iMac (2010) dying?

[suklee]

My iMac shut down by itself, now it won't start up again. I see the Apple logo with a grey progress bar at the bottom but after about 20% of the way thru the power just cuts out completely.

I'm hoping this may help http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3680, but since I can't get into OS X I'm not sure what to do. I've tried to boot Lion Recovery - nothing shows up except the wallpaper. I've also tried resetting the NVRAM and booting from the Recovery HD but the latter results in a "OS X installation couldn't be completed" message with a big log file.

Suggestions?

 

[jonesthewine]

Not a big problem - I've had that happen to my MacBook Pro...after installing an update ...if you can take it to an apple store they will sort you out and send you on your way with a functioning iMac.

Did you try using an external usb disc drive to load the disc utility from the OSX disc?

 

[suklee]

I don't understand this part at the end of the article...

If you cannot start up the computer normally to install this update, you can temporarily use an external hard disk drive (with the version of Mac OS X that came with iMac (Mid 2010) installed on it) and run Software Update.

I can find an external HD, but how will it have Mac OS X already on it?

should I find the disc that came with my iMac and insert it into the superdrive?

My iMac is out of warranty and I don't have applecare, wouldn't they charge me if I brought it in?

 

[suklee]

Not a big problem - I've had that happen to my MacBook Pro...after installing an update ...if you can take it to an apple store they will sort you out and send you on your way with a functioning iMac.

Also, what worries me is that my iMac just turned off out of the blue. I had installed some new updates in the morning, but nothing major (iTunes, iPhoto, GarageBand) and it was running fine... stepped away for lunch, came back, and found the iMac just off with a black screen. Scared it's a hardware issue D:

 

[umrigar]

it sounds like a hardware issue.

 

[gmaster456]

If it just shut off by itself it sounds like an internal issue, perhaps overheating.

 

[suklee]

Crap, I didn't get Apple Care

Still hoping it's a hard drive issue..

Edit: I managed to boot into OS X. What should I do now? First thing I tried was http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3680 but it said I didn't need the update. I tried a Repair Disk in disk utility as well, nothing wrong showed up either.

Ugh, noticed sound doesn't work either...

Edit2: After a little while, there was a message that said "Your computer needs to restart. Hold down the power button... etc etc". After a slow reboot sound is back. Maybe this is hardware related afterall, and I'm gonna end up with an expensive paper weight soon

Am now trying to install Lion on an external USB drive

 

[suklee]

Update: Installed Lion on an external USB hard drive, all seems okay so far. Didn't use migration assistant so the OS is 100% fresh. Currently using Software Update to get to 10.7.3.

My conclusions so far are either:

1) original hard drive is toast, or soon to be toast
2) something is mucked up within the OS, software-wise

Any suggestions on how I can proceed from here?

Forgot to mention, when I boot up I get this msg:

Mac OS X can't repair the disk "Macintosh HD" (this is the original iMac hard drive)
You can still open or copy files on the disk, but you can't save
changes to files on the disk. Back up the disk and reformat it as soon as you can.

 

[Oyeve]

So backup and reformat.

 

[JSt0rm]

those things get way to hot to live for more then a couple years.

 

[rugby]

those things get way to hot to live for more then a couple years.

That's nonsense.

 

[philipma1957]

Update: Installed Lion on an external USB hard drive, all seems okay so far. Didn't use migration assistant so the OS is 100% fresh. Currently using Software Update to get to 10.7.3.

My conclusions so far are either:

1) original hard drive is toast, or soon to be toast
2) something is mucked up within the OS, software-wise

Any suggestions on how I can proceed from here?

Forgot to mention, when I boot up I get this msg:

Mac OS X can't repair the disk "Macintosh HD" (this is the original iMac hard drive)
You can still open or copy files on the disk, but you can't save
changes to files on the disk. Back up the disk and reformat it as soon as you can.

first off all iMac users must have an up to date osx copy on an external hdd since your machine is a 2010 you should make a copy on an fw800 drive once a week. to not do so invites you to an efff'ing disaster . use super duper to clone the internal to a fw800 external and boot with it. ( the external) then use the external to fix the internal hdd.


I can't understand why people buy expensive computers and don't make external backups. Also www.macrumors.com has a lot of guys that can help


http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=91 this is the imac section

 

[Emulex]

if you can get to boot:

sudo su -
dmesg |more

look for strange things like disk i/o errors. do this after doing a erase all free space.

a bad sector + EFI flash update = bad mojo.

you can use disk warrior to do a full read/write scan like spinrite. too.

either way - you have the best backup system on the planet - time machine. time to pop a new drive in and go to town. good reason to go SSD

i assume you use a battery backup and keep the computer cool right?

drives die - no biggie. life goes on.

if you did a legit osx install you have diagnostics installed - check that aftermarket ram?

 

[suklee]

I can't understand why people buy expensive computers and don't make external backups.

You assumed too much my friend I do have a TM backup from a couple days ago, but with the original HD I cannot even install Lion properly. Still keeping fingers crossed that it's simply a hard drive issue and nothing else.

For a traditional HD, Google says I have to get the same HD brand as my current one (Western Digital) due to the temperature sensor. I am considering the SSD route as well, but what happens to that temp sensor if it's not plugged in? Will it boot?

 

[Oyeve]

You assumed too much my friend I do have a TM backup from a couple days ago, but with the original HD I cannot even install Lion properly. Still keeping fingers crossed that it's simply a hard drive issue and nothing else.

For a traditional HD, Google says I have to get the same HD brand as my current one (Western Digital) due to the temperature sensor. I am considering the SSD route as well, but what happens to that temp sensor if it's not plugged in? Will it boot?

You are thinking too much like an apple genius. Dude, back up the freaking he using super clone and format the drive.

 

[suklee]

You are thinking too much like an apple genius. Dude, back up the freaking he using super clone and format the drive.

Erased the old drive completely (even used the zero out data option), but Lion still won't install.

 

[suklee]

Took out the WD 500GB and put in the Intel 120GB SSD, and still having trouble installing Lion via a burned DVD. Looks like the outlook is grim, very grim...:thumbsdown:

My last play is to try installing via a USB stick, but barring a miracle it looks like the iMac is f*cked

EDIT Holywtfbbq, installing from USB stick worked! I'm now restoring from my TM backup. I didn't TM'd everything such as music & pr0n but I have backups elsewhere :awe:

So now I have a WD 500GB as an USB external drive. Not sure I have a need for this since I have a NAS on Gigabit. Booting from the SSD is blazing fast as expected. *fingers crossed* the restoration goes well.

As a bonus to tearing apart the iMac, I've discovered greyish screen smudges reside INSIDE the LCD panel. I had known they were there for a long time but never bothered taking off the top glass layer to look underneath. Don't suppose there is any easy solution to fix this.

Next step is to enable TRIM and to fix the fan speed which is going at full tilt.

PS - For anyone who's thinking about changing out their iMac HDD, I used a combination of the iFixit guide and this excellent guide.