Macbook Pro early 2011, 13" blah blah blah
Can anyone suggest a fairly robust SSD for external use? Usb or Firewire?
Can I simply buy any SSD, put it in a case and but a mac cable? (I'm used to PC's!)
Also, I will at some point (when the prices drop a little) want to replace the interal drive with an SSD, any suggestions for mirroring the drive?
Cheers,
Tull.
MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)
I am not an expert on the various brands of SSDs, but I would start with Crucial or OWC based on their being MAC friendly. By all means do some research on the Internet. There can be significant performance differences.
If you get a enclosure with a firewire connection, use that. It is faster than USB 2.
Don't forget that a new drive, be it SSD or HDD must be formatted for your MBP. Yes virtually any will do. I suggest though that you make certain that the form factor is such that it can be installed in your MBP if you think that you might do so in the future.
As far as duplicating the external SSD with the internal HDD, you can use DISK UTILITY>RESTORE (found in you utilities folder) or down load from the Internet Carbon Copy Cloner. Both options will work.
Ciao.
Hi, thanks for your reply. Yes, I've recently upgraded the OS drive for a few PC's in the home/office and have done about as much research on burst speeds as I'm prepared to! However, a small OS drive on a PC is a completely different animal to a working drive on a laptop, then add mac to the equation and I started to panic!
Thanks for the advice on Crucial or OWC, I guess these have the same Sata connection, the enclosure is the bit that's going to make the difference? I'm keen to find something that doesn't need an external power supply.
The duplicating options are noted, very many thanks for that.
Cheers,
Tull.
Again I am not a good source on specific SSDs, primarily because the cost/benefits as far as I am concerned are not there.
Do not panic!!!!!!!
I do know that a SSD with the same form factor as a conventional HDD can be installed just as easily.
As I indicated before, fire wire is faster that USB 2 (apx 2 xs). You would need an enclosure with that connection. OWC sells them, but they are not cheap, but they are good. You might search on the Internet for more economic alternatives.
Any compatible SSD should be able to be buss powered.
You might create a new post soliciting from forum participants for their respective experiences with SSDs and their thoughts on specific virtues and vices.
Good luck.
Sxternal SSD?
