Can I install a ssd with iMac mid 2011?

ssd disks have the same connector as a normal hd and it's mostly transparent for a computer that the hd is a ssd or a normal hd

so if you take the imac apart and exchange the 500gb hd with a ssd it would work apart from 2 things

1

the normal hd's have a temp censor which a off the shelf ssd does not so something has to be done to it not think there is something wrong with the sensor

2

rather old os versions don't see that it's using a ssd so they do not support TRIM which mean the life span of the ssd (a ssd memory cell have a limited number of times one can write data to it before it stops working) read more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trim_%28computing%29

about taking apart and replacing the hd and taking care of the sensor

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/51521/Install+SSD+on+the+new+2011+iMac

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/51521/Install+SSD+on+the+new+2011+iMac

more

https://www.google.dk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=putt ing%20ssd%20in%20imac%202011

it of cause will void all warranty but it being from 2011 those would have expired anyway

I have a late 2009 iMac, similar in design to yours. I installed an SSD for my boot and applications drive in place of the optical drive and put the optical in an external case. That served two purposes, I got the speed increase I was looking for and I removed the fragile SuperDrive from the heat and vertical orientation that seem to shorten their lives. My SuperDrive had alreday been replaced once under warranty. Doing it this way also eliminates the temp sensor issue as you simply peel the external sensor off of the optical drive and stick it on the SSD.

Regarding the TRIM issue, older versions of OS X work fine with a utility called TRIM Enabler but beginning with Yosemite 10.10 Apple enabled something called kext signing that prohibits the use of such utilities. Some SSD manufacturers, OWC specifically, state that their drives don't need TRIM. I installed an OWC SSD partly because of that and strongly recommend them for practically anything Mac.

I have the exact same model iMac you have and I have successfully installed an SSD to the the 3rd SATA port which is located underneath the optical drive.

The guide for the full installation is here at iFixit: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+EMC+2428+Dual+Hard+ Drive+Kit/6434

I used an OWC 6G 120GB SSD and installed it with cabling and adhesive strips (also from OWC) as I believe that the SSD&HDD power connectors are propietary.

Kit: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIM21SSD11/

You can also mount your SSD in the Optical bay as Mike said above, but I personally still like mine inside the case (its called an All-In-One for a reason!)

Hope this points you in the right direction!🙂

Hmmm, the only other place i can suggest to install an SSD is the ODD bay.

This eliminates the need for a temp sensor and power/data cable, all you will need is an optibay-search for them on places like ebay.

Placing an SSD in the Optical Drive slot will limit it to the slower SATA II (3GBps) protocol, wheras on the alternate 2 slots you can unlock full SATA III (6GBps) which is more than double the Optibay is capable of, this difference will not be noticable but an SSD is better used where it can achieve its maximum link speed.