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User profile for user: JmDo
JmDo Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

how to upgrade my 2009 Mac Pro and install a PCIe Sata card

Hi I have the 2009 4,1 Mac Pro and I want to upgrade it.

My old main drive is on it's last legs just like me, I'm a senior citizen and figure if I'm going to do it now is the time.

It seems a bit daunting to me although I've changed out memory, upgraded my video card and installed two SSD sata drives. I've also installed Bootcamp and play BF4 on Windows.

The actual mechanical installation I'm ok with, it's the choices I have to make that is giving me pause.


I've read the write up on the OWC site and I've decided to go with a 1 Tb SSD.

I've also read where the Apple Samsung blades are faster but have no idea which ones will work with my Mac Pro and which ones will not so I'm hesitant about ordering one on ebay without some reassurance that I'm not throwing my money away.

There may be other options other than OWC as I've read that the SSD's that they use have not been as reliable as they should be.


So I'm appealing to younger and smarter minds to give me some options and guidance.


Thank you

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), null

Posted on Apr 14, 2015 11:03 AM

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User profile for user: JmDo
JmDo Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Apr 14, 2015 11:47 AM in response to lllaass

Thanks lllaass, that first link about the X941 seemed to be talking about Trim which sounded over my head and I'd like to avoid it if possible. The other link referred to the Mac Pro 5,1 and I have the 4,1 so I'm not sure it would be applicable for me.

I tried following the other links on that page but there are so many of them and all going off on tangents, it's hard to get a handle on something solid.

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User profile for user: JmDo
JmDo Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Apr 14, 2015 12:44 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy, regarding the Samsung's 840 and 850 series that you mentioned, I googled them but couldn't find anything that talked about using them in the PCIe slots with a card. I have the SATA 2, 3 Gig but maybe that's not an issue if I'm putting it in a PCIe slot

Where do you recommend buying those cards and are some of these models faster than others.

I saw this one on eBay which I was told would work but I can' t vouch for the source being correct and I'm not a big fan of eBay.

It's this one Apple Samsung 1 TB PCI-e SSD MBP Retina Mac Mini Mac Pro 655-1860B SSUBX


One thing I didn't mention is that I currently haveYosemite running on my mac, however I am hoping that I can go back to Mountain Lion. I just upgraded a week ago and have my main drive backed up on an external hard drive just before I upgraded. So I am hoping that I can load ML onto the new SSD when I get it installed. Does it matter which system I am running when choosing the SSD card.


I do want to be able to boot up from the PCIe SSD card and make that my main drive.

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User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,990 points

Apr 15, 2015 5:24 PM in response to JmDo

You can use PCIe SATA III and a 'standard' SSD like the Samsung 850 EVO or Pro and 1TB $369 I think and get 550MB/sec


The XP941 uses an adapter, not a SATA III controller, and those get over 1000MB/sec but limited to 500GB for $459.


Then there is the same Apple/Samsung 1TB you found on ebay and same as used in the Mac Pro Late 2013 "nMP" 6,1 and capable of 1500MB/sec and again, it does not use a controller at all, just an adapter to hold it in PCIe slot, faster than SATA III - so no real cost for a controller either.


But you do want SATA III or better.


Forget the "5,1" or such - those blades and adapters work in ALL Mac Pro models.


There is a long thread on MacRumors that takes more than one read and is on-going.


I would avoid the OWC offerings like the plague.


As for TRIM, well there is always something to learn or just use and forget, some people drive a car without knowing all the ins and outs.


Figure what you want in performance - and if you really need 1TB or not, or maybe you want 1 x 1TB using two SSDs, then use SATA III controller like the Apricorn Velocity Duo to mount the two SSDs on.

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User profile for user: JmDo
JmDo Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Apr 15, 2015 5:29 PM in response to The hatter

Hi hatter, thank you for taking the time to outline my choices that is just what i was hoping for.

Not sure I understand all of it but I think I’ve narrowed it down.

I think I can get by with the XP941 with adapter at 500 GB.

My original hard drive is 648 GB and I’ve used 438 GB of it. I think I can slim it down a quite a bit though , I can always transfer some of the files back over to my old main drive once the PCIe SSD takes it’s place.

Do you see any problems with using the PCIe SSD card as my main bootable drive.

I did read in one of the threads on MacRumors site where someone referred to not being able to boot up Bootcamp because of the PCIe SSD being used as the main drive. The post was pretty cryptic and didn’t go into much detail.

I have Bootcamp loaded onto it’s own internal SSD Sata.


I’ve found this one on Amazon for $495 Samsung XP941 AHCI 512GB M.2 80mm PCIe 2.0 x4 SSD - MZHPU512HCGL - OEM

Also this adapter card $29.99 Sintech M.2(NGFF) M Key PCI-e SSD to PCIe X4 Adapter Card For Samsung XP941 MZHPU


What do you think will this combination work ok for me.

Thanks again hatter for honing it down for me, it has really helped me a lot.

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how to upgrade my 2009 Mac Pro and install a PCIe Sata card

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