Finally Placed My Order For An SSD From Crucial.Com.

[kevpan815]

UPDATE: Just received the package a little while ago (Already have Mountain Lion Installed on it with the 10.8.3 Beta on it) and it turns out that this is an External SSD! It came with an SATA to USB Adapter, so this device is designed to be used Externally! Works fine, it even came with today's newly released Firmware of 040H on it! Just FYI!

[f0rk_b0mb]

UPDATE: Just received the package a little while ago (Already have Mountain Lion Installed on it with the 10.8.3 Beta on it) and it turns out that this is an External SSD! It came with an SATA to USB Adapter, so this device is designed to be used Externally! Works fine, it even came with today's newly released Firmware of 040H on it! Just FYI!

Correct me if I'm wrong: Your using an external drive for your OS?

[kevpan815]

I would also note that from the size of the Drive itself, it is too big to be used Internally anyways. I do have a problem however, do to the fact that this is an External SSD, Trim is NOT Working! Apparently it can NOT Detect the SSD! Any Suggestions on how to fix this problem?

[Noir Angel]

I also notice that using Trim is NOT exactly approved by Apple according to 1 of those 2 Links you guys provided me, but it looks like I have no choice if I want my SSD to continue to function normally. I have now downloaded 10.8.2 from the Mac App Store and have it ready to put it on the SSD when it gets here (I put 10.7.5 back on my Internal Hard Drive seeing how it can't be removed).

They're just trying to con you into buying their overpriced drives. Enabling TRIM won't damage your system at all.

[f0rk_b0mb]

I would also note that from the size of the Drive itself, it is too big to be used Internally anyways. I do have a problem however, do to the fact that this is an External SSD, Trim is NOT Working! Apparently it can NOT Detect the SSD! Any Suggestions on how to fix this problem?

Get an internal SSD?

You can't just expect to use an external drive as your main drive. Wipe the one you have, and take it back. Get this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147137

Alternatively you can use the secondary one for data backup.

[kevpan815]

Correct me if I'm wrong: Your using an external drive for your OS?

Yes, the Cable that it came with is a SATA TO USB Data Transfer Cable. This is also the type of SSD that Crucial Recommended for my Mid Year 2010 Mac Mini through their SSD Drive Compatibility Assistant. I simply bought the $123.99 128 GB SSD that they Recommended! It is indeed an External Drive due to the fact that the Regular HDD Does NOT come out of there or else you VOID your Extended Apple Care Warranty according to the Mid Year 2010 Mac Mini's Owner's Manual! Just FYI!

[threetonesun]

I would also note that from the size of the Drive itself, it is too big to be used Internally anyways. I do have a problem however, do to the fact that this is an External SSD, Trim is NOT Working! Apparently it can NOT Detect the SSD! Any Suggestions on how to fix this problem?

This? http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=8B52179BA5CA7304

It's an internal drive. You're also using an SSD over USB 2.0. :(

That cable is just to make it easier to copy things over from an internal drive before installing it.

[f0rk_b0mb]

Yes, the Cable that it came with is a SATA TO USB Data Transfer Cable. This is also the type of SSD that Crucial Recommended for my Mid Year 2010 Mac Mini through their SSD Drive Compatibility Assistant. I simply bought the $123.99 128 GB SSD that they Recommended! It is indeed an External Drive due to the fact that the Regular HDD Does NOT come out of there or else you VOID your Extended Apple Care Warranty according to the Mid Year 2010 Mac Mini's Owner's Manual! Just FYI!

You should buy an internal one, take it and your mac to the nearest apple store and ask them to put it in. What your doing right now is actually slowing down your machine...a lot :s

You should connect it with SATA and the molex power connector and put it in your mac.

Edit: According to this, you can replace it yourself. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1367969

Look up a guide on how to replace it.

[Am_I_Evil]

You should buy an internal one, take it and your mac to the nearest apple store and ask them to put it in. What your doing right now is actually slowing down your machine...a lot :s

You should connect it with SATA and the molex power connector and put it in your mac.

Edit: According to this, you can replace it yourself. http://forums.macrum...d.php?t=1367969

Look up a guide on how to replace it.

a guide's already been posted...he just seems to like ignoring it...

[+Neowin User 007 Subscriber²]

I finally got an SSD a few months back...

I refuse to own another machine without one, I'm spoiled now.

[psionicinversion]

You could just open up the case of te external drive, take it out and put it in your mac mini

[threetonesun]

You could just open up the case of te external drive, take it out and put it in your mac mini

It's not in a case, it's just an SSD. :wacko:

[kevpan815]

I intend to keep using it the way I am using it right now! Get OFF My Back about putting it in the Mac! I don't have the skills to do it! Besides it is working just fine the way it is right now!

Also, I doubt Apple would put it in for me as they do NOT even Officially Support SSD's in this system!

It's not in a case, it's just an SSD. :wacko:

Yes it is in a case! And yes it is External! It also says NOT to open up the Protective Case or else you Void your Warranty!

[Brandon H Supervisor]

I intend to keep using it the way I am using it right now! Get OFF My Back about putting it in the Mac! I don't have the skills to do it! Besides it is working just fine the way it is right now!

Also, I doubt Apple would put it in for me as they do NOT even Officially Support SSD's in this system!

calm down

we getting on your back about it because the way you're using it right now, you're getting NO benefit out of it, unless it's actually plugged into the sata port inside you will get no benefit from the ssd. in fact just having it plugged into usb most likely will give you slower speeds than the internal HDD

we're only trying to help so could you please stop being so rude about things? you came here asking for advice and we're trying to give it to you

[threetonesun]

I intend to keep using it the way I am using it right now! Get OFF My Back about putting it in the Mac! I don't have the skills to do it! Besides it is working just fine the way it is right now!

Also, I doubt Apple would put it in for me as they do NOT even Officially Support SSD's in this system!

Yes it is in a case! And yes it is External! It also says NOT to open up the Protective Case or else you Void your Warranty!

You don't have to believe us, but just so you know, it's an internal drive. If you had a 2.5'' external drive case, it would fit in it. It's somewhat unusual to find external SSDs because many computers are still limited to USB2, which is much slower than the maximum transfer rate of an SSD, and even USB3 limits the use of the SSD some, making it only good if you need a large travel drive.

[psionicinversion]

Of course they dont support SSD's in your system, how else are they going to get you to spend more money on a new mac. It cant be that hard open up the case and put it in cus if some random chinese guy can assemble the whole thing im pretty sure you could.

It does actually seem like the transfer kit is to "clone" your hard drive to your SSD, then you are supposed to replace the HD in the mac with the SSD. spose it depends on your apple care thing which tbh is apple forcing you not to upgrade your machine even though it is fully capable of doing so so you feel like you have to buy a new machine with this support. Welcome to the apple con (even though other companies do the same thing to, how else will they get new sales)

[kevpan815]

You Guys are Going To Get OFF My Back NOW Or Else The Next Person Who Criticizes My Actions Is Going To Get The "Report Abuse Button Pressed Next To Their Post," I have asked you guys to stop questioning my Actions It Is Going to STOP NOW! Just FYI! You may post any thing else in this thread except questioning my actions! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! DO NOT CONTINUE!

[Am_I_Evil]

You Guys are Going To Get OFF My Back NOW Or Else The Next Person Who Criticizes My Actions Is Going To Get The "Report Abuse Button Pressed Next To Their Post," I have asked you guys to stop questioning my Actions It Is Going to STOP NOW! Just FYI! You may post any thing else in this thread except questioning my actions! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! DO NOT CONTINUE!

Click Here

[+Fahim S. MVC]

Frankly not installing your SSD internally essentially means you have wasted your money as you will be getting no performance gain from it.

The USB cable is to make the data transfer process easier and not because the drive is meant to be used externally.

[Am_I_Evil]

Frankly not installing your SSD internally essentially means you have wasted your money as you will be getting no performance gain from it.

The USB cable is to make the data transfer process easier and not because the drive is meant to be used externally.

better watch out...or he'll report you for common sense :laugh:

[Neztea]

So I'm just going to go out and say this as an informative suggestion in case if you ever do change your mind if you are using USB 2.0 rather than SATA II that is located in a Mac mini mid 2010 model.

SATA II runs at a theoretical speed of 3Gbps (300MBps roughly,could be a bit less). But the way you are using your OS in OSX using USB 2.0 it is running at 480Mbps (roughly 48MBps), so you are seriously degrading the performance. That remedied by just replacing the hard drive that is located in the mac mini. Most external enclousures can be taken apart to gain access to the HDD that is inside and you can easily replace it. Run a program called Xbench and see how well your hard drives are performing compared to others on the internet who have done the switch to SSD using the SATA II interface.

Trim also modifies the OSX system to allow unofficial SSD to function with TRIM support. It doesn't void the warranty since it is a software modification to the operating system and in no way changes the hardware in the SSD. They do say that there is the risk that such modification can damage the operating system, I have yet to ee a case in which it does and I have personally applied this patch to a wide range of Mac computers.

Also for the terms of the warranty issue, the rule goes that basically if you don't destroy the machine while upgrading the ram and the Hard drive, you are still covered, as explained by macworld in which case they did contact apple about it and that was their reply http://www.macworld.com/article/1152061/macmini2010handson.html

Also on a side note, Do your research whenever you plan to upgrade a computer. Look into specifications of the computer to see what is has and what can be upgraded. Look into the type of connection the the Computer takes such as SATA I/II/IIIor PATA( Old School I know), and for ram you just need to choose your size, timing of the ram, and the type of ram with the right type of speed ( is it pc3-1066 or pc3-1866?, Will my computer support these types of ram modules? for example) Always do review searches for the type of hardware you are planning on buyng and seeing the reviews. Most people would write reviews on how fantastic a product is or how flawed it is. It is a good way of determining what to buy.

I never tend to go for the compatibility searches that most online retailers do for a specific product. They try to upsell or straight out sell the wrong product. Never buy anything blindly until you know what you are really getting yourself into ( in your case unfortunately, an external drive instead of an internal drive )

These are just helpful tips, in no way trying to troll/aggrivate/hate on you. The people of Neowin are here to help with whatever needs helping, and it really is rude when you just explode on people because of some tips that may or may not be helpful. If you don't want to listen for advice on a forum such as neowin, that is fine, no one is forcing you to. But explode a ball of hate towards users trying to help you? That is Crazy :s

Anyways, take care, and enjoy your mac mini.

Neztea

[Charisma Veteran]

This seens to have reached the only resolution possible, so, thread will be closed now.