2
Score
Square Wei
25
Asked
replace the hard drive, how do I connect Hard Drive thermal sensor?
My iMac's (i3 ,WD 500G ) Hard Drive is failure and I replace a new one but I can't connect thermal sensor to new Hard Drive because the connectors are different.
So my Hard Drive Fan will run the full speed after 10 mins when I power on.
I google the solution and someone suggest that I can jump the connector to make the sensor short then it will show 0 C degree.
It works but I afraid the Hard Drive will overheat when I use for a long time.
Do you have any solution to solve this problem?
Thank you.
Edited by: Square Wei ( )
3
Score
mayer
148.6k
Answered
Apple changed to a seven lead temperature sensor and proprietary firmware in their hard drives in late 2009. Their thinking appears to be that no one but Apple or an Authorized Service Provider has the ability to change a hard drive. So you have to go through Apple to get a drive that won't make the fans run at full speed. To date, I have seen no work around on this site or any other to get around this. Thus you are at the mercy of Apple on pricing. I do expect to see a class action law suit on this soon but who knows when and it doesn't help you now. I would contact Apple to see if they will help you at all. Please let us know your results.
Apple stocks the temperature sensor cable as a separate part for each drive manufacturer. If you have the exact new hard drive say such as WD and you need the matching cable, Apple has the separate part and possibly would sell it to you. Update - it appears that the port for the sensor cable on the HDD connects to the sensor within the HDD so DARN the whole unit HDD and cable would need to come from Apple!
Mayer writes, " I do expect to see a class action law suit on this soon…" On what grounds? Apple doesn't advertise or claim compatibility with 3rd-party replacement drives. There is no law that requires compatibility with after-market hardware. There is a law (The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act) that prohibits them from voiding your warranty if you choose to use 3rd party parts. But they aren't doing that. We might not like it, but I'm not aware of any legal grounds to challenge it. Are you? In any event, there is a solution: Other World Computing sells a special cable that has an in-line thermal sensor that reports drive temperature to the Mac in the same way the Apple drives do it. So you can use any standard SATA hard drive. They call it the OWC Hard Drive DIY Kit. I haven't tried it myself, but I've always had good experiences with everything I purchase from them.
[quote] In any event, there is a solution: Other World Computing sells a special cable that has an in-line thermal sensor that reports drive temperature to the Mac in the same way the Apple drives do it. So you can use any standard SATA hard drive. They call it the OWC Hard Drive DIY Kit. I haven't tried it myself, but I've always had good experiences with everything I purchase from them. [/quote] The OWC Hard Drive DIY Kit does't work on iMac 21,5" Mid 2010 (I have bought it and I can't use it!!), so the misfat remain: how solve this fan control issue?
1
Score
Dan
6.5k
Answered
Just to be clear here both HD's are Western Digital and are the same series and size that you are exchanging out correct?
If so, the fact you still can't get it to work correctly leads me to believe the issue is also within the HD's firmware and/or this given HD does not have an active thermal sensor that meets Apples spec.
FYI - Did you contact Apple to see if the HD was covered under warranty? They had a bad batch of HD's in some systems and these systems have an extended warranty (call them with your systems S/N). If it was not covered by Apple you could also go directly to WD as they have a warranty program for there drives even if it was an OEM drive, that might get you a free replacement HD (http://support.wdc.com/warranty/index_en...)
0
Score
mail
1
Answered
There is a program that helps you to control your HDD fan speed.
You get get it here: http://www.hddfancontrol.com/
Update
Another program you may want to try is this: smcFanControl
Google it
0
Score
Square Wei
25
Answered
My iMac original HD has 8 pin, same as the new one I bought.
Please see the image below, the new one does not come from apple. (The cost of new HD is USD 80 but Apple charge $200 to replace the same one)
But even I connect the thermal sensor to the new one, the HD fan will also run at full speed after 10 mins.
So I jump the third and the seventh pin to short the thermal feedback, so it will show 0C degree and the fan will always run at lowest speed.
OOXO
OOXO
( I jumped the Pin X)
Then I download the software 'iMac Fan control' to control HD Fan.
Maybe it's not the best way but it works well.
The only thing I concerned is that I don't know the temperature of HD so I would know what time should I increase the HD fan speed.
Edited by: oldturkey03 ( )
0
Score
Answered
The best solution, is using a Transistor 2N3904. Just remove the connector (side HD) and solder a 2N3904. Gray wire on E (Transistor) and black wire on BC (transistor).
By Alexandre Larangeira
Edited by: oldturkey03 ( )
0
Score
Hell7
1
Answered
Put inside the old thermal connector (in case you will put again your old seagate hd) 2 cables with connectors like these they use in windows pc's for microphone on motherboards, put the black color on the first pin of WD hard disk closest to SATA connector
In the lower (looking disc from above and connectors facing you) and the white colored cable next to black. Install fan control daemon and your finished.
I played a lot with this and I find this is the best solution. Don't worry about hard disc, its running at most 37c without cooling.
You can go then to fan settings and make them run as you wish. I have them in 2000 RPM on all.
http://www.derman.com/iMac-Fan-Control this is the best for Imac's fan's i have it and i can control all fans to desired speed..
Thank you very much for the suggestion :) I know about this cable but it does not fit to the disc i have now.. and no cable exists for my disc and there is no need to it because is all time cold..i have the disc outside the case :) The site you refer is one of the best for mac items. Yes is annoying when you cant change items from your pc..Actually is my pc especially after one year passed after warranty and i didnt wanted to pay every year apple care if and when something going wrong... :) After all my skills are enough to change processor or video card or power supply..and this is now out of case with a fan :) Thank you for replying :) i just wanted to give an idea here for people having problems with this !&%& disk.. Note that apple have inside a special firmware that even if you change the disc with same but not from Apple does not work..
You state your HD has a different connector than what the cable supports (Apples or OWC custom cable) can you explain? 3.5" SATA drives all use the same connector, do you have a 2.5" mSATA SSD? That does have a different connector. If so, their are adapters to convert. Also some HD vendors have changed their HD firmware on some of their drives to be compatible with Apple systems that use the internal SMART temp sensor (not all SMART HD's have a sensor). The real issue here is not custom firmware but a hole in the SMART standard on how temp was accessed from within the HD as it was never clearly defined in the standard.
Dan,
I dont have the original hd because it crashed..lot of bad sectors....i change it with a 2.5 ssd which is dont have at all jumper connections my friend.. only the smart from the sata connection ..but is not so accurate..yes not all HD have this sensor.. these hd's have a dot painted below . Yes you absolutely right but i know that they put inside and a firmware for accessing these data and these hd's are specially designed for Apple.
0
Score
Answered
I met the same problem as described with a 500Gb coming out SAMSUNG instead of WESTERN DIGITAL. with the same connection a block of 8 pins... the fan turning at full speed, no matter i boot from the I.H.D. or an external H.D...
Frredrick de Chavanes,