Q: 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 9:19 AM
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.
Posted on Jun 23, 2016 11:37 AM