maximum hard drive capacity for late 2012 model

Question

Level 1

4 points

maximum hard drive capacity for late 2012 model

Hi:

What is the maximum capacity of hard drive I can install in a late 2012 Mac Mini? It has a 500GB installed (Bootcamped etc.) and I wish to increase the drive capacity - perhaps to 1TB?

Current drive is listed as Apple HDD HTS545050A7E362 - which appears to be a Hitachi drive.

Is there a larger drive that will fit in replacement for this one?

Would prefer to stick with a standard drive if possible as SSD obviously cost a lot more!

System is running Mavericks OS

Thank you

trvlr

Mac mini, Mac OS 9.0.x

Posted on Jun 14, 2015 9:45 AM

Reply

Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Jun 14, 2015 9:53 AM in response to mactrvlr

2 TB

http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/?Ntk=Primary&N2=4294933098&Ns=P_Popularity%7c1& Ne=4294933119&N=100444+4294933098&Ntt=Se…

I myself have installed an SSD in my 2102 Mini. I alsp purchased thedata doubler

http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/Search.cfm?Ntk=Primary&Ns=P_Popularity%7C1&Ne=5 000&N=100369&Ntt=data+doubler

and retained the rotating drive and installed the SSD as system drive

Reply

Answer 2

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Jun 14, 2015 9:54 AM in response to mactrvlr

It has to do with the physical size: you can buy 2.5" disks in 2 TB size, the mini can have two of those inside.

Reply

Answer 3

mactrvlr Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 14, 2015 10:14 AM in response to Lexiepex

Hi - and thank you for advice thus far.

Supplementary questions (as they say in some places):

The drive installed is 7mm thickness; but the drive(s) on the suggested website appear to be 9mm thickness? Is this a problem or will a 9mm fit where 7mm went - without "stretching" the ribbon/cable? I have read a few "how to replace the hard drive in a Mac Mini and some of them seems to suggest the 9mm is tight fit - the ribbon/cable being possibly a wee bit too short...; and thus a tight (even stretch) fit?

If one leaves the existing drive in place is it possible to simply add in the second drive and use it (second drive) as strictly storage?

I'm in the UK, although travel to USA/Canada on occasion; so buying from Canada/USA is not a problem. There is of course the 5-8hrs time difference so not always across here at the same times as those in N.Am...

Again thank you "en-avance"

Reply

Answer 4

den.thed

Level 9

77,044 points

Jun 14, 2015 10:35 AM in response to mactrvlr

I've been running my 2012 Mini for over a year on an HGST 7200rpm drive and it was a whole lot better than the stock 5400rpm drive.

http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Travelstar-2-5-Inch-7200RPM-Mobile/dp/B0097LG9U8

Just last weekend I finally made the move and put in a 240GB SSD. Like IIIaass, I put the SSD in the lower bay and moved my HGST drive into the upper bay using OWC's dual drive kit. I must say that I am way more surprisedby the SSD's speed, than I originally was by the HGST's speed increase.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMM11D2/

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Mini_Late_2012

Reply

Answer 5

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Jun 14, 2015 10:31 AM in response to mactrvlr

A 9 mm tall drive is fine. I think it has to be 9.5 mm or thinner.

It is a size issue not cable length, The cables are plenty long

Reply

Answer 6

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Jun 14, 2015 12:28 PM in response to mactrvlr

The cable is not too short, the thickness has is not too thin, sometimes they deliver the thickness adapter with it, but it is not necessary. Ilaass said it ll.

SSD is much faster, I always switch the hardddisk for SSD, but they are much more expensive, the 1TB ones are about 500$. but you can put a lot of user data in a "normal" HDD (in the upper bay) and have a 256GB or 500GB SSD in the lower bay. Look on OWC sites or iFixit sites for a video on how to do it.

btw: do not install any socalled "smart" software that comes sometimes with new disks; do not install a Trim command in SSD.

Lex

Reply