Will blank SSD with proprietary Apple connection allow reinstallation of MacOS?

[New Daddy]

I upgraded my 2015 Macbook Pro's storage with a M.2 NVMe SSD using an adapter.
Everything has been working fine until I tried to erase the SSD and reinstall the OS.
After many google searches and long story short, it turns out that the Mac recovery won't recognize the NVMe as a target drive.

Now, I'm left with the only option of buying an SSD that has Apple proprietary connection, such as https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/macbook-pro-retina-display/2013-2014-2015 .

Before making a $100 decision, I'd like to make sure.
Will the MacOS recovery be able to reinstall the OS on a blank SSD that has Apple proprietary connection?

 

[Fishrrman]

"it turns out that the Mac recovery won't recognize the NVMe as a target drive."

What KIND of "adapter" did you use?
For an nvme drive, you should be using a USB3.1 gen2 enclosure.

The "adapter" may have EVERYTHING to do with it.

We also need to clarify:
Did you use the recovery partition (command-R)?
or
Did you try INTERNET recovery (command-OPTION-R)?

If you didn't use internet recovery, I suggest you try again.

Also...
You haven't told us WHICH VERSION of the OS you want to install.
That's important.

I suggest you try INTERNET recovery.
Command-OPTION-R

You'll need your wifi password.
The internet utilities take a while to load, be patient.

Once loaded, open disk utility.
VERY IMPORTANT: go to the "view" menu and choose "show all devices".

Then, look at the list on the left.
Is the nvme "on the list"?
If not, the first thing to do is GET ANOTHER ENCLOSURE. Again, you want USB3.1 gen2. There are MANY of these available, they are inexpensive.

If the nvme drive IS on the list, erase it to:
- For Mojave and later, APFS with GUID partition format
- For High Sierra and earlier, Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.

When done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.
Start clicking through.
When the installer asks WHERE you want to install, click "show all drives".
Do you see the nvme?
If so, start clicking through.

The Mac will restart one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or two with no other indication of activity. Be patient.

When done, you should see the initial setup screen (choose your language)...

FINAL THOUGHT:
I have NEVER use an "Apple proprietary connection" or device on which to install a bootable OS onto an external drive. Not since I began using Macs in 1987.
EVERY drive I have ever used has been a "3rd-party drive"...

 

[EugW]

FINAL THOUGHT:
I have NEVER use an "Apple proprietary connection" or device on which to install a bootable OS onto an external drive. Not since I began using Macs in 1987.
EVERY drive I have ever used has been a "3rd-party drive"...

Your experience with other Macs does not really apply to the 2015 MacBook Pro and other machines of that generation. Recovery won't work properly in this context.

I upgraded my 2015 Macbook Pro's storage with a M.2 NVMe SSD using an adapter.
Everything has been working fine until I tried to erase the SSD and reinstall the OS.
After many google searches and long story short, it turns out that the Mac recovery won't recognize the NVMe as a target drive.

Now, I'm left with the only option of buying an SSD that has Apple proprietary connection, such as https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/macbook-pro-retina-display/2013-2014-2015 .

Before making a $100 decision, I'd like to make sure.
Will the MacOS recovery be able to reinstall the OS on a blank SSD that has Apple proprietary connection?

Use a USB flash drive to install the OS. That means you have to download the installer and then using Terminal commands, to make that USB flash drive into a macOS installer.

Note also to upgrade the OS you may need to have upgraded the machine already on the original SSD. The reason for this if some of the OS upgrades sometimes require firmware updates, but those firmware updates don't work unless an OEM SSD in installed. So IMO the safest procedure is (after making sure you have all the appropriate data backups):

1. Download the macOS installer and make a copy of it.
2. Make a USB flash drive macOS installer. Put that aside.
3. Upgrade the OS on your existing Apple OEM SSD.
4. Remove the Apple SSD and install the third party SSD.
5. Use the USB flash drive to install macOS on the third party SSD.

Do not buy the OWC drives. They are overpriced junk, and have the same issue anyway. Basically they are just no-name third party drives that have an Apple connector, and rebranded with OWC's store brand.

Be aware though that many of these drives have power issues with macOS, since Apple only implements proper power management with native Apple drives. Furthermore, even if you use an Apple drive but one that is for a different type of machine (eg. Mac Pro), you won't get proper behaviour. The way around this is to buy a specific models of SSDs that behave better in this regard. Some like the SK Hynix P31 Gold have inherently lower power utilization and various drives can have the power management turned on by the use of third party kernel extensions. However, those third party kernel extensions can sometimes cause other problems. Also, some of these drives only work best in Macs when they have the latest firmwares... but those drive firmwares can only be updated in Windows.

 

[Fishrrman]

Eug wrote:
"Your experience with other Macs does not really apply to the 2015 MacBook Pro and other machines of that generation. Recovery won't work properly in this context"

Hmmmm....
I happen to HAVE a 2015 MacBook Pro, and one of the first things I did after taking it out of the box was "partition and reinstall the OS" on it.

It boots just fine from external boot drives that I have.

It also boots fine to internet recovery if needed.

The instructions I gave the OP will work fine for him.

EDIT:
Just to see if it would work...

I went outside and fetched my "off site backup" I keep in the car.
This is an nvme blade SSD mounted in a USB3.1 gen2 enclosure.
It was created from CarbonCopyCloner and is a backup of my 2018 Mac Mini running Mojave.

This backup was never previously connected to the 2015 MacBook Pro.
It booted the MBP just fine (I just logged into it as I'm typing).

And... the MBP has never run Mojave before a few moments ago.
It's installed OS is 10.12 "Low Sierra".
But again, it booted and ran fine, it's running RIGHT NOW just to my left.

By the way, this is testimonial to the near-universality of CCC cloned backups, as well.

 

[EugW]

Eug wrote:
"Your experience with other Macs does not really apply to the 2015 MacBook Pro and other machines of that generation. Recovery won't work properly in this context"

Hmmmm....
I happen to HAVE a 2015 MacBook Pro, and one of the first things I did after taking it out of the box was "partition and reinstall the OS" on it.

It boots just fine from external boot drives that I have.

It also boots fine to internet recovery if needed.

The instructions I gave the OP will work fine for him.

EDIT:
Just to see if it would work...

I went outside and fetched my "off site backup" I keep in the car.
This is an nvme blade SSD mounted in a USB3.1 gen2 enclosure.
It was created from CarbonCopyCloner and is a backup of my 2018 Mac Mini running Mojave.

This backup was never previously connected to the 2015 MacBook Pro.
It booted the MBP just fine (I just logged into it as I'm typing).

And... the MBP has never run Mojave before a few moments ago.
It's installed OS is 10.12 "Low Sierra".
But again, it booted and ran fine, it's running RIGHT NOW just to my left.

By the way, this is testimonial to the near-universality of CCC cloned backups, as well.

External drives work fine, including NVMe drives in USB enclosures. The problem is specifically when you install a third party NVMe SSD internally in the 2015 MacBook Pro.

 

[Fishrrman]

"External drives work fine, including NVMe drives in USB enclosures. The problem is specifically when you install a third party NVMe SSD internally in the 2015 MacBook Pro."

OK, I've read of that, but the user reporting problems was using a slightly earlier MBP, might have been 2013 or 2014. I guess the 2015 as well.

Seems like the solution (as convoluted as it may seem) would be:
1. TAKE OUT the 3rd-party SSD
2. RE-install the Apple factory SSD
3. Upgrade the OS (firmware update may require presence of factory OEM SSD)
4. Then swap out the factory drive AGAIN for the 3rd party SSD
5. Finally (with upgraded firmware already installed) either install new OS onto 3rd party SSD.

Looks to be a BIG job.

 

[EugW]

"External drives work fine, including NVMe drives in USB enclosures. The problem is specifically when you install a third party NVMe SSD internally in the 2015 MacBook Pro."

OK, I've read of that, but the user reporting problems was using a slightly earlier MBP, might have been 2013 or 2014. I guess the 2015 as well.

Seems like the solution (as convoluted as it may seem) would be:
1. TAKE OUT the 3rd-party SSD
2. RE-install the Apple factory SSD
3. Upgrade the OS (firmware update may require presence of factory OEM SSD)
4. Then swap out the factory drive AGAIN for the 3rd party SSD
5. Finally (with upgraded firmware already installed) either install new OS onto 3rd party SSD.

Looks to be a BIG job.

The OP is using a 2015 MBP, but it's similar for the 2013 and 2014 models. However, the supported speeds are generally faster with the later models, with the 15" 2015 models supporting the fastest speeds. There are also other problems with the 2013-2014 models.

Anyhow, @New Daddy, there is an entire stickied thread dedicated to this right at the top of this sub-forum. I suggest you read the first post in that thread, and if you still have questions, ask in that thread.

"External drives work fine, including NVMe drives in USB enclosures. The problem is specifically when you install a third party NVMe SSD internally in the 2015 MacBook Pro."

OK, I've read of that, but the user reporting problems was using a slightly earlier MBP, might have been 2013 or 2014. I guess the 2015 as well.

Seems like the solution (as convoluted as it may seem) would be:
1. TAKE OUT the 3rd-party SSD
2. RE-install the Apple factory SSD
3. Upgrade the OS (firmware update may require presence of factory OEM SSD)
4. Then swap out the factory drive AGAIN for the 3rd party SSD
5. Finally (with upgraded firmware already installed) either install new OS onto 3rd party SSD.

Looks to be a BIG job.

IIRC, recovery still won't work this way. The way to do it is with a bootable installer on a USB flash drive, as I outlined in a previous post.

The good news is that the actual drive install is dead simple. It takes literally 2 minutes.

 

[New Daddy]

Anyhow, @New Daddy, there is an entire stickied thread dedicated to this right at the top of this sub-forum. I suggest you read the first post in that thread, and if you still have questions, ask in that thread.


IIRC, recovery still won't work this way. The way to do it is with a bootable installer on a USB flash drive, as I outlined in a previous post.

The good news is that the actual drive install is dead simple. It takes literally 2 minutes.

Thanks for the tip.
I may be way in over my head though.
My experiences with Mac's (both MBP and iMacs) are vastly more pleasant than with Windows machines except when it comes to hardware upgrades.