27" iMac problems after SSD installation

[nightfly13]

I posted this in the big SSD thread but thought it's better to start an individual thread for my two issues.

So a friend and I spent 3+ hours opening (several times) my iMac and we got an SSD in now (OWC, it's pretty fast).

My biggest issue is that the HDD fan is stuck at 0 RPM. I'm not sure if I messed something up in the installation (see next paragraph) or it's a software issue.

I had one 'port' (for lack of knowing the word I mean) on the logic board that couldn't find a wire for was labeled 'HDD Fan' and sure enough, iStat and SMCFanControl both report the HDD fan is at 0. I'm not sure if this port every had anything plugged into it, or whether I just couldn't find the cable to reconnect. The teardown was unclear whether there's meant to be a plug in there.

This COULD be because the HDD temp sensor is disabled because I've used a SATA Y Splitter for the power connector leading to the HDD to also power the SSD? Or is it because I failed to connect a cable (searched and searched once I got the logic board back in - couldn't find any missing cable).

I'm reticent to copy a bunch of user files to the HDD until I confirm whether I have a lose or disconnected cable, or maybe it's merely the common HDD replacement Fan issue with a simple fix.

Input greatly appreciated!

Secondly, my built-in speaker doesn't want to work. I get the loud Apple chord when it boots, but when I hit the up/down volume buttons on the keyboard I get a crossed circle and system preferences shows only one audio device: encoded audio (optical). The built-in speakers aren't functioning. I thought this COULD be because I just cloned my user settings from my Mac Pro.... or do I likely have another disconnected cable? Since the boot chord plays, I'm hoping it's a software issue.

 

[nightfly13]

0 RPM Fan means hardware/connection problem, right?

Hmm as I continue to research, seems the result of the HDD Fan problem is the fans running at full speed, and being controllable with 3rd party fan control software. Instead, mine doesn't run at all and isn't controllable, so I'm leaning toward the problem being that I didn't plug a cable back in. If someone who's just been inside or is going inside their iMac tell me where the HDD fan control cable comes FROM, I can hopefully dig around and find it and plug it back in.

 

[Cole JM]

If you are going back inside care to make a videomof the process?

 

[R.OG]

You probably left the cable under the logic board when you were to trying to reseat the board.

The HDD fan cable is marked by the second blue box at the bottom of the picture below.

 

[nightfly13]

Yes, thanks for that. I used that same picture. I studied that picture and it wasn't clear to me that there's actually a cable going into that port, despite it being in a blue box. I finally just closed it back up without a cable going back in there - hoping for the best. Didn't work out. It looks like the black and gray cable is the one curling under the larger cable that connects to the left, but that gray and black cable is actually incorporated into the bigger cable.

I guess I need to open it back up and go fishing, hopefully without having to remove the whole Logic Board again, as that's a big job.

Any insight into where that cable comes up from? Where to fish?

Input on the speakers would help, too!

 

[nightfly13]

Great new - all fixed

Right so I bit the bullet and opened the whole iMac (LB mostly out) and found the missing wire that was, predictably, connected to the HDD fan and got everything hooked up. It also fixed my audio problem, so all is well.

My take-away from all this, is to be extremely conscientious with the LB cables, taping them back and probably labeling them, taking pics etc.

 

[philipma1957]

Right so I bit the bullet and opened the whole iMac (LB mostly out) and found the missing wire that was, predictably, connected to the HDD fan and got everything hooked up. It also fixed my audio problem, so all is well.

My take-away from all this, is to be extremely conscientious with the LB cables, taping them back and probably labeling them, taking pics etc.

the key is photos they help you to reassemble and by posting them you can help us. here is an example of photos helping forum members.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1122551/

the first page took me about an hour to post on site. to date around 65 people have done this upgrade.

 

[Dresevski]

Just ordered my "kit" today (SSD, cables, suction cups, etc). I hope to take enough pictures to reassemble the beast and hopefully help others out as well. Probably need some velcro! I might not bother doing the speed tests before although I suppose I should...

 

[nightfly13]

Did I mention it's fast?

Yeah, very fast. 3.4ghz i7, 12GB ram and an OWC SSD is... a lot faster than I really need