Crashed Mac troubleshooting. Crashed HDD?

Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I suspect my hard drive is broken but would like to know if there's anything I can do before turning it to service.

I'm getting a prohibitory symbol when I try to start the iMac. In recovery mode, when I try to reinstall macOS it doesn't find my internal HDD. I tested Disc Utility to control the HDD, but getting "Error: This disc needs to be repaired using the Recovery HD. Click to repair disc." When trying to repair it, I get "Error: Could not mount disk."

I also get "Warning: Repair partitioning card failed when structures to fit the entire disk size were adjusted" when trying to repair it.

I've tried installing macOS on an external drive too, but the computer can not find my hard disk for some reason. It doesn't pop up as an alternative.

Anyone knows of any solution for these issues?

(The error messages aren't literally word by word as I've translated them from Swedish.)
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Welcome back to our forums.

Nothing much you can do with that hard drive except to change it out. Hopefully, you have a backup of all your data?

Not sure what's going on with your external hard drive, but if you have a good installer and a way to install macOS on that external drive, it should work. What method are you using to install macOS on the external drive?
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
10,703
Reaction score
1,158
Points
113
Location
Rhode Island
Your Mac's Specs
M1 Mac Studio, 11" iPad Pro 3rdGen, iPhone 13 ProMax, Watch S7, 2018 15" MBP, AirPods Pro
It certainly seems like the drive has died. What model year is your iMac? If you have an additional external drive, you may be able yo use that, to run your iMac from?


Edit: The external drive may need to be formatted first. Boot into Recovery, and select Disk Utility, then select the external and then select "Erase".
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
You have got it right with your diagnosis.

Helps greatly if you provide Mac model and operating system. For example OS X.6 is too old for Recovery, starting in diagnosis (Command + D) only works on late 2013 iMacs and later etc.
 
OP
S
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks for the quick replies.

Hopefully, you have a backup of all your data?
I do, yeah.

What method are you using to install macOS on the external drive?
I start up holding ⌘+⌥+R (recovery mode).


What model year is your iMac? If you have an additional external drive, you may be able yo use that, to run your iMac from?
I don't remember the year. I think it's 2015 or 2016.

Edit: The external drive may need to be formatted first. Boot into Recovery, and select Disk Utility, then select the external and then select "Erase".
It's formatted for my Mac though. I used this hard drive before the Mac broke. I can see it in Disk Utility, but don't wanna erase the content on it.

You have got it right with your diagnosis.

Helps greatly if you provide Mac model and operating system. For example OS X.6 is too old for Recovery, starting in diagnosis (Command + D) only works on late 2013 iMacs and later etc.
It's newer than X.6. I think it was Sierra or El Capitan. I can't stard with Command + D. I just get the prohibitory symbol or it just shuts down when I try.


Edit: My external hard drive showed up now for some reason, for the first time in dozens of attempts. Trying to install macOS on it now.
 

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