- INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI HOW TO
- INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI MAC OS X
- INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI INSTALL
- INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI DRIVER
- INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI UPGRADE
You don’t need a fast external drive if you mainly use it for streaming music and videos. For example, SSDs can stream data much faster than they can read and write random data. Inside the PC, they include the path to the processor and how many lanes (see below) are available for data. If speed is critical – which I doubt – then a 2TB internal drive will be faster than a 128GB or 250GB internal drive in the same class.Īn external SSD’s real-world performance will also depend on many other factors, including the type of storage and the interface chips used. However, you should be aware that big SSDs are faster than small SSDs, because the controller can write to more modules at the same time. Continue reading my complete guide to setup a network attached storage for your HTPC.The specific question is impossible to answer because there are so many variables. Having a solid state drive as an operating system disk means that you will need to have an external disk drive for your media files.
INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI MAC OS X
In fact, Mac OS X automatically asks this question once you connect your old HDD via USB.
INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI UPGRADE
As you were using the USB enclosure in this upgrade process, just insert the old HDD to the USB enclosure and setup Time Machine to take scheduled backups. It is always good idea to take scheduled backups, so it will make sense to utilize your old HDD that you just removed from your computer. Here are some application loading times after installing the new SSD: However, the performance will not feel the same at all… As you did a carbon copy of the old HDD earlier, everything will look the same as before the upgrade. Now you are ready to connect the cables and boot up your Mac Mini for the first time. Dramatically Improved Application Loading Times
INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI INSTALL
Next, install the solid state drive and assemble the Mac Mini back to its original shape.
INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI HOW TO
The first part of the video will explain step by step how to teardown the Mac Mini. Now you are ready start tearing down your Mac Mini and replacing the HDD. Tip: it is a good idea to clean your old HDD as much as possible before cloning it so that you will not waste solid state drive’s precious space. Then, open Carbon Copy Cloner, select your existing HDD as the source and the new solid state drive as the destination.Īfter an hour or so, you will have a bootable carbon copy of your existing disk. I would recommend to use Carbon Copy Cloner to make an identical bootable copy of your existing disk.īefore cloning, you will need to format the SSD drive ( Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility > Select hard drive > Erase). Clone Your Existing Hard Driveįirst, you need to insert the SSD drive to the USB enclosure, so that you can prepare a bootable drive before installing it inside the computer. Pressurized Air Duster: It recommended to use an air duster to clean the dust inside your computer. The case cover will be a little tight first, but it will get off quite easily after carefully lifting the cover. Putty Knife: You will need a putty knife or equivalent to be able to open your Mac Mini.
INSTALL SSD IN MAC MINI DRIVER
Phillips Screwdriver Kit: You will need a small Phillips screw driver to open the screws. You can also use the old HDD as a backup disk after you have removed it from your Mac Mini.
USB HDD External Case Enclosure: It is recommended to get a USB enclosure for the 2.5 HDD as you will need to copy all your files to the new drive before installing it inside your Mac Mini. According to the user reviews this is one of the fastest drives at this price category, but some users are reporting drive failures, so you should take regular backups of your HDD. The maximum read speed is up to 285 MB/s and write speed is up to 275 MB/s. OCZ 120 GB Vertex 2 SATA II SSD: I would recommend OCZ Vertex 2 Solid State drive as it has much faster read / write speeds compared to other SSD drives around the same price range.
Please note that most of this guide is also applicable to a 2011 model of Mac Mini and also to other home theater PCs, but obviously the teardown steps are different. In this guide, I will give you a detailed walkthrough on how to install an SSD on Mac Mini. It is well known fact that SSD drive will significantly improve your system’s performance, but I was still blown away with the results after I took my new hard drive for a test drive. My old Mac Mini (mid 2009 model) has started to feel sluggish in the past months, so I decided to speed it up by installing a OCZ Solid State Drive (SSD).