Have i got hard drive failure?

[Matski]

My early 2009 20" iMac 2.66 has suddenly stopped working. When I turn it on it makes some funny noises, and I get a loud fan noise for about a minute or two.

It boots up, and the dock appears after about 5 minutes, but the top menu bar doesn't. Then nothing happens, I can't open a finder window or nothing. I just get a coloured spinning wheel for about 10mins, and nothing happens.

Is the hard drive dead? Or might it be something else?

 

[Intell]

It's possible that your hard drive is failing. In the event that it is, backup your data while you can still get it to almost work. What kind of noises does it make when your turn it on?

 

[Matski]

It's possible that your hard drive is failing. In the event that it is, backup your data while you can still get it to almost work. What kind of noises does it make when your turn it on?

Makes clunky noises for about 5sec and then loud far for a couple minutes.

 

[rkaufmann87]

Makes clunky noises for about 5sec and then loud far for a couple minutes.

Yes it is likely failing, before you do ANYTHING, backup!!

 

[Matski]

Yes it is likely failing, before you do ANYTHING, backup!!

Thanks. I thought so. Can anyone recommend a reliable hard drive?

 

[Intell]

That does sound like failing hard drive noises.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks. I thought so. Can anyone recommend a reliable hard drive?

Your iMac uses a standard 3.5" 7200 RPM hard drive (<<Amazon list). Just look around and buy whatever size you want that is on sale. Hard drives are all pretty much the same as far as reliability. Just get what is cheapest that meets the specs.