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User profile for user: Emile Skip
Emile Skip Author
User level: Level 1
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SSD into iMac early 2009

Hello,

I have an iMac 20" from early 2009, containing a 320GB HDD, and having the Intel Duo Core 2,66Gz.

Since the moment I am running Yosemite (Version 10.10.3) my system has slow down, so I have decided to do something about that.

I was recommend to replace the HDD with a SSD.

Looking several Youtube's on how to replace the HDD with SSD, I have created following shopping list, waiting to be installed;

- a Samsung SSD 850 EVO, 500GB.

- To overcome the 3,5" / 2,5" size I bought the PNY modification adapter kit.

- Sitcom USB SATA adapter, which will allow me prepare the SSD upfront before building it to my iMac.


I am not so much concerned about the physical installation, but rather concerned about the "software" preparations.

Now here are my question;

Have I bought the correct materials? ( will the Samsung 850 work with my iMac model?)

How do I prepare the SSD before installing it?

- How should I format the SSD?

- Should I and How should I make the SSD bootable?

- Should I connect the SSD via the USB/SATA adapter, and than run a back up procedure in order to restore all my data on the SSD?

- I read all kind of conversations about TRIM, what is the best approach?


Many questions I realize; hopefully somebody is willing to answer a couple of them.

MANY THANKS! ;-)


Emile

Posted on Jul 31, 2015 1:45 AM

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User profile for user: SeaPapp
SeaPapp
User level: Level 7
26,486 points

Posted on Jul 31, 2015 3:49 AM

Emile, your system has probably slowed down because you don't have enough ram. Yosemite doesn't run well in older macs with less than 8GB of ram, if you haven't maxed out your ram you should do that first. On to your questions.

The Samsung 850 will work but not at full speed. Your iMac only has a SATA II 3GB interface.

Connect the new SSD using the SATA to USB adapter and using Disk Utility partition it as one partition using the GUID partition scheme, then format it as Mac OS Extended Journaled. The new SSD is ready to be used as a bootable drive now. I prefer to clone my existing drive onto the new SSD at this point. You can use Disk Utility http://forum.crucial.com/t5/The-Cru/How-to-clone-Mac-OS-X-using-Disk-Utility/ba- p/135905 Carbon Copy Cloner (my choice) https://bombich.com/ or Super Duper http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html The SSD is now ready to be installed but I have no idea wether the 2.5 - 3.5 adapter will work, I put my SSD in place of the optical drive.

Update your OS to 10.10.4 and Apple now allows TRIM to be enabled without third party software on third party drives http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/06/latest-os-x-update-allows-you-to-enable-tri m-for-third-party-ssds/

For better than YouTube take a look at the step by step illustrated instructions at https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iMac_Intel_20%22_EMC_2266

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User profile for user: SeaPapp
SeaPapp
User level: Level 7
26,486 points

Jul 31, 2015 3:49 AM in response to Emile Skip

Emile, your system has probably slowed down because you don't have enough ram. Yosemite doesn't run well in older macs with less than 8GB of ram, if you haven't maxed out your ram you should do that first. On to your questions.

The Samsung 850 will work but not at full speed. Your iMac only has a SATA II 3GB interface.

Connect the new SSD using the SATA to USB adapter and using Disk Utility partition it as one partition using the GUID partition scheme, then format it as Mac OS Extended Journaled. The new SSD is ready to be used as a bootable drive now. I prefer to clone my existing drive onto the new SSD at this point. You can use Disk Utility http://forum.crucial.com/t5/The-Cru/How-to-clone-Mac-OS-X-using-Disk-Utility/ba- p/135905 Carbon Copy Cloner (my choice) https://bombich.com/ or Super Duper http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html The SSD is now ready to be installed but I have no idea wether the 2.5 - 3.5 adapter will work, I put my SSD in place of the optical drive.

Update your OS to 10.10.4 and Apple now allows TRIM to be enabled without third party software on third party drives http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/06/latest-os-x-update-allows-you-to-enable-tri m-for-third-party-ssds/

For better than YouTube take a look at the step by step illustrated instructions at https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iMac_Intel_20%22_EMC_2266

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User profile for user: Emile Skip
Emile Skip Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:15 AM in response to SeaPapp

Hello Mike,

First of all, many thanks for your shift response and the extended content, excellent and very helpful.

Still I do have question, caused by my stupidity, not because of your explanation ;-).


My RAM is 4GB (originally it was 2GB). I am not sure whether this (old) model iMac can be upgraded towards 8GB. I was told the maximum capacity is 4GB….Do you know perhaps?


Let me repeat your recommendations, just to make sure I understood your advice well enough, my question is in between (…) see below;

The sequential steps are;

1) Connect the SSD with USB/SATA adapter to the iMac

2) Use the standard Disk Utility tool on my iMac; partition the SSD in 1 partition - GUID partition scheme (I assume this impart of the Disk Utility….. is it?)

3) Format the SSD as a Mac OS extended Journaled drive (even if I wish to replace my existing HDD with this new SSD…?

4) Clone the existing HDD onto the new SSD.

5) Install the SSD - replacing the existing HDD.

6) Upgrade OS towards 10.10.4 (I wonder I did not receive an update waring for this new version software….or perhaps I must have ignored it.)


The ifitit.com url is excellent, really clear!


Many thanks once more.

Emile

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User profile for user: Nigel Goodman
Nigel Goodman
User level: Level 1
54 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Emile Skip

I did this in my 2010 iMac. The SSD has made a big difference to speed. I have the system and applications on the SSD and the users' data on the original HD. It would be much quicker if all data was on the SSD, but to get one that would fit all my data was prohibitively expensive. There is a simple explanation on the Macworld site as to how to move your users folder from the SSD to another (basically it involved right-clicking (ctrl-click) on the user in System Preferences>Users & Groups and choosing Advanced Options).


The only advice I would offer is to take great care in re-assembling the computer. I ended up with a very expensive repair - new motherboard - as I broke the display connecter as I was re-assembling.

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User profile for user: Emile Skip
Emile Skip Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 31, 2015 8:35 AM in response to SeaPapp

Hello, me again, life from stage; HELP 😕


The frist couple of steps worked out fine;

I have connected the SSD with the Mac.

I managed to format the SSD using the Disk Utility; 1 partition GUID, extended Journaled.

So far, so good;

Once I try to Clone my HDD to the SSD, I receive an error message saying;

"the startup disk can't be used as restore source"

"To use this disk as a source, restart your computer using the recovery system, and open Disk Utility again."😮


So I did; start-up and press the command + R during startup, I selected the Disk Utility from the recovery system, selected to Restore the original Macintosh HD as the source, selected the SSD as the destination, hit the Restore button……same error message appeared!😟


Any support and suggestions are welcome.


Many thanks

Emile 😀

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SSD into iMac early 2009

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