iMac 27” Mid-2011 SSD install - fan control

I’ve bought a Samsung 860 1TB ssd to install in my iMac to replace the spinning HDD.

I keep reading about fan issues after doing this and am getting confused. Some people say you need to buy a new sensor at around £40. Whilst others seems to use some software to control this.

Can anyone shed any light on what the best thing is to do? I would prefer to not have to spend another £40 on additional cables if it can be controlled by software?

Hope you can help.

Posted on Nov 30, 2018 3:53 PM

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BobHarris

Level 9

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Posted on Dec 1, 2018 9:44 AM

I will look to get the correct cable.

According to OWC (aka <http://MacSales.com>) the special cable was ONLY needed for the Late 2009 thru Mid-2010 iMacs. <OWC Digital Thermal Sensor for 2009-2010 iMac HD Upgrade>

You 2011 iMac should not have the Fan issues. You should not need a special cable, and you should not need fan control software.

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BobHarris

Level 9

56,945 points

Dec 1, 2018 5:05 PM in response to mdavenport

Picking a number out of a hat, I would say that would give you 75-85% confidence. USB is not the same as a direct SATA bus connection.

Inside your iMac, you are going to be connecting to the iMac SATA bus talking to the iMac's SATA controller.

In a USB caddy, you are connecting to the USB caddy's SATA bus, taking to the USB caddy's SATA controller.

2 totally different SATA controllers, most likely from 2 different controller vendors, using different software to talk to those controllers and interpret the status values returned by those controllers.

As MrHoffman has been saying. You stick the SSD inside your iMac and find out.

If it works, enjoy the performance boost.

If it does not work, contact the place where you got the SSD and ask for a refund and maybe get an SSD from another vendor that ensures their SSD will work with your iMac.

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iMac 27” Mid-2011 SSD install - fan control