transfer iMac hard drive?

Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,

I have an iMac G5 (the first using intel chips) and it went bang a month ago and has been in for repair but they are unable to fix it as they have wasted 4 power supply's trying already. However, I also have an identical iMac that is just spare, bought the exact same time, same model. As I have all my files, programs, OS, etc on the broken iMac. Would I be able to simply take the hard drive out of that iMac and swap it with the hard drive in the good iMac and simply turn it on and everything would be working? Photoshop, Illustrator, newer OSX, etc? As it will be a pain to reinstall everything and I also have files that were not backed up.
If so, do you think the hard drive could at all have been causing the iMac to short as I don't want to ruin my spare iMac also.

Thank you :)
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
I think it will work if they are the same model. Perhaps someone else can confirm that. The alternative is to buy a drive enclosure (not very expensive) and put the drive from the broken Mac into it. This would then allow you to either salvage data from that drive or clone it from the enclosure to the working Mac.
 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thank you. Yes they are the same model. I'm not too bothered about salvaging data. It is more about just transferring the drive and running the OS from it with the programs and settings (Wacom, preferences, etc) just working as if it's my old. Thank you very much for the drive enclosure advice. If I do notice something missing then that would be a good way to salvage it. Thanks!
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
In that case using an enclosure and cloning the "old" drive to your current working Mac should be OK. The two cloning programs of choice around here seem to be either SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner. Make sure to download a version that with your OS version.

The free version of SuperDuper will handle basic cloning. The paid version opens up some advanced features such as scheduling backups.
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
I don't remember the size of that drive for sure. My Google skills are failing me at the moment. If it is a 2.5 inch SATA drive the enclosure should work.
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Well, can't be a G5 and Intel. G5 would be a PPC chip, not Intel.

If it is the "first" Intel iMac, it used a standard desktop 3.5" drive.
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
Well, can't be a G5 and Intel. G5 would be a PPC chip, not Intel.

If it is the "first" Intel iMac, it used a standard desktop 3.5" drive.

Thanks buddy. That means the enclosure the OP linked to won't work. It needs to be large enough for a 3.5 in. drive.
 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks for the advice. I have the HD in an enclosure now and can access everything ok. I have downloaded Super Duper and will try and clone everything across tonight. Hopefully it will work.

Do you know if everything would work perfectly? such as accessing Creative Suite (or other programs) or would I have to register or something.

Thank you!
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top