Introduction
Mettez votre disque dur à niveau pour augmenter l'espace de stockage.
Ce tutoriel comprend également les étapes pour mettre à niveau le disque dur de votre iMac avec un SSD. Il décrit comment installer le capteur de température du SSD afin que les ventilateurs du Mac fonctionnent à la bonne vitesse.
Avant de commencer à travailler sur votre iMac : débranchez l'ordinateur et appuyez sur le bouton de marche pendant dix secondes pour décharger les condensateurs du bloc d'alimentation.
Faites très attention à ne pas toucher les fils des condensateurs ou les soudures visibles à l'arrière du bloc d'alimentation.
Ce dont vous avez besoin
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Collez une ventouse sur chacun des deux angles supérieurs de la vitre.
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Si la ventouse n'adhère pas à la vitre, essayez de les nettoyer, l'une et l'autre, à l'aide d'un solvant doux.
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Soulevez doucement la vitre perpendiculairement à l'écran LCD pour dégager les broches de montage en acier fixées en dessous de la vitre, le long du bord supérieur.
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Retirez la vitre en l'éloignant du bord inférieur de l'iMac et mettez-la de côté.
What's the best product to clean the face of the LCD?
Microfiber Cloth
Try your best not touch it in the first place
Brian -
Wearing Nitrile or regular surgical gloves helps prevent finger prints if you accidentally touch the glass.
I use a Swiffer duster from above at the last moment before I let the magnets grab the glass cover. This has worked so well the last dozen or so times I’ve replaced a glass cover since I never have access to a “clean room” and don’t wear a “bunny suit”.
Also, more dust will shed from your skin if you’ve just taken a shower, so I like to finish these repairs in the morning before a shower.
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Retirez les huit vis Torx T10 8 mm par lesquelles l'écran est fixé au boîtier extérieur.
The metal near the screws is VERY magnetic. Honestly, the hardest and by far most frustrating step was trying to put these screws back in.
I ran into the same problem - easily the most frustrating part of this process. To help deal with it, I took a drinking straw, cut it to be about 2 inches long, and used it as a chute to guide the screw to the hole. Dropping the screw down the straw, it'd still stick to the side due to the magnets, but using my screwdriver, it was easy to push the screw down to where it needed to go, and the straw kept the screw from being pulled out of place by the magnets.
josh -
Hmm… yes, the magnets sucks - literally. But if you use a normal screwdriver or a bit, the screwdriver tip or the bit can be “loaded” by the magnets too. Just move the screwdriver (or bit) over one of the magnets and then “plug” the screw onto the screwdriver’s tip (or bit). It will be held by magnetic force. Just enough to move the screw vertically and very slowly into the whole.
There are some special screwdriver on the market with “claws” to hold screws, but they are hard to find/to buy and expensive. I sometimes use superglue (a LITTLE) to temporary fasten the screw at the screwdrivers tip. This technique can be used with destroyed screw heads too to optimize adhesion.
Replacing these screws was like playing the most difficult game of “Operation” imaginable. I wish I’d seen the tip about using a straw before I started playing!
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Soulevez légèrement le bord supérieur de l'écran hors du boîtier extérieur.
The harddisk can be removed WITHOUT the next steps. The opening angle of the partially lifted LCD display gives enough room to untighten the two Torx T9 screws of the hard disk bracket, to unplug the two SATA connectors and to carefully lift out the harddisk. There is absolutely no need to dismantle the whole thing.
All you need is a screwdriver which fits into the room. I’ve used the “Pro Tech Toolkit” from iFixit. The screwdriver with Torx T9 bit fits perfectly.
The other “tool” you need is either someone who holds the LCD plate or the inner leftover of a kitchenroll, a scrunched paper, a small towel or similar which has to be stuffed between the logic boards and the LCD plate to keep the LCD at its lifted place (careful! don’t unplug any of the cables).
I’ve opened and changed the harddisks of those 21,5 iMacs a dozen times with the help of the “Pro Tech Toolkit” and a kitchen roll.
If i want to replace the HD with a SSD, can i still skip the next steps? I think i can’t because i need to change the termal censor, but i would like an other opinion please.
Danois -
“Kitchen Roll” - paper towel core.
kyoder11 -
You can absolutely replace the drive without removing any cables. It's a little tight, you need your torx driver to be short enough to fit in the limited space. Be careful not to put any pressure on the cables (the one nearest the front is a good guide of how much space you have to play with). It's helpful to have another set of hands to hold it up while you remove the drive, but I just did it by holding the display up with one hand and it wasn't that hard to remove and replace the drive.
I wouldn't install any thermal sensor, just use something like Macs Fan Control (free) to adjust the fans so they don't race out of control.
Hia,
thx to IFIXIT and 20+ years of computer repair and building experience (all PC) there was no problem at all to remove a 500 Gb HDD from a mid 2011 iMac and replace it with an 500 Gb SSD Drive (with help from Comtec EDV, where i bought the upgrade kit).
Skip the steps where people are advised to remove the display. Due to my experience it is def better to leave cables and plugs where they are. I lifted the display 12 cm and fixed this position w/ one pencil in each front corner of the case where the other end of the pencil sticked in ascrew hole of the display-frame. Very easy to operate afterwards! No probs w/ the screws of the hdd-frame.
Some care-taking of static electricity is advised - wear a wrist cable. And don’t forget to press start button after having removed power chord. I had an Android Tablet on the right side, where i could watch these ifixit pages :-)
thx to IFIXIT!
w/ regards from cantbtroo from Berlin
Thank you ifixit for the guide. Like so many others I jumped from step 4 to step 10 and left all the cables intact. Felt much safer doing so. Papertowel cores secured the LCD to higher position. There was enough room to remove the old HDD and replace it with a SSD drive.
Cheers!
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Débranchez le câble de synchronisation verticale de sa prise sur la carte de rétro-éclairage, près de l'angle supérieur gauche de l'iMac.
Tried doing this on my iMac, but this cable would not come out for love or money. No matter what I did, I could not unplug this cable. My iMac is the same 21inch 2011 as this one. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I was tempted to forgo steps 4-10 but found the inside of the case to be very dusty and decided to do the full disassemble. I struggled getting this vertical sync cable connector out. The trick that worked for me was to prop the display up using a pair of toilet paper tubes then using the fingernails of both thumbs, one on each side of the connector and it came out easily.
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Faites pivoter l'écran hors du boîtier extérieur, suffisamment pour débrancher le câble d'alimentation du rétro-éclairage LED de la carte de rétro-éclairage.
Slip a thumbnail under the “front” (toward the top of the iMac) of the connector to release its clamp from the retaining ridge. Then push toward the “back” (bottom of iMac).
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Saisissez la languette d'extraction en plastique fixée au dispositif de verrouillage du câble de données de l'écran et tournez-la vers le haut.
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Débranchez le câble de données de l'écran de sa prise sur la carte mère en le tenant droit.
I am having a difficult time reattaching the LCD cable. A better description or any tips would be useful here.
Me too — ditto that.
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDI... —> abt. 5:30 into the vid. Handle up to slide in, then flip it down to lock the connector in place.
The connector needs to be carefully pushed in parallel to the board with a surprising amount of pressure and the pull tab must be folded back. Not super fragile, but not strong either.
I really wish that the fagility of this connector was mentioned in Step 10 or 11.. When i rotated the screen on step 11.. It pulled this connector out and now I can't get it back in.. I hate computers.. HA!
This is the most painful part of the whole event. Replacing this cable took me around 30 minutes !
I have tried and tried to get this cable back in. How do I know if I have messed it up?
Mine seems to be…upside down? Looks like the little flappy lock thing is on the bottom as opposed to it being in top as pictured?
I agree with everybody that this is the critical step in this fix. Removing it is not that difficult, the description is quite accurate, but I would highlight that the “rotate” part of the step could be detailed: the black plastic tab is attached to the metal lock (golden colored) , which should rotate into the direction of the cable almost 180 degrees to unlock the connector. After doing this you can pull the cable out of the connector, PARALLEL to the board and away from the connector. It travels a very short distance to disconnect. After going through the rest of the steps to remove the display, take some time to examine closely the connector and understand what you have to do to reconnect it on assembly. It helps to fully visualize beforehand, since on reassembly it is difficult to see properly.
Magnifying glasses are needed for this step. Carefully study the cable and how it attaches to the connector. Take a few pictures to help. This is the most difficult step.
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Débranchez le connecteur du câble du capteur thermique LCD de sa prise sur la carte mère.
The replacement hard drive I used doesn't even appear to spin up and the Time Capsule restore process doesn't show it as available. It just stays at Searching for disks and never finds it.
I had to use Disk Utility to partition the drive and then it showed fine. Rookie mistake.
JRBv3 -
I managed to damage the LCD thermal sensor socket in the logic board. Now the connector won’t stay in place. I know the missing thermal sensor should cause the fans to spin up (they do spin up after a while), but the screen is blank.
I connected an external monitor and it works fine, so it doesn’t seem to be a graphics or logic board issue. I also replaced the LED driver board with one from a working iMac, to no effect.
Can the missing thermal sensor be causing this?
Having the same problem. Black screen, works fine with external display.
Passerby -
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Avec précaution, tirez l'écran vers le bord supérieur de votre iMac et sortez-le du boîtier extérieur, en faisant attention aux câbles qui peuvent se coincer.
Btw, I was pretty safe (& content) with two suction cups - i bought 3 for less than 7 Euros. They were a good help for a glass that hasn’t been removed since 2011. But i am sure fingernails will do a good job, too (of course not mine, cos i have short ones).
At the end of the job it was even possoible to clean the fan that sucks cool air into the iMac (w/ a paintbrush and a controllable vaccuum cleaner). After that, it’s also a good opportunity to clean the air inlet that is part of the aluminium case (behind the stand - it’s always dusty).
w/ regards from cantbtroo, Berlin
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Retirez les deux vis Torx T10 9 mm par lesquelles le support supérieur du disque dur est fixé au boîtier extérieur.
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Faites pivoter légèrement le disque dur hors du boîtier arrière et soulevez-le vers le bord supérieur de l'iMac pour dégager les broches de montage.
Mine seems to still be connected by something else on the other side, and I cannot remove it…
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Débranchez le connecteur du câble de données SATA et le connecteur d'alimentation SATA de leurs prises respectives sur le disque dur.
My iMac HDD have 3 ports in the back, SATA data, SATA power and a small one that looks like jumpers pins. When i removed the HDD there was a cable in it. Does anyone know what it is? I bought a new HDD and this port is slightly different. Thanks in advance.
It is a sensor, it is used by the fan control. I did not connect it because my SSD does not have this extra port. So after the iMac reboot, everything worked but the fan was always on (noisy!). I solved this issue by installing a small soft called ssdfanctrl in order to control the fan manually. All good now.
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Retirez les deux vis Torx T8 qui fixent le support supérieur au disque dur.
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Ôtez le support supérieur du disque dur.
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Alignez les connecteurs de SSD avec les prises du boîtier métallique.
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Appuyez le disque contre les prises du boîtier jusqu'à ce que le SSD soit bien encastré.
In my 21.5 “ imac, there simply isnt enough room to use the plastic ssd enclosure in photo 1 if you want to screw back into the bracket as instructions advise you to do. When trying to put the screen back onto the Imac, it just wouldnt fit. So basically i did not screw in the ssd enclosure fully with the bracket, there is still room for the ssd enclosure and for all of the connections and temperature sensor if you dont screw in the bracket.
Computer is running fine after a month or so, but i image if we end up moving the imac we should be very careful not to shakeup the SSD too much.
scusate, sbalgio o manca un passaggio? mi riferisco alla rimozione del 'coperchio' metallico, quello dove c'è l'adesivo con le caratteristiche dell'hd, data di fabbricazione, capienza etc...
Ciao @armandopalermo, scusami, non capisco bene la tuo domanda. Vuoi sapere cosa fare con la schiuma EMI (un passo sopra) o con l'adesivo del sensore di temperatura (2 passi dopo)?
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Décollez le film de protection blanc qui recouvre l'adhésif derrière la petite sonde de température,
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Collez le circuit de la sonde de température à la surface métallique du SSD, à côté du connecteur SATA.
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Repliez les câbles de la sonde de température, qui dépassent, de façon qu'ils ne vous gênent pas quand vous montez le boîtier.
I don’t remember these instructions including advice to first install MacOS onto the new SSD hard drive. If you don’t first install MacOS on the SSD before installing it, you will then need to use a different computer to create a bootable USB thumbdrive with MacOS installed on it, which is not as easy as it sounds as you have to format the USB correctly, and then download the OS which can take a while if your internet connection isnt great.
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Prenez un tournevis T8 pour visser les broches de montage provenant du vieux disque dur sur les côtés du boîtier.
Hallo. Will meine originale HDD wieder einbauen. Wo finde ich hier den Temperatursensor?
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Glissez le boîtier du SSD dans l'espace occupé précédemment par le disque dur.
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Disposez les câbles SSD de façon qu'ils n'interfèrent avec aucun autre composant.
I’m stuck on the last stage. In my 2011 21.5” EMC 2428, Model A1311, I simply can’t figure out how to get the new enclosure back in position to fasten it down. The new sensor cable interferes with the reinstallation. I don’t see adequate pictures above to see how to solve the problem, other than by just letting the new enclosure sit loose in the general area, which doesn’t seem ideal. Suggestions?
Hi David,
The sensor cable is pretty rigid, which makes it difficult to maneuver the enclosure into place. You may need to make some tight turns on the cable. You can also try running without the sensor cable and see if the fans will work adequately without it.
It is a bit disorienting that the photos change from a 2011 to a 2017 model. Also the EMI foam seems to have gone missing in this instructions
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Pour remonter votre appareil, suivez les mêmes instructions dans l'ordre inverse.
Pour remonter votre appareil, suivez les mêmes instructions dans l'ordre inverse.
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80 commentaires
Hi guys, the tools arrived today and I did already chage the default harddisk against the WD Velociraptor 500GB. For now everything is working fine. The iMac is in the middle of restoring the time maschine backup. Everything worked out as described. Excellent! I was just a little surprised by the magnetic forces which one needs to overcome gently...
Is there a temp sensor that monitors the HD? I did the upgrade but now my fan is always on. I must've done something wrong.
Did you use the same brand hard drive? Did check the instructions about cable orientation on the hard drive? Did you double check the LCD thermal sensor cable?
Take a glance at this page for full explanations:
http://www.hddfancontrol.com/imac-hard-d...
I had the same issue here (after replacing the original HDD by a 1TB WB Caviar Blue) and it has been fixed by this utility.
HTH,
In response to the software, that does work, however, it can be taken care of hardware wise if our recommendations are followed.
Hi, I'm no stranger to upgrading my Macs (been doing it since 1989). I've followed this guide too since the inside of my '11 iMac is a little less upgrade friendly and my fans spin up afterward as well even if the computer is just sitting there idle. I replaced my factory internal 500GB WD drive with a 2TB WD drive. It doesn't take long before my fans start to spin up. I've checked and rechecked all of the cable attachments. What else could I be doing wrong? What are your referenced recommendations that take care of this with a hardware solution? My best find so far is a donation based version of the above mentioned S.M.A.R.T. tool (http://exirion.net/ssdfanctrl/).
sash5 -
Thank you iFixit, another successful repair. Upgraded 1TB hard drive to 2TB, no issues at all.
I have been using iFixit for years, so thank you very much for these guides. Invaluable!
But, I have one question.....
It seems that when I replace the HDD, often the microphone goes dead or bad. I never touch the microphone, never touch those cables, so is there any idea why this would happen or what I can do to repair/recover?
I saw one iFixit guide which showed how to replace the microphone, but it gave no source for the part..... help!
This took me about 15 minutes. Watch step 7 the most; that display data cable is fragile, and you're going to need good lighting to see it.
If you're installing an SSD, you'll definitely need an adapter for it so it seats properly in the iMac's shell. I bought a Newer Technology AdaptaDrive 2.5" to 3.5" Drive Converter Bracket for $14, and it's of excellent build quality. Fits like a glove in there.
Finally, your fan is going to spin up like crazy after your first boot. Don't freak out just yet; follow these instructions after you've turned your computer on (from http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964):
1. Shut down the computer.
2. Unplug the computer's power cord.
3. Wait fifteen seconds.
4. Attach the computer's power cord.
5. Wait five seconds, then press the power button to turn on the computer.
Edit: That didn't work, but a free application called ssdfanctrl did. Installed, restarted, set to "SMART" control and... completely silent. http://exirion.net/ssdfanctrl
SSDFanControl doesn't work, at least for me on El Capitan. I've seen other complaints about this too.
Glenn -
Actually pretty easy install of SSD HD. Ordered the Newertech converter bracket and bought the fan control: http://www.hddfancontrol.com/imac-hard-d...
My wife had a couple of great ideas to keep lint and dust down: Use newspaper to set the glass and LCD on (then cover with newspaper) because it is very clean, wear powder free latex gloves to avoid hand oils contaminating computer.
Thanks again iFixit! My iMac is much faster.
Yesterday I replaced my internal Seagate 500GB with a Seagate 2TB hybrid hard drive without any issues. Was expecting tør fans to speed up due to failing harddisk hardware temperatur check, but everything runs normal :-) improved El capitan startup time from 56 secs to 32 secs. Very happy for this guide
I would to do the same replacement. Did you purchase the Seagate SSHD 2TB drive (ST2000DX001)? Did it have an Apple logo? And did you have to buy an additional thermal sensor to keep the fans from spinning? Any reccos would help.
dmindel -
Part the First:
Replaced 2428 internal WD 500GB with a Seagate 1TB hybrid hard drive yesterday. Couple of years ago, put in a SanDisk 128 SSD with IFixit hard drive.
My issues with the earlier installation were: 1. bent / broke display data plug teeth twice reinstalling —ambient light, case slipping, fat hand all contributory factors. (Repair guy had to finish it for me — $150.00 plus 2 extra cables.) 2. 128 SSD kept running out of space, was corrupted regularly. Constantly had to use Disk Utility and then MacPaw CleanMyMac 3 to jolly it along. Two different configurations, first I paid for (guy told me Fusion Drive wasn't really necessary), second I got off line about 6 months ago. Problems decreased but never went away. Reminded me of my 1966 USAF experience with a giant room-sized Univac — it was down about half the time.
Part the Second:
Anyway, I girded my loins for this latest foray into the guts of my 'puter. Lots of research, but I can never lock in a complete step-by-step list of parts, changes to SUDO, etc. So I'm glad to report that my girlfriend showed up at the end of the day with steady, small hands to hold lights and reconnect the LCD thermal sensor cable (my day was spent straightening the tiny pin on the right without breaking it — although the metal cover on LCD plug bent backwards, then broke) and then she helped with that pesky Display Data Plug — angle of insertion, that pull tab and a sinking lack of perception about whether it's seated properly being my previous downfall.
Part the Third:
OK, my recent experiences:
1. Note to self: Losing 2 T10 8mm Torx screws for reassembly not real brilliant.
2. Fan speed flat out ("SMART" button didn't show up for me using that first recommended utility, but turning iMac off, unplug, waiting etc, then reboot worked - fan still seems noisy but it's not constant.
3. Make a Fusion Drive of your SSD + HDD with Terminal —
A. diskutil list —> to find the mount points for both drives;
B. diskutil coreStorage create FUSION /dev/disk# /dev/disk# —> where # stands for those two different mount points;
C. diskutil coreStorage createVolume lvgUUID jhfs+ “Fusion HD” 100% —> where lvgUUID = that big long serial number that showed up after the last command; AND FINALLY
D. sudo trimforce enable ... WOW!
UberSanDisk was fast before, but FUSION HD 100% SCREAMS.
Thank you sooo much for this guide !! It saved my iMac after my hard drive crashed. I was able to skip 5, 6, 7 and 8. Because when you are lifting up the display, your elbow can hold it up, while you unscrew the drive and take the Sata cables off. I replaced my drive with an original Apple drive, just 500 GB for testing, but as mentioned so many times before, fans fans fans. So for a short temp time I used Macs Fan Control ( http://www.crystalidea.com/macs-fan-cont... ) instead of the HDD control, not only the charge factor, but its temp, not permanent. I will replace it with Seagate SSHD hybrid drive, if still needed then, get OWC for fan control. Awesome page, thank you soo much. I was kinda lost before, now I have the knowledge, what was wrong and more important, fix it myself and not some shop who charges outrages $$$$$$.
maybe i have a big arm but i pulled out the data cable, the power cable out of their sockets when I held it with my elbow, and not knowing that I screwed everything back in and turned on the imac - bang, black screen.
took me an hour to refix everything and now it's finally back to normal...
Bruce -
Not a hard install to do - I just ran into the same issues already mentioned here:
- The magnets on the side of the casing really do make working with screws a pain. I ended up using a pair of tweezers to aid me but the suggested above idea of using a straw as a guide is genius!
- You really do need 2 people to safely disconnect the 4 cables before you remove the screen. The cables and sockets are very easy to damage, so it's much safer to have someone with 2 hands or one hand and a flashlight rather than you working with one hand while holding up the screen with the other.
- If you are installing an SSD, you will need an adapter bracket. I only realized this once I got inside my iMac. With a bracket, it's no problem at all.
I agree — data display cable design is the pits. Straw idea is good idea for seating screws near magnets — or a small screw driver with a flat magnet pickup on the back end — goes right in as well. AND... 2 people make all the difference!
- I ran into the same fan-running-at-full-speed issue after reassembly. Apparently the iMac uses the stock HD's temperature sensor, so when you switch it out it has no sensor and spins on max all the time. As mentioned above, don't pay for HDD Fan Control - use the free Macs Fan Control (http://www.crystalidea.com/macs-fan-cont...). If you have an SSD, you can leave the HD fan permanently set to the minimum (as they emit so little heat).
I read that on some 2009 & 2010 iMacs, the fan issue occurs when one of the cables is put back mis-orieneted. Apparently, one of the connectors can work right-side-up or upside-down, and if you get it wrong it causes the fan issue. 'Anybody know if this is true for this model iMac? Anybody tried this as a fix?
Does anyone have a list of model numbers for supported hard drives that definitely won't cause fan issues? Also, where is the best place to buy them? I have a machine with a failed HD and need to replace it. Thanks!
Hey,
Just replaced the hdd w/ a hybrid drive. Boots without a screen, and external display works fine, but it won't boot with the screen installed. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Temperature sensor.... https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDI...
Can i change the hard drive with an SSD ?
Why is the universal drive adapter required?
You don't need one if you have other means of attaching your 2.5" SSD to the back wall of the iMac case (like industrial strength Velcro or 3M VHB tape), but the bracket you mount into is a 3.5" space for a full sized desktop drive and SSDs are 2.5". Thus the adapter... just to mount the drive into the bigger bracket area.
brentp -
I was quite fearful about opening my iMac, but I did it anyway, and installed a SSD instead of the dead HDD that was in it, and it works like a new computer, starting up in 20 seconds and apps open almost instantly. My only heart stopping moment was I slipped and dropped the lCD a few inches, but it was fine. Now if I could just find a way to cheaply retrofit it with USB3 or USBc it would be good for another 5 years. BTW I use a free app called Macs Fan Control which lets me use one of the other sensors to control the HD fan. A bonus is the computer is running 35° f cooler so I can't even hear the fan running around 1000rpm.
He actualizado el HD de 500 Gb de mi iMac con uno de 2 TB!!! Todo perfecto gracias a esta excelente guía. Lo más difícil fue lidiar con el polvo y la grasa de las manos. Ahora tengo una iMac más rápida!! Muchas gracias.
Anyibe gave an opinion if it's worth replacing the OEM SATA cable with one rated for SATA III? Seems like a logical step since everything is apart, but if someone can definitively tell me that the OEM cable won't degrade my SATA III drive performance I probably won't bother.
(As an aside - geez there's a lot of dust in there. Nice to clean those fans out!)
No this doesn't matter at all so don't bother doing so.
If it was the case, it wasn't the cable but the chipset of the board limiting it.
evo -
Does the drive's temperature sensor continue to work when you detach te sata power cable only?
Or does the de original hdd need sata power as well to provide the drive's temperature values to the iMac?
I'm asking because the drive is faulty and makes noise. I'm placing an ssd in the dvd bay area and don't want to use any software to control the fans.
Just to repeat my comment from step 4: you do not dismantle everything. Once the 8 Torx 10 screws from the LCD plate are untightend, the LCD plate can be lifted a few centimeters (or inches). It’s limited by the cables but the opening angle is wide enough to untighten the two hard disk bracket screws (Torx 9), to unplug the two SATA connectors and to lift out the hard disk. You need either someone holding the LCD, a third arm or anything soft like a towel or the leftover of a kitchenroll which has to be stuffed between the logic boards and the LCD plate to hold it.
Auf Deutsch: Man braucht keine Kabel zu lösen. Einfach das LCD-Display anheben, am Ende die Papprolle aus einer Küchenrolle, ein Handtuch oder Schal reinstopfen, damit das Display so bleibt und man kann die zwei Schrauben für die HD-Halteklammer so lösen, wenn man einen Schraubendreher hat, der nicht zu lang ist. Die Festplatte bekommt man leicht heraus.
Hi Guys! The Upper Hard Drive Bracket is out of stock. I would know if this ssd’s support (of metal) is right as well. >> https://www.ollo.it/digitus-frame-hdd-ad...
Changed the original hard drive to a 1TB SSHD about 9 months ago. Bought a HD Thermal sensor (I believe it was from OWC) that properly controls the fan speed without adding any software to the iMac. Would suggest checking out their product along with the software solutions described above.
Do you really need an adapter bracket? Since the SSD is so lightweight couldn’t you just screw in one side?
I typically just use duct-tape to hold it in place.
Worth repeating here… if your replacement HD does not have a thermal sensor, the fan will run continually. The free smcFanControl app is the bees knees: http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23049/s...
Many Many Thanks…Cristiano
As already mentioned I didn’t need to unplug any cables, just propped up the LCD panel with a plastic jar and the gap was large enough to go to Step 10 with a standard iFixit screwdriver (on a slight angle). Putting 8x Torx 10 screws back in was probably the biggest challenge but I used L tweezers to guide the screws.
I didn’t use the thermal sensor for 480GB SSD replacement but did use a $5 3.5” to 2.5” bracket, I don’t think you can get away without using one as the mount points are for 3.5” drive and would be too far apart.. unless you are happy to use just ONE (I wouldn’t).
Running vanilla 10.12.3 Sierra did not seem to make fans run loud but I still used smcFanControl app just in case.
I completed the upgrade, and only used Velcro and some bracing to secure a 2.5 ssd! Works great!
So everything seems to have worked out and i have turned it back on. However, I am not restoring from a Time Capsule, I am just trying to reinstall the OS. It looks great until it tells me to select a drive to install it on. Its like the computer doesn’t recognize the new drive. Any suggestions?
If the drive was not formatted has HFS+ by Disk Utility.app it may not be recognized by the installer. I usually format and install a system on a drive before intalling it inside the machine, but you can use Target Disk mode or maybe Internet Recovery to format it after installation.
Do I need to format the ssd? I installed the ssd and I have high Sierra on usb as well as my time machine back up. I want to clean install OS X and then restore to my back up.
Hi Richard,
You will most likely need to format the SSD, but it can be done as part of the OS installation. Check this guide out for more details.
Good luck!
Is there anyway to put attach two 2.5 drives. Say one SSD and one bigger spinning 2.5” drive for storage. Have a bracket that can hold two drives so was wondering if there is a way to daisy chain two drives. If not I assume one could disconnect the CD drive and use those cables? thanks.
Tried this for the first time and definitely easy peasy! Also realized you do not need to detach any of the LCD cables. Having someone hold the display up a bit to unscrew the two hard drive screws is enough to get it out. Also tried out Macs Fan Control for now and seems to be working fine.
I just did it
wonderful guide , clear instructions .I found it very useful
thanks a lot IFIXIT
this enclosure is it available here?
Hi Elmer,
It is sold as a kit here. Otherwise, you can try searching for it online. It’s an IcyDock 2.5" to 3.5" Adapter.
Arthur Shi,
Got it from amazon. Thanks for your reply
Success !!! every bits of instruction was followed and i was amaze , wow !! thanks ifixit, i think my imac 2011 life is extended !!
Tried two iMacs and worked great. Third one though resulted in all three fans spinning at max after booting up with new SSD drive. Tried resetting SMC and PRAM to no avail. Any ideas why this may be? Thanks.
Well looks like popping in the HDD back in, turning machine on, shutting down, taking HDD out and popping SSD back in fixed the fan issues. Weird but successful.
Some side notes. Done three of these now and if you are careful you definitely do not need to take out the display and unhook all those tiny cables. Have someone hold the display back enough to take out the HDD screws and pull out drive. Def enough space to do so without detaching any cables. Save yourself ton of time and headache. Also Macs Fan Control also solves the fan issue without needing the temp sensor.
Help… powered up after install of new SSD and get no image or light on screen but fan that never made any sound before runs like a storm. Help!
Hey Stephen,
It sounds like the temperature sensor probe is not operating correctly, so the fan is running at maximum speed. Re-check the temperature board connectors, as well as the hard drive connectors.
This hard drive bay works with SSDs. It includes all necessary cables.
iMac Intel 21.5" and 27" (Mid 2011) SSD Upgrade Kit
Questo alloggiamento per disco rigido funziona con SSD. Include tutti i cavi necessari.
Hello. I ordered the repair pack and installed the new CRUCIAL MX500 SSD. I am trying to restore a time machine backup but the disk search is spinning. The SSD is not found, what should I do? Thanks for your help.
Okay, now it's working! My new SSD wasn't initialized, I did it from the disk utility. I thought I could do all the OS updates but I'm stuck on High Sierra on this iMac mid 2011. Solutions to boost the machine to install the latest updates? Thanks a lot
Gautier -
I am curious. The previous version of the A1311, EMC 2389, shows a step to disconnect the temperature sensor cable from the hard drive. Does this version iMac, EMC 2428, not have a temperature sensor cable connected to the hard drive? If not, then whey does the SSD upgrade need to have a temperature sensor?
Hi Kean!
In this model, it looks like the temperature sensor is integrated into the OEM drive itself, and the wires are integrated into the connectors. Third party hard drives don’t have this functionality. Thus, you need to either supplement it with a break-out temperature sensor, or regulate the temperature with a software solution.
Oof, this was a delicate ordeal, haha! I really thought I screwed the pooch there a couple of times, but I turned it on an et viola! Thank you so much! Although, I will say that the housing I bought did not line up at all with the internals, so I had to get…creative about its seating.
Do I need to do anything to the new SSD before I install?
Pre install the OS or format?
Hi guys. Around 1 and a half year ago I had my GPU not working because of total loss of thermal paste on it and on heat sink. I had no money by that time to buy a new iMac, so I decided to get courage to follow the guides here and try to fix it and it worked thanks to you all here. By that time I also decided to take out the optical drive (since it is not usable nowadays) and replaced by a SSD with a kit sold here. It is working perfectly. Also by the same time, the old hard disk sent me a goodbye and it is not working since than. Everytime I turn on my computer I have to "eject" it to keep going on.... Now I want to replace it and I have a hard disk here that I could use but I want an advise if it is good or not and if my computer is going to work well with 2 disk. The disk is a Western Digital Caviar Green SATA / 64MB Cache - 1.0TB.
Thanks for any advise.
I open my iMac 21.5” Mid 2011 LCD and I didn’t find any HDD inside.What should i do?
I just did this last night - the iMac had already had an SSD put in by a previous owner, but fans were always running wild unless controlled by software. I bought the OWC in line thermal SATA adaptor and now it's working perfectly. As others have said, Step 7 and its reverse is easily the scariest/fiddliest.
Thanks IFIXIT!
I looked for those HDD temperature sensor thingies on ebay but all the ones I found there looked completely different (just a sensor at one end and a small 2-pin connector at the other) even though they also say it's for an "imac a1311". Can those be used as well? If so, where should I connect them?
Here I installed another HDD with more capacity ..... 1 TB
Je dois être mal réveillé car je ne comprends pas si le DD d’origine est en 2,5 ou 3,5 (le kit contient un adaptateur 2,5 vers 3,5 pour le SSD ET un boîtier externe 2,5) 🧐
Very easy to lift the glass out. Don't jerk too hard.
kctipton - Réponse
Another comment on DATA & LCD Temp. Sensor cables: I had to remove the vertical sync, and the backlight cable, however, if you have an assistant or/can carefully rotate the screen clockwise/and then have it held up about 5" to 6" at a slight angle, you do not need to remove LCD data cable or LCD thermal cable, however - IMPORTANT: you must have a second pair of hands/or way to securely prop up the LCD. Also, don't rotate too much, since then you will pull out LCD data cable, and it renders the whole exercise moot, or can damage the cable or connector.
MaximBorzov - Réponse
You don't need suction cups. The screen, held by magnets, can simply be pried off using a very thin blade such as a screw driver and fingers.
Deepsurvival - Réponse
That's a bad idea. using a metal tool to pry off glass is likely to end with an expensive broken front glass.
Suction cups are common. Find a couple and do it the safe way. I use some cheap ones that came with iPhone repair kit.
max damage -
No need for suction cups, I just stuck my nails (short like guys usually have) between the top part of the screen and body, and it came off easily. I've never done it before, so it seems to be very easy.
Nikolas Lintulaakso - Réponse
Nails worked for me too
Rob Dale - Réponse
Just completed the replacement of the optical drive with an SSD using an OWC Data Doubler kit. Attempted to remove the optical drive without disconnecting any cables but found it a bit fiddly to orient the screen for good access. I bit the bullet and disconnected them and found the process less daunting than I imagined. Reconnecting them was similarly straightforward if you're careful.
Tip: you can skip the step for removing the optical drive thermal sensor connector from the motherboard. Still need to remove the sensor from the optical drive but you can leave that hanging and reattach it to the SSD later.
osienna - Réponse
I use Garmin GPS suction cup. Work very well
jc3Dcx - Réponse
I’ve just successfully installed a 1TB SSD in place of my optical drive thanks to the information here- thank you to everyone who has contributed!
3 comments- the procedure described here seems to vary between HD replacement and dual HD/optical drive replacement. This can be confusing at times.
Expect there to be minor differences between the layout described and what you find when you open up your iMac. There are also, surprisingly, differences between the HD enclosure description, and the article provided by ifixit.
I was able to replace the DVD/HD enclosure single-handedly without fully removing the LCD, or deconnecting any of the cables (steps 5-11). It’s a bit cramped, and fiddly, but I was not happy removing any of the cables despite watching videos, etc., since they all seemed to involve applying more force than I was comfortable with. A more detailed description of how to release them might have helped, but even here, there may be minor variations even within the 2389 model.
Good luck!
ivan birks - Réponse
I did it several times with one suction cup at the end of a kitchen brush. Once with the blade of a swiss army knive, also ok. And i’m pretty sure it works with fingernails too
Tai - Réponse
Fingernails are all you need to free the glass from its magnetic hold. If you don’t have them, slip something thin and plastic, like a spudger, at a top corner.
Max Powers - Réponse
Minha dúvida é a seguinte: após o técnico trocar o HD do meu iMac de 21,5 polegadas, a câmera parou de funcionar. Seria por causa da troca do HD? Tem solução?
Claudio - Réponse
Creio que o cabo da camera não foi plugado ou deu mau contato… ou até danificado.
glecyo@gmail.com
glecyo medeiros -
I can’t get my glass to budge. I’m replacing a cracked one and now it’s about to shatter.
jamboxmitchell - Réponse
I know that I'm replying really late but I advise to use clear tape over any cracks so the cracks don't get bigger
Jace Holmes -
Check for chips in the glass BEFORE you do this step. If there is a chip when you pull up with the suction cups you will wind up with a jagged mess. If you do have a chip I would advise covering the screen near the chip with clear tape of some kind before lifting out. Mine shattered right at the chip and the resulting glass dust cloud got all over. My solution was buying a new glass screen.
BCam - Réponse