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+--- Thread: USB C to Firewire 800 (/showthread.php?tid=294642)
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USB C to Firewire 800 - Spiff - 02-28-2025
I have finally brought home my 2011 iMac from work. It is slow as dirt, these days, and is nowhere near being able to run any of the latest software. However! I can still use it as a music server in my workshop.
I am looking to try to hook an SSD up to the Firewire 800 port on the back (does not have TB or USB3). Any ideas on the cleanest way to hook a USB C SSD to a firewire 800 port? This would speed up the computer significantly, and hopefully for a minimal amount of $$.
Any thoughts welcome. On a Friday. Evening. Sitting at my daughter's gymnastics class. Before dinner. Without a snack....
EDIT:
Maybe a better question is: is there a way to speed up the machine without cracking into it? Not really interested in spending the time to open it up, put in a new SSD and then close it up. I know its a little easier that some, but I don't really have the time to do this, right now.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - Gareth - 02-28-2025
Adding a USB 2 SSD should still be/seem faster than the internal hard drive, or so I remember from reports here.
There's no way to hook up a USB device to Firewire.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - Gareth - 02-28-2025
EveryMac says the 2011 iMacs have a ThunderBolt port (the old mini-displayport shaped port).
You'd need a powered ThunderBolt dock to add USB 3, but those should be pretty cheap now (you'll have to get one used - make sure it comes with the TB cable so you don't have to buy that seperately!). Of course, it's still a lot of stuff to add for a single USB 3 SSD. The dock will take up space, and the power supplies for them are a decent brick.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - hal - 02-28-2025
that imac has usb2 - you wouldn't see much of a difference.
I would suggest using the thunderbolt port - thunderbolt 1 docks should be pretty cheap by now
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - Gareth - 02-28-2025
I just remembered, there was 1 (that I can remember) 2.5" Thunderbolt Hard Drive (from Buffalo): https://www.ebay.com/itm/205309856133 ($40+ Used - this listing doesn't include the TB cable).
You could take it apart and put a 2.5" SSD in it instead. If you can wait a week or 2, I can go digging to see if I still have the "relevant" parts (i.e. mainly the bridgeboard) - I took one of these apart years ago and never put it back together.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - Harbourmaster - 03-01-2025
I was running an early 2011 iMac with a quad i7 for the last couple of years via an external USB case with a 2TB NVME drive installed in it, and the performance boost was VERY noticeable. I believe a 2.5” SSD would likely show a similar boost in performance.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - Spiff - 03-01-2025
Thanks all! Not sure how viable it will be for me to crack into the machine itself and replace the skinny platter thingy. I can try the TB2 port, but it is described as a port for display. I will have to try it. I do have an OWC Doc for TB2. I can try that.
Edit: Why did I not think of the Dock idea? Because EveryMac described the TB2 port as a display port. I was not thinking that it could also work for data transfer. Duh.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - ka jowct - 03-01-2025
I got a TB2 dock on eBay for not much money. It works fine with my laptops that have TB2/Mini Displayport connections.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - anonymouse1 - 03-01-2025
Quoting Everymac:
"Thunderbolt also supports other peripherals that use the Thunderbolt standard which provides up to 10 Gbps of bandwidth in both directions."
That will beat the pants off USB, up to USB 3.2Gen2. If your TB2 dock will take a 2.5" drive, you're golden. Just drop a 2.5" SSD in there. Maybe you'll need a cable???
I'm excited to hear how it works.
Spiff wrote:
Thanks all! Not sure how viable it will be for me to crack into the machine itself and replace the skinny platter thingy. I can try the TB2 port, but it is described as a port for display. I will have to try it. I do have an OWC Doc for TB2. I can try that.
Edit: Why did I not think of the Dock idea? Because EveryMac described the TB2 port as a display port. I was not thinking that it could also work for data transfer. Duh.
Re: USB C to Firewire 800 - Spiff - 03-01-2025
Thanks anonymouse1! I must admit I’m a bit distracted by the days events. I b have the tb2 dock and will try running the computer off an external ssd drive. I’m excited to have this work! Yay!!