SSD on Mac mini: Crucial MX300 525GB - Part II (TRIM)

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Level 1

134 points

SSD on Mac mini: Crucial MX300 525GB - Part II (TRIM)

Just received my SSD on Mac mini: Crucial MX300 525GB - OS is now installed (clean) and drive is still external (with enclosure). It boots. - Yet I have not yet proceeded with the physical replacement.

Machine is a Mac mini mid-2011.

I'm reading on and off stories, Apple taking care of it from a certain version in Yosemite, and so on... That TRIM question or SSD drive that can slow down (or even block)...

Am I running towards a brick wall (and wasted money) or is it still an issue (and if so, what can be done - and how - I'd need very detailed way if so and if it exists...). I plan to do the physical replacement over the week-end.

Thanks

Rob

MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.2), i7, 8GB memory, SSD 1TB

Posted on Jan 6, 2017 8:28 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

mattwithcats

Level 2

378 points

Jan 6, 2017 7:07 PM in response to lanstrad1

Trim became a part of the Mac OS with 10.10.4, for 3rd party SSD's,

(10.6.8 for Apple SSD's)

However, it is not turned on by default, and many SSD's do not need it.

OwC 3G and 6G SandForce processors automatically do "Garbage Collection",

so does Crucial. No trim needed.

http://blog.macsales.com/21641-with-an-owc-ssd-theres-no-need-for-trim

http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Crucial-SSDs/My-SSD-used-to-be-so-much-faster-What-h appened/ta-p/118310

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Answer 2

lanstrad1 Author

Level 1

134 points

Jan 6, 2017 7:16 PM in response to lanstrad1

Ohhhh geeee... I will have to solve something else before all this finally.... Went on with replacement, everything (amost) went well until... when I had to put back connectors in place...

Looks like I broke a pin on that connector (looks like this visually, could not reconnect, and found a tiny tiny pin of copper...) - see at 2:41 min (or the step at 6:27 min...) on this video:

https://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/mac_mini2011_hd/

(followed that even though the drive is not an OWC...)

I have a Mac authorized shop nearby which can have a look at it, or an Apple Store far from home, both only on next week...

Does anyone have an idea it this can be easily replaced (read: long and expensive ??...) - just hope it's not soldered on the board the other side... This is a 2011 Mac, and just bought that new SSD (which I can use elsewhere in a desktop...)

Opinions ?

Thanks,
Rob

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Answer 3

Jan 7, 2017 3:23 AM in response to lanstrad1

lanstrad1 wrote:

....

I have a Mac authorized shop nearby which can have a look at it, or an Apple Store far from home, both only on next week...

Does anyone have an idea it this can be easily replaced (read: long and expensive ??...) ....

Really depends on the capabilities of the repair shop. Having worked

as an EE and dealing with these tiny connectors, soldering irons don't

cut it and special solder reflow machines are required.

So, even though it may be a 25 cent connector, it will cost a bit in labor

to replace, if they will even do it. They may only be willing to replace the

logic board ($$$$$).

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Answer 4

kaz-k

Level 8

49,212 points

Jan 6, 2017 11:06 PM in response to lanstrad1

You'd better take your Mac Mini to Apple Authorized Service Provider and tell them about the pin you broke.

I think it's quite hard to fix it up by yourself.

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