Internal 4TB HDD for iMac

[ebd.i.am]

Is anyone running 4TB drives internally for their iMac?


I'm thinking about picking up this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822178326

Then I'm going to follow the iFixit guide to install the HDD, SSD, and a Custom Power/SATA cable.
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+iMac+Intel+27-Inch+EMC+2429+Dual+Hard+Drive+Kit/7575/1

By the way, I found this $9 Custom Power/SATA cable on Amazon. It should do the same thing as the iFixit Dual Hard Drive Kit but for a lot less.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056OB8GK/ref=pe_309540_26725410_item

 

[Radiating]

Is anyone running 4TB drives internally for their iMac?


I'm thinking about picking up this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822178326

Then I'm going to follow the iFixit guide to install the HDD, SSD, and a Custom Power/SATA cable.
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+iMac+Intel+27-Inch+EMC+2429+Dual+Hard+Drive+Kit/7575/1

By the way, I found this $9 Custom Power/SATA cable on Amazon. It should do the same thing as the iFixit Dual Hard Drive Kit but for a lot less.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056OB8GK/ref=pe_309540_26725410_item

The imac uses laptop drives of 1.5tb or 2tb capacity per drive max (12.5mm =1.5tb & 15mm =2tb) you'll have to check what is compatible. Or you can just use an external mybook studio 4tb from wd with USB 3.0 and get super fast transfer speed almost as good as internal.

 

[ebd.i.am]

Are you sure about that?

I removed a full 3.5" desktop 1TB HDD from my iMac and replaced it with an SSD.

 

[monokitty]

Only the Late 2012 21.5-inch iMac uses a 2.5" drive; all others use 3.5" desktop drives.

If you own a 2011 or newer iMac, you can't replace the main drive without causing the fan(s) to rev up; those iMac factory drives have special Apple firmware that is used by the SATA cable - connecting an unsupported drive will cause the fan(s) to spin at full speed all the time.

As far as I know, there is currently no solution to the issue outside of having OWC do the job for you - they've apparently found a fix but do not disclose it to the general public.

 

[ebd.i.am]

Correct, after replacing my stock Seagate HDD with a Samsung 830 the fan speed did increase.

However, I've been using HDD Fan Control software for awhile now and it works perfectly to lower the fan speed/rpm.

http://www.hddfancontrol.com/

 

[AppleNewton]

The seagate 4Tb should work where the old drive was, without issues with the temp sensor. Installed one and an ssd in a 27inch without a hitch

 

[Radiating]

Only the Late 2012 21.5-inch iMac uses a 2.5" drive; all others use 3.5" desktop drives.

If you own a 2011 or newer iMac, you can't replace the main drive without causing the fan(s) to rev up; those iMac factory drives have special Apple firmware that is used by the SATA cable - connecting an unsupported drive will cause the fan(s) to spin at full speed all the time.

As far as I know, there is currently no solution to the issue outside of having OWC do the job for you - they've apparently found a fix but do not disclose it to the general public.

Interesting, did not know the 2012 was the start of that. I have a 2012 naturally.