Has my iMac died?

[mac2thefuture]

Hi guys - please note my pics. I was greeted with a grey screen with a stop symbol. I then had to boot into safe mode via a windows keyboard and then had an internet mode start up. Then I was informed that the iMac SSD has a hardware problem that can't be fixed.
Im in the UK - can I buy a replacement? If I can get a replacement, do I just repeat what i've done so far then reinstall OS X? Is that downloaded from the internet? Gutted.....many, many thanks in advance.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Foremost, it would help a little to know the model/year of your iMac (e.g., 21.5” Late 2013).

Im in the UK - can I buy a replacement?

UK or not, this is where things get tricky/tedious.

When Apple released their first “blade” solid state drive in the Late 2010 release of the MacBook Air, they still used established mSATA interface technology, but ditched the traditional SATA and mSATA form factors found in most laptops at that time, instead opting for a custom connector that’s never been used by another manufacturer before or since. With the 2010 MacBook Air, Apple began a new trend of developing proprietary connectors and form factors that eventually pervaded the entire Apple lineup and ushered in an era of drives that, while easily replaceable, were not so easy to find.

Many people incorrectly assume the connectors are one of the M.2 variants found in many PCs, but to date, Apple has still never used a standard M.2 connector. And unlike M.2 pin arrangements, Apple’s connectors were never given distinguishing names, so from this point on I’ll just refer to the connectors by their pin arrangements as described in the image below.

Apple Proprietary SSDs: Ultimate Guide to Specs & Upgrades | BeetsBlog

Apple’s SSDs are confusing. Are they M.2 drives? What connector do they use? AHCI or NVMe? What drive can I use to upgrade? We have answers. We’ll tell which SSDs work in which MacBook Pros, iMacs, Mac minis and more.

beetstech.com

So, while you can technically get a replacement, hunting down a compatible drive or adapter (some companies have made adapters so Mac owners can use standard M.2 drives) will probably be a quest. In Canada/USA, OWC sells branded drives that are out-of-the-box Mac compatible, though I am not aware if something similar exists in the UK.

The next hurdle would be the daunting/cumbersome task of disassembly, replace, reassembly:

OWC Install Videos

OWC's detailed step-by-step installation videos show you how to install memory, hard drives, and optical drives in your mac! You can also learn how to install a new battery in your iPod, or bring your old PowerMac up to speed with a processor accelerator!

eshop.macsales.com

Or paying a local shop to do it.

If I can get a replacement, do I just repeat what i've done so far then reinstall OS X? Is that downloaded from the internet?

Yes.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Apple never built an iMac solely with a 128 GB SSD. The smallest SSD models were 256 GB. 128 GB SSDs were part of Fusion Drive configurations. Since I don't see an internal spinning HDD on the drive list I'm going to assume that the spinning HD in the Fusion configuration had previously failed - altogether, a relatively old iMac. Earlier Fusion Drive iMacs all came with 128 GB SSDs. As time went by, Apple cut back the size of the SSD that came in the 1 TB Fusion Drives, sticking with 128 GB only for the 3 TB configuration. So it's probably a relatively early Fusion Drive - maybe Late 2012 or Late 2013.

If in fact it's a Fusion Drive machine absent a functioning internal SATA HDD, rather than try to find a replacement for that 128 GB SSD blade (it can be replaced, by the way), why not replace the internal spinner with a SATA SSD with a greater capacity. You do have an awful lot of USB drives attached. A new, higher-capacity internal drive could simplify things a bit.

In the end, of course, it's always going to be a matter of whether it's worth the investment to you. I wouldn't put significant money into my 27-inch Late 2013 iMac - the highest version of macOS it can run is Catalina and it's a non-Retina display. But everyone has their own ideas about keeping old computers alive.

By the way, there was no need to draw a circle around Mac OS X Base System - that's the Internet Recovery software image

 

[MacCheetah3]

Apple never built an iMac solely with a 128 GB SSD. The smallest SSD models were 256 GB. 128 GB SSDs were part of Fusion Drive configurations. Since I don't see an internal spinning HDD on the drive list I'm going to assume that the spinning HD in the Fusion configuration had previously failed - altogether, a relatively old iMac. Earlier Fusion Drive iMacs all came with 128 GB SSDs. As time went by, Apple cut back the size of the SSD that came in the 1 TB Fusion Drives, sticking with 128 GB only for the 3 TB configuration. So it's probably a relatively early Fusion Drive - maybe Late 2012 or Late 2013.

I was unable to recall, and did not want to assume. However, my research does seem to confirm your recollection.

why not replace the internal spinner with a SATA SSD with a greater capacity. You do have an awful lot of USB drives attached. A new, higher-capacity internal drive could simplify things a bit.

Your suggestion sparked the idea of using a modern day hybrid (Apple’s Fusion idea formed into a single drive):

Seagate ST2000DX002 FireCuda 2 TB internal hybrid hard drive (8.89 cm (3.5 inches) 64 MB cache, Sata 6 Gb/s)

Superior storage capacity. Untiring resistance. Seagate FireCuda hard drives offer an uncompromising blend of high performance and storage capacity. Combining SSD technology with an HDD platform, they are the perfect upgrade for gamers, creative professionals and PC enthusiasts.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[NoBoMac]

It does look like there is a spinner in there. The 320GB Maxtor drive is showing as the OS drive.

This might be a home-grown fusion drive (replaced the DVD drive with an SSD). Ala this thread (this model had 320GB as the "big" drive that came with it).

 

[MacCheetah3]

It does look like there is a spinner in there. The 320GB Maxtor drive is showing as the OS drive.

This might be a home-grown fusion drive (replaced the DVD drive with an SSD). Ala this thread (this model had 320GB as the "big" drive that came with it).

Not “in there.” Disk Utility is showing it as USB. Nonetheless, @mac2thefuture could still be using it as the boot drive. The less likely scenario, but possibly, a clone.

 

[Dave Braine]

Going by the OP's signature, he has a late 2012, 2.9Gh 27" iMac. As he's in the UK here is a good source of compatible drives:

SolderFix - Microsoldering Repair Service

Expert microsoldering repair work on electronic equipment and components. Solder Fix offers component level repair on a wide range of computer and electronic equipment.

www.macupgrades.co.uk

There's a link on the page to an installation video, but it comes with the warning: Skill Level: "Advanced" Professional Installation Recommended.

 

[mac2thefuture]

Many thanks for your replies - The iMac is a 2012 model and I guess too old to spend huge money on getting the SSD replaced. Ive looked at the YouTube tutorials and its very daunting...what a shame. I wasn't sure if I could boot from an external drive instead? Thank you @Dave Braine @MacCheetah3 @NoBoMac @ApfelKuchen for taking the time to reply and advise ??

 

[Dave Braine]

I wasn't sure if I could boot from an external drive instead?

Yes, you can do that. With a version of MacOS installed on the external drive, start the iMac while holding down the Alt/Option key, and then choose the drive on the screen. Having done it once, the iMac will see it as the default start up disk.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I wasn't sure if I could boot from an external drive instead?

As @Dave Braine stated, you can use a USB drive as a boot/main drive. Hold down Option during boot to select from all compatible OS installations detected.

If the 320GB Maxtor (with the “Macintosh HD” partition) is a clone, you may be able to boot to it. However, I do not recommend sticking with a traditional HDD as a boot drive in modern day workflows, just way too poky. Use an SSD, any type should be fine and much faster than a HDD.

Having done it once, the iMac will see it as the default start up disk.

It might work as the Mac does try to boot from other detected installations if one fails. However, when you find/create a boot drive you will use going forward, I suggest you perform the official selection method:

Change your Mac startup disk

Change the startup disk of your Mac using Startup Disk settings.

support.apple.com

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Even if the internal drive is "dead", you can still boot and run the iMac from an EXTERNAL USB3 SSD.

It's easy. This is "child's play" on a Mac.
Get a USB3 SSD. (or buy a "bare" drive and an enclosure and put them together)
Boot to internet recovery (command-OPTION-R).
Erase the drive with disk utility (sounds like you need Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format).
Install a copy of the OS onto it and create an account.
Set the startup disk pref pane to make the external drive the boot drive.

Once you're up-and-running from the external SSD, you -might- (I said, "might") be able to get access to the internal drive to get stuff off of it.