2007 iMac Heat Sensor with SSD

Hi everyone first off sorry if this question is posted already I just can't seem to find a straight answer on if this will be a issue or not.

I'm looking to upgrade my 500GB hard drive to a SSD and I understand the whole process of taking the iMac apart and installing it.

My only concern is the Heat Sensor for a 2007 model am I going to have to do anything special? Where do I need to mount the sensor after I installed my SSD what should I mount it with? Do I need software if so what kind and is it needed?

If there is any other information that can help me on this step that would be great!!!

Once again sorry ahead of time if these questions were already answered ahead of time

Thank you!!!

If you have a 2007 iMac…I don't think you should have too many issues. This sort of thing doesn't get complicated until we start talking 2009-2011 iMac's. With these iMac's…the heat sensor technology is a bit more integrated into the drive itself (special ROM in the hardware). With older iMacs…it's either a surface mounted sensor on the drive…or a sensor that's mounted in the chassis near the hard drive & then sort of picks up the temp in that area.

Open things up…and see what you see. It may be as simple as plugging & unplugging the standard SATA data cable and power cable. If there's a surface mounted temp. sensor wire…then that may need to be transferred as well.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Open things up…and see what you see. It may be as simple as plugging & unplugging the standard SATA data cable and power cable. If there's a surface mounted temp. sensor wire…then that may need to be transferred as well.

- Nick

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So your saying if it's surface mounted anywhere on the HD mount there will be an available spot on the new SSD that can be plugged into?

Since SSD throws off barley any heat what needs to happen to make sure the fans don't start going crazy because the temp is so low?

Sorry I never worked on iMac/Apples before just PC's building/reparing them never ran into a physical heat sensor.

There is no place on a SSD to "plug" in the heat sensor. Just do as Nick stated, place it on the surface of the SSD. You may have to use double sided tape or some form of stickum. As far as the fan is concerned, if the heat is low the RPM of the fan will remain low or idle. No problem there and no software is required.

chscag said:

There is no place on a SSD to "plug" in the heat sensor. Just do as Nick stated, place it on the surface of the SSD. You may have to use double sided tape or some form of stickum. As far as the fan is concerned, if the heat is low the RPM of the fan will remain low or idle. No problem there and no software is required.

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Ok sounds great!!


Now will any SSD work or is there a specific make/model people are going for? Also any extra parts people may need once it's torn down and they wish they would have bought it ahead of time?

mdanieltech said:

So your saying if it's surface mounted anywhere on the HD mount there will be an available spot on the new SSD that can be plugged into?

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By "surface mounted" I mean that a heat sensor may be a wire held on with an adhesive sticker or "sticky tape". It's not a plug.

mdanieltech said:

Since SSD throws off barley any heat what needs to happen to make sure the fans don't start going crazy because the temp is so low?

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Yes…SSD's generate a lot less heat. I don't think that the fans will go crazy…since the with less heat & lower temp., there will be no reason for the fans to go crazy. The only reason why the fans would go crazy…is if the temp sensor hardware was damaged…and the computer received no reading.

I think that your best bet (if you're super concerned)...is to open the iMac up…and see what's in there.

Here's a procedure (link below) describing how to replace the hard drive in a "Mid-2007" iMac. This is just a standard hard drive replacement procedure (not an SSD swap)…but in steps 19-21 you can see what the temp. sensor looks like & how it is attached:

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+20-Inch+EMC+2133+and+2210+Hard+Drive+Replacement/1008#s5328

Here's also a You Tube video of someone installing an SSD in a 2008 iMac (somewhat similar to yours). The dude explains that there were some cable length issues…and he explains some details regarding the temp sensor location/positioning on the SSD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZJLZi1BSa0

HTH,

- Nick

chscag beat me to it...while I was composing my reply. But both of our advice is the same. The heat sensor is surface mounted with an adhesive product. Which you will certainly see when you get in there.

- Nick

Awesome thank you everyone for your help so far!!!!

mdanieltech said:

Also any extra parts people may need once it's torn down and they wish they would have bought it ahead of time?

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See the You Tube video where the person had two different mounting products for the SSD (the mounting product/adapter needed so that a 2.5" SSD will fit where the 3.5" HD used to be). This is assuming that the 2008 iMac in the video is similar enough to your 2007 iMac.

Depending what mounting hardware/adapter comes with your SSD…may make the difference.

- Nick

As pointed out th fans should be just fine, it is the late 2009 onward iMacs that had that special heat sensor problems. Any brand of SSD will fill the bill. Personally have had best results with OWC anf OCZ Vertex brands. Will just need formating is all.

harryb2448 said:

As pointed out th fans should be just fine, it is the late 2009 onward iMacs that had that special heat sensor problems. Any brand of SSD will fill the bill. Personally have had best results with OWC anf OCZ Vertex brands. Will just need formating is all.

Click to expand...

Now the formatting part does this need to be done prior or can I install format from the screen of the iMac and then install OSX?