My iMac [might have] a virus.

[apfhex]

Just tried fsck. It got to "Cannot repair MacintoshHD after 3 attempts" or something like that.

I am still having problems.

Sounds like something bad happened to your partition. At this point if you don't care about any data loss, just reformat it from the OS X installer and re-install. I'd be concerned about potential problems with the hard drive itself. Since I don't know the exact circumstances that lead you to this situation I can only speculate. Be watchful and always keep a backup.

 

[Nermal]

If you can still boot the system from the hard drive then do so and back up what you can. Then reboot from the OS X DVD, launch Disk Utility, click the Hitachi drive itself and format it from the Erase tab*. This will create a new Macintosh HD volume that you will hopefully be able to install to.

*It might be better to use the Partition tab, and set it to 1 Partition. Try one if the other doesn't work.

 

[mZex]

Though usually sound advice - re-formating is an issue as the drive isn't there!

Last time that happened to me I personally abused warenty privilages and got a new H/D, a new screen and they even cleaned my MBP for me - how nice

Your case ... weird - but not a virus - probably just a hard disk with no place to call home

 

[AlexisV]

Click on the Hitachi and erase it. 'Macintosh HD' is the name of the partition - you can call it that again if you wish, once it has been erased.

Your hard drive has just become corrupt due to physical damage or a failure.

 

[IChing]

Your hard drive has crashed

Mine had almost the same messages after trying almost everything in this thread.

I replaced it and it wasn't as hard as I thought. Plenty of videos on doing it and I went from a 350gig to a 750 gig at a cost of $70,

 

[mloffa]

So I don't have the time or patience to do this anymore.
I think I'm just going to sell this computer and put in the rest to buy a new Macbook Pro or another iMac.

How much do you think I could get for a mac with a crashed hard drive?

20in Screen
2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo
4 GB DDR2 RAM
250 GB (Busted) Hard Drive


Thanks for everyones help.

 

[mrsir2009]

On Trade Me New Zealand uiMacs sold for 2000 to 1500 dollars. I'd expect you'd get $1000 to $1500 NZD for it...

 

[Sun Baked]

To think the $99 US desktop Hard Drive is always an option for an iMac out of warranty.

 

[arjen92]

So I don't have the time or patience to do this anymore.
I think I'm just going to sell this computer and put in the rest to buy a new Macbook Pro or another iMac.

How much do you think I could get for a mac with a crashed hard drive?

20in Screen
2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo
4 GB DDR2 RAM
250 GB (Busted) Hard Drive


Thanks for everyones help.

What, you're selling your entire imac just because the drive wont start

I would understand it if it were an old imac. But me thinks it would be a lot less hassle to just replace the hard drive with a bigger one (or an ssd, would increase performance).

I saw nowhere in the thread (point me to it if I'm wrong) that you partitioned or erased the drive from disc utilities, when you booted from the install DVD. (so not the normal disc utilities on your mac, but the one on the install DVD). Did you try it? Cause if you didn't it would be daft to sell and buy a hole new mac, if just a "reset" of the hard drive would have done it.

But ofcourse it's your call, do what ever you want. This is just how I think about it.

 

[mloffa]

What, you're selling your entire imac just because the drive wont start

I would understand it if it were an old imac. But me thinks it would be a lot less hassle to just replace the hard drive with a bigger one (or an ssd, would increase performance).

I saw nowhere in the thread (point me to it if I'm wrong) that you partitioned or erased the drive from disc utilities, when you booted from the install DVD. (so not the normal disc utilities on your mac, but the one on the install DVD). Did you try it? Cause if you didn't it would be daft to sell and buy a hole new mac, if just a "reset" of the hard drive would have done it.

But ofcourse it's your call, do what ever you want. This is just how I think about it.

Thanks for the advice, and I WOULD "reset" my hard drive but it can't locate my hard drive. There is no MacintoshHD (look on first page) and I can't do anything to this Hitachi thing that comes up.

If someone can write me up some clear directions it would be helpful but as of right now I kind of give up.

 

[littlelarry33]

Click on the Hitachi and erase it. 'Macintosh HD' is the name of the partition - you can call it that again if you wish, once it has been erased.

Your hard drive has just become corrupt due to physical damage or a failure.

You know you can push {Shift} {Apple} {4} and then select an area to take a screen shot, it's quite neat

 

[jzuena]

Thanks for the advice, and I WOULD "reset" my hard drive but it can't locate my hard drive. There is no MacintoshHD (look on first page) and I can't do anything to this Hitachi thing that comes up.

If someone can write me up some clear directions it would be helpful but as of right now I kind of give up.

You have no OS X partition but your picture clearly shows that you have a 230GB Hitachi drive. Try:

• go into disk utility (when booting from the DVD)

• select that Hitachi drive then go to the Partition tab and select Volume Scheme: 1 partition

• set the name to Macintosh HD and the format to Mac OS Extended (journaled)

• if the Partition Map Scheme at the bottom of the window doesn't say GUID Partition Scheme then also click the Options... button and select GUID from that window as well.

Apply these settings and then see if you can install OS X.

 

[mloffa]

You know you can push {Shift} {Apple} {4} and then select an area to take a screen shot, it's quite neat

That feature doesn't work when you're booted from a disk...thanks.

 

[apfhex]

Apply these settings and then see if you can install OS X.

Seriously, do this before you go and sell you iMac. It's a simple procedure, then you can install OS X (which doesn't take long) and all should be well as long as there's no hardware problem.

 

[Mike Macintosh]

You have no OS X partition but your picture clearly shows that you have a 230GB Hitachi drive. Try:

• go into disk utility (when booting from the DVD)

• select that Hitachi drive then go to the Partition tab and select Volume Scheme: 1 partition

• set the name to Macintosh HD and the format to Mac OS Extended (journaled)

• if the Partition Map Scheme at the bottom of the window doesn't say GUID Partition Scheme then also click the Options... button and select GUID from that window as well.

Apply these settings and then see if you can install OS X.

I agree with this person, give it a try, it may work.

 

[mloffa]

I tried what was suggested and I get an error that says that the Partition failed because the resource was busy.

What should I do?

 

[AlexisV]

Have you tried clicking on the Hitachi and then erase?

 

[mloffa]

Have you tried clicking on the Hitachi and then erase?

I have tried and I get the same "Resource Busy" error

 

[mloffa]

Seems like everyone here, including me, gave up.
I don't know what to do now.

 

[Darth.Titan]

Your hard drive is dead. Buy a new one.

 

[Cave Man]

Seems like everyone here, including me, gave up.
I don't know what to do now.

You're going to have to buy a new drive to find out. My advice is to get one and a FW800 (or 400) enclosure and install onto that drive. Boot from it and then see if you can repair your internal drive with Disk Utility. If you can't fix it, then either replace the internal drive or just keep using the external as your boot drive. Not as fast, but fast enough for most purposes.

 

[supinternet]

There are very few viruses that could get onto your OSX.
Pretty much all of those viruses are known and you can't be the only one to get one.

Now, since no one has ever heard of anything like that happening on anyone else's OSX, I would definitely say that it isn't a virus.
HOWEVER.

You should definitely call Apple and ask them about it.
OR
Try asking a friend for a copy of Leopard or Snow Leopard to try to reinstall it.
If this still doesn't work.. I'd recommend going to the Apple Store and getting a new HDD.
That will definitely fix your problem.

 

[mrsir2009]

There are very few viruses that could get onto your OSX.
Pretty much all of those viruses are known and you can't be the only one to get one.

Now, since no one has ever heard of anything like that happening on anyone else's OSX, I would definitely say that it isn't a virus.
HOWEVER.

You should definitely call Apple and ask them about it.
OR
Try asking a friend for a copy of Leopard or Snow Leopard to try to reinstall it.
If this still doesn't work.. I'd recommend going to the Apple Store and getting a new HDD.
That will definitely fix your problem.

I think its a bit out of the question that the iMac has or had a virus.

 

[american me]

Yeah, it sounds like your hard drive is dead. Get a new drive and go from there. It's not worth replacing the computer unless you want to waste money for what is a relatively easy fix.