Hello, your tutorials are always awesome. If I changed the Hdd by a SSd (1 T, for example) and the PCI (256 G, for example) as well as you showed, what’s next? Do I need create a new Fusion Drive (1256 G) after all or would be better working like two drives separatedly
Hi Santi! If the iMac has a Fusion Drive, both drives will be present. (If the iMac has only a SATA drive or only a PCI blade, the other position will not have a connector.) The Fusion drive will need to be disabled before installing both drives. You can then decide whether to "repair" the Fusion Drive or to use the PCI SSD as your startup drive and the SATA SSD as onboard storage. We've heard arguments on both sides regarding which is preferable.
This video tutorial is absolutely a God-send!!! Really well formatted, thorough, and professional. Thank you so much! I would be $%^&%^%*&%^ without it! My Mac runs lightening-fast!!!
i guess im asking the wrong place but does someone know a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid forgot my password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me
@Abram Harley thanks for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out now. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
You used the pizza cutter tool to cut right over the camera, according to apple repair manuals for this specific model it explicitly says to not do this because you will damage the camera. Did the camera come back on after this?
The camera did work fine after this installation process. We recommend using extreme caution during the removal of the screen or getting a professional to complete the installation for you.
Thanks for the video. I ran into a Problem after installing MacOS on the new SSD. For some reason it does not work to install Windows with Bootcamp. Is that a know error of your SSD? Best regards.
Hi there. I own an iMac19,2. When I bought it, I chose the fusion drive option. I checked and it has a 25GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. I was wondering whether I can clone that fusion drive into the new 2TB PCIe SSD I plan on installing (using an external PCIe-USB adapter) and then split the fusion drive from recovery mode (which will delete all data from both existing drives), install the newly cloned 2TB PCIe SSD and run my system as if nothing happened but keeping my old 1TB HDD for internal storage. BTW, thanks a lot for this very thorough video!
That's a great question. While there is a lot that you can possibly due with a Fusion Drive (upgrading the HDD portion to a 2.5 SSD) or even upgrading the SSD portion to a faster one, I actually would recommend having a live conversation with one of our representatives as it may be beneficial and of help. Anytime you have any questions, simply give us a call: 1-800-275-4576 U.S.A. We are here to help. :)
Great video guys. Upgraded to 16gb ram and replace my pcle (Fusion Drive) with 512GB pcle ssd and left 1tb hdd like second storage. I can "see" hdd but it's saying it's not mounted. After reading comments I understood that I was supposed to separate fusion drive from hdd before installing new pcle ssd. Is it possible to seperate them now do do I need to open iMac again? thank you for you help
I would actually recommend maybe contacting our Technical support team for more info/clarification as it can be easier to understand certain things via a live conversation. It can be done by using the Terminal, but this is where a live conversation starts to come in handy. (eshop.macsales.com/Service/) Reach out to us anytime and we would be happy to help with the rest. :)
Hello Linda, I may be misunderstanding your inquiry but if you mean sending your iMac to us for upgrading it is the cost of the parts + $80 per hour for labor which is usually only about an hour. If you mean how much are the upgrades, it depends on what you need I am linking your options below. Memory: eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/imac-2019-27-inch SSD - If you do not have a fusion drive please disregard the Aura Pro X2, you will need a SATA SSD. eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/imac-27-inch/2013-2019
@@poweredbyowc I did ask a question about upgrading RAM and I was told that you don't do such service. So why are you now stating here that you do it here? What am I missing?
Thank you for the video! I upgraded the PCIe ssd but it's not showing up as a drive on diskutil is there something that I need to do to make it show up again? also is it possible that I can just use mac from this drive and remove the hdd?
The Aura Pro X2 drive does require 10.13 or later, and will not work with an earlier OS. However, in order to properly use the OS you will need to first have installed 10.13 onto the Apple drive while it is installed into the Mac, so the Mac receives the proper EFI firmware update required. From there, you can install the Aura Pro X2 SSD into the Mac, get it formatted, and get the OS installed onto it. If you need to format the SSD follow these steps:-Boot the Mac holding CMD + OPT + R and keep holding those keys until you see an Apple icon or globe come up on the screen.-When Mac OS Utilities loads, select Disk Utility.-Select the drive ** and hit Erase. You can select Mac OS Extended Journaled or APFS as the format, and you will want to name the drive as well.-Hit Erase again- all done! You can then exit back to Utilities so you can Reinstall Mac OS. **If you are not seeing your new disk in disk utility you can run the following steps: -Boot to Internet Recovery (Command + Option + R) > Disk Utility > View > Show all Devices-Exit Disk Utility-Reenter Disk Utility (show all devices again if the drive is not listed already)-You may need to repeat this process more than once before the drive appears. -If needed you can also run a PRAM reset on the Mac (hold down Command + Option + P + R then power, hold the 4 keys through 2-3 chimes then let go) if the drive will still not show up- this will help the Mac see new hardware properly. If you are trying to install 10.13.4 or later, a clean install may not work correctly since the installer will not see an Apple drive and may not run as a result. If this is the case you can restore from a Time Machine backup of High Sierra, or you can use a cloning software of your choice. Either option will omit the Apple installer and will allow the OS to install properly. In regards to the original HDD, you can remove it or leave it installed inside the iMac if you’d like. Please give us a call if you need additional assistance and one of our technical support reps will be happy to assist. 1-800-275-4576 or Email us at support@macsales.com
How can I tell if my iMac 2019, an iMac with the following specs iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019), CPU 3 Ghz 6-Core Intel i5, RAM 8 GB 2667 MHz DDR4, GPU Radeon Pro 560X 4GB, is the same as the one shown in your video? Thank you for this and other tutorials as I may do this type of upgrade together with a RAM upgrade to bump my iMac to at least 32GB and a larger PCIe SSD. I just wonder how to reinstall the Mac OS after the upgrade?
The best and easiest way is to find the Model Identifier and see if it matches the one above (iMac19,2). Here are some steps to help find that: Model Identifier 1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner 2. Hold Option key 3. Click System Information 4. Second Line Down Under Hardware Overview is the Model Identifier (??) Regarding reinstalling the MacOS, that is where I would consider using Internet Recovery Mode to either reinstall the macOS, restore from a Time Machine Backup, or to select any of the other available options.
hi , I have exactly same model iMac as you and just realied the 21 inch can't be RAM upgraded , only the 27 inch allows this. Very annoyed. It appears I can however do this in the video and upgrade my SSD in this model. I wanted to ask have you doenthis and was it successful and simple to do? thanks
Hello, interested in changing my 19,2 iMac from a 1TB Fusion Drive to a full 1TB SSD. I noticed that this piece looks similar to a RAM card. When I did this on my 2012 MacBook Pro some time ago, I was simply able to change out the HDD and replace/connect a new one to the SATA cable. Is that not the case anymore? Is this an additional step that I'd need to do along with the SSD SATA replacement? Your response will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Thank you for the comment. The video above shows the Install / Upgrade of the original PCIe portion of the apple fusion drive. This upgrade would leave the original HDD inside the iMac.
@@poweredbyowc Thank you for confirming! I found another video on your page that was more related to my original post! I have a new question now... Do you believe replacing the SATA HDD and the PCIe card is overkill or no?
I would say this is highly dependent on what the iMac is being used for. For example, if it's mainly just used to watch movies, look at photos, emails, browsing the web, etc... while it still can be a great upgrade, the process may not be worth it to some...however to people that do audio and video work, sometimes doing this upgrade can be a necessity in order to have the most optimized workflow.
There isn't an imposed limit though the SSD with the correct key (god connectors) that we sell is limited to 2TB. I don't believe Apple offers a larger drive, so I believe your max would be 2TB for the time being.
Hi Joel, you can check your About This Mac>Storage and it should tell you what type of storage you have. If you have a Fusion Drive or an SSD you should have the connections for it. Alternatively you can also open your System Report and check NVMExpress and it should tell you if there is a slot available for a drive.
If it states that you do not have an NVMExpress, that states there is not one currently installed. Now depending on the iMac you have you may have the slot available to install one. If you have a 27" iMac you have that slot, but regrettably if you have at 21.5" iMac that slot is not available to you.
@@poweredbyowc hi, there's lots of info next to NVME. Does this tell me that I actually have an NVME or do I need to look at specifics in the readout info? For instance detachable drive and Removable media both say NO. Does this mean I can't upgrade my SSD. I have a 2019 21" 19 2, 4k retina.
Hey Chris, This is a great question. So everything is stored on the drive so once you have installed the new drive you will have to transfer your data onto the new drive which includes your iCloud account. Security Setting would be the same deal those are stored from the drive that you would migrate or transfer from your old drive. Typically you would want to use Apple Migration assistant or a cloning software.
Hello greetings from Chile. Does this ssd need a temperature sensor? I ask, since I have seen that some technicians install it. Specifically to the 2019 model
Hello Elías thank you for the inquiry, the Aura Pro X2 does not need a temperature sensor for the iMac, we do include one in the kit for MacPro 2013 but is not necessary for the iMac.
Hi, my 2019 iMac 19,2 is a Fusion Drive with 1TB HDD and 28GB SSD with macOS Monterey. I have just taken delivery of a OWC 1TB SSD kit for it. I will also replace the HDD with a 500GB SSD. I do not want a Fusion Drive on the new SSD's, I want Monterey on my 1TB SSD only and I'm going to use the 500GB SSD for separate internal storage. The packaging for the OWC 1TB SSD says on it "IMPORTANT before installing read included insert regarding installation of macOS 10, 13 or later". There is no included insert, so what is it referring to? Also, will my current Time Machine Fusion backups work for the new Monterey on the SSD (I have a USB stick that has a Monterey installer on it to boot from and install the OS after formatting the OWC SSD) or will I have to break the Fusion before I do the SSD upgrade and do backups after the break so I can restore OK onto the new, clean Monterey OS?
Sorry to hear that the insert was missing from the packaging. One of the main requirements of the Aura SSD is that MacOS 10.13 or later, was previously installed on the original apple ssd, prior to installing the Aura. This is necessary for the firmware update. If you are already upgraded to macOS Monterey, you should not have any problems. Once you replace the internal Apple SSD, you will essentially break the fusion. In regards to the time machine backup, you will need to set that up again once you have the new drives installed in the iMac. At some point during the process, the system should ask if you would like to exclude the old fusion drive from your TimeMachine.
Hello Sriram, We would be happy to confirm if the 256GB SSD can be upgraded in your specific iMac. Going forward could you send an email to support@owc.com with the subject as ATTN: Melissa, Please? There I would be able to assist you directly can can send you the links needed to upgrade your machine. 🙂 I look forward hearing from you soon! Have a great day!
Hello Carlos, So it would depend on the what configuration you purchased the iMac. If you purchase it with a fusion drive or HDD or SATA SSD, yes you would be able to install a second drive.
Yes, the iMac would be able to support just a PCIe SSD installed. Once the PCIe SSD is installed, you would be able to remove the HDD and format accordingly.
Thanks, this tutorial helped me to replace SSD and RAM. From first attempt 😊
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Hello, your tutorials are always awesome. If I changed the Hdd by a SSd (1 T, for example) and the PCI (256 G, for example) as well as you showed, what’s next? Do I need create a new Fusion Drive (1256 G) after all or would be better working like two drives separatedly
Hi Santi! If the iMac has a Fusion Drive, both drives will be present. (If the iMac has only a SATA drive or only a PCI blade, the other position will not have a connector.) The Fusion drive will need to be disabled before installing both drives. You can then decide whether to "repair" the Fusion Drive or to use the PCI SSD as your startup drive and the SATA SSD as onboard storage. We've heard arguments on both sides regarding which is preferable.
This video tutorial is absolutely a God-send!!! Really well formatted, thorough, and professional. Thank you so much! I would be $%^&%^%*&%^ without it! My Mac runs lightening-fast!!!
i guess im asking the wrong place but does someone know a way to log back into an Instagram account??
I was stupid forgot my password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me
@Pablo Duncan Instablaster =)
@Abram Harley thanks for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out now.
Seems to take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Abram Harley It worked and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thank you so much, you saved my ass :D
@Pablo Duncan no problem :)
You used the pizza cutter tool to cut right over the camera, according to apple repair manuals for this specific model it explicitly says to not do this because you will damage the camera. Did the camera come back on after this?
The camera did work fine after this installation process. We recommend using extreme caution during the removal of the screen or getting a professional to complete the installation for you.
Thanks for the video. I ran into a Problem after installing MacOS on the new SSD. For some reason it does not work to install Windows with Bootcamp. Is that a know error of your SSD? Best regards.
Hi there. I own an iMac19,2. When I bought it, I chose the fusion drive option. I checked and it has a 25GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. I was wondering whether I can clone that fusion drive into the new 2TB PCIe SSD I plan on installing (using an external PCIe-USB adapter) and then split the fusion drive from recovery mode (which will delete all data from both existing drives), install the newly cloned 2TB PCIe SSD and run my system as if nothing happened but keeping my old 1TB HDD for internal storage.
BTW, thanks a lot for this very thorough video!
That's a great question. While there is a lot that you can possibly due with a Fusion Drive (upgrading the HDD portion to a 2.5 SSD) or even upgrading the SSD portion to a faster one, I actually would recommend having a live conversation with one of our representatives as it may be beneficial and of help. Anytime you have any questions, simply give us a call: 1-800-275-4576
U.S.A. We are here to help. :)
I have an iMac 21.5 4k 2019... I bought an SSD nvme and an adapter for PCIe... What a surprise!!! My iMac doesn't have a PCIe port 😭😭😭😭 what can I do?
Presumably, you'd only be able to use SATA 2.5inch SSDs such as our Electra 6G or Extreme Pro 6G series.
Is that i3 model ?
Great video guys. Upgraded to 16gb ram and replace my pcle (Fusion Drive) with 512GB pcle ssd and left 1tb hdd like second storage. I can "see" hdd but it's saying it's not mounted. After reading comments I understood that I was supposed to separate fusion drive from hdd before installing new pcle ssd. Is it possible to seperate them now do do I need to open iMac again? thank you for you help
I would actually recommend maybe contacting our Technical support team for more info/clarification as it can be easier to understand certain things via a live conversation. It can be done by using the Terminal, but this is where a live conversation starts to come in handy. (eshop.macsales.com/Service/) Reach out to us anytime and we would be happy to help with the rest. :)
Hello thank you for the video!! How much for installing memory and also changing the disk to a solid state?
Hello Linda, I may be misunderstanding your inquiry but if you mean sending your iMac to us for upgrading it is the cost of the parts + $80 per hour for labor which is usually only about an hour.
If you mean how much are the upgrades, it depends on what you need I am linking your options below.
Memory:
eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/imac-2019-27-inch
SSD - If you do not have a fusion drive please disregard the Aura Pro X2, you will need a SATA SSD.
eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/imac-27-inch/2013-2019
@@poweredbyowc I did ask a question about upgrading RAM and I was told that you don't do such service. So why are you now stating here that you do it here? What am I missing?
Thank you for the video! I upgraded the PCIe ssd but it's not showing up as a drive on diskutil is there something that I need to do to make it show up again? also is it possible that I can just use mac from this drive and remove the hdd?
The Aura Pro X2 drive does require 10.13 or later, and will not work with an earlier OS. However, in order to properly use the OS you will need to first have installed 10.13 onto the Apple drive while it is installed into the Mac, so the Mac receives the proper EFI firmware update required. From there, you can install the Aura Pro X2 SSD into the Mac, get it formatted, and get the OS installed onto it.
If you need to format the SSD follow these steps:-Boot the Mac holding CMD + OPT + R and keep holding those keys until you see an Apple icon or globe come up on the screen.-When Mac OS Utilities loads, select Disk Utility.-Select the drive ** and hit Erase. You can select Mac OS Extended Journaled or APFS as the format, and you will want to name the drive as well.-Hit Erase again- all done! You can then exit back to Utilities so you can Reinstall Mac OS. **If you are not seeing your new disk in disk utility you can run the following steps:
-Boot to Internet Recovery (Command + Option + R) > Disk Utility > View > Show all Devices-Exit Disk Utility-Reenter Disk Utility (show all devices again if the drive is not listed already)-You may need to repeat this process more than once before the drive appears. -If needed you can also run a PRAM reset on the Mac (hold down Command + Option + P + R then power, hold the 4 keys through 2-3 chimes then let go) if the drive will still not show up- this will help the Mac see new hardware properly.
If you are trying to install 10.13.4 or later, a clean install may not work correctly since the installer will not see an Apple drive and may not run as a result. If this is the case you can restore from a Time Machine backup of High Sierra, or you can use a cloning software of your choice. Either option will omit the Apple installer and will allow the OS to install properly.
In regards to the original HDD, you can remove it or leave it installed inside the iMac if you’d like. Please give us a call if you need additional assistance and one of our technical support reps will be happy to assist. 1-800-275-4576 or Email us at support@macsales.com
How can I tell if my iMac 2019, an iMac with the following specs iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019), CPU 3 Ghz 6-Core Intel i5, RAM 8 GB 2667 MHz DDR4, GPU Radeon Pro 560X 4GB, is the same as the one shown in your video? Thank you for this and other tutorials as I may do this type of upgrade together with a RAM upgrade to bump my iMac to at least 32GB and a larger PCIe SSD. I just wonder how to reinstall the Mac OS after the upgrade?
The best and easiest way is to find the Model Identifier and see if it matches the one above (iMac19,2). Here are some steps to help find that:
Model Identifier
1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner
2. Hold Option key
3. Click System Information
4. Second Line Down Under Hardware Overview is the Model Identifier (??)
Regarding reinstalling the MacOS, that is where I would consider using Internet Recovery Mode to either reinstall the macOS, restore from a Time Machine Backup, or to select any of the other available options.
hi , I have exactly same model iMac as you and just realied the 21 inch can't be RAM upgraded , only the 27 inch allows this. Very annoyed. It appears I can however do this in the video and upgrade my SSD in this model. I wanted to ask have you doenthis and was it successful and simple to do? thanks
Hello, interested in changing my 19,2 iMac from a 1TB Fusion Drive to a full 1TB SSD. I noticed that this piece looks similar to a RAM card. When I did this on my 2012 MacBook Pro some time ago, I was simply able to change out the HDD and replace/connect a new one to the SATA cable. Is that not the case anymore? Is this an additional step that I'd need to do along with the SSD SATA replacement? Your response will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Thank you for the comment. The video above shows the Install / Upgrade of the original PCIe portion of the apple fusion drive. This upgrade would leave the original HDD inside the iMac.
@@poweredbyowc Thank you for confirming! I found another video on your page that was more related to my original post! I have a new question now... Do you believe replacing the SATA HDD and the PCIe card is overkill or no?
I would say this is highly dependent on what the iMac is being used for. For example, if it's mainly just used to watch movies, look at photos, emails, browsing the web, etc... while it still can be a great upgrade, the process may not be worth it to some...however to people that do audio and video work, sometimes doing this upgrade can be a necessity in order to have the most optimized workflow.
Hi! What is the maximum capacity supported by this iMac?
There isn't an imposed limit though the SSD with the correct key (god connectors) that we sell is limited to 2TB. I don't believe Apple offers a larger drive, so I believe your max would be 2TB for the time being.
@@poweredbyowc Thanks for answering
is the attack a normal PCIe? Does your SSD have a firmware compatible with the Mac EFI?
I doubt
How can you tell if there is a slot for the SSD on the iMac?
Hi Joel, you can check your About This Mac>Storage and it should tell you what type of storage you have. If you have a Fusion Drive or an SSD you should have the connections for it. Alternatively you can also open your System Report and check NVMExpress and it should tell you if there is a slot available for a drive.
@@poweredbyowc thank you! It said my computer does not have any NVMExpress devices
If it states that you do not have an NVMExpress, that states there is not one currently installed. Now depending on the iMac you have you may have the slot available to install one. If you have a 27" iMac you have that slot, but regrettably if you have at 21.5" iMac that slot is not available to you.
@@poweredbyowc hi, there's lots of info next to NVME. Does this tell me that I actually have an NVME or do I need to look at specifics in the readout info? For instance detachable drive and Removable media both say NO. Does this mean I can't upgrade my SSD. I have a 2019 21" 19 2, 4k retina.
Does this remove my iCloud and any security settings I have? Or is that in the motherboard
Hey Chris,
This is a great question. So everything is stored on the drive so once you have installed the new drive you will have to transfer your data onto the new drive which includes your iCloud account. Security Setting would be the same deal those are stored from the drive that you would migrate or transfer from your old drive. Typically you would want to use Apple Migration assistant or a cloning software.
Hello greetings from Chile.
Does this ssd need a temperature sensor?
I ask, since I have seen that some technicians install it. Specifically to the 2019 model
Hello Elías thank you for the inquiry, the Aura Pro X2 does not need a temperature sensor for the iMac, we do include one in the kit for MacPro 2013 but is not necessary for the iMac.
Hi, my 2019 iMac 19,2 is a Fusion Drive with 1TB HDD and 28GB SSD with macOS Monterey. I have just taken delivery of a OWC 1TB SSD kit for it. I will also replace the HDD with a 500GB SSD. I do not want a Fusion Drive on the new SSD's, I want Monterey on my 1TB SSD only and I'm going to use the 500GB SSD for separate internal storage. The packaging for the OWC 1TB SSD says on it "IMPORTANT before installing read included insert regarding installation of macOS 10, 13 or later". There is no included insert, so what is it referring to? Also, will my current Time Machine Fusion backups work for the new Monterey on the SSD (I have a USB stick that has a Monterey installer on it to boot from and install the OS after formatting the OWC SSD) or will I have to break the Fusion before I do the SSD upgrade and do backups after the break so I can restore OK onto the new, clean Monterey OS?
Sorry to hear that the insert was missing from the packaging. One of the main requirements of the Aura SSD is that MacOS 10.13 or later, was previously installed on the original apple ssd, prior to installing the Aura. This is necessary for the firmware update. If you are already upgraded to macOS Monterey, you should not have any problems. Once you replace the internal Apple SSD, you will essentially break the fusion. In regards to the time machine backup, you will need to set that up again once you have the new drives installed in the iMac. At some point during the process, the system should ask if you would like to exclude the old fusion drive from your TimeMachine.
I have a 2019 model with i3 and 1tb of hdd, it does not have a connection for nvme, right?
That is correct if the iMac does not come with a fusion drive it will not have the PCIe Slot.
Can the 256 ssd that came built in be replaced?
Hello Sriram,
We would be happy to confirm if the 256GB SSD can be upgraded in your specific iMac.
Going forward could you send an email to support@owc.com with the subject as ATTN: Melissa, Please?
There I would be able to assist you directly can can send you the links needed to upgrade your machine. 🙂
I look forward hearing from you soon! Have a great day!
My 2019 iMac doesn’t have a HDD, only a SSD. Is the process still the same?
That is correct Carlos, this would be the same process even is your iMac does not have an HDD.
@@poweredbyowc would it be possible to add a second Sata SSD as well?
Hello Carlos, So it would depend on the what configuration you purchased the iMac. If you purchase it with a fusion drive or HDD or SATA SSD, yes you would be able to install a second drive.
@@poweredbyowc for the fusion drive setup, if i upgrade the PCIe SSD to 1tb, can I remove the HDD as I have no need for the extra storage? thanks.
Yes, the iMac would be able to support just a PCIe SSD installed. Once the PCIe SSD is installed, you would be able to remove the HDD and format accordingly.