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Is my internal hard drive dying?

Jodeo

Jodeo

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 12, 2003
268
147
Middle Tennessee
Sometime in the past week I ran Apple SW Update for the latest and greatest, which included (I believe) an update for Java. Since then my iMac has been performing oddly to the point where it freezes - if not on boot up, then shortly after. I was able to run Disk Doctor earlier and Repair Permissions. The S.M.A.R.T. status said "Verified" (in a stoic, unassuming sort of way, no less) and RP showed all KINDS of mumbo-jumbo about permissions being quite askew on a zillion or so files pertaining to Java 1.6. (I didn't grab the log as it froze shortly thereafter).

Yet when I boot from my external drive, which is cloned nightly using Super Duper, it runs fine. No problems (heck, I'm using it as I type this post).

No new software or devices.

Here's what I have:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
iMac Aug. 2007 (first Aluminum models)
OS 10.6.6
2.4 GHz / 4GB Ram / Stock 320GB Hard Drive
USB keyboard+mouse (no wireless or bluetooth devices)
External FW400 drive.
A towel, a thing my aunt gave me that I don't know what it is, and no tea.

And no Disk Warrior or comparable utilities.
=(

I was planning on taking it in to get the HD upgraded anyway, but since the CLONE is working fine, I'm thinking that the internal is failing despite the SMART status acting, well, dumb. (It HAS saved my skin in the past, so that surprises me now.)


What do you suppose is going on?
 
Jodeo said:
What do you suppose is going on?
Click to expand...

I think you're on the right track. A couple weeks ago my iMac was acting up - applications not launching, crashing, general unresponsiveness. SMART said everything was OK. I then launched Techtool Deluxe that came with my AppleCare, did a surface scan.. It was taking WAAAAY too long - like 3 days, for my 320GB drive. Afterwards, SMART said Pending Failure. Replaced the drive, restored everything from my time capsule - iMac is good as new.

Try these two utilities - give you more SMART info than the OS:

http://www.corecode.at/smartreporter/

http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php

I like SMARTreporter - it sits in the tray and will notify me when the SMART status reports a pending failure. Both report all SMART parameters, not just the overall status.
 
The only problem I have ever had with my iMac was my HDD failing. I think that is what eventually brought me to this site last year. It seemed a lot of people had this problem on the '07 24".

At any rate, I obviously don't have to tell you, but back it up asap!
 
Had strange problems about one month ago on my 2008 20 inch iMac-----Diagnosed as hard drive failure. Replaced hdd. Thank goodness for Applecare.
 
All Backed Up

Well, as I noted, everything is backed up (1) to my external HD and (2) to my CrashPlan account. (CrashPlan rocks, people!).

I'm ordering a new drive today. I spotted a 2TB WD drive on Amazon for about $80. I'm a bit leery since I'm replacing a WD drive in the iMac, and my external drive is actually older than the internal drive.

We'll see how it goes.
 
Jodeo said:
Well, as I noted, everything is backed up (1) to my external HD and (2) to my CrashPlan account. (CrashPlan rocks, people!).

I'm ordering a new drive today. I spotted a 2TB WD drive on Amazon for about $80. I'm a bit leery since I'm replacing a WD drive in the iMac, and my external drive is actually older than the internal drive.

We'll see how it goes.
Click to expand...

Which model? You're going to want something that runs cool. Maybe the WD blue/green drives vs black. Your iMac came with a blue drive (thats what my failed WD 320GB drive was).

I replaced mine with a Samsung Spinpoint F3:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/HDD-6Gbit,2528-3.html

It seems to stay at 50C or below. It especially stays cool if I keep the default power settings and have the system go to sleep when inactive. Right now its only 38C but I've only been using the system about 30 minutes.
 
Jodeo said:
Western Digital 2 TB Caviar Green SATA Intellipower 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive WD20EARS

Based on reviews it runs cool.
Click to expand...

I looked at that drive when I was upgrading my Time Capsule.. I ended up with this drive:

Western Digital 2 TB AV-GP SATA Intellipower 32 MB Cache Bulk/OEM AV Hard Drive WD20EVDS

I liked that it was claimed to be for 24x7 operation, made me think it was somehow a more reliable version of WD's 2TB "Green" drive. :) My TC is on all the time, 3 machines backing up to it.
 
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