Which 2 TB hard drive could I use to upgrade my 2010 iMac?

[Black]

I'm getting close to the point of going all 2-TB on my hard drives.

My 2010 iMac has the following Hard Drive:

WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0

Back when this was topical (with the new model release) I thought I had things kind of figured out-- supposedly as long as you used a replacement drive from the same manufacturer, you'd be fine. A littloe further poking about some of the rival sites revealed that that was hit or miss though . . . so I figured I could just grab the 2TB version of the WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0 to be safe . . . but I'm not finding anything similar. It seems the FALS is not even sold by OWC anymore:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-driv...tal_Caviar
Not that I want a drive with a model name that sounds like "FAILS", but it would be reassuring to know it's basically the same drive.

Any first hand experience here along these lines?

Thanks.

[C(-)ris]

Last couple I did I just ordered the optical drive sensor and taped it to the hard drive.

[Black]

Thanks, Chris. So there's no hope of being able to transfer the harness from one drive to the other?

[C(-)ris]

I'm sure there are ones that work. I tried 2 or 3 models of drives that I had in stock and none of them worked so I gave up and ordered the temp sensor cable.

[Black]

It's odd how no discussion about this issue ever ends with useful/definitive information.
Example:
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/13/hdd-fan-c...acement-i/
"OWC Grant" seems to have a handle on the issue but disappears before providing any clarity.

So do some aftermarket drives have the necessary connectors to work with the stock cable, or do none?

[Black]

And of course the link provided by the guy boasting his success with an alleged $10 cable is dead.

[C(-)ris]

Should be this one:
http://www.macpartsonline.com/922-9229-o...a1312.html

No idea about the vendor, but that is the part. You could probably convince an Apple Store to sell it to you for $9.

[Buzz]

The WD Elements 2TB Malaysian sourced "NETG" model has the Caviar Black drive inside that should be compatible... you can then carefully swap drives, or just chuck the Elements USB case if you're not careful...

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[Black]

Buzz wrote:
The WD Elements 2TB Malaysian sourced "NETG" model has the Caviar Black drive inside that should be compatible... you can then carefully swap drives, or just chuck the Elements USB case if you're not careful...

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Thanks, but if you follow the TUAW link above you'll see that a WD Black is not necessarily compatible.

[Buzz]

Black wrote:
[quote=Buzz]
The WD Elements 2TB Malaysian sourced "NETG" model has the Caviar Black drive inside that should be compatible... you can then carefully swap drives, or just chuck the Elements USB case if you're not careful...

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Thanks, but if you follow the TUAW link above you'll see that a WD Black is not necessarily compatible.
Dopey me... I have the same WD drive that you originally listed, which came as the BTO "upgrade" drive in my 2009 Mac Pro, and have added two of said 2TB Elements reclaimers that are WD2001FASS, which is double the size, double the disc cache, and the model listed just above the 1TB model (you noted) per WD's Caviar Black info page. I have an old white iMac similar to the one you're in the process of selling, and realize the drive/fan issues are different from the newer one, but my knee jerk reaction when I saw the model number from the new one, was simply that I got the next one up the list on the same page for $80, and the fun of dismantling a USB case, versus $170 to avoid the fun. It didn't even dawn on me that there would be a compatibility issue based on the next bigger drive from the same series. The newer 6Gbps drives end in "X" rather "S", so if you scored an Elements drive w/ an "X" in it, I would think that might possibly be an issue. Several friends and clients have bought Elements based on my recommendation, and we've all gotten "S" drives so far, though I have seen anecdotal evidence online of some very few lucky folks getting an occasional "X", but didn't consider the X-factor in my reply. Good luck w/ whatever drive you choose.

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