2009 iMac Upgrade Question

DBoyer, the max Ram is indeed 8GB (also in Mactracker) for your iMac 2009 20".

Easy to upgrade (contrary to the latest iMac models). And cheap, see the OWC and Crucial sites, only the exact specs, important !.

The SSD will absolutely be a stunning improvement, the connection is Sata 3Gpbs, all new Sata SSDs are 6Gbps but downwards compatible; It is relatively easy to install. You buy the SSD a well known brand to be sure, put it in a housing with USB connector, connect it, Partition/Format it (1 partition) with GUID PartitionTable OS X Extended (journaled). Then download CarbonCopyCloner, the trial version will do, and make a clone to the new disk including the RecoveryPartition (CCC will ask you for it). then shutdown the mac, start it while holding the Alt/option key, select the connected SSD to start from, and start, when every works OK, shutdown. Switch the inside disk with the SSD. Start and be surprised...

Note 1: on iFixit and OWC there are instructions for opening and removing the disk

Note 2: Do not install the Trim command (a lot of people will tell you that it is necesary for SSD lifetime and speed, it is not), because in contrary with an Apple branded SSD the Trim command may cause issues for the (inside) SSD controller (the Apple branded have a specially adapted Controller)

Note 3: in the use of the SSD let there be more free space than is necessary for normal HDDs, I advice 25+ GB (that is to speedy up the 'Garbage Collection' on the SSD).

Note 4: if your 2009 iMac is in good condition, I certainly think its worth it...

Lex

Edit:

Note 5: the best is just switch the disks. The speed will be 3Gbps, because that is the speed your bus-connector can handle. Of course, as Glenn says, buy a good brand SSD: Crucial, OWC, Samsung 850 (not 840), Sandisk. The same goes for the Ram: only a good brand (Crucial, OWC).

Note 6: I have done this a lot of times in MacbookPros, and used the CDreader slot to put the existing harddisk in, but that harddisk is old (for a HD) and thus I put in a new HD, 1or 2 TB, in lately)

Note 7: the SSDs and HDs should be the Sata 2.5" versions.

Lex

Edit:

Note 8: I use CCC as a backup clone from the SSD to HDD inside: this is a real backup, and you can start from it when there is an issue with the main startup disk.

I put an OWC <http://MacSales.com> 480GB 3gigabit/sec SSD in the DVD drive slot on my 2009 iMac. It has been great.

NOTE: the 2009 generation iMac had custom firmware in the hard disk for temperature sensing, that a generic replacement disk does not have. So if you choose to replace the hard disk, you may need to get and run a program such as SSD Fan Control <http://exirion.net/ssdfanctrl/>. Putting the SSD in the DVD drive slot does not have that issue. I know this because, I went down the SSD path because my internal disk failed, and I needed to replace it. So I put a 2TB SSD in the regular drive slot and the SSD in the DVD drive bay. I then run SSD Fan Control to keep the fans from going crazy.

Also I would not be surprised if your disk was failing, as the disks Apple used in the 2009 iMac line were notorious for failing. When I did my replacment, it was the 2nd time I needed to replace the drive. The first time Apple replaced the drive with the same make/model. The 2nd time I did the work with a generic and SSD Fan Control.

OWC can sell you all the tools you need to open your iMac and replace the disk yourself. iFixIt.com will provide tear-down instructions. OWC should also provide videos, and you will find lots of videos on YouTube on opening your iMac.

Another possible cause of performance issues is the stuff you have installed on your Mac. If you want to post the EtreCheck output, someone will evaluate it for performance hogs.

I have a late 2009 iMac Core 2 Duo. Max ram is 8gig. I have an OWC SSD on my computer running in the Optical Bay. Works great.

Cautions: Your link speed will be 3G max. Make sure your computer is compatible with the SSD you buy. With OWC, they warn about putting 6G SSD in certain computers that will limit the link speed to 3G. I purchased the 3G model SSD with OWC and have no problems. This limitation may not be affected by other brands, but you need to do your homework on compatibility.

Lexiepex wrote:

Most 6Gbps SSDs will throttle Sata1 because they only one step downwards compatible.... The OP's Mac is Sata2: 3Gbps. 6Gbps is called Sata 3.

It is really confusing sometimes.

Which is why I pointed that out to the OP. Why pay more for a 6G SSD when it will only run at Sata1 speeds. Get the 3G model and run at the computer max speed of Sata2 for maximum performance.

And as I said, that may not hold true for other brands.

And to clarify in my first post. Where I said a 6G (Sata3) may be limited to 3G (Sata2) speeds, I meant to say Sata1 speeds even if the computer is capable of Sata2. My mistake there.

IF you upgrade your ram to 8Gb and switch out the spinning HDD for an SSD you'll swear you have a brand new machine. My late 2009 with SSD and 16Gb of ram never sees a spinning beachball. Mine is a quad core i5, but I'd bet you'd be pleased.

Replying to all: The issue is with mixing SATA III drives that use the Sandforce controller and computers with Nvidia MCP79 SATA II controllers. The 6Gb SSd will negotiate at 1.5Gb. There is an incompatibility between the two controllers that is well documented. IF you have the Nvidia controller you'll want to stay away from 6Gb SSD's that use a Sandforce controller. OWC uses Sandforce, Samsung and Crucial do not. There have been reports, less documented, of some SSD's using Marvell controllers also having problems negotiating with the MCP79 but I have no real knowledge of those brands. As far as I'm concerned the moral of the story is to stick with either a Samsung or Crucial SSD or an OWC 3Gb SSD if your Mac has the Nvidia MCP79 controller.

I installed a Samsung 840 in my early 2009 Macbook and have an OWC Mercury 3g drive in my late 2009 iMac. I talked with OWC's tech support before purchasing the drive for my iMac because I didn't want to have to open it more than once and while they insisted I should have the Nvidia controller my iMac has an Intel 5 controller so to be on the safe side I spent a little more to get the OWC drive.

The internal sensor started with the late 2009 iMac, so that is not an issue for the OP with the early 2009 iMac. And for late 2009 iMacs like ours, OWC sells an inline Thermal Sensor adaptor for it so you can use it in the hard drive bay: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDIMACHDD09/

For the issue with link speed, it's still affected by that and for OWC drive, the 3G model is needed:

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/imac/early-2009

Yes Glenn, the Mercury3G is probably a bit cheaper. And it certainly will work, no doubt about it.

But the 6G (Sata3) will work also. The choice is thus much greater than the Mercury3G alone

The lifetime of an SSD is much longer than a HDD, I have brought over 6Gbps SSDs of an old mac when that died to a higher Sata mac and then the advantage was that I had a SSD that was faster than the earlier mac...

I doubt that the difference of the Mercury 3G in price is significant enough to justify it (it has also an older controller).

I hope the OP has an advantage of our communication of the pro's an contra's.

Lex

Lex: It didn't say it wouldn't work. It says the 6G will run slower than the 3G in certain models (including the OP's). Did you look at the compatibility image I posted from OWC? Read the highlighted rectangular portion at the bottom of the image.

If you put the 6G SSD in the OP's model 9,1 iMac, it will only run at 1.5Gb/s even though the computer is capable of 3Gb/s link speed. The 3G model will run at the full 3Gb/s his model is capable of. Why would I buy a 6G model to run at half the link speed of the 3G model? It's not just about pricing.

Well when you deal with an older computer, you never really know what is about to go out. But if it is in good shape and no major problems are happening, it's well worth the risk of spending money on an older machine. Especially with the price of memory and SSDs coming down as much as they have.

Unless you break something in the process, you will be very happy with the upgrade to 8gig memory and an SSD. It should buy you several more years of quality use before you have to upgrade to a new computer. I have done this for several family members and friends with 2008-2011 Macs (including mine) and all have been very happy with the results.

Good Luck

Glenn it is confusing. The 3G model of the Mercury is still for sale. All SSDs mentioned here are downwards compatible. OWC did not state that you must install 3Gbps because the mac can not handle the 6Gbps SSD. This mac's connection is always 3Gbps, it is the SSD that must be downwards compatible. But of course you can put in a 3Gbps SSD, and OWC still sells it (old stock, perhaps?).

Personal opinion...

If the slowness is due to frequent disk activity (depends on the apps you're using), then an SSD will help. If it's due to RAM constraints, then adding RAM will help. With only 4 GB of RAM, I would not upgade.

If you look at the 6G model from OWC and read the compatibility portion, it does state that for some models, it will throttle down to SATA 1 speeds. So for certain models, you should purchase the 3G. This may not apply for other brands.

It says the 6G will run slower than the 3G in certain models (including the OP's)

I don't believe that. And (my opinion) it can not be proved. All of my and my family's 2009 macs with Sata2 have 6G SSD in it, and all run at 3G as is determined by the connection speed of the mac.

Lex

PS: sorry to be so stubborn...😁

Kudos.