Red Kangaroo

Q: iMac SSD & HDD

Hi

 

i am looking to install a SSD Samsung Eco 2TB and a 6TB western digital black normal HDD, can I ask people their advice? I am looking to have ssd as my boot drive and the 6tb for files and backup.

 

a) any issues with hard ware selected

b) is it worth it, money wise e.g. Should I save a bit more and buy a new iMac

c) is there any alternatives

 

looking to do this a it takes ages to get going from cold start.

 

I have a mid 2011 iMac i7 (12,2) with the latest OS X installed.

 

 

Cheers in advance,

 

RK based in UK

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 (Mid 2011 Mod)

Posted on Aug 11, 2016 3:49 PM

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Q: iMac SSD & HDD

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  • by theratter,Helpful

    theratter theratter Aug 12, 2016 1:14 AM in response to Red Kangaroo
    Level 4 (3,907 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 12, 2016 1:14 AM in response to Red Kangaroo

    The major issue you will have is the 2011 iMac does not have a disk controller capable of working with a 3TB or larger internal disk. Furthermore, what is the point of such a large SSD? If the Samsung Eco models are cheaper SSDs, then they are cheaper because they are made with older chips that cannot match current performance levels. Do you really need a 2TB SSD for a startup disk? A smaller, higher quality SSD may be a better choice.

  • by Red Kangaroo,

    Red Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Aug 12, 2016 1:14 AM in response to theratter
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 12, 2016 1:14 AM in response to theratter

    Theratter cheers for your information as I didn't realise or think about the disk controller. The reason for the large ssd was to do a straight clone. I was surprised that the hitachi 2tb in the iMac is only sata2 even though the iMac can use sata3.

     

    I was looking at OWC drives but moved away after talking to someone at uk OWC reseller.

     

    Q. What manufacture would you suggest for the SSD?  I will look at Western Digitial for a replacement 2tb capable of using SATA 3.  I am currently using 1.5 TB on the hitachi drive.

     

    Q. Would the disk controller cope with two 2tb drives if I did go this route?

     

    Thanks for your help

     

     

    RK

  • by Red Kangaroo,

    Red Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Aug 12, 2016 3:11 AM in response to theratter
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 12, 2016 3:11 AM in response to theratter

    Sorry the drive is

    Samsung 850 EVO 2 TB 2.5 inch Solid State Drive - Black


    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B010UFKDHY/ref=twister_B013ZJ4EWC?_encoding=UTF8&psc =1

  • by Mike Sombrio,Helpful

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Aug 12, 2016 4:27 AM in response to Red Kangaroo
    Level 6 (17,194 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 12, 2016 4:27 AM in response to Red Kangaroo

    I agree with theratter that a 2TB boot drive is overkill, I currently use a 240Gb boot SSD and it's usually about half full.

    Disagree though about the SATA controller not being able to accommodate a HD larger than 3TB, don't know where that info came from. I'd advise you to check your available upgrades at OWC as they list 6TB drives as compatible https://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?sort=pop&model=427&type=InternalDr ives

    Even at that you might reconsider such a large capacity internal drive and the added heat it would generate.

  • by Red Kangaroo,

    Red Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Aug 12, 2016 4:30 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 12, 2016 4:30 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    Hi Mike

     

    Thanks, I will reduce the SSD size. I will look into the SATA Controller issue, as I would prefer this to be a larger HDD drive. Just out of interest what make of SDD would you recommend?

     

    I thought Samsung were good drives as they make their own?? In reviews they seem to come out well.

     

    Any thoughts

     

    Cheers

     

    RK

  • by theratter,

    theratter theratter Aug 12, 2016 1:10 PM in response to Red Kangaroo
    Level 4 (3,907 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 12, 2016 1:10 PM in response to Red Kangaroo

    That is a good choice for make. Still not sure that you need to use such a large SSD that is quite expensive. But it's not my money.

     

    Actually, I think ai said the 2011 iMac cannot accommodate a HDD larger than 2TBs. I learned this from other users here who found that 3TB and larger drives used internally were not properly recognized. Externally, larger capacity drives are not a problem.

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Aug 13, 2016 11:14 AM in response to Red Kangaroo
    Level 6 (17,194 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 13, 2016 11:14 AM in response to Red Kangaroo

    I recommend OWC because they actually test the products they sell and guarantee that they'll work in your Mac. The link I provided is for internal drive upgrades for your model computer.