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Which NVMe + adapter is compatible for upgrading Mid-2015 15"MBP's SSD

I need to expand the 128GB SSD to 2TB on my used 2015 15" MBP, so that I can clone a non-starting 2011 15"'s 2TB SSD. A repair shop tech suggested that Samsungs drives wouldn't work... I don't think I need a dedicated Mac card as others have had success (albeit a tight fit in the slot designed to accommodate this) with adapters that they swear will work.

Related Q: I have cloned previous HDDs to SSDs using an IDE/SATA kit on an MBP that WOULD boot all the way to login, but not sure how to do so with a machine that won't fully boot... I CAN get it to start in Target mode, just not sure about the sequences needed.

MNY THX in advance for any advice!

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your MacBook Air from early 2015 is compatible with the Crucial P3 NVME 3.0 SSD with adapter.

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@jameshind - This is a 2015 15” MacBook Pro not a MacBook Air.

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To start off Apple uses a custom blade SSD which is not directly compatible with M.2 SSD’s so if you go down that path you will need an adapter and most M.2 SSD’s will work. Apple contracted Samsung to make their SSD’s

But there are some risks! The larger the SSD is in storage the denser the cells are and that equates to more heat when pressed hard. The second issue here is as the drive gets full you can run into issues with the housekeeping tasks SSD’s perform TRIM and wear leveling which if you are dependent on the system and it’s data make sure you backup frequently!

I personally like sticking with a pin compatible SSD like OWC or Transcend solutions, I still encounter people with issues with the M.2 adapters so be careful. Here’s one option: OWC Aura Pro X2 SSD and here’s the guide to put it in MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Mid 2015 SSD Replacement

As far as your follow up you can use the built in migration tools within the OS to transfer your stuff from your 2011 MacBook drive held in an external SATA case to USB or FireWare2. Depending on your systems condition you might be able to boot it up under Target Disk Mode as well.

OWC Aura Pro X2 SSD Image

Product

OWC Aura Pro X2 SSD

$99.99

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MNY THX, DAN,

I followed your advice and ordered the OWC Aura Pro X2 from iFixit. Further research evinced more than a couple of reports of connection issues with third party adapters needed for non-OEM form factor compatibility. While it may tend to run hot in Aperture, I plan to try to clean and re-apply thermal paste and some cooling pads to help dissipate temps. Having been bitten badly by the fatal crash bug in the past, important libraries are all backed-up on on a 14TB external drive and then fail-safe copied to another external HDD; hopefully any NVMe fail down the road won't be an extinction-level event...

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@sethphineas - Don’t forget to score and accept the answer - Thanks!

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Hi Dan -

Received the 2TB OWC SSD you steered me toward and physical install was a breeze; the NVMe "X2", sans adapter, fit like a glove and I was able to erase/format it in APFS with no problem. However, when I tried various methods of migration, using two distinct 'Recovery modes' in an attempt to import the contents of my 2TB 2.5" HDD via IDE/SATA adapter, I was sadly denied. The Aura Pro was recognized in one of the modes that could apparently also re-install the latest OS compatible with the 2015 MBP–Monterey–but that system does me little good.

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I embarked on this odyssey to preserve access to Apple's lamentedly abandoned native pro-sumer photo editing software, Aperture (which I got really used to over a decade and a half of organizing and editing hundreds of thousands of images,) but the last OS to support it was Mojave, and this new Flash Drive apparently won't mount or be discoverable as the MBP's Main SSD inside the Recovery mode that enables reinstallation of its original OS when shipped (El Capitan.) I *was* able to achieve this wipe and reinstall using the smaller 128 SSD that came with it (when I picked it from the bottom of the Ebay barrel), and then was also able to upgraded to Mojave, but just not with this OWC 2TB. I'm sooooo close, and yet...

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@sethphineas - Well you have me scratching my head here! The OWC drive (as well as any other NVMe drive requires High Sierra or newer to run, Mojave should be fine. But older 16bit apps are no-longer supported. Are you sure you are running on a 32bit clean version of the Aperture app?

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You can use NVME 2 drive with adapter in your MacBook Pro 2015.

Note: The MacBook Pro 2015 and MacBook Air 2015-2017 using same SSD pins.

Will the WD Black PCIe SSD work with MacBook Pro 2015?

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I have a 2015 15" with a Sintech Adapter & a 1TB Samsung EVO 970 Plus NVME

Never any issues as yet (6 Months) it is running very smooth.

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sethphineas will be eternally grateful.
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