Imac 21.5 Mid 2011 Hard Drive Compatibility

Question

Imac 21.5 Mid 2011 Hard Drive Compatibility

Hi. I currently own a 21.5 Mid 2011 Imac and wanted to upgrade the Hard Drive from 500 GB to 1 TB.

However,according to this everymac.com article,replacing my drive with any non-Apple original drive would cause problems.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/imac-aluminum-faq/imac-intel-21.5-inc h-27-inch-aluminum-how-to-upgrade-hard-d…

"For the main 3.5" SATA hard drive bay in the new 2011 machines, Apple has altered the SATA power connector itself from a standard 4-wire power configuration to a 7-wire configuration. Hard drive temperature control is regulated by a combination of this cable and Apple proprietary firmware on the hard drive itself. From our testing, we've found that removing this drive from the system, or even from that bay itself, causes the machines hard drive fans to spin at maximum speed and replacing the drive with any non-Apple original drive will result in the iMac failing the Apple Hardware Test (AHT). . ."

My question to you is,what Apple original drives would be compatible with the system?

iMac, iOS 10.2.1, 21.5' Mid 2011

Posted on Feb 11, 2017 10:27 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Feb 11, 2017 10:46 PM in response to VirusBarrier50

https://eshop.macsales.com/upgrades/imac-21-5-inch-mid-2011-2.8-ghz/internal-dri ves

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMACHDD11/

Home » Hard Drive, SSD Mounting Kits » For iMac 2011 HDD Bay

OWC Complete Hard Drive Upgrade Kit including tools for all iMac 2011 Models

Required for any drive installed into the main drive bay.

Eliminate fan noise and maintain correct system fan control when upgrading your 2011 iMac.

The only iMac HDD upgrade option on the market certified to pass the Apple Hardware Test.

Fixes firmware incompatibility issues with third party hard drives.

Engineered in-house and backed by OWC's award-winning customer support.

Already have all the tools necessary to perform this upgrade?

You can purchase the sensor cable separately here.

Improve Performance and Capacity. Upgrade Your iMac with Confidence.

OWC's in-line solution is the only hardware digital thermal sensor on the market allowing a third-party SATA drive to be installed in your iMac. A convenient, plug-and-play cable, the In-line Digital Thermal Sensor eliminates fan noise and maintains proper system fan control through the iMac's System Management Controller. This innovative device is designed specifically for the iMac, requires no software hacks and ensures compatibility with Apple's built-in diagnostic processes.

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Answer 2

Feb 11, 2017 11:03 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks,but I would also like to know what are drives would be compatible without needing the sensor cable.

Also,I currently have a Seagate STX-720012 with an Apple logo.

How can I find out if its compatible?

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Answer 3

Feb 12, 2017 12:54 AM in response to VirusBarrier50

Any drive with the temp sensor built in would be 5+ years old, or rebuilt, and be SATA II, 3 gigabytes/second.

Interface on Mid 2011 iMacs is SATA III, 6 gigs/second...

I put a temp sensor and a two terabyte Western Digital Black in my 2011, works great. Not SSD fast, but lots of hard drive space...

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16822236624

Temp sensor

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDIMACHDD11/

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Answer 4

Feb 12, 2017 3:42 AM in response to mattwithcats

Thanks for all your responses!

I think that I will try calling OWC to make sure.

If I still can't figure out which hard drives would be compatible without a sensor,then I'll just simply buy one and fit it with a Sata III Hard Drive.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Feb 12, 2017 12:02 AM in response to VirusBarrier50

I can't find any info on that, the only thing close is...

Is there a list of "APPROVED REPLACEMENT HDD" for the 21.5 late 2009 iMac that has the built in temperature sensor?

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