Aluminum iMac optical fan not working

[armoguy94]

Hey guys, last night (the day my one-year standard hardware support ended) I upgraded my 250gb stock HDD in my iMac to a 1TB WD Caviar Black.

Now that everything's put back together (except for the microphone, that damn thing is so tricky when putting the housing back on! kept getting in the way so I just decided to disconnect it), the optical fan is not working. I see that in SMCFanControl it's "running" at 0rpm. So, I'm guessing it's just some cable that I disconnected and that it's an easy fix - but maybe that's not the case..

Anyone here that is familiar with the interior of an Aluminum iMac (20" btw) able to provide some insight on this please?

Thanks!

BTW, I should note that, in one of the fans (didn't pay attention whether it was the ODD fan), I accidentally dropped two tiny screws in. Of course, they did not drop in the inside of the fan where things were spinning, however. The screws that I dropped in were screws that were meant to tighten one of the display connections. Here's a picture of the fan I'm talking about:

Above the fan is the optical drive. So, I'm guessing it is the ODD fan, lol.

 

[zmttoxics]

You did get the screws OUT of it the fans first, right?

I would just open it and make sure all of the cables are where the should be etc.

 

[armoguy94]

You did get the screws OUT of it the fans first, right?

Lol no - it's extremely hard. They are somewhere under the logic board by now so I'd have to tilt the computer and use my ears to locate where they are, and to get them out. It's exteremely hard and I am hesitant on completely disconnecting the LCD in order to do this easier - when I upgraded the HDD, I did it without completely removing the display because I'm scared I'll get some of the wiring mixed up.

Either way, there's really nothing under the logic board, right? With the computer standing upright on my desk, it's probably doing no harm so it shouldn't be much to worry about.

When I get a can of Dust Off, I will open the iMac up again and check all the cables again, as well as clean this dusty thing out.

 

[zmttoxics]

Lol no - it's extremely hard. They are somewhere under the logic board by now so I'd have to tilt the computer and use my ears to locate where they are, and to get them out. It's exteremely hard and I am hesitant on completely disconnecting the LCD in order to do this easier - when I upgraded the HDD, I did it without completely removing the display because I'm scared I'll get some of the wiring mixed up.

Either way, there's really nothing under the logic board, right? With the computer standing upright on my desk, it's probably doing no harm so it shouldn't be much to worry about.

When I get a can of Dust Off, I will open the iMac up again and check all the cables again, as well as clean this dusty thing out.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20060119/112488/5-main-backside.jpg

There is lots on both sides of a motherboard, especially on the iMac boards. I would remove those screws before you short something. If the screws are not in the fans preventing them from spinning, then you probably have a loose cable.