1 TB 7200 RPM 3.5" Hard Drive

Mijn probleem

Computer wouldn't boot even after trying multiple resets and safe boots. Attempted to erase hard drive but could not load OS. Decided to replace drive.

Mijn oplossing

The video and step by step directions made replacing the drive a breeze. My 16 year old son (who has autism) and I followed the directions and fixed it. It was a great learning experience for us both and we felt so accomplished when we were able to get it working again!

Mijn advies

Don't be afraid to give this a try! I am convinced I saved hundreds of dollars and lots of time by fixing it ourselves. And now we have the confidence to try other repairs!

Mijn probleem

Let me start off by saying I am a DIY type by nature and I was born in 1971. Therefore, being DIY for me means I am more familiar with carburetors, brakes, and camshaft installations than hard drive replacement. However, my age does not change my mental disposition to FIXIT myself. When something (anything) is broken at my home it takes a lot before I cave-in for DIFM service. I have even changed my own automotive glass despite numerous service providers offering to do the job "fast" which can be code for "careless".

I should also add that I too graduated from Cal Poly SLO (’94) and built and sold 2 DIY-oriented web properties (row52.com & fordmuscle.com). I was floored when I read the return address as Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo when my hard drive showed up just 2 days after watching the most encouraging IFIXIT DIY video on replacing the HD in my EMC 2390 iMac. So what was the problem? S.M.A.R.T error. Mandatory message to replace my HD.

Mijn oplossing

Replacing the HD itself went very well despite there being no obvious fasteners or access points on the machine. Anybody with automotive repair experience can appreciate how disorienting this can be. The physical component of swapping out the drive was painless. I was surprised with the amount of dust inside my machine so this was also a great time to vacuum the internals. Buttoning the machine back up was a breeze as well due to the video. Little did I know the most painful part of this project would be reinstalling the original OS X from my install CD and optical drive, Snow Leopard 10.6.3. This is where I had to improvise and get a bit aggressive.

Mijn advies

In my particular situation, I was faced with a questionable optical drive or bad install CD. I could hear the CD spin up then spin down until the machine ejected the disk over and over. My screen showed the “?” almost indefinitely. I should also mention my iMac has a wireless keyboard. This is where I almost broke down and took my mac to Macorama for a $159 diagnostic. I was never quite sure the start up keyboard commands were being read.

Regretfully, I even waited at the Apple Store “Genius Bar” like a pathetic lump for 12 minutes before I walked out determined to correct the problem myself. Long story short, for $16 more than the Macorama diagnostic I picked up a perfect used 20” iMac (2010) off CraigsList in order to use the install CD and hard wire keyboard to perform the fresh OS X install. After a little cleaning of my optical drive with compressed air and a fabric covered gift card, I am happy to say I am submitting this story from my fixed EMC 2390 now running El Capitan. Also, I now have a 20” iMac for my 10 and 8 year old boys to use for school this year, pictured.

Thank you and great work. You guys completed the entire loop. From search, to education, to encouragement, to part fulfillment, and finally to summoning customer feedback in a nice web form.

Mijn probleem

iMac internal hard drive failed and needed to replace to use computer.

Mijn oplossing

Had my 9 year old son help read instructions while i was doing the work, as my hands were busy. I sprayed out the computer from dust accumulated over the last 8 years, which took me longer than the 1 hour it could have.

Mijn advies

When booting up, the hard drive wasn't recognized. I used the CD boot disk what was in the keyboard box. When I booted up, it didn't see the Seagate Hard Drive, so I used a USB flash drive. I installed the OS there and after a few updates and checking for the Seagate, it finally was visible to use. Then I used the CD again to put the OS on the newly installed internal Seagate Hard Drive!

We did have some complications with our Restore using Time-Machine. It had our user name /email, but the password was lost. Resetting the password worked and we got into the computer with our History still available for us to use.

Mijn probleem

Hard drive Failed

Mijn oplossing

Perfect as instructed.

Mijn advies

You don’t need to buy any suction cups. Do you have packing tape? Lay it across the screen at the top through two loops of tape in the corners. Pull. The other tool recommended, the stick, I don’t know what it’s for, but I didn’t need it. Just torx drivers and teeezers and one very small jewelers screw driver for pushing the small connectors back in.

Mijn probleem

I had to replace a dead hard drive

Mijn oplossing

It wasn't bad at all. The hard drive that was sent was not the same in the iMac. This means I could not use the thermal sensor. However, I found a website that allowed me to use it. Besides having big fingers, it wasn't that bad.

Mijn advies

Have another person helping you. When you have to lift the screen, you have to be careful not to tear cables, especially the vertical sync ribbon. Also make sure the hard drive is the exact model that was already in there or else the thermal sensor is going to be tricky. Use tweezers for small cables if you have fat fingers.

Mijn probleem

Hard Drive failed on computer. Since it was seven years old, bought new iMac and decided to repair this old.

Mijn oplossing

The repair essentially went as advertised except for item listed below.

Mijn advies

Had to do in stages as instructions stated need same manufacturer for hard drive so that temperature monitor connection would be appropriate. Even after doing this still had issue. Connector from computer had tab on one side that defined orientation, but socket on new disk did not have slot for this tab. I cleaved the tab off with a razor blade so that connection could be made.

Mijn probleem

The original had become unusable. Too many sectors gone bad.

Mijn oplossing

The iFixit PDF was almost dead on accurate.

Mijn advies

In my particular case, the thermal sensor cable warnings didn't apply. The connections were built as such that there is only one way to plug it in if it was to be plugged in at all. Now this might be because the drive I was pulling was not an Apple original. It was one that Apple had installed as a replacement for the original one that had come with it on a massive hard drive recall. The very original drive I am pretty sure was a Toshiba, the newer one that I had to replace was a Seagate. The one that I bought from iFixit was also a Seagate.