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Rear storage for iMac?

K

KaraH

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 12, 2012
452
5
DC
Does anyone know about rear storage solutions for the iMac? The two I know of are the twelve south backpack and the Just Mobile AluRack. What I want to do is afix an external SSD to my iMac. Since it will be my boot drive I am concerned that it would be basically 'one' with the iMac. Of course this would be resolved if we could add two 3.5 drives internally but since that option was taken away from us, well ...

The Backpack seems not as solid as I want. Plus the drive would get detached the times I need to move my system to work elsewhere (and when that happens I do not have time to grab multiple things).

The alurack is more promising as it screws directly into the hole on the back. All the pics show it holding laptops though so I am a bit dubious if it would hold whatever drive I buy.

Any options I am missing?
 
rkaufmann87

rkaufmann87

macrumors 68000
Dec 17, 2009
1,760
39
Folsom, CA
KaraH said:
Does anyone know about rear storage solutions for the iMac? The two I know of are the twelve south backpack and the Just Mobile AluRack. What I want to do is afix an external SSD to my iMac. Since it will be my boot drive I am concerned that it would be basically 'one' with the iMac. Of course this would be resolved if we could add two 3.5 drives internally but since that option was taken away from us, well ...

The Backpack seems not as solid as I want. Plus the drive would get detached the times I need to move my system to work elsewhere (and when that happens I do not have time to grab multiple things).

The alurack is more promising as it screws directly into the hole on the back. All the pics show it holding laptops though so I am a bit dubious if it would hold whatever drive I buy.

Any options I am missing?
Click to expand...

I have the backpack on my 27" iMac, I'm less than impressed. The instructions weren't very good and it took an hour or so to figure out. As long as the iMac is left perfectly still (which is normal) it does the job however if you need to move the machine the backpack is unstable and needs to be handled with kit gloves. I have no experience with the other product.
 
K

KaraH

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 12, 2012
452
5
DC
That is what I thought about the backpack. When I need to move it (like when a storm is about to hit) I am usually in too much of a rush to be careful with things I am grabbing. Having ports on the back also means more frequent moving (unless you use extension cables for everything).
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,343
12,458
My suggestion:

Just use an external enclosure for your external drive "out back".

Since all SSD's are 2.5" format, I would suggest a USB3 enclosure like this:
http://oyendigital.com/hard-drives/store/U32-M.html
or this:
http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/miniswap-u3/
(Note: the Firmtek costs more, but has been tested to yield speeds quicker than thunderbolt!)

And also important:
Learn to be careful when you pick things up to move them around.

Another suggestion:
Use a couple of pieces of Velcro to secure the drive to the iMac stand.
 
S

SpeedFleX

macrumors 6502
Apr 22, 2009
301
2
Interwebz
Fishrrman said:
My suggestion:

Just use an external enclosure for your external drive "out back".

Since all SSD's are 2.5" format, I would suggest a USB3 enclosure like this:
http://oyendigital.com/hard-drives/store/U32-M.html
or this:
http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/miniswap-u3/
(Note: the Firmtek costs more, but has been tested to yield speeds quicker than thunderbolt!)

And also important:
Learn to be careful when you pick things up to move them around.

Another suggestion:
Use a couple of pieces of Velcro to secure the drive to the iMac stand.
Click to expand...

If you do it this way just remember TRIM will not be supported or S.M.A.R.T
 
S

Slow Programmer

macrumors regular
Jun 25, 2011
166
42
I have a 1TB 2.5 inch external mounted on the stand behind both my iMacs as Time Machine drives. I just use Velcro Tape. The drives can be removed for cleaning, the tape cushions from them from vibrations and they cannot possibly fall off.

IMG_0692.jpg
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Last edited:
K

KaraH

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 12, 2012
452
5
DC
SpeedFleX said:
Unless it is integrated on the hardware firmware, but otherwise via USB 3.0 no.
Click to expand...

Ah, I did some checking, the problem is a third party drive not whether it is external or an internal. Trim enabler should do the trick.

----------
Slow Programmer said:
I have a 1TB 2.5 inch external mounted on the stand behind both my iMacs as Time Machine drives. I just use Velcro Tape. The drives can be removed for cleaning, the tape cushions from them from vibrations and they cannot possibly fall off.
Click to expand...

That is my backup solution but it is not perfect. I use velcro tape to hold my apple remote (which is much lighter) to my mac and the tape gives way now and then.
 
K

KaraH

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 12, 2012
452
5
DC
A

antman2x2

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2011
528
198
New YAWK
I absolutely hated the backpack.

I sold mine back over ebay for exactly what I payed for (hung on to it for too long to return)
 
K

KaraH

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 12, 2012
452
5
DC
Weaselboy said:
Nope. Won't work in an external USB drive.
Click to expand...

What about firewire since firewire now is an adapter from thunderbolt? Currently there are not a lot of TB enclosures out there so I can see FW being the main way to use the TB interface for awhile.

Of course, it might be academic anyway. I am planning to go with one of the OWC solid state drives and they recommend not to use trim on them.
 
Weaselboy

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,136
15,598
California
KaraH said:
What about firewire since firewire now is an adapter from thunderbolt? Currently there are not a lot of TB enclosures out there so I can see FW being the main way to use the TB interface for awhile.

Of course, it might be academic anyway. I am planning to go with one of the OWC solid state drives and they recommend not to use trim on them.
Click to expand...

Won't work with Firewire either.
 
N

Nuke61

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2013
325
1
Columbia, SC
KaraH said:
It was my understanding trim enabler works on any interface?
Click to expand...

TRIM only works on a drive that the OS "sees" as an internal drive. FireWire and USB 2.0/3.0 are both seen as external drives. Because Thunderbolt is basically an extension of the PCI bus, it is seen by the OS as an internal drive.

As far as your original question goes, I put an 840 Pro into a Buffalo Thunderbolt enclosure and simply stuck it on the iMac stand using HD double-side tape... similar to what Slow Programmer did using Velcro. The Buffalo enclosure is aluminum and white, so it matches very well with the Apple aesthetics.
 
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