USB port problem on Mid 2011 iMac (27")?

I have a Mid 2011 27" iMac running Lion. The USB ports seem to be resetting so that my external TimeMachinne drive disappears. I get the "disk not properly ejected" errors, but no other indicators of a problem. I tried a different usb port, same result. This doesn't seem to affect my wired keyboard, or my iPod/iPad connections (when in use).

Please do a SMC Reset.
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Wait fifteen seconds.
Attach the computer's power cord.
Wait five seconds, then press the power button to turn on the computer.

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Sudden restarts while using bootable USB installer (mid-2011 iMac) - evidence of hardware problem?

Greetings:
For a couple of years I've been suffering from an issue reported in many threads: seemingly random shutdowns and restarts of my mid-2011 iMac. These can happen several times a day, or there can be a gap of weeks between occurences. I've searched the web and discussions.apple.com endlessly, and tried every conceivable solution. I've observed no consistent pre-restart pattern in Console. I've tried removing all unnecessary extensions and start-up programs. Fixed permissions, repaired HDD, many of the diagnostic procedures described by LINC (superuser on this forum). I would sometimes get temporary relief from periodic restart loops, by unplugging the computer and resetting PRAM, but this would not last long. I couldn't discern whether it is a software/conflict issue, or a hardware issue. Have run AHT in extended looping mode, several times, and found nothing wrong. Which caused me to keep thinking it must be a software issue. The last thing I've tried is a clean install of Yosemite, with full HDD erase, from bootable USB.
I did this successfully, restored files from Time Machine...but then a few hours later, a series of sudden restarts began, with 4 or 5 within a couple of hours. I decided to shutdown and restart using the bootable USB installer again, and run Disk Utility from it to check the HDD for errors.
But then, while booted up from the USB (and after running Disk Utility with a normal result): the computer suddenly turned off and restarted! And then it rebooted again into installer mode (i.e. running off the bootable USB), and I ran Disk Utility again and ...it happened again!
So what does this tell me? I am asking all of you for confirmation please. I am thinking this is a strong indication that whatever the issue is causing the restarts, it is hardware based, as the system was running off the bootable USB at the time, NOT using installed operating system or software. AND this reminded me of one other instance where the system had rebooted randomly, while I was in SAFE mode.
Would you agree that this is likely now pointing to a hardware issue? Is power supply the likely culprit? Or?? (and recalling that repeated AHT have showed nothing...). Is it worth trying to fix (out of warranty)?
thanks for any insights,
Warren

These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It makes no changes to your data.
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Cannot upgrade Thunderbolt firmware on mid-2011 iMac

Hi - I'm having problems updating the Thunderbolt firmware on my mid-2011 iMac (21.5").
Can anyone point me to the proper location for this firmware download? I've found several on the site, but none seem to work for me, due to a variety of OS incompatibilities.
For the curious, here's what my system says:
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac12,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 2.7 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 12 GB
Boot ROM Version: IM121.0047.B1F
SMC Version (system): 1.71f22
Thunderbolt Bus:
Vendor Name: Apple Inc.
Device Name: iMac
UID: 0x0001000A15928E80
Route String: 0
Firmware Version: d.16 (Eng 1)
Domain UUID: 78CF7309-6B81-CC54-A320-6D5B13722358
Port:
Status: No device connected
Link Status: 0x7
Speed: Up to 10 Gb/s x2
Receptacle: 1
Port Micro Firmware Version: 1.2.1
And here are the error messages from a variety of firmware update locations:
Thunderbolt Firmware Update v1.2
First error: The package was signed with a certificate that has expired (c'mon Apple!)... Do you want to continue with the installation anyway? (yes!)
Second error: Alert: This software is not supported on your system. (any reason why? OS, old other firmware, what?)
I've tried the tricks of PRAM and SMC resets, moved the com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist to the desktop and rebooted, etc., etc., but nothing seems to work.
The issue driving this exploration is that the Thunderbolt port appears to be dead - won't support Target Desktop Mode or the Thunderbolt Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
Thanks in advance for any help!

From that very page, it appears that this model does support Target Display Mode - please see the bold text below.
Am I reading it incorrectly?
Thanks for your help here - it's good to have more than 1 set of eyes looking at this!
- Jeff
What are the requirements for TDM?
A Mac notebook or desktop with a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt connection
A Thunderbolt or Mini DisplayPort cable
A supported iMac with OS X 10.6.1 or later. The table below shows iMac computers that support TDM, the required cables, and the port of the computer to which you are connecting the iMac.
iMac Model
Cable Supported
Port on Source Computer
iMac (27-inch Late 2009)
Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt
iMac (27-inch Mid 2010)
Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt
iMac (Mid 2011)
Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
iMac (Mid 2012 and later)
Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt

I have a 27in mid 2011 iMac and a 2006 mac mini

i have a 27in mid 2011 iMac and i have been given a 2006 mac mini i have no screen to see whats going on on the mini and there is no os onboard how do i get OS X on to the mini so i can get to use this with a tv with hdmi i have the mini dvi to vga connector and a vga to hdmi lead into a samsung 32in led tv, tv keeps saying not connected???

- You said "Apple dvi to via converter with a via to hdmi cable . What is a "via"? I think you mean VGA.
Just what VGA to HDMI cable to you have? VGA is analogue while HDMI is digital. The Mini DVi out is both analogue and digital (DVI-AD). You would need a converter to convert the analogue VGA to digital.
- Yes, when you boot up you should get a chime if the Mac is functional. The chime The sound indicates that diagnostic tests run immediately at startup have found no hardware or fundamental software problems.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_startup
Thus it appears the Mini also has a hardware problem.
Make an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store. It is free.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar

How do I restore my 27" mid-2011 iMac EXACTLY the way it was after hard disk replacement?

Hi all.
Recently received an email from Apple saying that the 1TB Seagate hard drive in my 27" mid-2011 iMac is apt to fail anytime. Apparently they used some bad hard drives in the mid-2011 27" iMacs which are problematic so they're offering me a free replacement to a brand new hard drive. I'll be sending in my iMac for the replacement sometime in the next few days.
In preparation for it, I've backed up my entire system using Time Machine into an external harddrive. The backup is up to date & includes all system files. I've also made a Lion install disk on an 8GB USB flash/pen drive using Carbon Copy Cloner.
My question is: When I get my iMac back after the hard disk replacement, will I be able to restore my iMac to EXACTLY the way it was before the replacement using the Time Machine backup & the Lion install disk that I've prepared? When I mean EXACTLY, I do mean EXACTLY, e.g I don't have to re-install all the programs I have, my settings for the programs I have will stay intact, everything is where it should be etc...i.e EXACTLY the way my iMac is right now.
If yes, how do I do it? I've read Pondini's guide: http://pondini.org/TM/14.html
However it is less than clear on certain points, e.g in my case, which one do I have to use to restore my system to the way it was...the Time Machine backups I have on the external HDD or the Lion install disk that I made using Carbon Copy Cloner? And how do I go about doing the restore?
I'd appreciate any & all help given. Thanks in advance!

daniirwan wrote:
baltwo: Thanks for your input! I didn't think of wiping the old HDD before sending it in for the replacement..all those sensitive user data! One question: What's a FWHD?
Already answered. Just note that FW is much faster than USB. See http://help.bombich.com/kb/troubleshooting/how-long-should-the-clone-or-backup-t ake for details.
I already have CCC installed so I'll probably try it out. Are the steps outline here the one that I should do to restore the CCC clone when I get my Mac with the new HDD back? See: http://help.bombich.com/kb/overview/restoring-data-from-your-backup#full_volume_ restore
Yes.
Another question: while I'm booted on the backup/clone, and just after I've wiped the old HDD, how do I reinstall the OS to create a generic user account? Will I have to use a Lion install USB disk?
No. IIRC (if I remember correctly), you can either use a saved Lion installer (hopefully it exists on your backup/clone) or use the Recovery HD. If you have the USB stick w/Lion installer on it, use that.

Mid-2011 iMac won't boot Win 8.1 (BC) w/ ACD 30 attached

I have a 27" mid-2011 iMac Core i7 with two external displays, an ACD 30" and a 20" HP. I spent a great deal of time watching Win 8.1 in a reboot loop after install (Apple Drivers installed fine), sometimes with vertical lines down the ACD 30 (nothing on the HP). (I didnt expect Win to notice the more than one DisplayPort screen.) Finally I disconnected the displays and I booted into 8.1 fine.
IS this a thing? Others share this experience?
Thats not the end of my Boot Camp woes, but that's all tied to this issue.
BP

Can you provide details on how each these displays are connected?
From iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011) - Technical Specifications, you have two TB ports, which can support DP connections.
Please also see
Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) - Apple Support
Target Display Mode: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Apple Support (this not directly related).

Re-Installing Snow Leopard on a mid 2011 iMac

I have accidentally wiped the hard drive of a mid 2011 imac 27" there was no install DVD provided for this machine and a retail Snow Leopard disk will not boot, apparently I need 10.6.8 and the retail disk is only 10.6.3 is there any solution to this dilemma?

The machines (we have more then one) all came with SL but no install disks. When I boot with cmd-R it comes up with a globe icon and message - apple.com/support - 6002F. I am now convinced that these machines were so close to the Lion release and were probably intended for Lion but were shipped with SL. I have now tried everthing including Lion install from USB recovery stick created an another SL to Lion machine and this works to the point where after downloading all 3GB of Lion it just goes back to the beginning again! I tried 3 times - good thing we have fast broadband and it failed every time! I then tried restoring a SL and even a Lion clone from another similar Mac but kernel panic every time, tomorrow I will try the retail "Lion on USB" option but it looks like its off for repair as far as this MAC is concerned.

How do I migrate data from my 2003 iMac to my mid-2011 iMac?

Hi All,
I have a 2003 iMac and I want to migrate the iTunes, iPhoto, etc DBs to my new mid-2011 iMac. The 2003 iMac is the last one before they switched to the intel chip. It's Mac OS is version 10.5.4. That's as late as I can get it as they quit supporting the old chip after that.
I found a vid on mac-to-mac file migration online. It said to connect the two computers via firewire cable (done), start the new computer (done), start the old computer while holding down the T-key (done), and the old computer's hard drive will show up on the new computer finder window (did happen). Then it says to start Migration Assistant on the new computer (done), and follow directions. That's where I run into a problem. The Migration Assistant says "Looking for other computers" and it never finds the old iMac even though the old iMac's hard drive is visible in the new iMac's finder window. Note that I can click down through directories on the old iMac in the new iMac's finder window.
Any suggestions you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks much!

Your old machine may too old for Migration Assistant to work. In that case your best bet is to set up the old machine in Target Disk Mode and then drag and drop your files to the new machine. You should only migrate data files, if you have applications on the old machine these should be manually installed on the new machine. If any of the old machine's apps are PPC (Power PC) based these will not run in Lion and will need to be upgraded or replaced prior to installing on the new machine. You can check what apps are PPC based by opening System Profiler (Applications - Utilities - System Profiler), click Applications on the left and then look in the Kind column. Applications that will run in Lion OK are Intel & Universal apps.

PC Games and peripherals on Windows 7 on Lion on mid-2011 iMac. Possible?

Sorry for the long marquee, but I want to get anecdotal-experience answers on this convoluted subject before I waste a couple months of my fairly-rapidly-closing life --carpe diem. all y'all -- on something that's doomed from the very start.
For reasons I can't quite fathom (relative installed population, maybe), there are very few racing sims -- none, as far as I'm concerned -- for the Mac. That's most def not true for the PC -- I've been a Mac-only user since 1989, but the PC has always been -- when working -- a pretty good gaming platform (ALL it's good for AFAIC), with tons of titles, and the ability to accomodate multi, MULTI-axis controllers, like force-feedback steering wheels with gas, brake, and clutch pedals, and gearshift. I know of nothing like that for the Mac, even if there were racing sims that would run on a Mac.
So here's what I need to know: if I had a Boot Camp partition on my home drive (Macintosh HD), with a 32-bit or 64-bit (full version) of Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, or Windows 7 Ultimate (necessary for my Mid-2011 27" iMac running Lion or above) installed on that partition, could I then install PC racing sims on that Boot Camp Windows 7-whatever Platform, and be able to use multi-axis controllers, like a Thrustmaster wheel, pedal, and shifter set?
Please, if anyone has been able to do this, by whatever means, on a mid-2011 iMac running OS X 10.7.x or above, I'd be eternally grateful if you could share your experience.
Thanks!
Bart

Seeing as how there are about 117 different versions of 64-bit Windows 7 out there, is there any particular version that is more advantageous -- in the case of Microsoft products, that means less bug-ridden -- for use on Boot Camp? I've seen reasonably priced ($66) versions like this:
"Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit FULL - BRANDED"
But then the description consists of this mangled English:
"This product will be branded HP, Dell, etc. but will do a FULL install on any brand computer and includes a DVD and COA. This is only unique to branded? [sic -- BB] OEM Windows products and not to non branded OEM Windows products. If you are the person people always seem to ask for help when their computer isnt right you should be fine with this. If you are not that kind of user you may want to stick to a non branded oem. Once again this only applies to Mac users [really sic -- BB]."
This is the only part of the description on this product page that even mentions "Mac users," and I'm left wondering if this "FULL - BRANDED" 64-bit version of Windows 7 will work OK on a Boot Camp partition on an OS X 10.7.x -- 10.8.x iMac.
Knowing all too well what a rat's-nest Windows has been since it was first foisted upon an unsuspecting public in 1985, with security problems that, after nearly 30 years, have still not been addressed, I want a 64-bit version of Win 7 that's going to give me the least amount of grief on my Boot Camp partition.
As this thread seems to be pretty much a dead letter, as many discussion threads become after an answer is provided, should I create a new question titled:
"Which 64-bit version of Windows 7 will work best on a Boot Camp partition on an OS X 10.7.x -- 10.8.x iMac?"
Thanks again!
Bart

Apple DVD player not working on Mid 2011 iMac running 10.7.2

I have a 21.5-inch, Mid 2011 iMac which came with Lion preinstalled. When I insert a DVD, Apple's DVD player comes up with the following error:
"A valid video device could not be found for playback. [-70017]"
The DVD player works. I can play DVDs using VLC, and I can use it to burn in iDVD, but Apple's own DVD player simply will not recognize it. I hoped this problem might be solved when I upgraded to 10.7.2, but alas it has not.
Does anyone know how to fix or work around this issue? This computer is used daily for my media-heavy job, so leaving it somewhere for service is not really feasible unless I'm completely unable to work on it.

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account, or is system-wide. Enable guest logins and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select “Help” from the menu bar, and enter “Set up a guest account” (without the quotes) in the search box.
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Any application you run will behave as if you were running it for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
As Guest, launch the player and test. Same problem(s)?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.

Unable to install Yosemite on mid 2011 iMac 27"

OK, so I have tried to install Yosemite on this mid 2011 iMac for two days now and I get the exact same error message every time:
An error occured when extracting files from the archive AdditionalSpeechVoices.pkg. Abort the installation and reboot.
I have formatted the harddrive, reinstalled the original OS using the Restore via Internet option (the Mac works perfectly with Mac OS X 10.7.X) and then I try to upgrade to Yosemite via App Store and the error is back.
Any ideas regarding what might cause this problem?
TIA

If you find you'll need to replace a faulty module(s) I recommend you do so from Crucial.com which has an excellent reputation for providing top quality and compatible memory modules for Macs. They are guaranteed to work and are warranted. Otherworldcomputing.com is another recognized, reliable source for Mac memory.

Cannot get my Samsung SyncMaster S27B370 to connect to my Mid 2011 iMac 27

Cannot get my Samsung SyncMaster S27B370 to connect to my Mid 2011 iMac 27 inch with HDMI to thunderbolt port adapter but works like a charm in Windows 7 when I bootcamp over to it. Any ideas? The cable is working properly as shown by the fact that Windows 7 uses both monitors perfectly. I am using Mac OS X Mountain Lion and have already done the option + cmd + p + r boot reset to no avail. It does not find the second monitor at all as in it doesn't even show up in the display preference pane.

birdmanjay wrote:
... Apple tells me it is the printer mfr issue and printer companies tell me it is apple issue.
Arguably, they're both right.
Changing your router changes everything, so your best course of action is to research the respective printer's documentation and determine how to reset them to factory default condition. Then, add them again using System Preferences > Print & Scan.
For that, I recommend you first "reset the printing system" according to these instructions: Mac OS X: How to reset the printing system. Its instructions for Lion are identical to those for Mountain Lion.
As the article states, it will remove all your existing printers, leaving the Mac's printing system in a similar "factory default" condition ready for you to create a new print queue for each printer, which you should probably do.
Apple's printing support documents contain a great deal of redundancy, but this one may be a good place to start: OS X Mountain Lion: Set up a printer to print wirelessly

Hi, FaceTime on my mid 2011 iMac running Yosemite 10.10.2.

Hi, FaceTime on my mid 2011 iMac running Yosemite 10.10.2. I have contacts some of which only show option for audio FaceTime, on my iPhone an iPad the same contacts are available for video. Anyone know why, I can video some contacts from my iMac - but not others. The contacts are all synced via iCloud and the audio FaceTime from the iMac works fine to them but the video option is greyed out. If I go to my iPhone or iPad - there they are all ready to receive video. Curious. Anyone have any ideas i have exhausted the web searching.

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of this test is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account. Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your documents or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this behavior; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault in OS X 10.7 or later, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The "Guest User" login created by "Find My Mac" is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.

What system did my 'Mid 2011' iMac come with?

I have upgraded to Mountain Lion but I'm wondering if the system actually came with Lion or Snow Leopard?

mulgravebrad wrote:
A friend has asked if he buys the machine can he reinstall Snow Leopard on it?
Good question. The Mid 2011 iMac can run Mac OS X Snow Leopard without any problem, but there's a problem: you need a special Snow Leopard version that it's only available on the Mac OS X DVD that Mid 2011 iMacs have got.
If your friend tries to call Apple to try to get DVDs for a Mid 2011 iMac, Apple will ask him/her for the serial number of the iMac. As your iMac came with Lion, Apple won't send him/her the DVDs he/she needs to install Mac OS X.
In conclusion, it's possible to install Snow Leopard, but things like a possible firmware restriction and the lack of the Snow Leopard version that your iMac needs may trun this into a very difficult task

My Mid-2011 iMac with pre-installed Lion can't load AHT (Apple Hardware Test) over internet

I have a Mid-2011 iMac (3.4GHz) of which Apple's Support document for the Apple Hardware Test (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509) says:
Some Macintosh computers that shipped with OS X Lion support the use of Apple Hardware Test over the Internet. These computers will start up to an Internet-based version of AHT if the hard drive does not contain AHT.
Well, this doesn't work for me. My Mac is on a DHCP-supporting router which has constant internet connection. Yet, when I turn off the Mac and then on again, holding the D key down even before the screen turns on, the Mac does indeed react to this key as it's then turning the screen on and taking another about half minute before it continues with the boot process along with showing the Mac symbol. Without the D, the Mac symbol comes up quickly.
So, it appears that the iMac is indeed trying to get AHT over the internet. Just that it doesn't succeed in it, and probably timing out after a while.
Any suggestions how to fix this?

Re
extract from kb article
PPPoE (where there is no router handling the PPPoE connection)
No
No
Captive-Networks (where you click an "Agree" button to access the Internet)
Yes
No
Proxies (where specific proxy servers must be configured in network preferences)
No
No
Certificate-based authentication / 802.1x
No
No
try check if you are in that case for your internet acces ?
could be a firewall problem too , if is possible try desable firewall ( or any internet filter )
no you can not see a wifi selection if you are wired ( using cable )
by the way D key for AHT need to be pressed AFTER start up sound , and hold at min one minute
HTH
Pierre

USB port problem on Mid 2011 iMac (27")?

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