How to Install a 2.5-inch SSD in the SSD Drive Bay of a 27-inch iMac Mid 2011 (Updated)

[@josefb7449]

Successfully upgraded my iMac mid 2011 with this guide! I now have the Samsung 860 EVO 1TB! This is the first time I've ever had the courage to play around with something this expensive. However, with good care and planning I think everyone can do this. There are a couple of things I'd like to add as feedback and also as advice for people that want to attempt this just like me: - The video doesn't mention it (I think), but you have to make sure that you are discharged to not risk frying the components with static electricity. During the whole process I wore an ESD wristband that was hooked up to the metal of the iMac itself. I wore 100% cotton clothes and worked barefoot on a wooden floor. And as there was no tweezer included in the kit as stated in the video for some reason, I had to buy a metallic ESD tweezer set for about $10 (this is not really necessary though, it is possible to do this upgrade without any tweezer at all - I ended up barely using it anyways) - Detaching cables was ALOT harder than what this video makes you believe. Some of the cables are really tough to detach. Sometimes it requires a bit of extra force, but make sure you always do it carefully, they can easily break as some of these comments seem to indicate. - When opening this thing up, you will most likely notice there are ALOT of dust inside there. So make sure to buy compressed air in a can beforehand which will help you blow it all away. Before using it, make sure that the can has not been laying down (have the can placed on a table for at least 2 hours just to make sure the liquid inside it is 100% att the bottom of the can). When using it, DO NOT twist it around, it should always be held vertically or you might risk spraying out liquid. And never ever use a vacuum cleaner, you will most likely destroy your components as it can generate static electricity. - In case anyone wonder why anyone would prefer this way instead of easily just replacing the optical drive (the CD tray drive) with an SSD. Well, the SATA cable of the optical drive is only capable of 3Gb/s compared to this one which is 6Gb/s, so there is an important difference! You also don't have to sacrifice the optical drive. And you also don't need to hassle with a temperature sensor cable that might create problems with the fans going full speed. So even though this installation is a thousand times harder, it is definitely worth it. - When routing the SATA cable for the SSD I had to find another way as I did not have that upper channel like in the video. I only had the bottom channel, which I ended up not using. I wish this guide could show a picture on how to do it on an iMac without the upper channel... Anyway, instead I put the wires through the very small space between the optical drive fan and the plastic wall next to the optical drive. So I had the cables coming from under the optical drive - this worked wonders for me. - When you're done you HAVE TO make sure to enable TRIM for the SSD right at the start! That way you will prolong it's life. There are two options: either run the TRIM enabling command in terminal or purchase and install TRIM enabler. I think that's about it. And yes, my iMac is suuuper fast right now, and I'm more than happy!! Thanks for this awesome detailed guide on how to do this upgrade!

[@patientzerobeat]

I was told that newer operating systems (like High Sierra, Mojave) have TRIM built in as part of their formatting procedure, making manual activation of this unnecessary. ???

[@ChristianYri]

Just about to dive into this now. Thanks for awesome feedback on your process.

[@lionsden5123]

@@ChristianYri I’m about to do the same. I hope everything worked out well for you.

[@garycard1826]

Yes, I had no trouble in 2017 with this install. Yesterday 2021-08-10, I replaced the main HDD with a 1TB SSD. Also "no biggie", in fact easier than this install.

[@Charlesdavid2009]

I love when the horns kick in. So relaxing maybe they’re woodwinds soothing either way lol

[@BadCompanyJBB]

Ordered the upgrade kit and followed the video. Super easy, took a little under 2 hours to complete and now my iMac runs like brand new! Thank you for an informative video, fast shipping and quality product to match!

[@renatokarlochumpitaziflori7324]

Hello J.B. i have a doubt, why not to install de ssd instead of the hdd? or is it that this upgrade its for having both ssd and hdd and also de dvd reader?

[@peterbreis5407]

Super easy? 2 hours to add a HDD? You are being sarcastic I hope. I'd like to take a baseball bat to the Apple "Engineers" responsible for this totally dumbarse assembly. No wonder Apple service costs a fortune. The reality is Macs are built to be instantly obsolete and Apple is lying through its teeth as usual about being supposedly "Green".

[@trashbeansoup2467]

@John O'Herron Ah... the peanut gallery struggling with reality.

[@bunyaminbuyuk5901]

@@renatokarlochumpitaziflori7324 Bunun sebebi, cd rom girişinin 3.0gb/s de çalışmasıdır. Sata kablo ise 6.0gb/s de çalışmaktadır. Bunu sata kablo almak yerine HDD söküp SSD takarsanız, HDD içerisinde bulunan ısı sensörünü de HDD ile birlikte almış olursunuz. Evet içerisinde bulunur. Bu durumda fanlar sürekli çalışmaya sebebiyet verir. 2011 imac için konuşuyorum.

[@andrew8394]

Very Straight - Forward Professional HDD Uninstall + SSD Install. Thanks for Sharing

[@poweredbyowc]

We're glad the video could help!

[@itsROMPERS...]

If you simply want to replace your old spinning HD with an SSD use a different video because this one is much more complicated and does much more than you need to do. For instance, you don't have to remove your logic board!

[@poweredbyowc]

Hi Jeff! Spot on! To replace your hard drive with an SSD, you'll mount the SSD in an AdaptaDrive eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/ADPTADRV/ and follow the Replace the Main Drive video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j17XZ4R5n9CibpY

[@sshoebeat]

@@poweredbyowc is the sensor still needed for the ssd?

[@ponsholm]

My OWC 500GB SSD is finally failing s.m.a.r.t. status. As I sent my 2011 27" iMac in for an OWC upgrade several years, I understand it's ok if the hard drive is starting to fail. I opted to add the SSD as an additional drive behind the DVD Drive. I don't really want to remove that SSD all the way behind everything and simply replace the spinning drive with an SSD using your OWC kit. Question: At 7:46 in the video, can you simply unplug the secondary SATA connector to the defective SSD without removing the logic board to mimic the drive not being there anymore?

[@satyareddy6025]

Hi, I am trying to add an SSD to my mid 2011 Imac without removing the standard Hard drive and add the ssd behind the optical drive. My question is do I need that In line thermal cable?

[@tadbubs]

What an incredibly succinct and informative presentation and walk-thru. Why have I NOT found this before? I've just bought a MacBook pro 2017 but, want to keep my current iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011); Processor 2.5 GHz intel Core i5; Memory 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3; Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB. Questions: (1) I'm a USA citizen currently stationed in Singapore, can I get the kit anyplace over here? (2) Is there a place I can order online? Thanks again for an awesome video tutorial.

[@bazukaran]

Hi there . few years ago i update my Imac using yours DIY hdd upgrade. Now i want to push it with SSD (hehe its about time), thinking to buy one of yours OWC 1 TB Mercury 6G SSD and follow this video - will it worked? How the mac will use the secondary drive? i will prefer to use it as a system Drive. Thanks

[@danyeates5]

Thanks for the video. I have a mid-2011 iMac and I have two new SSD drives to fit. One boot drive and one storage drive. Is it possible to use a dual caddy to fit both SSD's into the main HDD bay? That way I don't need to stick it under the optical drive. I would assume so, unless the dual 2.5" adapter is larger than a single 3.5" HDD. Thanks, really appreciate any help before I pull my computer apart!

[@eduardomontalvand5665]

You guys make it more complicated than it is, there are many easier ways to upgrade.

[@michaelreqd]

The title correctly should be: "How to add an SSD as a second drive to your iMac". If you just want to replace the original HDD with an SSD, 80% of this video is unnecessary

[@hammy1390]

any video recommendations that shows how to do it?

[@TonyD-dz8pt]

I would get a CD drive caddy for one SSD drive and put both where the CD goes, plug the original CD drive sata cable into that SSD drive, switch the mechanical hard drive for a SSD of the same kind and put the two together on Raid 0, then it might get 700 MPS, my Mac Pro did

[@patientzerobeat]

Help! There's an edit in the video at 7:23, and I can't tell where this internal SATA connection is supposed to be. The video goes from far shot of whole iMac, to a closeup and I can't figure out where this is looking at.

[@seetheworldsecond]

I purchased the cable and installed a PNY 240 GB SSD 6.0GBs and now the screen wont turn on and the fan is very loud. Please help. I read my mistake was trying to use a sata 3 SSD for a 2011 imac 27inch mid 2011 model which doesnt accept Sata 2 cables or 6.0gb/s speeds? Please advise.

[@tmmyjay]

What's the best way to get a new OS for the new drive?

[@AroHaWellnessRetreatGlenorchy]

Thanks so much. Very helpful.

[@youknowwho1882]

Question: The first boot drive is usually sata 0 Does the order matter when upgrading with SSD, original platter and DVD drive (SSD>Platter>DVD[Sata0,1,2])? Thank You

[@dl8538]

I intend to swap my current 2tb HDD and optical drive for 2 SSDs. 1) Do I need to unfasten the logic board to run connections, or do I simply swap the current connectors to my new drives and mount using your adapt-a-drive/data doubler? 2) Do I need to purchase a temp sensor or simply fasten the ones currently in the iMac to the new drives?? Thank you!!

[@dl8538]

Disregard: I contacted your service dept. Using your adapt-a-drive and data doubler, I installed the two SSDs and transferred the temp sensor from the optical drive to the new drive in the data doubler. Command-R for a Mac OS X fresh install has my computer booting up 3.76x faster!! Without your products and install vids I never would have tried the swap, but im very glad I did!! Thanks @macsales

[@2Lioo]

Is it possible to install the SSD with a ssd bay that substitutes the ODD, without detaching the logic board? I mean using the odd sata cable for the SSD and putting the ODD in the external usb case.

[@bazukaran]

Hi there, can you guys tell exactly wich cables i need to buy in order to install and connect the ssd drive to the board. I probecly power and sata cables but i need the exact name of them in order to buy them and install the ssd. BTW Im from Israel so i will nedd to find them at local seller electeonic shope here. Thank you!! Be well!!

[@GeoffHarrison-w6d]

Why doesn't the video show anything about the inline thermo sensor where does that go .Does is go on the SSD ? They only show the sensor going onto a HDD not a SSD can anyone explain plz

[@poweredbyowc]

This is a video for adding a SECOND drive to a device with a drive already installed with a thermal sensor. There are other videos that we have available that show replacing the original drive outright, including the thermal sensor.

[@juliocesarhoyos7656]

Thanks, espectacular. la explicación, lo hice.

[@GromGarage]

will this work with another brand SSD?

[@garycard1826]

I see you do not need the (small grey, adhesive) Static pad that is stuck to the HHD, when installing an SSD here, so I assume that means you also don't need it on a SSD replacement for the main HDD. Is that correct?

[@poweredbyowc]

That would be correct you do not need that!

[@briarboy8959]

Tried install a new SSD to replace my old HDD in my mid 2011 27” iMac, no matter what I did it would not see the SSD when installed inside the computer, it works fine via USB in a external enclosure, why is this?

[@poweredbyowc]

Hello Briar, we are sorry the SSD is not recognizing in your system, please give us a call at 1-800-275-4576 and speak with one of our technicians we can see whats going on with the drive. Apologies for the inconvenience!

[@tripleh9985]

Can’t seem to find this sata cable ? Are they female on both ends ? Seems like the 2011 iMac 27 inch only has one style of cable. Can you post a link. Thanks for the vid. Also do you have to exchange sata port locations with the HD location ?

[@poweredbyowc]

You do not have to exchange SATA port locations, this would add an additional SATA connection to add in that SSD. The cable is sold in an installation kit here: eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIM27SSD11/[](eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/K27IM11SE120/)

[@mistarj2580]

I picked up a sata cable off ebay for about £6, works perfectly fine.

[@1phreshprince1]

Would this be applicable to 21.5 imac - same year. I don't want to give up my optical drive!

[@poweredbyowc]

Hello Moshaaay, they're similar installations but I have the 21.5" video linked here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGPZg35unK1_jqc

[@patientzerobeat]

This video shows two cables at the beginning [0:18] but I can't find any place in the rest of the video where a 2nd one is installed.

[@Anoncatt]

Ferenc Szabo it’s “either”, meaning the kit comes with one or the other. They are the same. It’s just one of the end connection (the longer side of the right hand one) is separated, while the other is glued together for ease of installation. Basically, they are the same cable.

[@helmanfrow]

Just closed up my 27" Mid-2011 iMac after installing a Samsung EVO 850 500GB SSD. Powered up and the fans are spinning at full blast. I didn't touch the HDD or its thermal sensor to the best of my knowledge. I guess I'm going to have to open it back up and see if I left a cable unplugged but I'd be happy for some insight.

[@hammy1390]

i’m looking to buy the same thing, if i install the ssd without making a time machine backup or anything, can i just boot up into recovery mode and install macos, or do i have to do that beforehand with my hdd

[@poweredbyowc]

Installing an SSD in that SSD bay specifically shouldn't require any additional thermal sensors, but we also only do these installs with our own drives, so it's hard to tell since it's not a drive we work with.

[@poweredbyowc]

You can use Internet Recovery (CMD+R) to format and instal a fresh copy of the OS after installing the SSD into the machine, it does not need to be done beforehand!

[@GpFade]

hi, I bought that hd 2 years ago.. the problem I had was that after a couple of months the OSX system will get corrupted.. the only way I sorted that out was unplugging the original HD leaving only the ssd. Then I had the fan speed problem, I sorted that with hdd fan app. Were you able to sort it with different cable routing?

[@poweredbyowc]

Hi Giampaolo, I'm not aware of any known issue with cabling and drive corruption. There could be a problem with the drive itself causing the issue. I'd encourage you to reach out to our tech support on this one!

[@mrpopicockismyfriendJLBmyenem]

Does anyone know if you can install bigger fans in the 2011 27” iMac ? And is only one SSD is available for this model ?

[@poweredbyowc]

Thank you for reaching out to OWC! These are great questions! Unfortunately there isn't a larger fan you can place in the imac 27" 2011. Depending on how your imac was built you can put and SSD in the main bay and the optical drive or the SSD bay. This Bay is behind the optical drive. Please see this link ( eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/imac-27-inch/2011) for the different kits we offer. Please let us know if you have any questions.

[@mrpopicockismyfriendJLBmyenem]

@@poweredbyowc thanks for answering , is there any chance this SSD upgrade will solve my performance problem as in stuff like dots are showing up on the screen by where the fan is I think and the top left part and top right are hot at the back ? If it’s still cool it works fine , if it’s on for 20 minutes or more and starts giving me a split screen or , what looks like water droplets on the screen or just a white screen .

[@poweredbyowc]

A SSD will help with overall performance of the machine. The 6G SSDs do run cooler than a standard SATA drive so it may help there if it seems like the machine be having some heating issues. How much of a difference that it may impact for the heat though is a bit hard to say as it currently must be within the expected ranges of heat that the 2011 iMac can withstand or it would be causing the machine to shut itself down.

[@diveactive]

😢😮omg can’t you just take out the old hard drive and stick in the ssd. That’s so much hard work and bound to talk something up.

[@poweredbyowc]

Hello Gary, you can do that however, the SATA bay is a SATA 2 3GB/s connection, you would be limiting the SSD speed in half by doing so. The bay we show here will get you the full speed for the drive.

[@Charlesdavid2009]

Good god this is a helpful video but I am about to trash this iMac. Can anyone confirm that trying this WITHOUT the temp sensor will cause the iMac to shutdown when booting from internet recovery???

[@poweredbyowc]

Thank you for reaching out to OWC. This a great question! You will want to use the temperature sensor when upgrading your machine with a new drive. This will ensure that the fans operate appropriately to disperse heat in your machine. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

[@RickTheGreatestPosterEver]

Can you do this with a 21.5 inch?

[@poweredbyowc]

We do offer SSD upgrades for the 21.5 inch 2011 iMacs, below is the link to the information. eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/imac-21.5-inch/2011

[@blomegoog]

why is this video disassembling the entire imac just to replace the drive? omg.

[@ottf24]

Why so many steps?? I replaced mine in 5 steps

[@mr_mezzy]

That's nothing, I replaced mine in just 3 steps. 1) Pull iMac apart 2) Install SSD 3) Put iMac back together :-)

[@iYankrozHD]

Do you need any cable for the installment, like the thermal cable?

[@davesawyer]

For all that effort you only put a 120GB SSD in!!! JESUS!

[@DarthVader1977]

Subscribed 20220702 6:32pm.

[@PeeOnUrWii]

hi there! i have a mid 2011 imac that boot loops, any idea what it is? i think it may be the motherboard

[@ottf24]

HighriseVsRust what happens before the loop starts?

[@PeeOnUrWii]

Nothing, when i turn it on it doesnt even reach the login screen ;c

[@ottf24]

ok, look at what the verbose loading screen says. startup with the Command-V keys down. you will see text writing on screen, let go of the keys. this is your startup processes, at the end of the text tell me what it says.

[@PeeOnUrWii]

+Tim Thomason ummm i saw the text but it dissapeared

[@PeeOnUrWii]

+Tim Thomason like it shows all the codes and stuff but automatically closes once its displayed everything