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For reference, I previously successfully installed a SSD (WD BLUE) on my MBP Pro 2011 with no issues, but for the life of me I can't get it to work on my iMac (A1311, mid 2011).

SSD: Crucial MX500 (I chose this drive over OWC as it was slightly cheaper and came with 5 year warranty vs 3 year with OWC).

These are the steps I did:

  1. Attached the SSD via USB2 to SATA to initialize the drive
  2. On a separate USB drive, created a bootable USB High Sierra Installer
  3. Removed Apple OEM HDD, installed SSD with thermal sensor
  4. Booted in Option mode (pressing the Option button only)
  5. Selected the USB drive which had the installer

I can't select the SSD to install.

I can install macOS on the SSD using a USB connection and boot from there without any problems.

I tried installing the SSD internally with and without the thermal sensor to ensure it wasn't faulty, it appears to be a non-issue.

Any ideas?

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  • Are you saying that the SSD does not appear in the Disk Utility when installed internally?
    – David Anderson
    Commented Apr 9, 2020 at 18:48
  • That is correct. I should have clarified that! Thank for bringing that up.
    – Jonathan S.
    Commented Apr 9, 2020 at 18:51
  • I assume you replaced the existing HDD. As opposed to adding the SSD as a third internal drive. (The HDD and optical drives being the original two drives.)
    – David Anderson
    Commented Apr 9, 2020 at 18:56
  • Thats is correct. i replace the original drive, the optical drive is untouched.
    – Jonathan S.
    Commented Apr 9, 2020 at 19:00
  • 1
    For the issue wasn't the installer, it was the SSD itself. I hear that that OWC brand od SSD are less prone to issues. I actually, but the OWC, but then MX500 can on sale and the warranty is longer and the specs are better...but I had to exchange the drive once.
    – Jonathan S.
    Commented Apr 11, 2020 at 0:24

1 Answer 1

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I exchanged the SSD drive, and it worked!

For the issue wasn't the installer, it was the SSD itself. I hear that that OWC brand of SSD are less prone to issues. I actually, but the OWC, but then MX500 can on sale and the warranty is longer and the specs are better...but I had to exchange the drive once.

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