Q: 27 inch iMac 2009 HD replacement
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Jun 18, 2013 7:03 PMby den.thed,HelpfulYou will find some good info, at this > Other World Computing Blog
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Jun 22, 2013 4:39 PMby drzonies,I have done the same replacement in my late '09 27 in iMac, Hitachi to Seagate. I replaced 2 pin Hitachi temp sensor with 4 pin Seagate (Which has a notch so that it goes into the drive only one way.) However, soft ware will not mount using original disc. I was able to format the Seagate to apple journaled with a different start up disk, but staring with option launch the original startup CD appears but the Seagate does not appear. Very frustrating. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Dr Z
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Jun 22, 2013 4:49 PMby WZZZ,Den, that OWC blog might have been correct at the time, but it no longer is. I'm not even certain it was ever correct. There is Apple proprietary firmware on the Seagate drive and simply using another Seagate (or WD) even with the correct cable won't work.
What will work is an external temperature sensor mounted on the drive, or this program, which will regulate the drive fan speed.
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Jun 22, 2013 8:06 PMby drzonies,iMac 29 ' mid 09. Thanks for the interest. My problem is not with the fan. I simply can not get the original disk to load. I never see the HD. One time (with old Hitachi sensor cord disconnected and the new Seagate installed) I was able to get to the seagate and intialize it with a start up disk. Now with"option" i only get the start up disk but no HD. (with or without a new Seagate temp cable. Do you think a surface sensor will allow it to boot? is there a part #?
Thanks
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Jun 23, 2013 5:43 AMby WZZZ,HelpfulI'm confused here." i only get the start up disk but no HD"
What do you mean by startup disk? You mean you can boot to and see the install DVD?
If you were able to get to it once to "initialize" it then I don't know what's going on. Did you use GUID partition scheme? It needs to be partitioned GUID for it to boot. Do you see the new Seagate when booted to the install DVD? Go back and check the formatting (MacOS Extended Journaled and the partition scheme.)
This wouldn't have anything to do with the temp sensor issue. That would only make the drive fan rev up to max.
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Jun 23, 2013 5:34 PMby drzonies,Sorry, I'll try to do better. I have attempted booting> 50 times so I have trouble remembering how I got anywhere. Using the Apple hardware test I got a hardware code TH00-9.00 which made me think I needed to replace the disconnected Hitachi wire and get the proper wire for the new Seagate wire which did not help. One time i got to the seagate and did partition it (one vol) and GUID and journaled. I have never been able to reach the Seagate hard drive again. EG when I Option start up with the original CD I get the small square which is labled CD but not the HD on the screen, C start up clicks but after a few mintes I get the spining thing. I can't now get an Apple test start up!
One time while searching the web I found someone who had my problem of not being able to boot, but the problem was solved by gettin aproper thermal sensing wire.
I don't care about the fan problem as I'll do the software thing. In fact my fan is never starts running!
I even tried Target start up, but the Seagate doent show up on my laptop and the bouncing trangle think keeps bouncing on the 27 iMac.
I'll buy the external sensor if it will help.
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Jun 24, 2013 8:24 AMby drzonies,I may have made some progress. Using the start up CD for my '09 MiniMac I was able to do the hardware test on the 27" as it is the same OS # and it now says evertthing is normal. (After the Seagate temp wire installed) The disc I have as the 10.6.2 start up is #2Z691-6590-A. The correct disk is said to be 10C2234 for the quad core. So I am off to find such a start up disc.
Dr Z
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Jun 24, 2013 2:13 PMby drzonies,WZZZ,
2Z691 is the correct start up disc 10C2234 is the "Build."
So I go target and can see the Seagate & erase & format it. GUID is not offered) However, when I attemp tto load the program from my 24" to the target 27" it says that the 27 must have OSx installed!! I gather I can not do the install via Target mode. At one time they had software to allow this, no longer available. Again after target, unable to load via "C" or Option (hard drive is a no show.)
I appreciate your help
DrZ
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Jun 25, 2013 6:08 PMby drzonies,I have to admit defeat! I am unable to load the original software for the 27 late iMac after replacing the Hitachi with a Seagate. Even ater replacing the Hitachi temp sensor with a Seagate.I have tried every boot type, target both ways ( 24 t0 27 & 27 to 24" )using Firewire etc, "C", Option, all after bieng able to format via a MiniMac start up CD.
The only thing I have not tried is to short out the temp sensor which I gather some of Europeans do. Has anyone tried this?
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Jun 25, 2013 6:39 PMby babowa,I can't help with your repair/replace attempts; however, I noticed that the fact that you cannot boot a Mac from an install disk from another Mac unless they both had the very same build or the disk is the Snow Leopard retail install disk (although, depending on the model, you can't boot from that either).
Here is some info on builds:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1633
If all attempts fail, you might want to call Apple with your serial number and they will be able to send you a machine specific install disks.
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Jun 26, 2013 3:56 AMby drzonies,Thanks for the interest. I do have the original 27' install disk. I do not have the original 27" application disk, which I believe has the AHT! software for the 27'. But I have been able to access the new Seagate via target mode from my 24" iMac and it tests 100%. I can also do the AHT via the optical drive on the 27" itself with the MimiMac Disk! It show normal, runs the fanetc. The long test is goo and the HD has Guid, journaled and is empty.
