PDA

View Full Version : HDD issues [solved actually faulty RAM]




Richdave
Mar 26, 2010, 07:33 AM
So I am in the process of upgrading my Alu iMac and now have a 250G HDD (complete with a clean install I did a few days back) put to one side and am preparing a 1TB drive to install...

My other older iMac has just had a fritz attack and now wont boot! Sometimes it is just a white screen and hangs, other times it gets to the blue screen with the mouse cursor and hangs, and then sometimes it gets to the log in screen but as soon as i try to log in I get the grey overlay "You need to restart your computer, Hold down the power button..."

If I boot with the OSX DVD I can use all the utilities OK but if I try any disk util functions on the HDD it crashes with the You need to restart your computer, Hold down the power button..." screen

I reckon it's the HDD...

Assuming it is, can I just drop the fore mentioned 250G drive in and boot it up?

What is the best way to recover apps, data et al from the suspect drive?



Hellhammer
Mar 26, 2010, 07:35 AM
If it's the imac in your sig, then you can, they use the same drives. Check my guide (http://guides.macrumors.com/Mac_doesn%27t_boot)

Richdave
Mar 26, 2010, 08:02 AM
Thanks Hellhammer... Yes the ones in my sig. I'll be moving the 250G drive from 1 system to the other. So I can install the drive but will I have to reinstall the OS?

Hellhammer
Mar 26, 2010, 08:06 AM
Thanks Hellhammer... Yes the ones in my sig. I'll be moving the 250G drive from 1 system to the other. So I can install the drive but will I have to reinstall the OS?

It's recommended to reinstall it because of all drivers etc.

Richdave
Mar 26, 2010, 08:21 AM
OK thanks. I'll crack the system open and swap the drive, re install and see where that gets me..

Richdave
Mar 27, 2010, 09:47 PM
OK thanks. I'll crack the system open and swap the drive, re install and see where that gets me..

Well I swapped the HDD (what a job - not hard but fiddly with the foil screen) and oh joy.. NOT :mad: Same symptoms and would crash during a fresh install. It turns out it is either a faulty RAM module or slot... Hope its the module. In the meantime running on 1G just fine

Well I learned a heap in the exercise

I also vac'ed out the fans, fitted the larger drive, checked the PRAM battery so not entirely a waste...