Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Bought a used iMac

6

69skot69

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 27, 2018
20
0
Bedford, UK
Hi All,
My first post so please be gentle!
I purchased an iMac (spec as per my signature) from the local auction, a total impulse and luckily it seems to work perfectly.
I am going to install an SSD and upgrade the memory. The iMac came with a Windows keyboard and standard USB mouse so I am going to look to upgrade that to the Apple Magic Mouse & Keyboard. Open to suggestions for anything better though?
So overall, this seems a nice machine. I am keen for views in terms of how dated it is, that will help my decision process in terms how much much money I put into it.
Many thanks in advance, all views welcome! :)

Steve
 
69skot69 said:
Hi All,
My first post so please be gentle!
I purchased an iMac (spec as per my signature) from the local auction, a total impulse and luckily it seems to work perfectly.
I am going to install an SSD and upgrade the memory. The iMac came with a Windows keyboard and standard USB mouse so I am going to look to upgrade that to the Apple Magic Mouse & Keyboard. Open to suggestions for anything better though?
So overall, this seems a nice machine. I am keen for views in terms of how dated it is, that will help my decision process in terms how much much money I put into it.
Many thanks in advance, all views welcome! :)

Steve
Click to expand...
This is a wonderfully powerful machine. Unfortunately, it won't support the upcoming macOS Mojave (you will still get about 2 years at least of software update on High Sierra). This is I think something to keep in mind. Upgrade to an SSD and increase the RAM, an you'll have a superb machine!

Best,
Magnus
 
Consider getting a Magic TrackPad instead of a mouse. MacOS is good with gestures.
 
Many thanks for your quick replies, much appreciated.
@mbosse - It's a shame that Mojave is not going to be supported but I guess the line has to be drawn somewhere, I cannot complain as the iMac was a pretty good price. Out of interest, which iMacs will Mojave support?
@chabig - Thanks, I will take a look. This Windows keyboard it came with is particularly nasty!!
[doublepost=1530105638][/doublepost]
mbosse said:
Upgrade to an SSD and increase the RAM, an you'll have a superb machine!
Click to expand...

I have read about the requirement for the SSD with temp sensor. Does anyone know if there are any UK suppliers before I go to OWC and have to pay import taxes etc. TIA
 
I think your iMac just missed the cut-off for Mojave. 2012 iMacs and newer will run it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guy Clark
chabig said:
That is a non-issue. In the time it takes to change disposable batteries, you can put a full day of charge into the Magic Mouse.
Click to expand...

That's only when it's brand new.

As the battery deteriorates, the charge won't last long
 
Last edited:
cobracnvt said:
I think your iMac just missed the cut-off for Mojave. 2012 iMacs and newer will run it.
Click to expand...
Right now the main issue is lack of acceleration on the AMD GPU. But it's possible this will be resolved and Mojave will be unofficially compatible with the 2011 iMac.

It's a shame Apple decided to drop these iMacs as they are still very quick (with an SSD) and powerful even now in 2018; Apple debunking planned obsolescence on iOS but doing the exact opposite on the Mac. The 21.5" 2011 can even take twice as much RAM as the 21.5" 2012.
 
I agree about the mouse. My 2017 iMac came with a Magic Mouse and a Magic Keyboard and I hate the Magic Mouse. I use it with my MacBook now but only because it was here. I actually prefer the MacBook's touchpad most of the time. For the iMac, I purchased a Logitech MX Master 2 and couldn't be happier. The keyboard on the other hand I like. I've never used the original keyboard my iMac came with - the short one without numpad - but exchanged it for one with numpad instead right away. By and large I find it pretty nice but I wish it was raised further at the back - it's too flat and my wrists hurt, so I used tiny foam bumpers to raise it further. Plus, the current model is pretty much unserviceable and overpriced if you ask me. See if you can find either the previous generation wireless keyboard that still runs on regular AA (or AAA?) batteries or the wired one, but personally I wouldn't spend a single dime on the current keyboard.

Other than purchasing some decent input devices I wouldn't sink any more money into it. The iMac is after all 7 years old now, don't forget that. Yes, it won't run 10.14 Mojave but with 10.13 High Sierra you're still good for another 2.5 years as Apple is going to provide HS with security updates until the release of 10.16 in late 2020.
 
Hi All,
The iMac continues to impress, I've had quite a bit of advice suggesting it's not worth investing any more money in such an old (mid 2011) machine and others tell me it's one of the best iMacs Apple ever produced, so I am debating what to do!

Upgrading to SSD seems a sensible start though. Given that this iMac is a mid 2011 would I be better leaving the existing 1TB HDD and adding a 1TB SSD behind the DVD player? My thinking is that I can leave the old HDD with temperature monitoring undisturbed as my understanding is that the additional SSD won't send the fans crazy.

Anyone disagree with this as a next step? All advice very welcome!
 
I would get rid of the HD and go all SSD. The performance difference will be noticeable. And if you leave the HD, since it's already been 7 years already you may find yourself having to go back into the machine to get it out when it dies. I have replaced HD's with SSD's in iMacs and if you're careful replacing the temp sensor it's not a problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikzn
That is a very good point, thank you. I will just have to hope that OWC will post the sensor to the UK.

OK, very stupid question (sorry) I don't have any bootable CDs or DVDs so when I replace the HD with SSD and I first turn the machine on how do I get the OS onto the new drive? Is there a link to anywhere that will describe it for someone at my amateur level?

TIA.​
 
A SMART question, not a stupid one. There are some others here who can give you more useful details than I can about this, but basically you're going to download a compatible version of OSX (Mac OS) from Apple, create a bootable thumb drive or DVD, and install from there.
 
Thanks so much. I can envisage me being very proud of myself as I stare at my old / removed HD sitting on my desk and it suddenly dawns on me that it's full of all the key data!

My understanding is that the Apple HD has the temperature sensor built into it but your message...….​

mreg376 said:
I have replaced HD's with SSD's in iMacs and if you're careful replacing the temp sensor it's not a problem.
Click to expand...

suggests that I can use the existing temp sensor. Have I misunderstood there?
 
Last edited:
All I can tell is that my experience with slight older iMacs had the temp sensor stuck to the HD case with some sticky tape, which I simply moved to the SSD case. I can't say that the temp indicator worked exactly the same as it before. The fans may have sped up a little more quickly but it never presented a major problem.
 
OK, so I have all of my spare parts here..... 4 x 4GB of RAM fitted and working. I like the easy bits first! 1TB SSD to go in as soon as the temp sensor arrives from OWC.

My iMac is running macOS High Sierra 10.13.6. I haven't had my iMac long so I have no data on it I want to keep, all of my files sync with the cloud so I am very happy to start with a clean machine.

When I start the iMac with my new 1TB SSD, I need some way of getting macOS on to the "new" machine. Is it best practice to:-

1) Create a bootable USB with High Sierra and use the USB to upload macOS or
2) I did read that Command + R (ethernet with fast broadband will be plugged in) will automatically download the latest macOS for me.

Please give me a steer here, guys! Many thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
So today has been a bad day...….

I noticed the iMac was running very very slowly with the timer spinning around for a long time, I didn't have time to investigate as I was off on holiday for a week but I was thinking that it showed all the signs of imminent hard drive failure. When I returned, switched it on it got to the Apple logo start up screen, the bar would go across the bottom and then the system will shut it self down.

I did the CMD + R when booting routine and frankly, got myself in a very deep mess and I think I have deleted the boot file. Maybe the HDD has simply failed or maybe a mixture of both. The system now goes in a loop and frankly I have no clue what I am doing now.

All of my files are in the cloud so there is nothing lost, my new SSD is waiting here and ready to go in. I do not have any other Apple products (other than an iPad and a Windows 10 laptop) so if I install the new SSD how do I get macOS on to the new drive?

Please help...…...This has taken me hours to get this far (i.e. nowhere!)

Many thanks in advance.
 
when you restart the iMac with the new SSD, hold down the "command R" keys.
that tells the iMac to recover into 4 options, choose internet recovery.
did the imac come with and usb or DVds with a OS X reboot?

is the new SSD format for macs?
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldhifi
Hi, many thanks for the quick response.

No, I don't have any USB or DVDs. I am searching to see if I can create one with Windows 10 but not having any luck! Do I have any other options?

The SSD is a generic one sourced from Amazon UK, so no. It won't be formatted for a Mac.
 
69skot69 said:
The SSD is a generic one sourced from Amazon UK, so no. It won't be formatted for a Mac.
Click to expand...

macs are smart, they want to work, so just wait until the SSD arrives and follow those steps i typed earlier.

Thursdays seem to be "help me format my mac " days were at least 2 people need help formatting drives. if you want to read some thread that day, that might give you peace of mind.
 
The SSD is here (it was the Macworld SSD temp sensor that I was waiting for, you would not believe the price of this lead delivered to the UK, with P&P, customs tax, UK post office charges!!!) - It's just that I daren't put it in!!

So are you saying that you think I can install the new SSD, boot with CMD + R and the iMac will start doing its thing?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back