iMac G5 20" Freezes & Hard Drive Clicks

[djwazzy]

I have a iMac G5 20" and I've been experiencing problems ever since I got it and wanted to know if anyone else has had the same problem.

Basically what happens is when I'm using an application (usually a web browswer, and it happens on all three Safari, Camino and Firefox) sometimes the multicolored spinning wheel will appear and that app will lock up. Furthermore I will hear clicking noises coming from the hard drive. As soon as I hear that first click I know the will machine lock up.

I've tried to force quit the application but that doesn't work. I have to physically power down the machine to reboot it by holding down the power button on the back. It used to happen only once a week or so, but now it will happen every day, usually after an hour of using the iMac.

Is this the iMac overheating, or is the hard drive faulty? I called Apple Support and they told me to do the permissions fix and reinstall the O/S. I did that but it didn't fix the problem.

Has anyone else had this problem or suggestions on how to fix it? I'm basically at the point where I think my I need to replace my iMac.

Oh, one last thing. This may be irrelavent, but the iMac has one Samsung 512 MB chip that came from Apple, and one 512 MB Samsung RAM I bought seperatly, but the RAM is matched 128bit. Thanks.

 

[crazzyeddie]

First try removing the non-Apple RAM, but it sounds like you have a bad hard drive.

 

[stoid]

The term you are looking for is "Click-of Death". Sorry, it looks like you got a bad HD. Fortunately though, the HD should be one of the user replaceable parts and so they should just be able to send you a new HD without you having to totally give up your computer.

 

[Macmaniac]

Yep your HD is going to die, try to back up any important data and have Apple send you a new one.

 

[djwazzy]

Thanks for your tips guys. After pleading my case with Apple Support for close to two hours they finally agreed to send me a new HD. Now hopefully it's not the RAM that's causing this problem

 

[Leareth]

Hi Guys ,

I have a similar problem with my 17" iMac , twice in the last four days it has frozen when opening Safari, and the hard drive makes funny noises too as well the fans turn on when the computer does this freeze, I talked to apple tech support and they said to restart the computer, hmmm worked fine until the next time... should I get them to replace the HD on mine too?

 

[Jigglelicious]

Hi Guys ,

I have a similar problem with my 17" iMac , twice in the last four days it has frozen when opening Safari, and the hard drive makes funny noises too as well the fans turn on when the computer does this freeze, I talked to apple tech support and they said to restart the computer, hmmm worked fine until the next time... should I get them to replace the HD on mine too?

Sounds like the HDD might the the problem in your iMac too, especially if you hear some kind of strange sounds coming from the computer when it locks up - specifically repeated clicking.