Unmount Failing internal HD to use External SSD Instead

[dreamvine]

The stock hard drive in my late 27" 2012 IMac running High Sierra is failing so I purchased an external SSD drive to replace it. I am now booting from and using that drive exclusively and would like to unmount or turn off internal hard drive somehow as the noise is unbearable.

 

[FrankCataldi14]

The stock hard drive in my late 27" 2012 IMac running High Sierra is failing so I purchased an external SSD drive to replace it. I am now booting from and using that drive exclusively and would like to unmount or turn off internal hard drive somehow as the noise is unbearable.

The normal, physical hard drive noise is what is bothering you?

 

[macguru9999]

you will need to open the imac and unplug or remove the internal

 

[jeyf]

you will need to open the imac and unplug or remove the internal

while your there consider replacement. Bets are the replacement drive is so inexpensive cost to ship will be more than the purchase price.

either way back your stuff up
right now if possible

 

[Fishrrman]

Here's a quick-n-dirty solution that costs nothing, is easy to do, and it just might work:

You have NOTHING you need on the old internal, is this right?
Then...

1. Open Disk Utility and ERASE the internal drive. I'd just choose Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.

2. Does it erase? And then mount in the finder as "an empty drive"?
That's what we want.

3. Now, download the free utility called "Semulov" from here:

kainjow

4. Launch Semulov -- it appears in the menu bar on the right

5. UNmount the internal drive with Semulov. I'm going to GUESS that when you do this, the internal drive will "spin down".

6. Does this work? If it does, "what works, works". You WILL have to unmount the drive after each reboot, however.

 

[dreamvine]

Thanks for the responses folks. I appreciate it. I downloaded some software to control the fans on my mac as I thought perhaps the noise might be the fans and not the drive. I ran the fans at high speed last night for a minute or two and then shut down my mac for the night. When I booted up this morning, the rattling sound was gone.