# iMac broken HDD - how to change - Mac Expert required **URL:** \ **Category:** Tips & Tricks\ **Created:** [August 31, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://forum.pinegrow.com/t/imac-broken-hdd-how-to-change-mac-expert-required/6873 "2022-08-31T14:55:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 5
**Author:** ![schpengle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.pinegrow.com/schpengle/32/238_2.png) [@schpengle](https://forum.pinegrow.com/u/schpengle)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.pinegrow.com/t/imac-broken-hdd-how-to-change-mac-expert-required/6873/5 "2022-09-02T08:59:59Z")
Hi there Both. Sorry, I saw this yday… Ive been quietly lurking around here, but PG questions have got pretty advanced beyond my _hello world_ …web dev skill levels. I was going to reply yesterday and say, Ill reply properly later to you with some advice… and then the day went by! stuff happened , so I’ll say , I’ll try and reply properly later. ~~I was going to suggest using the dosdude1 installer and update the OS , which required knowing exactly which model of the 2013 iMac it is … Metal, non Metal , graphics capability etc.~~ But… when I looked, I couldn’t find DosDude1’s website. !!! what!? so here is a quick search on this forum. > [@Running an Older Mac? want to test/install on a newer OS, check this out](https://forum.pinegrow.com/t/running-an-older-mac-want-to-test-install-on-a-newer-os-check-this-out/1660): > > Well, hello there! I have not been posting much the last few days because I have been up to THIS! I am running an older, UNSUPPORTED mac , with regards to both Sierra and High Sierra, and Apple say I CAN’T install it and run it on my old mac. that is, it is from early 2009. Their planned obsolescence policy means I am supposed to now throw it away\> OH! but MID 2009 is ok -these machines CAN run High/Sierra! no logic, not based on Hardware requirements, no ins… ~~so this would break you free of APPLES _Year of Manufacture, castrating OS Install_ Limitation. ~~ and, yes I would. definitely USB install at first to check it all out, then clone the disk to a separate partition or just install it. Ive probably got a lot of waffly install instructions on here about it. I ll have a quick look now. And as for recovery, Ive had success with _DiskDrill_ -as well as such old tricks as Placing the HDD in the freezer/fridge for sometime and then retrying to recover data from it again etc. BUT not with Snow leopard!-10.6.8 a bug in the DD app for this OS caused it to insert it its app icon in the Mac OS file system in a location which caused the OS to become unbootable…after installing DD and trying to recover data from a failed disk! A pretty non intuitive situation considering you were already stuffed… due to a non booting HDD! But I digress. And YES… for the solid state disk. Really, the performance hit is massive on older machines, but you ALSO have to make sure that the OS your running has _TRIM_ capability enabled for 3rd party SS HDD’s or otherwise… when files are _deleted_ er, they basically aren’t! the files stay on the SS HDD and aren’t actually _cleaned_ away as such and you will notice a performance hit over time as the SSD clogs up with _NOT_ Deleted files and the OS just keeps moving them about! - seriously. there are techie explanations of this about. But basically, it was an APPLE decision to screw. you if you didn’t pay for their ULTRA expensive _Apple_ SS HDD’s so I’ll have a look later, if you could advise me which actual model and late mid/early part of the year of manufacture. COOL! just checked again! [http://dosdude1.com/](http://dosdude1.com/) I can connect to it now. ~~His installers will allow you to install up to Catalina on non supported Macs (depending on your version/graphics cards, wifi bluetooth hardware etc)~~ ~~this is the way to go with regards your 2013 imac OS install ~~ ah! ok Corrected! Here I STAND! - you may just notice quite a bit of striking through up there 😃 dont bother with the Dosdude1 patcher tool as … you can run Mojave, Catalina etc. …Dosdude1 patchers flat line just before _Big Sur_ and never produced an installer for that or beyond. however, paying heed to what @SilverT says, and the fact that you would have USB bottleneck - BUT STILL MUCH FASTER than standard HDD on these later OS’s (especially if USB 3 - which is what I think your iMac would have)… the SSD would prove to be much faster an experience that spinning disks! I now only use them for back up archiving (well and some gaming - when I used to have time) Well… actually, Ive not even done anything remotely archivey…for aaaages. I hope I can remember where my passwords are stored! This following link is relevant. [https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251135046](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251135046) --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.pinegrow.com/t/imac-broken-hdd-how-to-change-mac-expert-required/6873)._