Upgrade 2009 i7 iMac w/SSD or buy new iMac?

[jmpage2]

Just an update and a last, lingering question.

I did, as suggested, reload my VM from scratch on parallels (in a non bootcamp configuration) and have to agree it does make a noticeable difference in speed.

However, my wife apparently decided that the SSD I was fussing over so much would make a good XMAS gift and she has dropped hints that there will be a 256GB Crucial M4 SSD under the tree on Sunday morning.

So, here's my question... I already have all of the parts I need for the drive replacement (suction cups, spudger, torx bits, etc) but I'm wondering what I would use to jumper the pins on the motherboard to prevent the fans from turning up?

Is it just a standard jumper such as one I would use on a hard drive to short pins or is it something unusual?

Thanks!

P.S. - I also got 16GB of RAM for $70 so this upgrade should be a real blast.

 

[jmpage2]

Merry Christmas everyone. Time to followup on this project.

My wife did in fact get me a Crucial 256GB M4 SSD for Christmas today and, being as impatient as I am, I went ahead and installed it.

Sort of anticipating this, I had picked a few things up ahead of time;

1. Newer mult-driver set with bit extension and all needed bits.
2. Pair of heavy duty suction cups for removing the glass on the iMac.
3. 16GB of Crucial RAM (4X4GB) was only $73 shipped, could not pass it up!
4. Icy Dock SATA converter for SSDs.

The install was actually very very easy, although I went slow so the whole thing ended up taking around 90 minutes or so. I used the iFixit guide and it covered everything I needed to deal with perfectly. In hind site, the suction cups I bought were overkill (they are huge, I should have bought the iFixit ones)... I also should have taken the time to magnetize the bits I was using, as I did find removal and installation of the 8 T10 Torx screws to actually be the most difficult part of the job... they are deep enough in the frame that it is easy to drop them, and the nearby magnets can interfere with positioning when removing or reinstalling them.

The Icy Dock SSD converter was great, as it made the re-installation using all original parts a snap (it is exactly the same dimensions as a 3.5" hard drive with the exact same position for connectors, etc).

I used a conductor to try to short the two leads on the hard drive temperature sensing cable, but it did not work (drive speed was 4000 RPM) so I ended up downloading and installing SSD_Fan_Control which seems to have done the trick on taking the fan down to 1K RPM (after spending 3 hours re-installing it all I wasn't about to take it apart again).

All in all this upgrade was (for me) totally worthwhile. My Mac is faster than ever, quieter than ever, using less power than ever and with an SSD, I am less concerned about mechanical failure since it has no moving parts (SSDs do fail but these 3rd gen ones are typically warrantied for 3 or 5 years and should be pretty reliable).

I did hang onto the original hard drive so that if needed I can re-install it if I need warranty work on my Mac (2 yrs left on apple care) or if I re-sell it in a year or two when a complete redesign for the iMac comes out. I decided that upgrading my unit was better than taking a crap shoot on a new one, mine had the LCD replaced and the screen it has is pretty close to perfect (no purple fringing or other issues).

The upgrade is not difficult, but it does help to have the teardown photos available on another computer (I used my wife's Macbook), to have all tools you will need laid out before you start, and to take your time and not get into a rush.

I was also very careful about removing all dust, etc, from the LCD before reinstalling the glass.

Good luck to anyone else who attempts this!