1 Keep internal bladeSSD in 2015 iMac and add a second 2.5" internal?
Hi guys!
Happy new 2021!
My 1TB internal blade SSD is running out of space and I was wondering how I best can upgrade it and avoid to have a lot of extra external SSD’s hanging from a USB hub and have two internal SSD’s solution?! Like a two internal SSD’s fusion drive combo.
First of all to avoid the USB cables and harddrives on my table.
Would like to have it kind of like in these two videos, I’m not sure if they have an SSD there or not or just they’re replacing an old 2.5” SSD with a new one.
So my dream scenario would be to keep my 1TB SSD where I have everything and add a speedy 2.5” SATA SSD like 2-4TB and have it plugged in and have the same kind of speed as an internal drive and avoid just having another SSD hanging out of my computer.
I mainly work with film music and fx and do photography and have too many large Logic Pro X projects and pictures and stuff and I have fill up my desk with more drives.
- Video 1: https://youtu.be/fzvT5QDkUEU?t=265
- Video 2: https://youtu.be/1LMIfdIDh7I
So is this possible? I haven’t found any info on this, all I see is replace SSD or install SSD into iMac. The service company takes quite an amount with their own drives and I already have two 2TB SATA drives (WD Blue’s and a Samsung 860) and another m.2 SSD that I would love to use for some instead of just laying around here. I don’t know if the company just open it up and clone my SSD, replacing it with a new 1-4TB blade SSD and it’s done and I will have an extra blade SSD laying around again.
MUCH appreciate any feedback.
Update (01/02/2021)
This thread is similar but doesn't answer everything: Questions about installing 2 SSDs
And this one which seems most fav: Can the new 27" iMac Retina 5K display support two SSD's?
Update (01/02/2021)
Hey Dan!
Saw your earlier posts - super happy you replied here with good info!
I believe you use some kind of SSD Bracket/mounting solution and stick it where the fusion drive usually sits right but now since I have the blade SSD, it will be a free space, correct?
So I believe they go with this solution - installing a SATA 2.5” SSD into that (or they also might replace the blade SSD or that’s not possible maybe?). I see at their website they have some OWC bracket kits for sale and service so, I believe they just put a new SSD in term of 2.5” SATA and clone my data into this, could be.
Ok Excellent! I am thinking of using a 4TB 2.5” SATA as the 2nd internal connected to the SATA port. :)
I can’t think of any Other solution to do this work more than do as the solution above, right?
Good that I can use one of my SATA SSD’s so I can finally have use of it. And really good info on how to store apps vs project folders and files.
Es esta una buena pregunta?
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Your system has two physical drives the PCIe blade SSD and typically a SATA HDD.
A fusion drive is the super set of the two drives seen as one! Basically, the SSD is the cache drive to the HDD. So there is no physical Fusion drive just the PCIe blade drive and the SATA drive.
Here if you bought a SSD model then you have the PCIe drive already, leaving the SATA port unused. If you bought a Fusion Drive model then you have both drives present but the SSD drive is not very large!
Hopefully that clarifies your concern.
You only have the one SATA port so thats what you'll use here for your second drive.
As to what other options you do have one! Using an external Thunderbolt drive which will offer much more performance than the USB connected drives you've been using as well as being faster than the SATA port!
Replacing the blade SSD is also possible but you will hit the limits of what physically fits as well as what will work in your system. Review this great guide The Ultimate Guide to Apple’s Proprietary SSDs for more information on the custom Apple SSD's. Your other option is to use the OWC Aura Pro X2 SSD.
- de Dan