From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system


If the subject isn't clear ...

Before trying the SSD in the Mac again, I would like to try installing
the OS on the SSD via an external USB 3.0 cradle. Then replace the HD
in the Mac with that.

Will that boot when I transplant it into the Mac?

Note also this is a Fusion iMac.

--
"...there are many humorous things in this world; among them the white
man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."
-Samuel Clemens
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

"Before trying the SSD in the Mac again, I would like to try
installing the OS on the SSD via an external USB 3.0 cradle.
Then replace the HD in the Mac with that.
Will that boot when I transplant it into the Mac?
Note also this is a Fusion iMac."

If you "transplant" a drive that has already been setup as a
"standalone" boot drive, the fusion drive is destroyed.
Gone. All data lost.
(the drives will still be re-usable after you erase them,
but the "fusion" structure is broken and cannot be repaired).

Just be aware of that before you try it.

Having said that...
There's no reason why you can't "prep and test" a new drive
"outside" of the Mac before you install it.

Final thought:
Why not just "leave the new boot drive outside", either
booting from the dock or from an enclosure, and use it that way?

The fusion drive will still be usable for additional storage.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-11-29 12:57, Fishrrman wrote:

"Before trying the SSD in the Mac again, I would like to try installing
the OS on the SSD via an external USB 3.0 cradle.  Then replace the HD
in the Mac with that.
Will that boot when I transplant it into the Mac?
Note also this is a Fusion iMac."

If you "transplant" a drive that has already been setup as a
"standalone" boot drive, the fusion drive is destroyed. Gone. All data
lost.
(the drives will still be re-usable after you erase them, but the
"fusion" structure is broken and cannot be repaired).

No problem.

Just be aware of that before you try it.

Having said that...
There's no reason why you can't "prep and test" a new drive "outside" of
the Mac before you install it.

So (for my edification/clarity), it will boot and run correctly after
putting in the Mac (replacing the HD).

Final thought:
Why not just "leave the new boot drive outside", either booting from the dock or from an enclosure, and use it that way?

See my other thread "SSD install - fail"

I don't care if I lose fusion.

--
"...there are many humorous things in this world; among them the white
man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."
-Samuel Clemens
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

In message <uXQwH.49708$Uz.38353@fx46.iad> Alan Browne <bitbucket@blackhole.com> wrote:

If the subject isn't clear ...

Before trying the SSD in the Mac again, I would like to try installing
the OS on the SSD via an external USB 3.0 cradle. Then replace the HD
in the Mac with that.

Will that boot when I transplant it into the Mac?

If it boots an Intel Mac it boots an Intel Mac. This isn’t Windows.

Note also this is a Fusion iMac.

Why would you be using Fusion in 2020? Fusion drives were a stopgap when
SSD storage was extremely expensive. SSD storage is much more affordable
now (I believe a friend of mine bought some 1TB SSDs recently for well
under $100 each. $60 comes to mind).

If you replace PART of a fusion drive, the other part that you do not
replace is going to be lost and you will need to reformat it. I don't
think the 'broken' fusion drive will prevent the machine from booting,
but I moved away from using the fusion drive setup pretty early on.

--
AUDITORS OF REALITY. THEY THINK OF LIFE AS A STAIN ON THE UNIVERSE. A
PESTILENCE. MESSY. GETTING IN THE WAY. 'In the way of what?' THE
EFFICIENT RUNNING OF THE UNIVERSE.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-11-29 15:42, Lewis wrote:

In message <uXQwH.49708$Uz.38353@fx46.iad> Alan Browne <bitbucket@blackhole.com> wrote:

If the subject isn't clear ...

Before trying the SSD in the Mac again, I would like to try installing
the OS on the SSD via an external USB 3.0 cradle. Then replace the HD
in the Mac with that.

Will that boot when I transplant it into the Mac?

If it boots an Intel Mac it boots an Intel Mac. This isn’t Windows.

Note also this is a Fusion iMac.

Why would you be using Fusion in 2020? Fusion drives were a stopgap when
SSD storage was extremely expensive. SSD storage is much more affordable
now (I believe a friend of mine bought some 1TB SSDs recently for well
under $100 each. $60 comes to mind).

The current configuration is 1TB HD / fusion. Original Apple.

I'm putting in the 1 TB 6G (500 MB/s) "Mercury" OWC SSD.

If you replace PART of a fusion drive, the other part that you do not
replace is going to be lost and you will need to reformat it. I don't
think the 'broken' fusion drive will prevent the machine from booting,
but I moved away from using the fusion drive setup pretty early on.

I don't care if the SSD part of the Fusion drive is lost. If it could
be resurrected as a spare internal 128 GB volume that could be nice as a scratch space but certainly not necessary.

--
"...there are many humorous things in this world; among them the white
man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."
-Samuel Clemens
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-11-29 13:00, Alan Browne wrote:

So (for my edification/clarity), it will boot and run correctly after putting in the Mac (replacing the HD).

If the Time Machine backup is of the fusion volume, it will contain the
data form both SSD and hard drive. You need to boot external, reformat
the fusion drive itself, and restore to the fusion drive. You must never
work with single physical disks.

After replacing your hard drive, I am not sure you could boot recovery
because that data might have been on the original hard drive instead
SSD. Not sure.

The other option is to do a physical disk block copy from old drive to
new and put it back it and hope the OS doesn't notice. The file
catalogue will work since files still in smale block positions on either
drive. But not sure if the file system would allow you to use more space
since the various free block tables etc would be setup for old volume size.


--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

In message <FbUwH.11459$xQ7.8940@fx28.iad> JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> wrote:

On 2020-11-29 13:00, Alan Browne wrote:

So (for my edification/clarity), it will boot and run correctly after
putting in the Mac (replacing the HD).

If the Time Machine backup is of the fusion volume, it will contain the
data form both SSD and hard drive. You need to boot external, reformat
the fusion drive itself, and restore to the fusion drive. You must never
work with single physical disks.

100% entirely in every possible way, WRONG.

--
"...and that's not incense"
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-11-29 20:42:29 +0000, Lewis said:

In message <uXQwH.49708$Uz.38353@fx46.iad> Alan Browne <bitbucket@blackhole.com> wrote:

If the subject isn't clear ...

Before trying the SSD in the Mac again, I would like to try installing
the OS on the SSD via an external USB 3.0 cradle. Then replace the HD
in the Mac with that.

Will that boot when I transplant it into the Mac?

If it boots an Intel Mac it boots an Intel Mac. This isn't Windows.

Note also this is a Fusion iMac.

Why would you be using Fusion in 2020? Fusion drives were a stopgap when
SSD storage was extremely expensive. SSD storage is much more affordable
now (I believe a friend of mine bought some 1TB SSDs recently for well
under $100 each. $60 comes to mind).

With Apple's pricing of storage and RAM, it's still expensive. Fusion
drives are still an option on some Mac models. It remains to be seen
what happens when the entire lineup has been shifted to Apple Silicon
though.

If you replace PART of a fusion drive, the other part that you do not
replace is going to be lost and you will need to reformat it. I don't
think the 'broken' fusion drive will prevent the machine from booting,
but I moved away from using the fusion drive setup pretty early on.

You will lose the data that was originally on it, but you can actually
remake the Fusion drive (or even make your own out of separate hard
drive and SSD).


--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

In article <rq1lka$1h5e$1@gioia.aioe.org>, Your Name
<YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:

With Apple's pricing of storage and RAM, it's still expensive. Fusion
drives are still an option on some Mac models.

just the imac, which is about to be replaced.

It remains to be seen
what happens when the entire lineup has been shifted to Apple Silicon though.

it's called ssd.
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113