Upgraded mid 2011 iMac

[Axall]

Hi All, I am new to the forums and also new to the world of Mac. I have always been a windows user but have slowly been migrating into the Apple way of life. I started with an iPhone XS and then a 2018 iPad Pro, Series 4 Apple Watch. Then the big change, my first iMac. Its a Mid 2011 iMac. ( purchased an inexpensive iMac as my first rather than thousands on a new one)
Mac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
12 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB

After doing some reading in the forums I decided to upgrade. I added a 500 GB SSD that I am using as my boot drive and the original 500 HHD that I am using as storage. I also added 8 more gb of ram for a total of 12.
OK, so much for the introduction.
My question is can I choose what drive my files and apps get saved to? All my files seem to be saved to the HHD. Sorry if this seems like a silly question but i am new to mac and looking for a little help.
Thanks in advance

 

[Juicy Box]

My question is can I choose what drive my files and apps get saved to?

If I am following your question correctly, you installed a SSD in addition to the original HDD. The HDD is currently your boot drive and where all the data is stored, but you would like to use the much faster SSD as your boot drive.

You have a many different options and configurations to choose from, such as:

...Installing a fresh OS to the SSD and use the Migration Assistant to automatically move your existing apps and files over to the SSD.

...Same as above, but manual move your files over instead of using the Migration Assistant.

...Clone your HDD to your SSD, this would be a seamless transition. I recommend CCC, I have used it for years.

...Same as above, but after cloning, use your HDD as a Time Machine or Bootable back up with CCC.

...Use the SSD and HDD together and create a Fusion Drive to make them appear and operate as one drive. This will double your storage and give you a good balance of speed and storage space.

...a bunch of other options.


So, it depends on what you want to do.

There is a little more to the simplified methods I mentioned, but if you decide what you want to do, there are plenty of how-to guides with step by step instructions to help you, or you can ask us here.

One suggestion, If you do not plan on using it, I highly suggest removing the HDD. Some believe the excessive heat from the HDD might be a factor in the high failure rates of the GPUs in the model that you have.

Many people replace the HDDs with SSDs which will run much cooler and hopefully prevent heat-related GPU issues.

 

[Axall]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I guess I should have been more clear with my question. I am using the SSD as my boot drive with a fresh os installed and using the hhd as additional storage. I am trying to save files to the SSD drive as it seems that the HHD is default for saving files. For example, I was working with an excel file and when I went to save it it was only showing the HHD storage as an option to save and not the SSD drive.

 

[DeltaMac]

If you go to your home folder (the folder with your user name), that should be on your boot drive - unless you chose to set that up, so your home folder is on your HDD, and not the SSD.

Click on your desktop, so you see Finder next to the Apple in your top menu.
Click on the Go menu, and choose Home. You should see your home folder appear, with Documents, Pictures, Downloads, Desktop, and others --- all folders that belong to you, and have your files.
Right click on the top of the window, where your user name is located. You should be a dropdown with the path to that folder. Which drive is directly underneath "Users"? Is that your SSD, or the HDD? (Hopefully, you did not use the same name for both drives )

 

[Axall]

Thanks for the reply, the drive directly below Users is the SSD drive

 

[DeltaMac]

Your system appears to "see" the correct location for your home folder, so your "system" is not defaulting to the wrong drive.
You said that your files and apps get saved to the wrong drive.
What kinds of files (what apps?) get saved to the HDD?
Can you choose to save a file to the SSD by doing a Save As, rather than a default save?
When you are ready to save a NEW document (and you see a save dialog screen where you could choose a different location), can you browse to the SSD at that time?

Maybe a better way to ask this: Can you drag-copy a file from the HDD to your SSD (or vice-versa?)

 

[Axall]

Hi thanks again for the replies. When I go to save as the options that I have are remote disc and my HHD drive. I am assuming the remote disc is the CD drive.

 

[DeltaMac]

Try this:
Click on the screen, so Finder shows in the top menu.
Click on Finder, then choose Preferences.
Click on the box "Hard Drives", until the box has a √ .
Go to the "Sidebar" tab, and again, make sure the "Hard disks" box has a √.

Does the SSD (and the HDD, too) appear on your desktop? If it does, try another save to check if you can now browse to the SSD...

"Remote Disc" is, in fact, a CD or DVD drive, but not the one built-in to your Mac.
"remote disc" is a feature that allows you to use a CD drive that is connected to another computer -- a "remote disc".
It's intended use is for Macs that don't have a CD/DVD drive.

 

[Axall]

Thanks again for the help on this. Here is a screen shot of whats happening. The hards drives now show on the desktop. Louie's being the SSD drive and Louie's storage being the HHD. When I go to save a word document the only options its giving me is the Remote Disc and Louie's Storage ( HHD drive).

 

[DeltaMac]

From your screenshot showing Word Save As dialog screen: Click the little arrow at the right end of the line that you show as dropped-down. That will open more of the window, and show you several more save location choices.