I was given an IMac to replace the harddrive as the past drive had completely failed and could not even startup. I installed the new harddrive, inserted disks which I had been given, and the computer just freezes.
And goes no where.(I think this is because the disks are older then the past operating system) I want to be able to install the newest OS onto this mac, but without a recovery partion I cannot access disk utility etc. This mac was mid 2009 and will not boot from the Internet and download the OS through there.
I don't want to install mavericks through a torrent as its for a friend, but I feel as if this may be my only option left. Lemme know your suggestions! Mac model number, A1311. I am having the same issue that Roblee is having.
My late 2009 mac mini had suddenly stopped booting past the welcome grey screen. The drives would be recognized on 'Option' boot up but clicking on either MacHD or Recovery Partition (mini was running on Maverick before failure) led to nothing but grey screen and spinning wheel. Took mini to store and they said it was faulty HDD (tech could not run diagnostics on drive). So I replaced it with Toshiba 1TB 5200rpm SATA drive. Same exact issue - grey screen.
Issue: cannot get original Mac OS X startup disk nor original 10.6.3 Snow Leopard Install disk to run and thus cannot get to Disk Utilities to format drive. When I run 'Option' or 'C' boot up with Mac OSx disk - drive spins but nothing happens and disk is self-ejected. When I run 'Option' boot up with Snow Leopard (SL) disk, I get Mac Install OS x drive/disk logo, but when I click on it nothing happens. The SuperDrive spins a few times and then quiets and the computer stays in grey screen with spinning circle. Then I am unable to eject SL disk and have to shut off computer, restart and eject during boot up.
I have replaced disks with brand new ones (via Apple Support) - nothing. Tested all disks in our Macbook pro and they work fine. Things I have tried: Replaced 1TB with 500GB and still not working. Firewire Target Disk Mode from Macbook Pro - nothing. Several trips to store and calls to support have left me in same spot - nothing. Thank you so far. I have bought a cheap HDD enclosure and cloned my Macbook Pro (MP) drive onto the new blank HDD I had bought for the Mac Mini.
Successfully booted the MP (with Maverick OSx) from the new cloned HDD - so HDD works fine. Installed the cloned HDD into Mac Mini, as well as replaced the RAM, and the Mac Mini booted into a blank, grey screen (Apple logo only).
Using the 'Option' boot-up, I am able to see two drives (Mac HD and Recovery). However, clicking on either one results in blank, grey screen and nothing else. This is the exact same issue I had/have with the original HDD in the Mac Mini. Any suggestions?
What other issue could it be since HDD is fine/working? I don't think the ordinary person could replace the disk controller. You would need to take it to a competent computer repair shop (it sound as if your local Apple Store doesn't meet that criterion) to get a diagnosis and estimate of repair costs. They should have the appropriate tools to pinpoint the problem. Note that I am not saying that the fault is the disk controller, or even the main logic board. I'm just saying that a fault here would be consistent with your symptoms, something that the 'Genius' at the Apple Store didn't seem to consider.
Here are the best Mac hard drives and external storage options for your Mac in 2018. This means it is already formatted to the Mac OS Extended file system. If you've got a brand-new. That question mark means that the mac can't find the operating system. (Probably because the hard drive was formatted.) Try reading this page.
If you can't get a reasonable quote for repair you could always put it on eBay 'for spares'. Apple equipment usually commands a good price, even in 'non-working' condition. There's always someone who, rightly or wrongly, believes they can repair it for minimal outlay.
Before you go messing around in the Disk Utility application, make sure you know what the drive is going to be used for. If it’s an external hard drive, for instance, do you plan on hooking it up solely to Macs or Windows PCs as well?
Each one has its own compatible format, so you’ll have to be careful which you choose. FAT 32 is the most compatible disk format which is why it’s the most widely used on USB thumb drives — it’s compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs. HFS+ is the native Mac OS file system, and NTFS is Windows’ (Macs can read what’s on NTFS-formatted drives, but they cannot write). Before you start formatting any hard drives, make sure you’ve backed up your data! Formatting an external hard drive will delete any information on the device, likewise reformatting your system will essentially bring your Mac back to a clean factory state, thus removing all information you’ve stored on it.
Conclusion: Be sure to backup first. Formatting an external hard drive or internal hard drive partition:. Step 1: If you plan on formatting an external hard drive then make sure it’s plugged in an appears on your desktop. If you plan on formatting an extra internal drive, make sure you’ve partitioned one (note: if you have yet to do so check out our ). Step 2: Open Finder (either through Spotlight or the icon in the dock). Step 3: Click on Applications (on the left). Step 4: Scroll down and find a folder named Utilities.
Double-click on it. Step 5: Once in the folder, you’ll see an application named Disk Utility, double-click on it to launch the program. Step 6: Find the hard drive you want to format, and highlight it. If it’s an external hard drive then it should appear in the left nav bar. If it’s an internal drive partition then it should also appear in the left nav bar as whatever you named it after partitioning. Step 7: If you look to the right, there’s tab named Erase, click it.
Step 8: Underneath it you’ll see a “Format” option. Here you’ll find a drop down menu with MS-DOS (FAT), which you would select if you’re planning on using the drive with Windows and Mac systems or installing Windows; and Mac OS Extended (Journaled), which you should select if you plan on using the drive solely with Mac computers or installing another version of Mac OS. If you’re looking to dual-boot with Linux or run Windows Boot camp, you can format the partition as “MS-DOS (FAT),” however, these programs typically come with an option to partition your drive during setup. Just make sure you know how much hard drive space you can allow to dedicate to another operating system. Step 9: After choosing the format, press the “Erase” button, which will begin the formatting process. Reformatting your internal system hard drive: Reformatting your internal drive means a fresh start; the drive will look like it just came off the factory line.
Those who usually want to reformat the entire internal drive are generally looking to get rid of any personal information so they can sell the device, or perhaps they’re looking to clear their system after downloading some unsavory software off a certain P2P network. Either way, you’ll need your Mac OS X installation DVD that came with your Apple system, as you’ll be booting your computer from this disk to reformat your internal drive.
Step 1: Insert the Mac OS X install disc and restart your computer while holding down the C key on your keyboard, so the Mac boots from the install disc. Step 2: Double-click the “Install Mac OS X” icon. Step 3: There will be an opportunity to click an “Options” button to save existing files, a setting to “Archive and Install” and “Preserve Users and Network Settings.” However, if you want to erase everything and reinstall, select “Erase and Install.” From here the install disk should guide you through the reformatting process. And that’s how to format a Mac hard drive! Leave any questions below. And if you want to know we’ve covered that as well.