20" Apple iMac 2.4 ghz early 2008 issue

[OperationNora]

I have an early 2008 20" 2.4 ghz iMac. Up until last night, I have had really no problems with it. When I went to turn it on last night, a folder with a question mark was on the screen. So I tried my 10.6 install disk. That did not work. After that I tried my firewire external hard drive. that did not work. I pressed all the buttons right. I tried some more boot commands and the only one I could get to work was the firewire transfer combination. Not even the Option key showing hard drives worked. Now when I went to it today, my hard drive I noticed was making noises too now. I tried to run the Apple hardware text, but that never worked (even when I put in my system restore disk).

When I called apple, they said it could be a number of reasons. Should I even bother getting my iMac fixed, or should I just spend the money and get a 15" 2.2 ghz 2011 Macbook Pro? Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[Badger^2]

OS X got corrupted either due to software or hardware. Most likely the drive is dead and cannot be repaired. Not much more to it than that.

$50 for a new 500 gig drive and probably $50 to have someone to replace it for you if its not something you want to do (its not really easy, but not super hard either).

 

[OperationNora]

OS X got corrupted either due to software or hardware. Most likely the drive is dead and cannot be repaired. Not much more to it than that.

$50 for a new 500 gig drive and probably $50 to have someone to replace it for you if its not something you want to do (its not really easy, but not super hard either).

I was able to access my files when I got into the firewire transfer mode. I hooked up a friends 2009 Macbook, and my files showed up. So I am not thinking it was the hard drive. When I contacted apple, they said might be a dead logic board.

 

[panzer06]

I was able to access my files when I got into the firewire transfer mode. I hooked up a friends 2009 Macbook, and my files showed up. So I am not thinking it was the hard drive. When I contacted apple, they said might be a dead logic board.

Target disk mode wouldn't work with a dead logic board. Most likely a dying hard drive. Bad boot sector and perhaps other areas. It's not too difficult to replace the hard drive. There are instructions in the forum and elsewhere on the net.

Cheers,