2007 imac problem

[Larric boyd]

Hey everyone I just joined this site in search of help of my old school mid imac 2007 24" . I messed up and tried to reset the computer to it's factory settings it was moving to slow. I didn't care about data saved as it was just a internet browser and email reader.

I Deleted everything then i restarted it and got to a screen of temporarily unavailable. That's when the frustration started kicking in and then I started clicking on stuff I had no idea what I was doing. I click the hard drive and made it into two 500gb each. Then I clicked eject. And nothing happen finally after i was done messing everything up. I turned it off and back on and then flashing folder. I rebooted it with every key option out there and the only thing that worked was the firewire thing moving around the screen. (Boot up holding t). I only have wireless keyboard if that matters.

I then wondered why my disc was not coming out and felt empty when placing stuff in it. so I took it all apart carefully and seen there was no optical drive what so ever. I seen the hard drive. But no CD drive at all.

My questions are:

Can I buy a separate CD drive and instead install a SSD in it's place? Don't worry I'll do a lot of searching before I do that.

Is that the reason for a flashing folder?

Do I need to replace the hard drive?

Any help would be appreciated. I really like this computer and i don't want to have to buy another one unless the cost is too high and doesn't make since to fix.


I think the hard drive is Seagate barracuda 7200 1 tb( it is)
I bought it for 175 a year ago

 

[Fishrrman]

If you already have it apart, I'd swap out the old HDD for an SSD.
(The old hard drive could be connected via USB for more external storage space)

DON'T spend much money -- just get a 256gb SSD to save $$$.

If there's no DVD drive, you'll probably have to prepare a bootable USB flashdrive with an older copy of the OS to get it going.

You WILL need ANOTHER Mac to make the USB drive.
CANNOT be done on a PC.

Is this iMac a "white" one, or "aluminum"?

 

[Larric boyd]

If you already have it apart, I'd swap out the old HDD for an SSD.
(The old hard drive could be connected via USB for more external storage space)

DON'T spend much money -- just get a 256gb SSD to save $$$.

If there's no DVD drive, you'll probably have to prepare a bootable USB flashdrive with an older copy of the OS to get it going.

You WILL need ANOTHER Mac to make the USB drive.
CANNOT be done on a PC.

Is this iMac a "white" one, or "aluminum"?

[doublepost=1511997046][/doublepost]
Yes this is an aluminum one. After researching more I kinda figured I would thanks for the info on the SSD. Will be getting one.

Sucks I need another Mac cus I don't have one. I wonder if I can just buy a USB already made. Is that possible?

 

[DeltaMac]

2007 iMac 24-inch, can go with El Capitan (OS X 10.11.6) maximum.
I would probably go with 10.9 (Mavericks), but that's your choice.

You CAN find USB installers that are already prepared.
Mavericks here (along with 10.10, and 10.11 installs on the same USB thumb drive)

 

[Fishrrman]

"Sucks I need another Mac cus I don't have one. I wonder if I can just buy a USB already made. Is that possible?"

I was going to suggest buying one from eBay "ready-to-use", but DeltaMac beat me to it with a good link!