Hey!
Just a simple question. I wanna replace my broken superdrive with a SDD in my iMac 21,5 mid 2011. Which SSDs are compatible to my iMac? Or do all SSDs work with my iMac in general? And also, what cables do I need...do I need an adapter?
iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), OS X Mavericks (10.9.3)
Shop for one at OWC / MacSales. They carry the required cable, any tools you may need, and a detailed installation video for your specific model iMac.
You don't need to remove the optical drive.
Avoid PC-centric vendors whose SSDs may require firmware updates that only use Windows - specific installers.
Thanks for the answer. But could you (or someone else) explain me what's the point when it comes to the choice of the ssd? What is technically the importance of the rright ssd? what is supported/what not?
Cause I just don't wanna pay more than I need to, only because I was too lazy to find out exactly what SSDs I can use. I already know sites like you said, which just sell all in one SSD Packs with tools and stuff. Oh and one more thing: What do you mean by PC-centric vendors? I dont really get that. Maybe you could explain that for a german like me π sry for my english!
PC-centric vendor: one that caters to non-Macintosh market
and whose products are not tested or marketed to Mac folk.
You can pay more going some other route.
Such as the PC vendor and find once you
(or paid someone else) has installed the
SSD, they didn't have the correct parts or
the proper firmware, & lacked Mac support.
The costs go up especially if/when you have
someone else do the work, and they did their
best, with parts you mistakenly bought.
Helps to have an alternative plan, too, just
in case the upgrade idea wasn't thought out.
A good backup scheme is always pragmatic.
Good luck!π
Max.159 wrote:
Cause I just don't wanna pay more than I need to, only because I was too lazy to find out exactly what SSDs I can use.
That's the reason for going to OWC. They specialize in Macs and sell only SSDs that will work with your Mac.
For example, on occasion an SSD may need a firmware update, and certain manufacturers offer no way to install the update unless you have a Windows PC. OWC's SSDs will have Mac-compatible firmware installers, if it becomes necessary.
Deutsch ist auch OK bei mir, aber sprechen Sie bitte langsam.
Deutsch ist auch OK bei mir, aber sprechen Sie bitte langsam.
π π π awesome!
No, let's stick to english. I can improve my english a little this way! π
And yea, what you say sounds legit! But aynway, is the case with the firmware update the only thing which could cause problems on a mac? ...if the firmware update only works well with windows. Cause I've googled a little bit around and saw that SSDs from Samsung seem to work well with iMacs.
I somehow still do not know which things are from a technically view important when it comes to find the right SSD. Okay, the firmware thing is an argument! That's what I'm looking for. Is there anything else like that?
Lol, I just see right in that moment that OWC germany sells the samsung SSDs as well....but back to my question: What else besides the firmware update comptability is important for Mac SSDs? Cause if the firmware stuff is the only thing, then I guess I can check that for each individual SSD to make sure, it will work.
Thank you guys anyway for helping me out, so far!!
EDIT:
I'm thinking about that one now, since it's also avaiblible through OWC.
What do you guys think about that one? And what else do I need, in case I wanna replace it with my superdrive. I guess I need some adapter cable ****. Oh and of course a case to make it fit into the superdrive slot.
The Samsung SSDs should be OK. You may find suitable SSDs available from Crucial also.
The SSDs to avoid are Intel's, since they were the ones requiring a firmware update for which there was no OS X installer. The firmware update was required for Mavericks compatibility, and for all anyone knows, another firmware update may be required for future OS X upgrades. If that should occur, and your SSD's manufacturer doesn't care about supporting the Apple market, you may find yourself in an untenable situation.
Consider manufacturer's storage claims. All OWC's SSDs already account for a certain amount of overprovisioning which means there really is 480 GB available in a 480 GB SSD. For example, manufacturers may advertise a 500 GB SSD but you may find only 480 GB available after provisioning. In other words OWC's "truth in advertising" is commendable.
Another important factor to consider is the manufacturer's guarantee. I recommend OWC since those are the ones I use - specifically the Mercury Extreme Pro 6G models. They have a five year guarantee.
You really do not need an enclosure for the SSD since there is sufficient space within your Mid-2011 iMac to mount it without having to remove the Superdrive. You just need the cable that OWC sells to connect the SSD to the logic board. If I were going to disassemble the iMac to install the SSD, I would take that opportunity to replace the inoperative Superdrive with a Blu-Ray drive.
Are you part of OWC? π
Well, anyway, it sounds legit what you say. But the thing with the superdrive is, that it's broken anyway so I don't wanna let it inside of my mac. I don't need a bluray drive as well. Absolutley no need for a cd drive in general.
The point why I tend to put the ssd where the superdrive currently is, is that every tutroail video I see, where pepole put the ssd additonatley to a superdrive in an 21,5 imac, is more complicated. Cause you need to remove the logic board then.
But I saw video where people just replaced it with the superdrive and there it seems that you don't have to remove the logic board and stuff like that...is that true? I saw couple of videos and these dudes just put in the cable from the superdrive in their ssd and the temp sensor cable on it, and that's it.
So is that true now or not? So I appreciate your answers really! But pls just answer, if it's okay for you, on that thing. If I remove my superdrive to put in the SSD on that place, can I let the logic board where its it?
And thats why I always come up with that cable stuff. Cause the slot on an SSD doenst look like the cable wich is in the superdrive.
Thx in advance!
Are you part of OWC?
No, but OWC has been known to participate on this site in a representative capacity. To my knowledge, Samsung has not. Their SSDs may be fine but I don't personally recommend any service or product that I have not used myself.
Using the optical drive's cable to connect the SSD is not ideal because the optical drive interface is slower, so much slower that it would obviate the SSD's speed advantage. You can certainly do that if you like though.
OWC's cable will use the iMac's dedicated SSD connection on its logic board. Not all iMacs have that connection. Fortunately, yours does. This feature is only available on the 27 inch 2010 and all later model iMacs, so you really should take advantage of it.
Disassembling the iMac is a tedious procedure, but doing it the right way isn't that much additional work. The hardest part will be keeping dust from getting between the glass and the monitor. It's practically impossible.
You can obtain the cable from OWC or other sources. I found this site which has another potential source:
http://www.twam.info/hardware/apple/installing-additional-ssd-in-mid-2010-27-ima c
Alright, thx then! I guess I have all infromations that I need now. I will see what I do.
I just saw that OWC stuff is being sold in germany as well, so i wouldn't be a problem to order OWC SSDs and cables.
But are you sure with the opcitcal drive interface, that it's slower?
Do you mean the cable itself or the slot in the logic borad, which doens't allow the full speed of the SSD? If so, have you any sources?
Thank you all guys!
As you are probably expecting by now π I suggest you ask OWC about the relative speed difference between the dedicated SSD interface vs. using the optical drive interface in your particular model iMac.
It seems to me that if your iMac has a dedicated SSD interface, which it does, you ought to use it for a number of reasons. Your iMac's firmware is already designed to find one there. I wouldn't use the optical drive's interface for that purpose unless there were no other option. If you had an older iMac, you would have no choice but to use it.
I just took a look in my system profiler and you are right! The slot where the superdrive is currently plugged in, only supports 3gbit compared to the normal HDD slots, where 6gbit is supported. And like you said, I still have an empty slot left for a drive, in this case, for my SSD π
There you go π
John Galt wrote:
There you go π
Yep! π
Thanks again and have a nice day!
Cheers from germany! π
Which SSD is compatible to my iMac 21,5 mid 2011?
