Hard drive failure?

[HaZeX]

I think my HDD is going bad, but Im not sure.

Model Identifier: iMac7,1 20"
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 2 GB

Sometimes the computer will randomly freeze and I am forced to restart it, however when I restart it sometimes it will just sit on the grey screen, no apple logo or anything. Sometimes when it attempts to load on the grey screen after awhile a folder pops up with a question mark that starts flashing. Sometimes I get lucky and it will start up right away.

I tried to run disc utility, but it says I need to run it from the OS X install disk while holding the "C" key, I think the disc might be scratched to much though.

I cant enter safemode or single user..I tried resetting the PMU, PRAM, and NVRAM, nothing helps...

Does this sound like a bad hard drive and I need to replace it?

Also the computer sometimes shuts down randomly, I think it might be overheating because the top left corner gets really hot..

Suggestions would be great!!

 

[old-wiz]

I'd say it's definitely the hard drive. If you're under warranty take it to the Apple store. You could also get a SL retail disk and use it to run disk utility from the DVD, but most likely your hard drive is going.

 

[HaZeX]

I'd say it's definitely the hard drive. If you're under warranty take it to the Apple store. You could also get a SL retail disk and use it to run disk utility from the DVD, but most likely your hard drive is going.

My Applecare expired so I will be replacing it my self then. I have the SL upgarde disc ($29 one) would that work?

Any of these would work right? http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upg...=Data+Storage&TI=1255&shoupgrds=Show+Upgrades

I was looking at this one, http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Western Digital/WD1002FAEX/ that would work fine correct?

Thanks again.

 

[HaZeX]

Ok I can't boot disc utility with SL, I hold down the "C" key and after a few the disc ejects and the blinking folder appears again.. Ugh

EDIT:

I got disk utility to boot with SL, took a good 10 minutes though, disk utility found no errors on the disk...so now what?

 

[C. Alan]

You are going to need to find the original disks that came with your Imac. They will have machine specific drivers that will not be present on the SL upgrade disk. If you have to do a full restore, use the disks that came with the machine first, then do the upgrade to SL.

BTW, with the help of google, I found a nice page that that has some trouble shooting tips for repairing your Imac:

http://www.macgurulounge.com/mac-disasters-when-the-flashing-question-mark-strikes/

 

[Sun Baked]

I have the same machine, my drive died 3 months before the end of Applecare.

I hope you have the drive backed up.

If not, and you can boot into single user mode, there is always looking into how to rebuild the b-tree catalog for free versus paying $99 for a drive utility.

Should end up seeing something like /sbin/fsck_hfs -r devicename

 

[HaZeX]

You are going to need to find the original disks that came with your Imac. They will have machine specific drivers that will not be present on the SL upgrade disk. If you have to do a full restore, use the disks that came with the machine first, then do the upgrade to SL.

BTW, with the help of google, I found a nice page that that has some trouble shooting tips for repairing your Imac:

http://www.macgurulounge.com/mac-disasters-when-the-flashing-question-mark-strikes/

Thanks, looks like the hdd then. Im going to call apple tomorrow to see if they can issue me replacement discs.

I have the same machine, my drive died 3 months before the end of Applecare.

I hope you have the drive backed up.

If not, and you can boot into single user mode, there is always looking into how to rebuild the b-tree catalog for free versus paying $99 for a drive utility.

Should end up seeing something like /sbin/fsck_hfs -r devicename

Yep drive is backed up, I cant boot into singleuser mode.

Now sometimes when I try to boot the computer the apple logo displays, then dissappears and a Circle with a line through it pops up now.