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replacing imac 24" mid 2007 hard drive

hello everyone

recently my imac 24" mid 2007 320gb 2gb ram mac hard drive completely failed i have tried everything it starts up sometimes then freezes other times it doesnt even recognise the hard drive so i am currently using it through a boot on a external hard drive my question is if i were to replace the hard drive myself (using youtube videos i am quite tech minded so looks fairly easy) would i have to get a certain type of hard drive i know its 3.5" but is there a simple to the size 1tb/2tb and als oi have read the transfer rate may need to be tapered down is that true and if so how would i go about doing it ?

any help will be appreciated thanks very much

craig jenkins

iMac

Posted on Dec 16, 2013 3:45 AM

33 replies

Dec 16, 2013 10:09 AM in response to WZZZ

Ohrite now it's making more sense if the hard drive doesn't have blocks just put them on?

Dec 16, 2013 10:11 AM in response to craigjenkins89

Also how would I know if it automatically did it or would it be a case of the drive wouldn't work if it didnt

WZZZ

Level 6

13,226 points

Dec 16, 2013 10:16 AM in response to craigjenkins89

Yes, if it's a bare OEM drive (the cheapest way to go), it won't come with any. Just put them on pins 5/6. Refer to the diagram in the link I gave above. It's nothing. Takes all of 2 seconds or less.

Here it is.

WZZZ

Level 6

13,226 points

Dec 16, 2013 10:42 AM in response to craigjenkins89

craigjenkins89 wrote:

Also how would I know if it automatically did it or would it be a case of the drive wouldn't work if it didnt

I'm seeing everywhere that it's backwards compatible to SATA2, 6 Gb/s, 3.0 Gb/s, but not finding if it's necessary or not to install the jumpers for that backwards compatibility. Whether they're needed or not, I'm fairly certain that using the jumpers would work, but to be sure, call WD.

As I said, I'd just install them anyway.

That's about all I can say. Any more research you will have to do on your own.

Dec 16, 2013 10:41 AM in response to WZZZ

Oh that's brilliant I think I will order that one then thanks alot

Dec 16, 2013 10:43 AM in response to WZZZ

Ye I think I will try and use hme but when you say backward compatible to 6mb/s is that enough I thought I needed 3mb/s for mine?

WZZZ

Level 6

13,226 points

Dec 16, 2013 10:43 AM in response to craigjenkins89

Good luck. Let me know how it goes.

Dec 16, 2013 10:51 AM in response to WZZZ

Sorry I'm back already lol I have found a seller refurbished western digital with a 3mb/a transfer rate what do you think?

http://bit.ly/1bb7oe8

WZZZ

Level 6

13,226 points

Dec 16, 2013 11:00 AM in response to craigjenkins89

Refurbed by whom? The seller? Stay away. Only 3 mo. warranty. Stop worrying about the transfer rate, the 5000AAKX will definitely work.

Dec 16, 2013 11:07 AM in response to WZZZ

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=171196843564

Final question honest lol is this hard drive compatible as far as we can tell

WZZZ

Level 6

13,226 points

Dec 16, 2013 11:12 AM in response to craigjenkins89

I'm sorry, but you really have to do your own research now. You know enough about what to look for. Myself, I would just get the 5000AAKX and be done with it.

Dec 16, 2013 11:15 AM in response to WZZZ

Thanks

Dec 20, 2013 6:12 AM in response to WZZZ

So hard drive turned up today didn't have the pins like you had in your picture but had just one level of 4 Iv hooked it up and is showing in disk utilities is there any reason I shouldn't go ahead and install mac on this now?

WZZZ

Level 6

13,226 points

Dec 20, 2013 10:30 AM in response to craigjenkins89

Nope, jumpers don't come with it. I thought I told you that you could get them most likely for free from any computer store, PC or Mac? You can try installing it without the jumpers and most likely the SATA controller in the Mac will bump the speed down by itself. But if it doesn't, then you have to open it up all over again and stick the jumpers on. I'd just do it first, so as to not have to go through that again. The more you open and close this things, the more likely it is you'll break something.

You just want one jumper over 5 and 6, to connect those two pins together.

EDIT: reading again. It looks like it will be OK if DU will see it--the SATA controller in the Mac is doing its job automatically. Go ahead and do the install. Nothing to lose.

Dec 20, 2013 11:18 AM in response to WZZZ

I don't see where they could go the row of pins is only one high instead of two and four wide Iv installed Mac OS and it seems to be managing fine

replacing imac 24" mid 2007 hard drive