DIY SSD install in 2012 Mac Mini News, Tips, Reviews or Questions 480GB Intel 520 SSD in Mac Mini (2012) Notes on Mac Mini SSD upgrade install/drive swap Posted: 3/11/2013 (Updated 6/29/2014 with ) I had a chance to swap a Toshiba 512GB SATA2 SSD in a Late 2012 Mini for a SATA 3 480GB Intel 520 series SSD. (The 520 SSD owner had a 2009 MacBook Pro and later found out an SATA 3 SSD would only run at SATA 1 speeds in it, due to an issue with the Nvidia MCP79 chipset. That chipset is also used in some other older macs including the 2009 Mac mini 3,1. Sponsor OWC includes notes and list of affected Mac models on their SSD pages like.) As part of the deal I would do all labor on swaps/install in the MacBook Pro.) Although the only plans for the Mini was a file server (which is why I chose the bargain priced SATA2 SSD originaly) - this drive swap was well worth the effort. I wish I had a benchmark installed that did 4k/random tests but only had the Blackmagic benchmark from the previous install. Using the 5GB test option on the 480GB Intel 520 SSD reported 498.1 MB/sec Reads and 283.5 MB/sec Writes. (As with any benchmark, scores can vary a bit from run to run.) The BlackMagic benchmark uses incompressible data which limits SandForce SSD write speeds to much less than would be seen with compressible data.

(The majority of my actual use will be compressible files, but regardless I have no complaints. Sandforce's compression also means lower write amplification.) Intel's 520 SSD specs list the 480GB model a bit slower than the 240GB model, but regardless I'm very happy with the swap. (The SATA2 512GB Toshiba SSD in the Mini had benchmarked at 220 MB/sec read, 170 MB/sec writes. The Toshiba 512GB SSD also did not support NCQ (Native Command Queuing) which I didn't realize until I'd installed it.) BlackMagic Benchmark: 480GB Intel 520 Series SSD (Late 2012 Mac Mini 2.3GHz Core i7, 16GB RAM) BTW: I later saw a bit better result (503MB/sec read, 298MB/sec write) but again that can vary each run. (I do wish they'd have an option to auto-stop after 1 R/W run. Virtual Cb Funk. Unless I've missed a setting for that.) The Blackmagic results for sustained large file R/W performance is good to know, but would be of more interest to someone working in Video/AV production than my usage just as a boot volume for more general/common tasks.

Regardless, I'm happy with the swap from the SATA2 Toshiba drive previously installed. (Especially as a no-cost swap.) OS X Drive Cloning (from old Drive to New Drive): Using an (hold down Command-R) with a USB3 Hard Drive Dock (or other external case) with the new drive/SSD installed in it connected to the mini - copy/clone (using Disk Utility Restore tab) or reinstall (clean) OS X on the new drive/SSD. [ Apple doc on now also links to a guide to. OS X reinstalls via recovery requires a broadband internet connection. Another reason to have a bootable clone/backup using DU Restore tab (or other utils, although some are not free).] If you have a TM (Time Machine) backup, you can also select to restore from that as well. After the clone/install of OS X onto the new SSD, I booted from the (new) Intel SSD's OS X volume (still in the HD Dock) just to verify it was working/bootable before swapping the drive into the mac Mini. (I usually verify it in Disk Utility, check permissions, etc and after install in the Mac, check startup disk pref setting also.) Reminder/Warning on Disk Utility 'Repairs' for SSD + HD Configs like this: When I booted from the OS X 10.8.2 SSD in the USB Drive Dock with the previous OS X 10.8.2 SSD and original 1TB hard drive (set as TM volume) still installed in the Mini, I saw what OWC had warned about last fall when Minis first started shipping with OS X 10.8.2 (and Fusion drive options).

On first boot from the OS X 10.8.2 install, the internal SSD and 1TB Hard Drive volume names in Disk Utility appeared in Red - Disk Utility thought they were a failed Fusion Drive - and any repairs would have created a Fusion Drive, losing all the existing data. (NOT what I wanted of course - the 1TB HD was a separate volume (used for Time Machine). Of course I didn't attempt to repair the drive and processed to clone the original (Toshiba) SSD's 10.8.2 volume to the new (Intel) SSD. For those that missed it, Here's a copy of the November post with this FYI/Warning.As of mid-November (2012), new mac Minis ship with OS X 10.8.2 pre-installed and anyone that installs an SSD as a second drive (with hard drive in other bay) may have Disk Utility on the Recovery Partition think they have a 'damaged' 'Fusion Drive' configuration and any 'Repair' will erase the drive(s) to create a Fusion volume. For more details, see the Nov 20th, 2012 OWC blog post:.

Installing Mac Mini Late 2012 Dual Hard Drive Kit: Install a second. Installation and I like. New SSD to your factory 1TB HD using iFixit's Mac. Mac Mini Late 2012 Close × Menu. Repair Guides; Answers. Initialize and format SSD before installing in MacMini late 2012. Install SSD in MacMini late 2012.

520 Series Intel SSD Retail Box Kit (tacky decal included) Not shown but also included in the kit is an aluminum 3.5in bay drive adapter plate, an SATA data cable, Molex 4-pin to SATA power adapter cable and a Quick-Start Installation Guide. (The mini-CD included in the kit isn't usable with slot-loading drives.).

@Allan, Internet Recovery installs the version of OS X that was shipped on the Mac, which may not be the last version one had installed. I already posted as an answer the Internet Recovery directions from Apple because I though see already replaced the drive.

I misread and as such David Anderson's answer of making the OS X USB Installer is the best way to go if one still has a functioning version of OS X installed, or can have it made on a friends Mac. Either way is better then paying $99 to have it installed. – Jul 23 '16 at 11:43. To avoid having to install OS X twice, do the following. Before removing your existing hard disk, follow the steps given below: • Download El Capitan (OS X 10.11) from the.

• Create a bootable installer for OS X. For this you will need a USB flash drive.

Both of the above steps are outlined at the Apple web site: '. If you are not able to do follow the instructions on the link above, or are wary or using command lines, download a free tool called Unibeast onto your Mac. It will create the bootable USB device for you.

I don't own the tool or promote it so I won't link it but I do recommend it since it helped me. A simple search should bring it up.

If not, the rest of this guide continues: Once your new disk is installed, do the following. • Insert the flash drive in a USB port on your Mac.

• Start the Mac and hold down the option key. • Select to boot from the flash drive. • Use the Disk Utility application to create a single partition to install El Capitan (OS X 10.11).

• Quit the Disk Utility application. • Select 'Reinstall OS X'. • by holding down Option-Command-R immediately after turning on or restarting your Mac.

Release the keys when you see the Apple logo. Startup is complete when you see the OS X Utilities window. • Open Disk Utility from the OS X Utilities window, then using the OS X Extended (Journaled) format. Quit Disk Utility when done. • Choose Reinstall OS X from the OS X Utilities window, then follow the onscreen instructions. This installs the OS X that came with your Mac when it was new. This version isn't associated with your Apple ID.

The new owner can then with their Apple ID. • When done, your Mac restarts to a setup assistant. Press Command (⌘)-Q, then click Shut Down. That way the new owner can complete the steps of the setup assistant using their own information.

Dear Mac Community, I am making this thread for help regarding how to Install Ubuntu OS on a external SSD drive. From my understanding, apple may be limit users to do this because apple are shellfish and nuters. But oh boy, I guess in this society we need nutters to run everything, oh well that's just great. Anyway, moving right along here, down to serious business: How may I install Ubuntu OS on a external SSD please? Can it be done? I THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, from my legs, to send it all out, to send this thank you. Thank you people.

Hi, I've used your tutorial to make my Ubuntu external Hard Drive, and it works perfectly. Now I need to work with the partitions. And I don't know how to begin with that. My external HD was partitioned that way: / (40Gb) /home (40Gb) swap (32Gb) / boot efi (or something like that) (50Mb) fat32 (200Gb) When I boot the system, it shows me the internal HD (the OSX one), and the /boot efi (or something like that), and don't show the fat32 partition. And I wanna just the oposite. =( Cause I want to use the fat32 partition like a pen drive to work on any system that i work on. Hope that you understand my question, and can help.

Thank you very much. Hi, I've used your tutorial to make my Ubuntu external Hard Drive, and it works perfectly. Now I need to work with the partitions. And I don't know how to begin with that. My external HD was partitioned that way: / (40Gb) /home (40Gb) swap (32Gb) / boot efi (or something like that) (50Mb) fat32 (200Gb) When I boot the system, it shows me the internal HD (the OSX one), and the /boot efi (or something like that), and don't show the fat32 partition.

And I wanna just the oposite. =( Cause I want to use the fat32 partition like a pen drive to work on any system that i work on. Hope that you understand my question, and can help. Thank you very much. Going in the page, i saw that: 1. I installed reFIND first.

(By just dropping the install file into terminal). In the last commentary.

Now, i tried that, and can't install. I install the reFIND, first, in the external HD. Then i put the Ubuntu DVD, and begin install. BUT When i got to partition the External HD to make the partitions of linux (/; swap; /home), it don't let me do it. =/ Then, I can't install.

I can install if I let the External HD free, but then i need a CD or a PenDrive with reFIND, thats dumb. I just wanna install reFind there, and boot with just one drive. As you see, format the External HD thats not a problem. But how can I install reFIND, and format the free space later?