Is iMac hard disk dying?

[AMACL]

Congrats that booting from the High Sierra flash drive works. But...this is really not a boot disk in the sense I've been describing in this thread to test the 2014 iMac's internal drive. This is just a macOS installer drive. You need an external HD or SSD that you can install the macOS onto...then run the computer from this HD or SSD for normal day to day computer activities (this is how you properly test to see if the internal HD is failing).

From what's been described...what's being done now is High Sierra is being installed onto the "potentially bad" internal hard drive. This is not the way to test if the internal drive is bad. Sure this can be done just to see what happens...but if the internal hard drive is worn out...this isn't going to help.

Hard drives have mechanical moving parts inside...and just like anything with moving parts...sooner or later this parts wear out. This could be why the internal drive is having problems.

Nick

Ah thank you for this explanation Nick. I see why it didn't work !
I am going to have to interrupt this fascinating exercise because I need to prepare a trip to the US starting tomorrow. So I won't get back to the subject until after Nov. 15.

But again thanks for all your help ! (and thanks also to Randy and Charles.)

I'm really learning a lot here .

Ann

 

[jpdemers]

Worth keeping in mind is that booting from an external drive - even an SSD - will be a slow slog unless the drive enclosure is USB 3.0 capable. If you get lousy results, it could be due to an outdated enclosure.

 

[AMACL]

Hello all,

@pigoo3 I followed your instructions and copied the High Sierra installer to an external hard disk. I connected it to my husband's computer (the 2014 iMac whose hard disk was unresponsive) and turned on the machine with Option key pressed. The machine started to boot, glacially. I left it to do its thing, and when I came back a while later, it had started up - but from the internal hard disk !! It's now still in that mode and still glacially slow. Is there something I should try to check about the hard disk? I checked System Report - Storage and the hard disk is recognized. Have not gotten further than that.

I really just wanted to get the machine going so I could transfer the files to another place - though I have no idea if it will indeed let me do that.

Thanks
Ann

 

[AMACL]

Hello all,

@pigoo3
@chscag
@Randy B. Singer

Just reporting back on the problematic 2014 iMac that was the subject of my original post on Oct. 27 :

After refusing to boot on several tries, all of a sudden the machine decided to start up. It took a very long time, I don't know how long as I just left it to itself and to my surprise, as I noted in my last post, it had booted from the internal hard disk. it was still very slow so I left it for a while. Again to my surprise, yesterday I tried some operations on it and it was much more responsive than it had been.
So I decided to try to make another Time Machine backup. Bad decision - the backup remained in beachball status overnight, with a black screen. I should have just tried to erase the hard disk.. In the end, I turned off the computer, so as to restart in Recovery mode and erase the hard disk so I can be rid of this machine. Result : it will not boot in Recovery mode. Just hangs on the startup page (apple logo).

I just wonder if this behavior could be related to hard disk heating due to dust buildup on its fan (though the computer doesn't feel hot), I saw on the internet that that can case sudden slowdowns.

I have ordered an Ifixit kit to remove and potentially replace the hard disk (and clean the fan??) - don't have the replacement disk yet but that's a detail. I'm not really interesting in keeping the computer but it might be useful for someone going forward.

Is there a way to erase the data on the original hard disk if I can't access it through the computer? I only want to erase it to protect my husband's data. Of course I can look for local tech support in my neighborhood, just never needed it before.

Thanks as always,

Ann

 

[Slydude]

Give Target Dik Mode a try. The top of the plate has a drop-down menu in the left corner to choose which OS version you are using.

 

[AMACL]

Give Target Dik Mode a try. The top of the plate has a drop-down menu in the left corner to choose which OS version you are using.

Thanks for the suggestion but I don’t understand the procedure.
The older computer won't boot now, so I can't get to the drop-down menu.
Does Target Disk Mode work even if one of the computers is not booted ??
Would Target Disk Mode allow me to erase the disk in the target computer? I already have most if not all its data on an EHD with Time Machine (though I wasn't able to restore from that backup to the newer iMac which is running Monterey).

 

[AMACL]

To all those who have helped me with the 2014 iMac HD dying issue : thank you!

In the end, I gave up trying to get data off the dying HD - it failed to boot several times, either normally or in Recovery mode, so I wasn't able to erase its contents.

I have ordered a kit from iFixit (thank you @chscag ) and bought a new internal SSD today.
This will be my first try at replacing an internal hard drive, but there is not that much riding on this except my time and patience. If I do it right, I will be very proud of myself. If not, I can always ask for help.

Actually I do not know how to erase data from the old hard disk - my husband wants to smash it. I think it can just be tossed, or kept in cold storage, until he forgets about it . If anyone has a better idea, I would be happy to have it.

I have now installed my old iMac (2019) on my husband's desk and am getting acquainted with my new M1 iMac. It's fast, alright, but has some quirks that I need to adjust to. But in general, it's good.

All the best, and happy holidays
Ann