This article was originally written in 2015 but it is still relevant. I have just updated it given that SSD prices have dropped dramatically in the last 3 years. Upgrading the boot drive on my Mac Mini to an SSD drive was by far the biggest speed enhancement I've experienced on any computer! The speed increase is incredible – almost hard to believe. Boot time went from 60 seconds to under 30 seconds, and applications launch instantly – no bouncing dock icon. In terms of bang for dollar, upgrading to an SSD drive is by far the best upgrade you can do.
Upgrade the storage and improve boot time and read/write speed in your iMac Intel 20' and 24' Mid 2007-Early 2009 with this SSD upgrade bundle. From $104.99 iMac Intel 17', 20', and 24' 2006 SSD Upgrade Bundle. Editor's Note: Upgrading the hard drive can be one of the best things you can do for your Mac. But it's also one of the hardest to explain: each Mac model is different, and the upgrade. Ram is a LOT cheaper than getting an ssd. If you can afford both, get both. If you're running Yosemite then 8gb will make a marked difference. If all you're doing is surfing the internet then go through your hard drive and free up a load of space, a cheap usb drive will take any data you need to store.
SDD stands for ‘Solid State Drive.' SSD drives are the same shape and size as a traditional drive. The difference is that an SSD drive uses RAM chips instead of a spinning hard disk to store information. This makes it much, much faster.
SSD drives are now reasonably cheap. I'd suggest you upgrade your entire hard drive to SSD.
1. Order an SSD.
There have been issues in the past with SSD drives and there have been some brands not working with OSX, so make sure you get a good one.
The first place I would recommend is macsales.com. I have one of their OWC Mercury SSD drives in 2 of my laptops. They have a screen where you choose your macintosh computer, and it tells you which SSD drive is compatible. Just click here and you will be asked what mac you have, follow the prompts. (I have signed up to be an affiliate of Macsales so I get a commission if you use these links.) Last check a 1TB drive was under $400. When I first wrote this article a 480G SSD drive was $1579.99!
The second place I would recommend is crucial.com. If you do get a Crucial SSD you can go for the MX or BX series. I've also got a Samsung EVO drive running in a 2012 Macbook pro and it's running fine. Buy a new SSD not a second hand one. They do degrade over time.
2. Temporarily connect the new SSD Drive to your Mac.
For this you will need a cable to connect your SSD drive to your USB port. They are only about $20 and they look like this:
The external drive enclosures for normal hard disks should also work with an SSD.
Plug the SSD into the enclosure, and then into the Mac, and it should appear on the desktop as an ‘Untitled' drive.
3. Format the SSD Drive using disk utility.
After your SDD drive is plugged in you'll need to use Disk Utility to format it – Mac OS Extended (Journaled):
4. Copy everything onto the new boot drive.
Now you need to copy your entire drive onto your SSD drive. You can't do this by hand – there are hidden files that need to be copied, so need to make what is called a ‘Clone.' Apple's built-in Disk Utility won't do this so you will need an app like Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper.
Using Carbon Copy Cloner, select your boot drive as the target Disk and then select ‘Backup Everything':
Click ‘Clone' and your boot disk will be created on the SSD disk.
The other option is to use Super Duper. There's a free version that will enable to clone your drive. Select ‘Backup -all files' to make a clone.
Making a clone of you drive can take a long time – hours – so take a break!
5. Reboot from the new SSD boot drive.
Under System Preferences click Startup Drive select the SSD Drive, then restart! (wow – notice how fast it is!)
6. Swap the internal Hard disk for the SSD drive.
Now that it's working it's time to get rid of your old hard drive and physically replace it with the working SSD.
The difficulty of this varies according to what kind of a Macintosh computer you have. I'd check out ifixit.com for the best instructions according to your mac model.
Mac Pro
Difficulty: easy – 30 seconds.
For a mac pro it simply connects into the spare optical bay slot – no adapters needed, a 30 second operation – see how here. I just sat the SSD drive in and added a bit of gaffe tape but there are some great adapters out there eg Angelbird SSD Adapter
Macbook
Difficulty: moderate – 1 hour.
For a Macbook or Macbook Pro can replace the internal optical drive with your old Hard Drive or order a large SSD drive and replace your old hard drive with it. You can find instructions here.
Mac Mini
Difficulty: hard – 1/2 hr.
For a new aluminium mac mini you will need to replace one of the internal drives. This involves pulling out the fan and motherboard to get the new SSD drive in. You can get the old hard disk out without pulling out the motherboard but the SSD drives are actually ever so slightly thicker and more uniform in shape so the motherboard needs to come out to manoeuvre the SSD drive in place. There's easy to follow instructions here at mac fixit.
iMac
Difficulty: hard – 1/2 hr.
It's quite complex to pull the iMac apart and you need a vacuum clamp to pull the glass screen off. This is easier than it sounds, but you still need to but the suction caps to do it. It requires some mechanical skill. There are good instructions here and crucial have their own guide here.
So how fast is it? Here's a demo of how quickly applications launch from my new SSD drive…
7. Check if you need to Enable TRIM.
Some Hard Drives do not come with TRIM support and so you need to download this TRIM Enabler app and run it. This will enable OS X built in TRIM support which keeps your SSD drive lean and clean.
The SSD I recommend above (Crucial M4) does not need TRIM support (read this article for more information). You can turn it on anyway no problems. The OWC Mercury SSD drives do not need TRIM enabled either.
STOP PRESS: There are new reports that TRIM enabler does not work with Yosemite. Read this article for more information.
8. Time Machine
If you already have a Time Machine backup, when you change Hard Drives it starts all over again and won't recognise the old Time Machine backup. Read this post for info on how to get around this. Also here is another very good article on this.
Apple Ssd Hard Drive Upgrade Software
I also just found this GREAT article on keeping Time Machine working when you change the Hard Drive.
If you don't have a Time Machine backup now is a great time to start! You can use your old Internal Drive as a backup drive.
With the ever increasing list of tasks that you can now perform on the average personal computer, upgrading your Mac from an HDD to an SSD is becoming increasingly common by the day. Of course, just because it has become a common practice doesn't mean you also have to do it, but if you've already done your research and you are convinced that your computer will benefit from an upgrade, here's how you can upgrade your Mac's disk drive from an HDD to an SSD.
Confirm if Your Mac's Model Allow Upgrades
Some Mac models were designed to allow upgrades from an HDD to an SDD or from a lower-end SSD to a higher-end one, but some Mac models were simply not. If your Mac model came with the default HDD or SSD soldered to the motherboard, replacing it will be very difficult, if not downright impossible, so make sure that you can upgrade your Mac's HDD to an SSD before you head to the store.
Confirm Your Mac's Compatibility With the SSD That You're Buying
Most of the SSDs currently available in the market are compatible with most Mac models, but before you upgrade your Mac's HDD to an SSD, take the time to compare their form factor first. The form factor is basically the size of the HDD or SSD and usually measures 2.5 inches for laptops. There are, however, SSDs that come in the newer MSATA and M.2 form factors which are only a fraction of the size of the standard 2.5 inch. If you don't know the form factor of your Mac's HDD, you may seek assistance from Apple's customer support forum.
Pick Your Preferred SSD Size
SSDs come in different sizes ranging anywhere from 64 GB to 60 TB. What exact SSD size your computer needs will depend on how much information you are looking into storing in your computer, the kinds of tasks that you will be performing on it, and whether you intend to use your Mac's HDD alongside your newly-purchased SSD or just use your SSD alone (some models allow the installation of both HDD and SSD on the computer at the same time; some models don't), but, generally speaking, anywhere between 250 to 512 GB should be more than enough to handle your operating system and a couple of programs and applications.
Back Up Your Files
As always, before you do anything with your hard drive, make sure you backup your files first so that you can always recover them in case something went wrong.
You can do this either by doing it through your Mac's default backup program, the Time Machine, by storing your data in your iCloud,burning your files to a CD or DVD, or copying your files to an external storage device.
Make a Clone or an Image of Your HDD
Disk cloning and disk imaging are two ways to make copies of your files when upgrading from an HDD to an SSD. They mostly work the same way except that cloning your disk allows you to copy the contents of your hard drive to an external storage device then just swap one for the other when you're done without doing any further step.
Imaging your disk, on the other hand, allows you to copy the contents of your hard drive to an external storage device, but to be able to access the files that you copied, you need to install them on your new drive with an imaging program first.
Except for that minor inconvenience, there's not much difference between the two, so whether you should clone your drive or make an image of it is up to you.
Installing the SSD on Your Mac
When you're done backing up your files, you may proceed with installing your SSD on your Mac. To do this,
- Flip your Mac and use a Phillips screw to remove the screws that hold the case together
- Lift off the case of your Mac and look for the hard drive.
- Unscrew the strip of black plastic case that holds the hard drive in place then lift it off from its slot.
- Disconnect your hard drive from the ribbon connecting it to your Mac, but be careful not to rip it.
- Look for the four metal screws that secure the hard drive to its enclosure.
- Remove the screws then set them aside for later use.
- Get your SSD then use the screws that you remove from your HDD's enclosure earlier to secure your SSD to its own enclosure.
- Connect your SSD to the cable attached to the ribbon that you disconnected from your HDD before.
- Lay your SSD on the slot previously occupied by your HDD, making sure that the screws fit properly.
- Put the strip of black plastic case that you remove earlier to its designated slot.
- Get the back case of your Mac and screw it back on.
After installing the SSD on your Mac,
- Turn on your Mac.
- Hold the Command and R keys at the same time then wait until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
- Select Disk Utility in the Utilities window.
- Click Continue.
- Select your SSD and designate it as your startup disk.
- Look at the top of the Disk Utility window and click Erase.
- Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the options that will appear in the popup window.
- Click Erase.
- Select Quit Disk Utility from the Disk Utility drop-down menu when you're done and you're good to go.
Apple Ssd Hard Drive Upgrade Tool
The whole process (minus the backing up of existing files) shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes and should be fairly easily done on your own, but should you ever have any concerns while upgrading your Mac's HDD to an SSD, don't be afraid to seek assistance from Apple's tech support forum.
Mac Mini
Difficulty: hard – 1/2 hr.
For a new aluminium mac mini you will need to replace one of the internal drives. This involves pulling out the fan and motherboard to get the new SSD drive in. You can get the old hard disk out without pulling out the motherboard but the SSD drives are actually ever so slightly thicker and more uniform in shape so the motherboard needs to come out to manoeuvre the SSD drive in place. There's easy to follow instructions here at mac fixit.
iMac
Difficulty: hard – 1/2 hr.
It's quite complex to pull the iMac apart and you need a vacuum clamp to pull the glass screen off. This is easier than it sounds, but you still need to but the suction caps to do it. It requires some mechanical skill. There are good instructions here and crucial have their own guide here.
So how fast is it? Here's a demo of how quickly applications launch from my new SSD drive…
7. Check if you need to Enable TRIM.
Some Hard Drives do not come with TRIM support and so you need to download this TRIM Enabler app and run it. This will enable OS X built in TRIM support which keeps your SSD drive lean and clean.
The SSD I recommend above (Crucial M4) does not need TRIM support (read this article for more information). You can turn it on anyway no problems. The OWC Mercury SSD drives do not need TRIM enabled either.
STOP PRESS: There are new reports that TRIM enabler does not work with Yosemite. Read this article for more information.
8. Time Machine
If you already have a Time Machine backup, when you change Hard Drives it starts all over again and won't recognise the old Time Machine backup. Read this post for info on how to get around this. Also here is another very good article on this.
Apple Ssd Hard Drive Upgrade Software
I also just found this GREAT article on keeping Time Machine working when you change the Hard Drive.
If you don't have a Time Machine backup now is a great time to start! You can use your old Internal Drive as a backup drive.
With the ever increasing list of tasks that you can now perform on the average personal computer, upgrading your Mac from an HDD to an SSD is becoming increasingly common by the day. Of course, just because it has become a common practice doesn't mean you also have to do it, but if you've already done your research and you are convinced that your computer will benefit from an upgrade, here's how you can upgrade your Mac's disk drive from an HDD to an SSD.
Confirm if Your Mac's Model Allow Upgrades
Some Mac models were designed to allow upgrades from an HDD to an SDD or from a lower-end SSD to a higher-end one, but some Mac models were simply not. If your Mac model came with the default HDD or SSD soldered to the motherboard, replacing it will be very difficult, if not downright impossible, so make sure that you can upgrade your Mac's HDD to an SSD before you head to the store.
Confirm Your Mac's Compatibility With the SSD That You're Buying
Most of the SSDs currently available in the market are compatible with most Mac models, but before you upgrade your Mac's HDD to an SSD, take the time to compare their form factor first. The form factor is basically the size of the HDD or SSD and usually measures 2.5 inches for laptops. There are, however, SSDs that come in the newer MSATA and M.2 form factors which are only a fraction of the size of the standard 2.5 inch. If you don't know the form factor of your Mac's HDD, you may seek assistance from Apple's customer support forum.
Pick Your Preferred SSD Size
SSDs come in different sizes ranging anywhere from 64 GB to 60 TB. What exact SSD size your computer needs will depend on how much information you are looking into storing in your computer, the kinds of tasks that you will be performing on it, and whether you intend to use your Mac's HDD alongside your newly-purchased SSD or just use your SSD alone (some models allow the installation of both HDD and SSD on the computer at the same time; some models don't), but, generally speaking, anywhere between 250 to 512 GB should be more than enough to handle your operating system and a couple of programs and applications.
Back Up Your Files
As always, before you do anything with your hard drive, make sure you backup your files first so that you can always recover them in case something went wrong.
You can do this either by doing it through your Mac's default backup program, the Time Machine, by storing your data in your iCloud,burning your files to a CD or DVD, or copying your files to an external storage device.
Make a Clone or an Image of Your HDD
Disk cloning and disk imaging are two ways to make copies of your files when upgrading from an HDD to an SSD. They mostly work the same way except that cloning your disk allows you to copy the contents of your hard drive to an external storage device then just swap one for the other when you're done without doing any further step.
Imaging your disk, on the other hand, allows you to copy the contents of your hard drive to an external storage device, but to be able to access the files that you copied, you need to install them on your new drive with an imaging program first.
Except for that minor inconvenience, there's not much difference between the two, so whether you should clone your drive or make an image of it is up to you.
Installing the SSD on Your Mac
When you're done backing up your files, you may proceed with installing your SSD on your Mac. To do this,
- Flip your Mac and use a Phillips screw to remove the screws that hold the case together
- Lift off the case of your Mac and look for the hard drive.
- Unscrew the strip of black plastic case that holds the hard drive in place then lift it off from its slot.
- Disconnect your hard drive from the ribbon connecting it to your Mac, but be careful not to rip it.
- Look for the four metal screws that secure the hard drive to its enclosure.
- Remove the screws then set them aside for later use.
- Get your SSD then use the screws that you remove from your HDD's enclosure earlier to secure your SSD to its own enclosure.
- Connect your SSD to the cable attached to the ribbon that you disconnected from your HDD before.
- Lay your SSD on the slot previously occupied by your HDD, making sure that the screws fit properly.
- Put the strip of black plastic case that you remove earlier to its designated slot.
- Get the back case of your Mac and screw it back on.
After installing the SSD on your Mac,
- Turn on your Mac.
- Hold the Command and R keys at the same time then wait until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
- Select Disk Utility in the Utilities window.
- Click Continue.
- Select your SSD and designate it as your startup disk.
- Look at the top of the Disk Utility window and click Erase.
- Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the options that will appear in the popup window.
- Click Erase.
- Select Quit Disk Utility from the Disk Utility drop-down menu when you're done and you're good to go.
Apple Ssd Hard Drive Upgrade Tool
The whole process (minus the backing up of existing files) shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes and should be fairly easily done on your own, but should you ever have any concerns while upgrading your Mac's HDD to an SSD, don't be afraid to seek assistance from Apple's tech support forum.
Good luck!
