Upgrade 2019 iMac NVMe SSD or make Fusion drive

[timeshifter]

Customer has 2019 4K 21.5" iMac with 256GB NVMe storage. Running low. Would like to replace with larger NVMe SSD. Reasonable price from OWC for part.

But to replace the NVMe SSD requires almost a total tear down. Beyond the hard drive you need to remove the power supply and the logic board. The SSD is on the back of the logic board.

Maybe I could just install a SATA SSD in the hard drive spot and make the NVMe SSD and SATA SSD into a Fusion Drive? Wonder if there'll be cables and brackets for regular style hard drive present on an NVMe SSD only model?

 

[overburnz]

If I am not mistaken the 2019 models must be on of two configurations: Fusion Drive or just SSD NVMe, if it is only NVMe then you should be able to connect a SATA SSD but you will need to purchase the connector, I know that the 2020 models don’t have the SATA connector (only NVMe) if you want I can check that for you, just send me the iMac SN and I’ll check it out (via pm obviously)

 

[timeshifter]

By connector, do you mean the SATA / power cable?

I seem to recall other models in the past wouldn't have a mount or cable if it didn't ship with the appropriate drive. So my fear is that there would be no way to put SATA drive in without buying the cable and mounting bits.

As I think about it, if I have to add a cable like that it will likely involve removing the logic board anyway. If that's the case then I probably just go ahead and replace the NVMe SSD with a bigger one.

Thanks for the offer to look up the SN. I'm not there now and the customer is hard to catch, so I may do that later next time I'm there.

The more I think about this I'm leaning more toward the external SSD. Was against that idea since it would be a separate volume and the user may not be able to deal effectively with multiple volumes (her Desktop and other file org is a mess). But, I guess it wouldn't be a horrible idea to put her Photos library on the SSD. It's what's consuming most of her space and she needs 40 Gb to transfer photos to this computer from another, but only has 20 Gb left.

 

[overburnz]

By connector, do you mean the SATA / power cable?

I seem to recall other models in the past wouldn't have a mount or cable if it didn't ship with the appropriate drive. So my fear is that there would be no way to put SATA drive in without buying the cable and mounting bits.

As I think about it, if I have to add a cable like that it will likely involve removing the logic board anyway. If that's the case then I probably just go ahead and replace the NVMe SSD with a bigger one.

Thanks for the offer to look up the SN. I'm not there now and the customer is hard to catch, so I may do that later next time I'm there.

The more I think about this I'm leaning more toward the external SSD. Was against that idea since it would be a separate volume and the user may not be able to deal effectively with multiple volumes (her Desktop and other file org is a mess). But, I guess it wouldn't be a horrible idea to put her Photos library on the SSD. It's what's consuming most of her space and she needs 40 Gb to transfer photos to this computer from another, but only has 20 Gb left.

Yes the SATA power cable will involve removing the logic board, and you need to remove the chin strap, speakers, fan, power supply to access the connectors and/or ssd

 

[timeshifter]

What are the odds that cable is already in place?

 

[overburnz]

What are the odds that cable is already in place?

slim to none if its just the SSD and you will also need the caddy for the SATA SSD

 

[timeshifter]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Thanks.

Only reason I was thinking about adding a regular SATA drive to expand was to AVOID going that deep. So I'll just replace the NVMe drive with a bigger one if I'm going there.

 

[overburnz]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Thanks.

Only reason I was thinking about adding a regular SATA drive to expand was to AVOID going that deep. So I'll just replace the NVMe drive with a bigger one if I'm going there.

Just be sure that you can purchase a compatible drive because in owc website I didn’t find any SSD compatible to iMac 2019