Clean Install SSD - OWC?

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Clean Install SSD - OWC?

I have a late 2012 Mac mini Server I use as a desktop. Last week I replaced one of the 1TB drives with an OWC Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G 120GB. OWC seems to be well regarded and this was their top rated drive that is compatible with my mini, I swapped out the 1TB for the SSD without issue.

I had previously done a clean install on my mini's 1TB disk and am familiar with creating an install disk, I tried to do a clean install again on the SSD which failed (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7592029).

I eventually did a Recovery Partition Install which took many hours over my slow rural connection, and left me back at Mavericks, I then did an El Capitan 10.11.5 upgrade.

The reason for the new thread is this, I am uncomfortable that I can't do a clean install with this SSD and am trying to determine if it's the exact model, brand, or a problem with SSD's in general that is the problem (I've even tried a second disk of this model). I though it might be possible that the 10.11.5 install was the issue, but I tested installing to an SD card in my mini that went without a hitch and I can boot from it.

So, for those who've done a "Clean Install" on an 3rd party SSD they've added to their machine:

Were you able to complete the install without error?

What version of OS X did you install?

What brand & model of drive did you use?

What model Mac do you have?

I'm trying to root out why this fails, and if it's simply the brand / model of the disk or something more, any other insight you can offer would be helpful. I want a disk I can do a clean install on, at least 10.11.5 for now and hopefully newer OS X that are to come (I know no one can assure that).

- Thanks

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), 2012 i7 16GB

Posted on Jun 22, 2016 9:16 AM

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Answer 1

lllaass

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210,423 points

Jun 22, 2016 9:24 AM in response to A07570

Which dis did you replace with the SSD? The lower one (nearest the black cover on the bottom) or the upper one? Some users have reported problems with an SSD in the upper bay.

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Answer 2

A07570 Author

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Jun 22, 2016 9:31 AM in response to lllaass

Thanks for the reply, good thought, but I used the "Lower" bay. I'd read about possible boot problems with the upper, but lucked out in that my boot drive was already in the lower bay which is much easier to get to.

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Answer 3

lllaass

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Jun 22, 2016 9:33 AM in response to A07570

I installed an OWC SSD in the lower bay of my 2012 Mini and moved the original drive to the upper bay and had/have no problems.

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Answer 4

A07570 Author

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Jun 22, 2016 10:20 AM in response to lllaass

So you were able to do a Clean Install? Do you remember what version of OS X you did the install with? How about the model of the OWC SSD? - Thanks

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Answer 5

lllaass

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210,423 points

Jun 22, 2016 12:24 PM in response to A07570

I think I did a fresh install of Mavericks since I had problems with loose connection of the SATA cable to the logic board. I was ready to replace the SSD when I noticed that the connection was loose.

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Answer 6

samtenor

Level 4

1,684 points

Jun 22, 2016 6:19 PM in response to A07570

Hi, all my experience with new drives (all SSDs) - were "Clean Install" - then used Time Machine to restore (as needed, unless I was building a new one for family).

What version of OS X did you install?

My experience expanded from Maverick, Yosemite to El Capitan - all three OS were pre-downloaded into bootable USB drives.

What brand & model of drive did you use?

I used Apple OEM SSD (both Toshiba SATA 2 and Samsung SATA 3 -- got them from e-bay), Samsung 470 and 830, and Crucial (from MX100, MX200, M500, M550, C300) - ranking from 240 GB to 1GB.

Before I installed these SSD (especially Crucial drives) - I make sure I updated the firmware to the latest ones. Unfortunately, I had to rely on PC (using SATA connection) to perform the firmware update process - it is much easier.

What model Mac do you have? ( I had a few, these are the ones I have worked on for my family)

1 Mac mini 2009, 1 Mac mini 2010, 1 Mac mini 2011, 5 Mac mini 2012, 2 Mac Mini 2014 + 1 iMac 2010, 1 iMac 2011 and 1 iMac 2012.

I did not have any experience as you stated - all have been smooth during clean installation without any hiccup. I agreed with lllaass that cable might be the cause.

Sam

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Answer 7

A07570 Author

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59 points

Jun 22, 2016 6:41 PM in response to samtenor

It looks as if you have considerable experience with installing these drives, and you've covered the same bases, except the OWC brand. These drives are new from OWC so I haven't considered a firmware update. I've also wondered about the cable, but have mostly discounted it because:

- I'm using the same cable the 1TB Apple drive was attached to and worked perfectly (including clean install)

- I can erase the drive without error

- The drive passes a first aid test

- I completed the Recovery / across the wire install without issue and the drive works perfectly otherwise.

That said, I do have another cable that I planned to use in a second mini when I move the 1TB to it, I could test with it. Thinking about it I could also put the original drive back in and test with that.

Thanks for all your detailed input Sam, and to IIIaass for your coments as well.

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Answer 8

lllaass

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Jun 23, 2016 12:58 AM in response to A07570

Have you called OWC tech support?

I have talked to them before on other problems and they were helpful

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Answer 9

A07570 Author

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Jun 23, 2016 1:02 AM in response to lllaass

Did another test tonight, replaced the SSD with the original Apple 1TB Drive and did not change the cable. I was able to do a clean install. So far the only drive I can't clean install is this OWC SSD.

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Answer 10

A07570 Author

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Jun 23, 2016 1:50 AM in response to lllaass

Yes, they have been very good, even sent me a second drive to try, same problem, I just sent it back to them to test. They don't know if their drives are tested for a clean install. I'll probably have to wait to see if they can make it work.

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Answer 11

A07570 Author

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Jun 23, 2016 11:37 AM in response to A07570

Here’s the latest … SUCCESS!!! As reported, last night I replaced the original Apple Drive and did a clean install, before I did that however, I ran the Diagnostics (D at power up), I’d noticed the Mini was hotter than usual - the Fan failed the test.

When I swapped out the drives (which requires disconnecting the fan) I noticed I had put the connector on upside down, it snaps into place, but obviously doesn’t work. This time after swapping in the Apple drive I made sure the fan connector was correct. Before running the Clean Install on the Apple disk I again ran the diagnostics to be sure I’d fixed the fan - PASSED.

To do these install tests I used the Overwrite Method (my term) I describe in the thread linked in my first post, installing on top of an existing OS without erasing the drive - this allows me to test my changes without destroying my progress. I learned that this method will still catch the error I was having. After the Clean Install I swapped the SSD back and ran the diagnostics to be sure the fan was running - PASSED. It was late so I went to bed.

This morning I got to thinking that maybe the install does a hardware check at some point and the fan failure might have raised a flag (even though it wasn’t reported), or the heat made the SSD unstable and it dismounted, or something else related to heat or the misplaced fan connector, etc.

I started the Clean Install ‘Overwrite’ (I should coin this CIO) and immediately noticed something different. In all my previous tests when the install started it reported “About 5 minutes remaining”, I assumed the short time was because of the SSD. This time the installer reported “About 20 minutes remaining”, I had hope right away. Then (after maybe 20 minutes) the screen went black as the computer re-booted - Success! This is where the Clean Install always failed, it would hang right were it was supposed to reboot back into the new disk and complete the install. I did one more CIO to be sure, it worked again.

Then I bit the bullet and did a real Clean Install, erasing the SSD before and voilà, it worked! I’m now reinstalling my Apps, and taking the blame for all the time I wasted; mine, OWC support, and you good people. 😊

Thanks for your help and … carry on.

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Answer 12

lllaass

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210,423 points

Jun 23, 2016 12:10 PM in response to A07570

Sounds like the Mac was overheating and that was causing the problem.

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Answer 13

A07570 Author

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Jun 24, 2016 11:09 AM in response to lllaass

That's a strong possibility, but a couple things seem odd if that's the case: first, when the install failed it always began with "about 5 minutes", when it succeeded it said "about 13 minutes"; two, it always failed at the same place, right before reboot with "zero seconds remaining". It seems odd to me that you would know at the beginning it was going to fail (when it's not yet that hot), and that it would always get 'too hot' at the same place. But it's very possible that was the case so I'm just happy it's happy. 🙂

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