Refurb iMac 20 really slow to set up

[sgrinavi]

I wanted to try out a mac for surfing and iTunes in the kitchen - picked up a refurb 2008 imac 20. This thing took about 15 minutes to boot up and now every step of the set up process is taking another 10 minutes, or so.

Any ideas of what might be wrong? Is it just a giant POS that needs to be returned?

The system:

Apple iMac Desktop Computer with an INtel Core 2 Duo 2.0Ghz Processor, 2GB Ram and 250GB Hard Drive
Product Features:

• Bluetooth 2.0
• Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0Ghz Processor
• 2x USB Ports
• 2GB Ram
• 250GB Hard Drive
• 1x Firewire 400 Port
• DVD-RW Optical Drive
• 1x Firewire 800 Port
• 20-Inch glossy TFT widescreen active matrix display
• Space saving all-in-one design
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Mac OSX Mavericks 10.9
• 802.11 WiFi

Condition: Refurbished Packaging: Box Warranty: 30 Days Brand: Apple Model: MA876LL/A What You Get:

• Apple iMac Desktop Computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0Ghz Processor, 2GB Ram and 250GB Hard Drive
• Power Cords

 

[dave_the_nerd]

That's not a speed demon, but that's a bit much. Probably a bad HDD.

 

[EduCat]

I actually just had the same scenario. (For real, 10 minute boot up) A guy at work upgraded his mac and gave his old 3.1 mac pro. Same issue and he told me everything he ready said that the 'computer was about to die'. There were two more harddrives it, one with a copy of Windows that he never used.

Needless to say wiped the windows and cloned the main drive. Machine works very well now! About to pick up some additional RAM on ebay and maybe even try to get an SSD for it. Feels pretty snappy with the new HD though.

:edit: re-reading lol I see that it's an imac. Prob same issue though.

 

[sgrinavi]

Is it possible to clone that drive?

 

[Eug]

Is it possible to clone that drive?

Yes. Easy, assuming the drive isn't about to die completely. Attached an external drive, and just clone it over using Disk Utility or a third party application.

You even swap the drives later.

 

[sgrinavi]

Yes. Easy, assuming the drive isn't about to die completely. Attached an external drive, and just clone it over using Disk Utility or a third party application.

You even swap the drives later.

I'll give it a try before I return it. Will an regular SATA SSD work in it?

 

[mmntech]

Yep, most likely the HDD is toast. Replacing them is a more complicated process than it needs to be. Which is classic Apple, but doable. You'll need a Torx T8 screwdriver.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+20-Inch+EMC+2133+and+2210+Hard+Drive+Replacement/1008

Standard SSD will work. Might have to mount it using double sided tape, since it's smaller than the 3.5'' drive that's in there. Mavericks plays nicer with TRIM support than Yosemite does. You can also get opti-bays with them if you want a second HDD and don't need the DVD drive.

I'd also upgrade the RAM to 4GB. I'm not sure I'd want to sink money into a computer that old that I didn't already own. Hope you got a good deal on it.

 

[sgrinavi]

Yep, most likely the HDD is toast. Replacing them is a more complicated process than it needs to be. Which is classic Apple, but doable. You'll need a Torx T8 screwdriver.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+20-Inch+EMC+2133+and+2210+Hard+Drive+Replacement/1008

Standard SSD will work. Might have to mount it using double sided tape, since it's smaller than the 3.5'' drive that's in there. Mavericks plays nicer with TRIM support than Yosemite does. You can also get opti-bays with them if you want a second HDD and don't need the DVD drive.

I'd also upgrade the RAM to 4GB. I'm not sure I'd want to sink money into a computer that old that I didn't already own. Hope you got a good deal on it.

Thanks! I'll take a look - I paid $250 for a refurb. If I don't like it I have a friend that could use a second system for his house that I'll gift it to.

 

[Childs]

This will probably be fine to tinker around with. I gave a friend of my mom an original Intel Mac Mini, and I upgraded the CPU (2.33ghz Core 2 Duo T7600), maxed out the RAM (4GB, 3GB usable), and added a SSD and it ran pretty damn good. Although in my case the Mac Mini was free, and I don't think I put more than $250 into it.

 

[Ichinisan]

That's not a speed demon, but that's a bit much. Probably a bad HDD.

Yup. Sounds like the 2009 iMac I got from Goodwill. New HDD fixed it right up.

I lost the pre-installed iWork/iLife apps, though :/

 

[mmntech]

This will probably be fine to tinker around with. I gave a friend of my mom an original Intel Mac Mini, and I upgraded the CPU (2.33ghz Core 2 Duo T7600), maxed out the RAM (4GB, 3GB usable), and added a SSD and it ran pretty damn good. Although in my case the Mac Mini was free, and I don't think I put more than $250 into it.

I forgot you used to be able to upgrade the CPU in the iMac. The glory days before Apple discovered hot snot (gobs of adhesive) and perma-solder.

Looks like they're Socket P. OP can definitely upgrade to a Core 2 Duo "Merom" T7700, which runs at 2.4ghz. It might take a T7800 (2.6ghz) as well.

 

[sgrinavi]

I couldn't get it to complete the set-up so I returned it. Thanks for all the help.