Chosen Solution

Hello, I was able to save a mid 2010 iMac from being thrown out at the office today. Turns out it works perfectly fine, except the fan is way noisier than it should be. The hard drive has been changed to a Samsung SSD 850 EVO at some point and I’m guessing the high fan speeds has something to do with this. Is there something I can do to control the fan without tearing the computer apart? Including screenshots from iStat from when the computer has just been started:

…and when it’s been running for 20 minutes:

There is absolutely ZERO risk of using a software program than sounding money for a dumb cable. The software work exactly the same. I’ve been running a 2010 with SSD in it for icer 4 years now with software controlling g the two fans and I do graphic design and they’re whisper quiet until I out the machine to work and they slow down when they aren’t under a load. Don’t believe otherwise. Sure the cable works too but the software dies the sane %#*@ thing

You guessed correctly. apple used propriety hard drive with propriety heat sensors so you couldn’t use an off the shelve drive to replace with. If you did, you got a run away fan.. Here’s the solution: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDI…

Usually this is caused because the SSD was installed, and the thermal sensor cable was neglected. Unfortunately the Mac gets confused and runs the fans high to compensate. OWC has a kit for the SSD’s Link to Part Try this. There is apparently software alternatives, but I cannot recommend as these kits are all that I have used. Hope it helps! Good catch on saving the Mac, and happy repairs.

Thanks Charles, I’ve been doing the exact same thing and so far it has worked without problem.

Klas, maybe you´re swedish but I´ll write this in english anyway. I have the same problem, I´m thinking I should try Mac fan control since it is free to download and since I guess I won´t be needing the fan anyway I´m thinking I should just ajust the CPU fan to zero. Or should I buy the OWC for 45$ and do it the proper way? Or do you recommend SSDfancntrl instead? holger

I use an earlier iMac temp sensor that mounts externally on the hard drive. They have to be rewired to the logic board connector and then they work perfectly fine without a fan control app. It is Apple part no. 922-8165, the clip that holds it is part no. 922-8183. Should be able to get them for well under $10.