Recommended third-party SSD brands

Looking for recommendations for third-party SSD manufacturers to switch from my MBP Mid-2010 13'" internal hard drive. What have been your experiences to switching to a solid-state drive from a Mac originally bought with regular hdd's?

It will benefit, but not as much because it only has a 3.0 Gb/s bus. You need a 6.0 Gb/s bus to get the maximum capabilities of the SSDs made for that bus. The vendors you mention are all highly reliable.
Note that if you install it yourself then you lose all future support from Apple.

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How to install third-party SSD as boot disk in MacPro 5,1

I had so much trouble with this that I thought I'd post a recipe that others could follow.
The first thing you should know is that it's not possible to get a non-Apple SSD recognized in a sled slot of a MacPro 5,1. It just doesn't see them at all, even if (as some suggested) previously partitioned as a GUID partition (which works in a MacBook Pro, but not a MacPro 5,1). This is true even with the most up-to-date EFI firmware. You're going to have to use a PCIe adapter card.
The next thing you should know is that not all PCIe SATA3 SSD adapter cards are bootable on a MacPro 5,1. For instance, even though the Sonnet Tempo SSD is advertised as working for a boot drive in a Mac Pro, it actually works in any Mac Pro *except* the 5,1. In a 5,1 drives on the card do not work as boot drives, either with option boot or if you select it as the startup drive after booting from something else. Also, EFI boot is extended by about a minute -- not the end of the world, but an annoyance. The Tempo card does work well for add-on drives, its very fast. I am pretty sure the Tempo Pro variant of the card also does not work, as the Sonnet support guys told me that they have to use use rEFIt for booting 5,1 MacPros in their lab. I imagine if the Pro worked they would have pointed me at that instead. (Note that rEFIt has been superseded by rEFInd, http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/. I didn't try using rEFIt or rEFInd because I found a better way, but if you want to dual-boot to Linux those utilities are apparently Da Bomb.)
An Apricorn Velocity x2 Duo card *will* boot, and does not have a long EFI boot delay. That card is a little more expensive than the Tempo SSD (but not the Tempo Pro SSD) but it works properly. It's worth the extra money, especially since it's the only card I could find that explicitly claimed to work as a boot drive on a 5,1 MacPro. And it does.
One caveat: With the Tempo SSD the SSD drives were invisible until repartitioned in GUID format, which also happens if you try to use a third-party SSD inside a Macbook Pro. I found that I could repartition one drive, a Crucial MX500 960GB, using a run-of-the-mill USB SATA2 adapter. Unfortunately this solution did not work with a Samsung Evo 1TB drive, I had to use an external USB3 enclosure. Moreover, the enclosure supported both FireWire and USB3 but FireWire did not work. This FireWire issue might be due to the super-cheap enclosure I was using, so YMMV, but keep in mind that it's possible that you'll need either a USB3 expansion card in the MacPro, or a different Mac, to perform the initial repartition to GUID format.
It's possible that SSDs would be visible on the Velocity card even before repartitioning, I don't know as both of my drives had been repartitioned prior to trying the Velocity. So, it might work ... but you might need to partition externally.
I don't know if pre-partitioning is necessary with the Velocity card, as I only ever tried pre-partitioned drives with it. If you try the Velocity and the drive isn't seen, that's the problem and you'll have to use an external SATA adapter of some sort to repartition before installing on the Velocity card.
After partitioning the drive and installing on the Velocity card, it worked fine. Yosemite installed properly and with reboot it blazed.
Next up, TRIM support. For some reason known only to Apple, the Apple AHCI driver refuses to enable TRIM support for anything other than Apple drives. It's possible that there are or were bugs in some of the early SSDs and Apple is just playing it safe, although I would have preferred to have the option to enable TRIM or not if that's the case. Unfortunately there is no such option, you have to use a substitute AHCI driver.
Unfortunately if you're using Yosemite you cannot use a substitute driver without disabling kext extensions, because Apple will not sign anyone else's driver (at least not at the time of this writing). That's unfortunate, I would prefer to have signed extensions if I could, but realistically speaking you're no worse off in terms of security than you were with Mavericks so it's not the end of the world. With a little luck Apple will either start supporting TRIM on third-party drives or starts signing third-party drivers sometime in the future.
So: Before you can start TRIMming drives, you first need to run this command, or something like it:
sudo nvram boot-args=“kext-dev-mode=1”
I rather like seeing the boot process, rather than just the Apple logo, so I use this:
sudo nvram boot-args=“-v kext-dev-mode=1”
I tried both Trim Enabler (http://www.cindori.org/software/trimenabler/) and Chameleon SSD Optimizer (http://chameleon.alessandroboschini.com/). As of this writing the Chameleon driver is more up-to-date, and comes with some additional utilities that are pretty nice. Take your pick, though, both worked fine in my experiments.
With a TRIM-enabled AHCI driver, kext signing disabled, a Velocity card, and your favorite SSD you are in business.
The only weird thing after all of this is that non-boot SSDs on the Velocity card (or on the Tempo) are ejectable. As far as I can determine there’s no way to mark them as non-ejectable. That’s a minor annoyance compared to the performance you get out of the SSD, though.
Because, with this stuff in there, yowza is the MacPro 5,1 a fast machine. You Will Like It. Enjoy!

Then you should read these.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1804704&highlight=sonnet+tempo+pro
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1721573&highlight=sonnet+tempo+pro
This was strange but has to do with how startup disk and nvram interact
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1795765
I think your problems were solvable and not that the Sonnet card and 5,1 is not bootable, in fact the 5,1 is easier, there are more supported cards.
I have the 1,1 where the Sonnet Pro is recommended but for data only and are not bootable because of the 32-bit EFI firmware. NOT the 4,1 and 5,1. The 2008's are problem child and have a mix of PCIe 1.1 slots, first implementation of EFI64 that also has problems. Also the 4,1 has two PCIe 2.x slots 3 and 4 that share a controller but that simply limits bandwidth.
I would have left the TRIM support and NVRAM changes in Yosemite to a separate thread if you wanted to focus on the Sonnet Tempo Pro support in Mac Pro 2010-12 5,1s.
Also the make of SSD can vary and they also have their own firmware as do bootable controllers along with the EFI of the Mac, all of which have to work together. Meaning it might be that Samsung 840 va 840 EVO vs 840 Pro will all be slightly different but my experience is Samsungs work well (as do others like Crucial with the proper firmware - and there was/is an issue with the firmware of the Samsung 840 but not with booting).
The PCIe card gets seen and treated as external and therefore 'eject' but of course you can't when it is the system boot drive.
One thing I found last week and meant to mention: After installing or changing PCIe cards, RESET SMC made all the difference in the world with the long boot delay. Some PCIe cards will add a few seconds, system has to search the device tree which now shows another controller with multiple devices - and sometimes NVRAM and SMC are what I will call "dirty" and need to be rebuilt and reset.

Third-party SSD with Yosemite

Hi all
I would like to upgrade my MBP Early 2011 with an SSD. I read different forum posts about TRIM support in 10.10 for third-party SSDs. Can somebody tell me, if there are any SSD I can install without having TRIM disabled. What happens if TRIM is disabled or what does that mean to the performance and the disk itself?
Thanks for your answer,
Lukas

harem-doctor wrote:
...What happens if TRIM is disabled or what does that mean to the performance and the disk itself?...
This link gives a good explanation of what TRIM does and why it's needed on an SSD. In reading it, you'll notice that HD's and SSD's do not function in the same way and TRIM helps to compensate for the difference. These days all SSD's have some form of Garbage Collection built into their controllers but without the assistance of TRIM, they can't tell the difference between valid and deleted data so unnecessary data movement has to take place which decreases performance and increases wear on the SSD.

Do i Have to TRIM my Third party SSD on my MacBook Pro 2011?

Do i have to TRIM my third party SSD on my MBP 2011? I should do it?
it helps? i like performance this would help get there? what app i should use? im running Mavericks

This article might give you some inisghts:
http://www.techspot.com/news/52835-understanding-ssds-the-need-for-trim-overprov isioning-and-more.html
This is what I use:
http://www.cindori.org/software/trimenabler/

Upgrading to Yosemite with Third-Party ssd's

I'm thinking about Upgrading to Yosemite on my mac mini, primarily because I want to update to the latest version of Final Cut X, and this is only supported on Yosemite.
I put this off long ago because I'm using Third-Party SSD's, and I know that there were issues with this on Yosemite. If possible, I'd like to update now, but I'm not sure if this is a stable system for what I'm using. Here are my current specs below:
Mac Mini Late 2012
OS X Version 10.9.5
Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
16GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Memory
Startup Disk - 2x Crucial M550 256GB SATA in RAID-0
When I looked into this many months ago, I remember reading that Yosemite doesn't work well with non-apple SSD's, something about trim not working or otherwise. Does anyone know if this can be done now, or if there's a thread with a fix for this? Everything that I can find in searches is from a year ago.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

Based on the discussions I've read Yosemite will work on a 3rd party SSD, but as mentioned above, TRIM isn't supported.
One option is to create a new partition (~30- 50 GB), install the new OS, and ‘test drive’ it. If you like/don’t like it it, you can then remove the partition. Do a backup before you do anything. By doing this, if you don’t like it you won’t have to go though the revert process.
Check to make sure your applications are compatible.
Application Compatibility
Applications Compatibility (2)

Update to Yosemite on third-party SSD

Hello,
I have a Macbook Pro earlies 2009, and I would like to update to Yosemite. I read that there are problems with third-party SSD.
I had to change my original HD to an Samsung EVO SSD.
Is this right?
Thanks in advance,
Best regards
Wolfgang

I use Samsung EVO SSD and no issues. Just realize you can no longer use Trim Enabler without some risk. I decided to not use Trim.

Third Party SSD Drive Modul

Hi Community,
is it possible to install a third party SSD (512GB; 3,5") drive modul in a new Mac Pro (build 2011) as system drive?
Thx & Bye Tom

The hatter wrote:
There are lots of fud and misconceptions when it comes to SSDs in particular.
There are also more than enough problems with S3 mode (sleep, and hibernation), with firmware, with shipping products too soon to know. Rush to recoup investments and to sell to bleeding edge customers only too happy to beta test for them.
Doesn't excuse the lack of TRIM in OS X after more than two years though. And no, BGC isn't TRIM and isn't a substitute. But constantly stirring the pot to add salt to the wounds doesn't help either.
If I had investment in SSDs and was using OS X I'd want to have SoftRAID 4 as well.
Sorry I have read your post a few times but I will not be wiser. Maybe you can explain it a bit easier for a none english native speaker ;-)
But what I understood is your hint for the missing TRIM support in Mac OSX 10.6.x. I had the biggest doubt in the loss of performance when the disc running out of empty space. Yes I know the problem that the disc have to delete marked free segments explicitly before it can use them again and yes I didn't know also, that Mac OSX doesn't support the TRIM command but I spoke to a lot of people who are using SSD modules for a longer period of time and none of them could confirm a decline in performance.
But the post of Grant Bennet-Alder concerns me more than a loss of performance. Why it is dangerous to clone a normal disk to a SSD module?
Thx & Bye Tom

Install Lion over Snow Leopard on third party SSD.

I am currently running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 on a third party SSD (Intel 510 series), and am using Trim Enabler 1.2. Everything is running well.
Regarding installing Lion 10.7.2 on the same SSD drive, I have some questions: Should I simply install Lion over Snow Leopard, then either switch to Trim Enabler 2.0 beta 4, or use Grant Pannell's tips here http://digitaldj.net/2011/07/21/trim-enabler-for-lion/. I have read in places that it is best to perform a wipe or some type of reconditioning of an SSD before installing Lion on it. Thanks for any advice you all may have.

I would do the following:
1) buy an external disk enclosure with USB and/or FireWire interface
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817146604
2) buy a cheap traditional hard disk at least the same size as the SSD or larger
3) Clone the SSD to the external hard disk inside the enclosure
4) Download Lion from the App Store and copy the installer to a USB Flash Drive
4) Delete the partitions on the SSD (don't bother formatting)
5) Install Lion cleanly with a boot USB Flash Drive
6) Connect the external disk and use the Migration Assistant to move your data back
7) Once you are sure all is good (take a few weeks to be sure) then you can format the external disk and use it as a Time Machine drive. Or use it for other purposes.
Give it time to index everything with Spotlight.
That would be the most clean way to upgrade. Some have been lucky with Lion upgrades but if you have a ton of legacy stuff installed as well as custom tweaks, etc. Then you are likely to run into issues. Best to start clean and neat and migrate your data over. I would even re-install the Apps individually.
Make sure you are not running any PowerPC Apps which rely on Rosetta because that won't work in Lion after the upgrade.

Adding third-party SSD drives to Xserve

Has anyone tried this? I would like to buy a new Xserve and migrate to 10.6, but since my application would benefit greatly from SSDs, I would like to buy build an Xserve with a SSD boot drive, and two SSD drives in RAID1. Since Apple doesn't offer SSDs as a drive bay option, has anyone here successfully done it on their own?
...Rene

Yes, I can't see a reason either why a third-party drive (e.g., http://www.plianttechnology.com/lightning_ls.php ) be used. I would just like to hear from someone who has actually done it on a the newer Nehalem Xserves. My application is very database bound (many small, random reads and writes), and I think it would benefit greatly from an SSD.
...Rene

Recommended Third Party Archive and Purging Software for Oracle Database (Oracle CC&B)

Hi,
We are currently exploring third party archive and purging software for Oracle Database specifically used by an Oracle Customer Care and Billing implementation. Our current data is growing that we think archiving and purging is a now a viable option. Thanks.
Regards,
Dennis

According to the fine Oracle® Utilities Application Framework Administration Guide Chapter 17, "Archiving and Purging" is readily available to CC&B.

Recommended third party library instruments?

New Apple user here - last used Logic 8 years ago, and while getting to grips with it again, stumbled into the Library instruments.
Was just looking to hook up my old Korg, but now blown away by the Library instruments in Logic - no need for a new Korg.
While many of the sounds are great, I'm finding the strings to be pretty weak. From previous reading on these forums I saw the Vienna Symphonic Library recommended.
I'm presuming this is basically a dedicated set of orchestral instruments for the Logic library? If so, am tempted to go with the Standard Special Edition bundle as it seems an affordable way to get into using it.
However, I'm also looking out for choral and world music sounds, but not sure where to look.
Any pointers and/or recommendations - even keywords for Google searches - would certainly be appreciated.

The orchestral party pug ins you are already looking at are among the best, no question. But for good strings at a reasonable price the IK Multimedia Philharmonik is quite good, don't pay the price you'll see it for... I paid like $300 or so. The Wallander group is making some very good brass, flutes and oboes for a good price as well, you can pay as you go with them as well.
However, if money isn't an object, then you are correct, the Eastwest and the Vienna instrument groups are the industry standard, best as I can tell, an probably for good reason. Good luck- you're gonna have fun.

Trim support in mountain lion for third party ssd

Hi,
I have an Intel 320 series SSD in my intel core duo 2008 2.6ghz macbook pro.
I had trim support enabled in Lion and tried to re-enable it with the usual terminal commands after upgrading to ML.
The first two commands to back up and patch the new file appear to work, but when I try to clear the 1st cache using:
sudo kextcache -system-prelinked-kernel
I get the following error:
Kernel file /mach_kernel does not contain requested arch: i386
Then in system information after reboot it says that trim has not enabled.
Does anyone know how I can re-enable trim support.
Many thanks,
Simon

Solved by shurcooL
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=15444235#post15444235
I tried this and it wouldn't work for me. It backed up the file, but when I tried to open the .kext file with the same editor he used, it wouldn't allow me to open it. I also tried logging in as the root user and didn't work either. Any ideas?
Macbook Pro 2012 model, 10.7.4, Intel 320 series 120gb SSD

Third Party SSD upgrade announced!!!

Check this out:
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/10/27/256gb-ssd-upgrades-for-new-macbook-air-annou nced/

drsailer wrote:
Probably never.
http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/apple-stops-sale-of-photofast-256gb-ssd-for-m acbook-air-20101130/
That's really too bad. We can shop Macsales.com and upgrade our desktops and portables. Now Photofast has had their hand slapped and we can not have an even faster MBAir. What a bummer.

How to download Yosemite when using a third party ssd

I currently have a 13" macbook pro with retina display. I was running Mavericks just fine with my Transcend JetDrive 720 480gb SATA III SSD installed. When Yosemite was released, I downloaded it and everything seemed to be going well when it installed, until I restarted it. When I restarted it, it prompted me to log in with my password, and after I put in my password, it got stuck about midway through another loading screen.
Any ideas on how to get it working? I do have a Time machine backup of right before I tried updating. As well as the beta for Yosemite on another external hard drive that works fine (it's the only way i can currently use my computer).
I've tried rebooting, reinstalling the update, verifying/repairing disk through Utilities, and nothing worked. It keeps getting stuck at the same point after it asks for my password to log in.
Thanks

If the program you are using uses he Apple APIs correctly then it is easy - just look in the lower left under the media browser - Media ==> photos ==> iPhoto
As I remember CostCo does not do this correctly and it is more difficult
LN

Recommended Third-Party Presets

With the proliferation of free & paid LR4 develop module presets available, as a relatively new user I am curious on your thoughts about your picks for best presets available.
Thank you.

According to the fine Oracle® Utilities Application Framework Administration Guide Chapter 17, "Archiving and Purging" is readily available to CC&B.

Recommended third-party SSD brands

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