How to Upgrade Storage on a Pre-2012 Mac Pro
Because Mac Pros always had upgradeable storage systems, they’re considered quite versatile. Even older models are still sought after on the used market. We’re first going to address upgrading storage on Mac Pro models from 2006-2012. Options for boosting storage on older Mac Pros include installing a hard drive, installing an SSD, using a PCIe expansion card, and other methods.
Install an Internal Hard Drive
The most popular method of expanding the Mac Pro’s internal storage is to add hard drives using the built-in drive sleds supplied by Apple. This method of upgrading is easy. Pull out the drive sled, mount the new drive to the sled, and then pop the sled back into the drive bay. Here’s how:
Install an SSD
An SSD (Solid State Drive) will work in any of the Mac Pro models. The important thing to remember is that the hard drive sled Apple provides is designed for a 3.5-inch drive, the standard size for desktop hard drives.
Remove the four screws attached to the hard drive sled and set them aside. Place the new hard drive on a flat surface with the printed circuit board facing up.Put the hard drive sled on top of the new hard drive, aligning the sled’s screw holes with the threaded mounting points on the drive. Use the Phillips screwdriver to install and tighten the mounting screws you set aside earlier. Don’t over-tighten the screws.
SSDs come in a variety of styles and sizes, but if you’re planning to install one or more SSDs in a 2006 through 2012 Mac Pro, you must use an SSD with a 2.5-inch form factor. This is the same size drive used in most laptops. In addition to the smaller drive size, you’ll need either an adapter or a replacement drive sled designed for installing a 2.5-inch drive in a 3.5-inch drive bay. For Mac Pros from 2009, 2010, and 2012, another option is to replace the existing Mac Pro drive sled with a sled designed for both the 2.5-inch drive form factor and your Mac Pro. The OWC Mount Pro is a good option.
Use a PCIe Expansion Card
If getting the last ounce of performance out of an SSD upgrade is important, it’s easy to use a PCIe expansion card that has one or more SSDs mounted on it. By connecting directly to your Mac’s PCIe 2.0 interface, you can bypass the slower SATA II interface used by the drive bays. Some PCIe-based SSD cards to consider include the OWC Mercury Accelsior E2, Apricorn Velocity Solo x2, and Sonnet Tempo SSD.
Other Internal Storage Options
If you need more drive space than the four drive bays provide, and adding either a PCIe card or an SSD card still doesn’t give you enough space, there are other options for internal storage. The Mac Pro has an additional drive bay that can hold two 5.25-inch optical drives. Most Mac Pros shipped with a single optical drive, leaving an entire 5.25-inch bay available for use. Even better, if you have an 2009, 2010, or 2012 Mac Pro, it already has power and a SATA II connection available for you to use. If you’re a DIYer, simply mount a 2.5-inch SSD to the drive bay with a few nylon zip ties. If you want a neater setup, or you wish to install a standard 3.5-inch hard drive, use a 5.25-to-3.5-inch or 5.25-to -2.5-inch adapter, such as the OWC Multi-Mount.
How to Upgrade Storage on a Mac Pro 2019
The newest Mac Pro model also has a variety of ways to upgrade storage, including installing additional PCIe cards. Mac Pro has eight PCIe x16 sized slots that accept many different types of PCIe cards.
