2011 iMac hardrive failure, options?

[Kamaji]

My brother's iMac desktop hard drive has failed. I cleaned the drive after seeing an unfixable error. It is not able to reinstall the OSX due to the error. I am thinking about buying and installing a new SSD. I have built my own PC and worked with apple devices, so I don't think the hardware will be an issue, but I don't have the original OSX disk, and there isn't an Apple store within 3 hours of my home. Does an iMac automatically partition a space for OSX when it detects a fresh drive and will I be able to download the OSX via wifi?

Any info is appreciated, thanks!

 

[rkaufmann87]

My brother's iMac desktop hard drive has failed. I cleaned the drive after seeing an unfixable error. It is not able to reinstall the OSX due to the error. I am thinking about buying and installing a new SSD. I have built my own PC and worked with apple devices, so I don't think the hardware will be an issue, but I don't have the original OSX disk, and there isn't an Apple store within 3 hours of my home. Does an iMac automatically partition a space for OSX when it detects a fresh drive and will I be able to download the OSX via wifi?

Any info is appreciated, thanks!

iMacs will not automatically partition a space for OS X when they detect a new drive. What needs to be done is to purchase Snow Leopard ($20 from online Apple Store), boot from the SL disc once the new drive is installed and then format the new drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with a GUID Partition. Then install SL on the new drive, update SL to 10.6.8 combo update and finally using the Mac App Store download Yosemite. If he had any backup then restore from the back up.

Good luck.

 

[Kamaji]

iMacs will not automatically partition a space for OS X when they detect a new drive. What needs to be done is to purchase Snow Leopard ($20 from online Apple Store), boot from the SL disc once the new drive is installed and then format the new drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with a GUID Partition. Then install SL on the new drive, update SL to 10.6.8 combo update and finally using the Mac App Store download Yosemite. If he had any backup then restore from the back up.

Good luck.

Thank you very much for the info. I did not realize you could buy the disk from apple. That makes life far easier. Thanks again!

 

[Richdmoore]

Just so you are aware, the 2011 iMac Hard Drive contained special firmware that without a signal will drive the hard drive bay fans to run at full speed.

Background: http://blog.macsales.com/10206-further-explained-apples-imac-2011-model-hard-drive-restrictions

That leaves you with a few options:

1. Replace with a genuine OEM hard drive for that model. (Not sure where to order it however.)

2. If it is an SSD, you can do the "short" method (just like apple does of SSD only models.) If you find the official apple technical service guide it will show the pins needed to jump. I found a copy online a long time ago, might need to look at torrent sites.

3. OWC makes a universal sensor, it will replicate the temperature sensing firmware and let you use any SSD/HDD drive.
http://blog.macsales.com/16946-owc-...-up-to-8x-the-original-storagebackup-capacity

4. There is a software you can load on boot up that will stop allow manual control of the fan. http://ssdfancontrol.com http://www.hddfancontrol.com/blog/

I think the best option is to pay for the part from OWC, but you can decide for yourself.

Best of Luck.

----------

Also, the firmware for the 2011 iMac was updated to allow for internet recovery. You may want to see if that is an option, you won't need to get the snow leopard disks in that case.

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/10/26/lion-internet-recovery-comes-to-current-generation-imacs/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

 

[Kamaji]

Just so you are aware, the 2011 iMac Hard Drive contained special firmware that without a signal will drive the hard drive bay fans to run at full speed.

Background: http://blog.macsales.com/10206-further-explained-apples-imac-2011-model-hard-drive-restrictions

That leaves you with a few options:

1. Replace with a genuine OEM hard drive for that model. (Not sure where to order it however.)

2. If it is an SSD, you can do the "short" method (just like apple does of SSD only models.) If you find the official apple technical service guide it will show the pins needed to jump. I found a copy online a long time ago, might need to look at torrent sites.

3. OWC makes a universal sensor, it will replicate the temperature sensing firmware and let you use any SSD/HDD drive.
http://blog.macsales.com/16946-owc-...-up-to-8x-the-original-storagebackup-capacity

4. There is a software you can load on boot up that will stop allow manual control of the fan. http://ssdfancontrol.com http://www.hddfancontrol.com/blog/

I think the best option is to pay for the part from OWC, but you can decide for yourself.

Best of Luck.

Thank you very much for the info. I was not aware that a separate sensor was necessary. I will likely purchase the OWC kit from amazon and do a manual installation. Thanks again for the help!

 

[Richdmoore]

Thank you very much for the info. I was not aware that a separate sensor was necessary. I will likely purchase the OWC kit from amazon and do a manual installation. Thanks again for the help!

No problem. Also, I updated my post above about the internet recovery option that 2011 iMac's were updated for.