I have a Mid 2011 iMac with 1TB HDD storage configured with Bootcamp. I plan to add a 512GB SSD to it. I would like to split the SSD for operating systems, and as for HDD i would like to have three partitions - OS X Extended for Mac data, NTFS for Win data, and FAT32 for shared data. Is this configuration even possible? Are there any things i should be aware of?
Thanks!
iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11)
BC Assistant uses the Mac model identifier to control the flow. Your 2011 identifier uses the built-in Optical drive. Booting from USB installers on a 2011 Mac causes some hardware not to function correctly.
If your Mac already has the correct IO connectors for a SSD, HDD and an Optical drive, is there a specific reason you want to replace the Optical drive with a third disk/second SSD?
kopte3 wrote:
My plan is to freshly install both MacOS and Windows on the SSD, and then back up (to external drive or cloud) some valuable files from the HDD before formatting it. Is this possible?
I suggest changing the order. Backup your HDD first, before you open the iMac. Once it is open, you can install the SSD, without any further changes. Add the optical drive, if you want to. Then we can create the Fusion drive by erasing the internal disks.
kopte3 wrote:
Do i need a custom SATA cable for an SSD installation?
The iFixit website should have the appropriate cable.
Loner T wrote:
Backup your HDD first, before you open the iMac. Once it is open, you can install the SSD, without any further changes. Add the optical drive, if you want to. Then we can create the Fusion drive by erasing the internal disks.
I will do that. Is there any difference between creating a Fusion drive and just making the SSD primary (bootable) drive? Does it make a difference for the Bootcamp setup?
Loner T wrote:
The iFixit website should have the appropriate cable.
Ok, so it is a custom cable. I'm living in the Europe, so i was wondering if i could get it locally.
You can backup macOS via Time Machine. If you are willing to fresh install Windows, after you backup your files, it may be better to install Windows after the Time Machine restore to a Fusion configuration.
If you are going to open up the iMac, installing an SSD in addition to what you already have in the Mac is a better long-term solution. Also, if the Optical drive is giving you problems, it may be better to replace it as well.
Hi, i know it's been a while, but i have some additional questions. 🙂
Loner T wrote:
2. If you plan to remove the Optical bay to add an SSD, installing Windows is a very painful exercise.
I am thinking to replace the optical drive with a SSD, why this makes installing Windows a very painful exercise? Is it more or less difficult to replace it or to add a SSD beside the optical drive?
Would you like me to start a new discussion?
My iMac still has just a 1TB HDD and an optical drive. The whole project was on hold for some time 😊, but now i bought the SSD, and i'm ready to go on with it.
After looking at the instructions for the SSD installation it seemed like replacing the optical drive was an easier job. Also my optical drive wasn't working properly in the recent times (it's having a hard time reading some DVDs) so i thought i wouldn't need it. The second reason for doing it was because it looked pretty crammed to me to put an SSD in the gap between the housing and the optical drive. I was worried about SSD not being cooled enough.
So, right now I need an advice. What is the best solution for me to install the SSD? My HDD is still dual boot and i would like to do the following: add an SSD, then configure it to be dual boot, and then use the SSD as primary drive while taking some time to back up some old files from HDD before formatting it. HDD would become a secondary drive for media files.
Thanks a lot Loner T! 🙂
My plan is to freshly install both MacOS and Windows on the SSD, and then back up (to external drive or cloud) some valuable files from the HDD before formatting it. Is this possible?
Do i need a custom SATA cable for an SSD installation?
Thank you for all of your advices, you're very helpful.
It is fairly easy to build a Fusion drive when booted in Internet Recovery. See Re: Partition BootCap on DD 3To Fusion Drive: A method as an example. It deletes the current CS LV/LVG and rebuilds it by erasing and creating the CS LV/LVG. You must ensure that the SSD is the first disk in the Fusion drive, and the HDD is second (or last).
Thanks for the detailed instructions!
I read about Fusion drive and found that
Boot Camp Assistant will only create a partition on the hard drive
is this true?
If that's the case, since i'll be using 500GB SSD, i would rather use it as the only drive for both OS, and the HDD as ordinary second drive.
Thanks! 🙂
I'm going to back up my files and order the cable. Is the process of making Fusion drive straightforward?
Good progress with the cable. ✅ Post back when you are ready.
They told me they'll install the SSD for the price of the cable. 🙂 It should be all done in about two weeks (we have holidays here until 8th of January). I'll post back when everything is ready.
kopte3 wrote:
I read about Fusion drive and found that
Boot Camp Assistant will only create a partition on the hard drive
is this true?
Yes, this is true. But, you do not need to use BC Assistant to partition the drive. In the post you marked solved, look at items 3 and 4. It is possible to install Windows in the SSD part. The reason Apple BCA avoids it is because the standard SSD in the Macs is only 120GB, but you plan to use a 500GB SSD. We can create a 250Gb partition on the SSD for Windows (or larger). Normally, macOS on a Fusion drive can run very well with 120GB SSD/HDD.
Your posts are as always very helpful. Again, thanks for all the info.
I plan to split the SSD equally, i think that makes the most sense to me. I need MacOS primarily for software development, and from my experience Xcode on 128GB drive is like a pig in a fish tank. I understand that Fusion drive helps with the files that aren't used often, but still, it will make me feel more comfortable. The rest will be large enough for the Windows and some large apps too.
Btw I found the cable at my local service provider, so now i just have to back up my files.
I'll be back when i have everything installed. 🙂
1. Please check if your specific iMac was designed to hold a Fusion drive. If it was, then, you can add an SSD without removing the Optical drive. iFixit can confirm with a teardown of your specific model or their dual-drive setup for this specific Mac.
2. If you plan to remove the Optical bay to add an SSD, installing Windows is a very painful exercise.
3. Your setup is possible. On the SSD, split it in half, without using CoreStorage, and install OS X and Windows, without the HDD in the mix. Once OS X and Windows work, add the HDD and Disk Utility to partition as you see fit. It is also possible to do this when both SSD/HDD are connected, but it requires some work in Terminal using diskutil cs resizestack. Please see OSX and Bootcamp discussion for some of my tests.
4. All my Macminis have a 256/512Gb SSD and a 1/1.5TB HDD with Bootcamp/Windows on the SSD. The HDD was too slow for Windows 7 boots. They al use similar configurations.
SSD + HDD iMac configuration (with Bootcamp)
