I just installed an sad from OWC, used their install kit and followed their video to the letter
started up, got the chime, then black screen with cooling fan running full out
any suggestions?
thanks
iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)
Are you sure you got the cables fully and snugly connected? I did that a couple of years ago without a problem (edit: on a Macbook Pro). I'd suggest you also contact OWC support/customer service.
Edit: which iMac model is it? There are some with separate cooling fan attachments. Check ifixit.com for instructions for your model.
Are you sure you got the cables fully and snugly connected? I did that a couple of years ago without a problem (edit: on a Macbook Pro). I'd suggest you also contact OWC support/customer service.
Edit: which iMac model is it? There are some with separate cooling fan attachments. Check ifixit.com for instructions for your model.
Put the old HD into an enclosure and boot from it by holding down the Option key when you start. Then open Disk Utility and format the SSD as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) GUID partition. Then attempt to restart normally and see if the computer attempts to do Internet Recovery per
OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support
Good luck!
Both good suggestions I will follow up on:
couple clarifications:
it was an SSD from OWC I installed, not an sad (ironic) into a mid 2011 21" imac
Prior to the install I cloned my HDD using super duper with the SSD in an enclosure and set the SSD to be the boot disk. After this I tested it by restarting, holding option, chose the SSD and all worked fine. So, as far as I know the SSD was properly formatted etc.
I found the procedure pretty challenging, had previously done SSD upgrades on two older MBPs with no problems.
there were a few snags along the way I should detail, someone might have some input:
1. while reconnecting all the connections I found the wires pulled out of the connected on one of the smallest ones. Very small connector, two wires. I found the connector and managed to get the wires back into it and re-attached. I do not know what the connection is but will review the install procedure video to try to narrow that down. I have no way of knowing if I put the wires back in right, if they are side specific etc. The wires were black and gray if that matters.
I've since reviewed the video, the connection in question is removed at 07:15 in the video during the removal of the logic board. Again, I have no idea what the connection is for.
below is a link for the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOf0svk5FdY
2. while prepping the SSD for install into the iMad, I might have inadvertently touched the gold connectors that attach to the power and sata cables. Don't know if this is an issue but I know that when upgrading RAM it is specified not to touch the gold connectors.
3. At no time in the procedural video did I remove the old HDD. So, I assume it is still in there and connected. During my two MBP upgrades that was part of the procedure.
4. One of the last connections to re-attach is the display cable, one of the larger (wider) cables, also one of the more difficult to re-attach. I had a lot of difficulty with this one. It appeared to be re-attached correctly prior to closing up but again, cannot be certain.
Again, the end result is powering up, I hear the chime but nothing but a black screen and then a cooling fan comes on and just runs. It is in the lower left part of the machine so I assume it is the heat sink fan, not the optical drive fan which is in the lower right of the machine and is actually removed briefly during the process.
thanks
Sorry, I won't be able to help further as I've not dismantled an iMac because I am aware of the difficulty factor and I have Applecare. Out of curiosity, you just said that you did not remove the old hard drive - so where did you install the SSD?
babowa wrote:
Sorry, I won't be able to help further as I've not dismantled an iMac because I am aware of the difficulty factor and I have Applecare. Out of curiosity, you just said that you did not remove the old hard drive - so where did you install the SSD?
ON a 2011 27" the SSD can go behind the SuperDrive.
Ahh, thanks - so could it be that the Mac is confused as to which disk is supposed to be used?
babowa wrote:
Ahh, thanks - so could it be that the Mac is confused as to which disk is supposed to be used?
If the SSD was not set with a GUID partition then it doesn't know it is a boot volume. This means when you attempt to boot to it, even though it has OS X on it, it may not know its a boot volume and therefore cannot boot.
Understood - but what happens with the regular hard drive if you have a second one installed? Wouldn't or shouldn't that be available to boot from?
babowa wrote:
Understood - but what happens with the regular hard drive if you have a second one installed? Wouldn't or shouldn't that be available to boot from?
On my system I have a 256GB SSD and the 1TB HD. I use the SSD for the startup drive where all the apps and key files that I use daily reside. I use the 1TB internal HD for storage of my photo library. When I shoot photos I shoot in raw which I store on the internal HD drive. I was using Aperture but have converted to Photos so I store both of those libraries on the internal HD. Finally I just recently bought Adobe Elements for it's Panorama creation features which neither Photos or Aperture do. I also have several external HD's,
2 for backups (1 bootable clone the other a TM drive) and I keep my movie collection on another and my music collection on still another. Everything is set up so it has redundant backups.
So, if at first you have one internal (startup) drive and then install an additional one (not the preconfigured arrangement from Apple with the fusion drive) - how does the Mac or OS know which drive should be used as a startup drive? Especially if it won't boot or you can't get to the Startup Manager?
System Prefrences - Startup Disk and select the SSD. That's all I did. When I initially got my SSD I put it in an enclosure, formatted and partitioned as GUID and then I put it in the computer. Next I restarted from my clone, restored the clone to the SSD and while I was still on the clone after the restore was done did the system preference. Then I restarted normally and boom l was done. It was really pretty simple.
That's what I did when I got an SSD for my MBP except that I put the SSD in an external enclosure and cloned my system to it, then installed it and it was all ready to go. But, back to the OP: they can't even boot into anything so they can't choose a drive - hence my questions.
IMHO the OP may have to either start all over or take the thing to an AASP.
So ok, even though I was pretty sure I properly formatted the ssd prior to cloning, then cloned, then checked prior to installation, there might be a problem there and it is not unusual to leave the HDD in the machine during the sad install.
Sounds like I need to start all over, remove the sad, check all my connections while doing so, put the sad back into the enclosure and check it using my MBP. Assuming it works and is properly formatted that I assume would mean the issue is elsewhere, probably a hardware or connection issue that occurred during the initial sad install.
Sound about right?
thanks for the input
ok, so interesting update
I re-opened the imac and found the display cable was not connected. That was one of the last reconnections and was one of the hardest/trickiest to reconnect. I also noticed that I may not have had one of my ram chips properly / fully inserted. Fixed those issues, closed back up and booted up fine. I still need to confirm I am booting from the ssd since I now know that I have two drives in here, the old HDD and the new SSD, but at least the machine now works.
However - there's always one of those.
Just like yesterday, the cooling fan has come on immediately after boot up and is running full out
any ideas on that one. I did have one small two wire connection have the wires come out of the connector yesterday. I found the connector, stuck the wires into it and reconnected. I have no idea what the connection is for, I just know that now even though the imac is running fine the cooling fan located in the lower left of the machine, I assume the heat sink, is going crazy.
So, before I start reopening and messing with wires, anybody got any ideas?
Finally
for anyone considering doing this yourself, a couple things I learned the hard way.
1. dont trust the suction cups sent with the tool kit from owc, one did not work at all, the other so so. I had a large one I had already purchased from a hardware store that saved the day.
2. DO NOT remove any connections by pulling them out by the wires even though they show that at certain points in the OWC procedural video. Use tweezers or very small hemostats.
3. I recommend a good pair of reading glasses or a magnifying glass for some of the smaller connections. I have a couple desk lamps with integrated magnifying glass I use in my shop but did not think to bring one home for this and wished I had
This was tricky but doable - I am still having issues with the cooling fan going nuts
ssd installation issues
