In this article, you will learn how to speed up your older iMac by booting to an external solid state drive. For this example, you will discover how you can boot to Mac OS Mojave using a Samsung T5 SSD.
- Ultimately, it is possible to upgrade the hard drive in these 21.5-Inch and 27-Inch Aluminum iMac models or upgrade or install a secondary SSD in the 'Mid-2011' 21.5-Inch models and 'Mid-2010' and 'Mid-2011' 27-Inch models, but opening the case is a challenge and it is definitely not for those without significant upgrade experience.
- Get all the tools needed to safely upgrade your iMac hard drive to a new HD or SSD. Up to 8x the capacity and 92x faster than the original factory drive.
Before we get into how to do it, let's cover a few reasons why you might want to consider booting to an external SSD with Mac OS Mojave installed. This may surprise you, but even in 2019, some iMacs come with a 5,400 RPM spinning hard drive installed.
Hard drives that run at 5,400 RPM or 7,200 RPM are noticeably slower than modern solid state drives. A solid state drive is also slightly faster than Apple's Fusion drives, which are a combination of flash storage and a traditional spinning hard drive.
That's one thing all iMac buyers should immediately upgrade. Having a hard drive component in an iMac, even as part of a Fusion Drive, is the biggest weak spot. Ultimately, the 2019 iMac is. Using an OWC Internal HDD DIY Kit (sold separately), replace your iMac's original hard drive with a high-capacity hard drive or a lighting fast SSD with a NewerTech Adaptadrive, for dramatic upgrades in storage capacity or data speed while maintaining the original system's fan and diagnostic performance. Already have the tools? This guide also includes steps to upgrade your iMac's hard drive with an SSD. It describes how to install the SSD's temperature sensor so that the Mac's fans will operate at the correct speed. Before beginning any work on your iMac: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply's capacitors.
If you don't upgrade to an SSD when you order your iMac, the only way to upgrade to a solid state drive afterward is to remove the iMac screen. Removing the iMac display screen is the only way to gain access to the inner components of the computer. A more cost effective and less intrusive method is to use an external solid state drive instead, like the Samsung T5.
Booting from a solid state drive like the Samsung T5 should give you a boost in performance, especially if you are running an older iMac with a 5,400 RPM hard drive. On top of booting from an external solid state drive, it is also a good idea to store your media files on another solid state drive separate from your operating system.
Having two solid state drives will speed up your photo and video editing workflow and video rendering times, and as of 2019, the prices on solid state drives have come down considerably. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to set up an external boot drive with Mac OS Mojave, check out the video tutorial in this article.
If you are running a similar setup using solid state drives, let me know in the comment section below.
You can remove and install many of the parts in your Mac Pro. If you receive a replacement part from Apple, follow the steps to send your original part back to Apple.
Memory
You can install up to 1.5TB of memory across the 12 memory slots in your Mac Pro. Learn about Mac Pro (2019) memory specifications and how to install and remove memory.
PCIe cards
Mac Pro has eight PCIe slots that you can use to install many types of PCIe cards. Learn about some of the PCIe cards you can install and how to install PCIe cards.
Apple I/O card
The Apple I/O card comes preinstalled in Slot 8 and has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB-A ports, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Learn how to replace the Apple I/O card.
Power supply
Ram Upgrade 2019 Imac 21.5
Learn how to replace the power supply. Most private browser 2019.
SSD
Mac Pro supports up to one or two solid-state drive (SSD) modules depending on the capacity. Learn how to install or replace SSD modules in your Mac Pro.
Feet and wheels
Your Mac Pro comes equipped with either feet or wheels. If you want to change from what your Mac Pro shipped with, you can order the Apple Mac Pro Feet Kit or the Apple Mac Pro Wheels Kit, then install the respective kit on your Mac Pro.
Send your part back to Apple
2019 Imac Hard Drive Replacement
If you order a replacement part from Apple, follow these steps to send back the original part:
- Re-package your part in the packaging in which your original part came.
- Tape the box closed.
- Remove the pre-applied top label from the box (that's your copy). Make sure the return shipping label remains on the box.
- Find the name of the courier on the return shipping label.
- Visit the courier's website to schedule a pickup or find a drop-off location.
- Get a receipt from the courier.
- In a few days, check that Apple has received your defective part.
Apple is not responsible for any damage during shipping if the package is not properly sealed or is delivered to the courier in poor condition.
