Fusion Drive to SSD upgrade on late 2013 iMac

I’m having trouble upgrading my IMac from a Fusion Drive to a SSD drive, when I go to clone the Fusion Drive to the new SSD. I get the message could not validate size and error 27 as well. I have a 1 TB Fusion Drive and the SSD is a Samsung 2TB. Im currently doing a Time Machine backup to another 2TB Samsung SSD as that maybe I can possibly install the other SSD and just use the Time Machine backup to format the drive ?….. any insight on this would be appreciated I just want to keep everything I have and seamlessly migrate over to solid state.

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Mar 27, 2023 9:16 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 28, 2023 6:27 PM

Hi 317nozzle,


Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities. We understand you'd like to migrate your data and macOS to a new SSD drive. We recommend installing macOS on the drive and then using Time Machine to restore your backup. This article has the steps: Recover all your files from a Time Machine backup.


"If you use Time Machine to back up your Mac, you can recover your files if your system or startup disk is damaged.

Important: You must first reinstall macOS on your Mac before you can restore your files using your Time Machine backup.

If you’re restoring your system because of a problem with your startup disk, repair or replace the disk before following these instructions.


Keep these instructions handy by printing them. Click the Share button , then choose Print.

Before you begin, make sure your Time Machine backup disk is connected and turned on. If your disk is on a network, make sure your Mac is on the same network.

  1. Start up your computer in macOS Recovery:
    • On a Mac with Apple silicon: Choose Apple menu  > Shut Down, press and hold the power button until you see “Loading startup options,” click Options, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions.
    • On an Intel-based Mac: Choose Apple menu > Restart, immediately press and hold Command-R until you see the startup screen, then follow the onscreen instructions.

2. To reinstall the version of macOS stored on your computer’s built-in recovery disk, including any installed updates, select Reinstall macOS Ventura in the Recovery window, then click Continue.

See Reinstall macOS.

3. After macOS finishes installing new system files, Migration Assistant asks if you want to transfer information from another Mac or a Time Machine backup. Select Transfer from a Time Machine Backup, then click Continue.

If necessary, enter the name and password you use to connect to your backup disk. You may also have to enter the password you used to encrypt the backup.

4. Select the date and time of the backup you want to restore, then follow the onscreen instructions.

After you restore your system, Time Machine may perform a full backup at the next scheduled backup time. This is normal. Time Machine resumes incremental backups after the full backup is completed."


Take care.




Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 28, 2023 6:27 PM in response to 317nozzle

Hi 317nozzle,


Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities. We understand you'd like to migrate your data and macOS to a new SSD drive. We recommend installing macOS on the drive and then using Time Machine to restore your backup. This article has the steps: Recover all your files from a Time Machine backup.


"If you use Time Machine to back up your Mac, you can recover your files if your system or startup disk is damaged.

Important: You must first reinstall macOS on your Mac before you can restore your files using your Time Machine backup.

If you’re restoring your system because of a problem with your startup disk, repair or replace the disk before following these instructions.


Keep these instructions handy by printing them. Click the Share button , then choose Print.

Before you begin, make sure your Time Machine backup disk is connected and turned on. If your disk is on a network, make sure your Mac is on the same network.

  1. Start up your computer in macOS Recovery:
    • On a Mac with Apple silicon: Choose Apple menu  > Shut Down, press and hold the power button until you see “Loading startup options,” click Options, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions.
    • On an Intel-based Mac: Choose Apple menu > Restart, immediately press and hold Command-R until you see the startup screen, then follow the onscreen instructions.

2. To reinstall the version of macOS stored on your computer’s built-in recovery disk, including any installed updates, select Reinstall macOS Ventura in the Recovery window, then click Continue.

See Reinstall macOS.

3. After macOS finishes installing new system files, Migration Assistant asks if you want to transfer information from another Mac or a Time Machine backup. Select Transfer from a Time Machine Backup, then click Continue.

If necessary, enter the name and password you use to connect to your backup disk. You may also have to enter the password you used to encrypt the backup.

4. Select the date and time of the backup you want to restore, then follow the onscreen instructions.

After you restore your system, Time Machine may perform a full backup at the next scheduled backup time. This is normal. Time Machine resumes incremental backups after the full backup is completed."


Take care.




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Fusion Drive to SSD upgrade on late 2013 iMac

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