2009 iMac - Slept for a few months.

[g-7]

So basically you're saying I could get an SSD and enclosure and boot via USB from it?

SSD drives, especially Samsung, need TRIM function to make them working at peak efficiency. Without it, the speed degrades noticeably. TRIM works only with internal drives (and possibly some Thunderbolt enclosures), but not with USB. Also, USB is slower than internal SATA connector. So, with SSD in USB enclosure you get slower drive to begin with, and a gradual performance degradation due to lack of TRIM.

If I were you, I would get a cheap USB enclosure, put an SSD drive in it, installed OS X on it, boot from this external drive just to check and recover data stored on your internal HDD, and then replace (or get replaced) the internal drive with that SSD.

 

[dinggus]

SSD drives, especially Samsung, need TRIM function to make them working at peak efficiency. Without it, the speed degrades noticeably. TRIM works only with internal drives (and possibly some Thunderbolt enclosures), but not with USB. Also, USB is slower than internal SATA connector. So, with SSD in USB enclosure you get slower drive to begin with, and a gradual performance degradation due to lack of TRIM.

If I were you, I would get a cheap USB enclosure, put an SSD drive in it, installed OS X on it, boot from this external drive just to check and recover data stored on your internal HDD, and then replace (or get replaced) the internal drive with that SSD.

I was able to recover my data prior to the computer now shutting off while loading.

Now the question is, knowing my HDD was bad via disk utility, is my logic board fine? Reason I ask is I read that could also be a problem due to it shutting down half way through loading.

 

[JimmakoS]

I was able to recover my data prior to the computer now shutting off while loading.

Now the question is, knowing my HDD was bad via disk utility, is my logic board fine? Reason I ask is I read that could also be a problem due to it shutting down half way through loading.

The problem is clearly your hard drive and you will must replace it.

In my opinion, as the other guys said, you should buy an ssd.

You can also buy an ssd and hdd if you don't use the superdrive.

You will replace the superdrive with an adapter from OWC and you put there the ssd disk and you will replace your faulty hdd with a new one

 

[dinggus]

The problem is clearly your hard drive and you will must replace it.

In my opinion, as the other guys said, you should buy an ssd.

You can also buy an ssd and hdd if you don't use the superdrive.

You will replace the superdrive with an adapter from OWC and you put there the ssd disk and you will replace your faulty hdd with a new one

talked to OWC and they gave me a 500GB SSD, bracket, and tools to do the repair myself. It comes out to about $350, the SSD being around $250. Is there any cheaper but just as good SSD's that isn't OWC brand?

 

[srshaw]

European voltage didn’t hurt your Mac. Target disk mode allows the target computer (iMac) to be seen as an external drive. It’s handy for many things but I’ve generally used it to get data off drives that for whatever reason won’t boot.

As far as I inow, all current mac hardware is auto sensing, so it shouldn't be a problem. I live in the uk but have travelled to the us with various iphone chargers and macbook pro and never needed any voltage changing adapters.

 

[dinggus]

Well, decided to see if I could take my iMac screen off without suction cups and it worked. So saved me $50 from buying the kit.

I decided to just stick with a normal HDD, I plan on buying a 2TB WD HDD.

With that said, does it matter what kind of HDD it is (dumb question, but I never replaced a HDD before).

I just browse the internet/FB/email/download.

 

[dinggus]

Well, I just read that I have to stay with the same HDD brand, and ifixit.com is stating my late 2009 iMac 27" uses Toshiba.

Is this true? I can't use a WD HDD?