and keeps the apps SPEEEEDY!

I also have a Buffalo TS-XEL NAS with 4TB storage for all my Movies/Media that is shared to the TVs (Apple TV and PS3) and the other machines in my house, this setup has been tweaked over many years and I think I have it all just right! The NAS is in RAID 10 so everything nice and secure should a drive die, plus I can grab it and my time machine drive incase of a fire, etc.

I have My "Home Folder" Drive on the Firewire 800 Port and a 2nd 1TB Black on the Firewire 400 Port for Time Machine.

**For anyone interested: I went from the X-25M (80GB G2 Version) Intel SSD to the OCZ Vertex 2 120GB SSD. I feel the Intel is overall a better drive despite the higher "numbers" on the Vertex, Obviously the Read of 80MB/Sec is limiting on some things, but overall and in general daily design and video use the Intel just seems to keep up better overall and even when I fill it up it still holds it speed, So I am giving the Vertex some more time (since its a bitch to switch out on my older 24" iMac... and because of the much increased capacity I really really want the Vertex 2 to be the winner.... Damn Intel where is the G3 already and when will price drop enough for me to get a ~250GB model :(

Anyone have both X-25 and Vertex 2 care to chime in, (here or in a new thread? Sorry OP)
Click to expand...
 
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