How do you know a hard drive is bad?

how do you know a hard drive is bad?

From the OS X "Help" system:
Check whether a disk is about to fail
You can check the health of many disks in Disk Utility. Many disks include Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T) hardware, which lets a disk test itself for potential problems.
Open Disk Utility.
Select the disk in the list at the left.
If you see a message saying the disk has a fatal hardware error, the disk has an irreparable hardware problem that can’t be fixed by Disk Utility or any other utility that repairs software problems. Back up as much of the data on the disk as possible, and then replace the disk.
If you don’t see a message saying the disk has a hardware error but you still have problems with the disk, you can try to repair it with Disk Utility.

Similar Messages

  • HT1635 How do I know which Hard Drive to get for my MacBook 2006? The old Hard Drive is a Toshiba (MK8034GSX) S/N Z6APT2XUT 9H5 EC. A?

    How do I know which Hard Drive to get for my MacBook 2006? The old Hard Drive is a Toshiba (MK8034GSX) S/N Z6APT2XUT 9H5 EC. A?

    I've put a 250gb 7200rpm drive in an Early 2006 with no problems.
    For a new hard drive try Newegg.com http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=380&name=Laptop-Hard-Dr ives&Order=PRICE
    Or OWC  http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/
    Here are instructions on replacing the hard drive in a MacBook with a removable battery. http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=45088
    To transfer your current hard drive I like the free application Carbon Copy Cloner. It makes a bootable copy of everything on your hard drive http://www.bombich.com/index.html You'll need a cheap SATA external hard drive case. Put the new drive in the case then format and partition the new drive and clone your old drive to the new one. Check that it's set up right by booting up from the external drive. Then replace your old hard drive with the new one and put your old one in the external case.
    Here's a cheap SATA external hard drive case on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/HDE-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B001AAVA08/ref=pd_bxgy_pc _text_b
    If you don’t have the tools to open up the MacBook OWC has a set for $5
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TOOLKITMHD/

  • How do i know which hard drive to buy to replace my macbook 13"

    how do i know which hard drive to buy to replace my macbook 13"

    Any 2.5" form factor SATA drive will work.
    For a new hard drive try Newegg.com http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=380&name=Laptop-Hard-Dr ives&Order=PRICE
    Or OWC for regular hard drives and SSDs  http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/
    Here are instructions on replacing the hard drive in a MacBook with a removable battery. http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=45088
    Here are video instructions on replacing the hard drive on the Aluminum Unibody
    http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_unibody/
    Here are video instructions on replacing the hard drive on the White Unibody http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_09_unibody_hd/
    To transfer your current hard drive I like the free application SuperDuper. It makes a bootable copy of everything on your hard drive http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html  You'll need a cheap SATA external hard drive case. Put the new drive in the case then format and partition the new drive and clone your old drive to the new one. Check that it's set up right by booting up from the external drive. Then replace your old hard drive with the new one and put your old one in the external case.
    Here's a cheap SATA external hard drive case on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-NexStar-2-5-Inch-External-Enclosure/dp/B002JQNXZC/r ef=pd_cp_pc_0
    If you don’t have the tools to open up the MacBook OWC has a set for $5
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TOOLKITMHD/

  • How do you put your hard drive from an old computer to your new mac?

    how do you put your hard drive from an old computer to your new mac?
    i want to get the pictures, etc off of my old mac onto my new mac desktop. how can i do this?

    You don't.
    How to use Migration Assistant:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889?viewlocale=en_US
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4413?viewlocale=en_US
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1963
    Troubleshooting Firewire target disk mode:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

  • How do you rename external hard drives?

    Hi, can someone please tell me how to name an external hard drive? many thanks

    Please refer to:
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3951253?start=0&tstart=0
    your answer is in that thread.

  • How do I know external hard drive is working?

    Sorry for the simplistic nature of the questions but here goes:
    Purchased a Toshiba external hard drive - plugged it in and Time Machine asked a few questions and soon it asked if I wanted to back up my internal hard drive.
    After 40 plus minutes the task was completed - it stopped doing whatever it was doing - that much I'm certain.
    How do I know the Toshiba is continuing to back up material?  The light on the Toshiba is 'on' at times and 'off' on other times - so it's backing material up when the light is on???  Automatically, on its own?
    Time Machine and/or the Toshiba do not appear to have any schedule for routine back-up (such as one would find on an anti-virus application), is there a way to schedule a backup?
    Under Time Machine preferences it shows the Toshiba as the external disk.  Plus I just noticed that it states the next back up will be 8:34 am today - 22 minutes from right now.  What an odd time and it isn't a time I selected, at least I don't think so!
    How do I access the Toshiba to see what, if anything, it has backed up?
    Finally, assuming the external has backed up all the important data and should my (brand new - but that's another story) hard drive crash, how do I get the computer to ignore the damaged internal hard drive and start using the Toshiba?
    As you can tell these question would be easily answered by most anyone with a modicum of computer knowledge but for me, thank goodness for Apple Discussion!
    Thanks in advance.
    Bob

    See  >  Setting up Time Machine backups using an external drive
    From Here  >  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
    More Info  >  Time Machine Tutorial
    Bob13018 wrote:
    ... how do I get the computer to ignore the damaged internal hard drive and start using the Toshiba
    This is Not how TM works... It is not a Bootable Clone... Read Here...
    Time Machine vs. Clones and Archives

  • How do you defrag a hard drive

    I am wondering how the best way is to defragment my second internal hard drive. I am trying to set up a partition for boot camp, but it isnt partioning. I am wondering if it is because it needs to be defragged.
    Please let me know how to solve this.
    Thanks

    Caleb,
    It is more likely that the drive is not using the correct partition mapping than it is that fragmentation is causing the problem.
    The easiest way to "defrag" a drive, in this particular case, would be to simply copy whatever data is on it now to another volume, delete it from the original (or erase the original volume), then copy it back. This process copies whatever data you are handling sequentially in both directions, thereby eliminating all fragmentation. The other methods given so far in this thread will all work, but seem a bit overkill in your situation.
    But as I stated, it is more likely that the drive in question isn't using the proper partition mapping. Select the drive in Disk Utility (the drive, not a named volume), then look at the bottom of the window to determine what partition map is being used ("APM," "MBR," or "GUID"). Only drives that are using the "GUID" partition map will support Bootcamp.
    You can change the partition map by partitioning the drive and choosing the GUID scheme from the "Options..." dialogue sheet. In order to use Bootcamp to install Windows, the drive must contain only a single HFS+ partition.
    I'll repeat those important points above: In order to use Bootcamp to install Windows, the drive in question must be partitioned with a single HFS+ volume, and it must also be using the GUID partition map.
    Scott

  • HT1820 how do you restore the hard drive with install cd after zeroing out all files? when i try to boot install disk or from usb a kernel panic screen appears telling me to restart my computer.

    everytime i try to boot installation a message appears saying 'you need to restart your computer. holddown the power button until power is off then press down power button again'. i read that it was a kernel panic. cant boot into any modes but recovery mode with disk utilities but my wireless internet says no wifi hardware installed and sometimes startup manager. this just started after i erased the hard drive and had it overwritten with zeros. its a macbook pro 7,1. bought it in 2011, i think it was made in 2009. it has 320 gb of empty space right now and nothing ive tried seems to work. please help!!!! there is also no os x installed right now due to me zeroing out the hard drive how do i repair it so it will boot to installation?? i can also enter single user mode but do not have root access?

    You are getting a kernel panic because you are trying to boot the computer with a Tiger DVD. That model requires 10.6.3 - Snow Leopard. You can purchase replacement discs from Apple:
    Apple Store Customer Service at 1-800-676-2775 or visit online Help for more information.
    To contact product and tech support: Apple - Support - Contact Apple Support.
    For Mac App Store: Apple - Support - Mac App Store.
    For iTunes: Apple - Support - iTunes.

  • How do you defragment a hard drive

    HOw do you defragment hard drives in a macpro running mountain lion.

    You don't need to. But if you feel you must:
    You will have to backup your OS X partition to an external drive, boot from the external drive, use Disk Utility to repartition and reformat your hard drive back to a single volume, then restore your backup to the internal hard drive.
    Get an empty external hard drive and clone your internal drive to the external one.
    Boot from the external hard drive.
    Erase the internal hard drive.
    Restore the external clone to the internal hard drive.
    Clone the internal drive to the external drive
    Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
    Select the destination volume from the left side list.
    Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    Check the box labeled Erase destination.
    Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.
    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears.  Select the icon for the external drive and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    After startup do the following:
    Erase internal hard drive
    Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
    After DU loads select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be reported  on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.  Do not quit Disk Utility.
    Restore the clone to the internal hard drive
    Select the destination volume from the left side list.
    Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    Check the box labeled Erase destination.
    Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    Destination means the internal hard drive. Source means the external startup drive.
    Note that the Source and Destination drives are swapped for this last procedure.

  • How do you eject a hard drive?

    How do you eject an external hard drive?

    By selecting the drive and pressing Command+E.
    Any of these methods will work.

  • How do you open a hard drive in Lion

    I have a Mac Book Pro.  Since the Lion upgrade I can no longer open a hard drive window on the desktop.  When I double click on the HD icon nothing happens, or at least that is what it seems.  However when I do the 3 finger swipe to go from one desktop to another, then I see that opened HD window showing up and I am transissioning from one desktop to another, then when then next desktop is active, the HD open window disappears.  This is a major bug because I can not access a file on the internal or any connected HD on the MB pro.  Anyone else have this issue?  I do not have the issue on an older 27" iMac, but of course I do not have a trackpad on that machine.  So I feel this is a "Swipe to next desktop" issue.  How do you shut the 3 finger swipe off?

    Sounds like you have a Finder window lost in the "Space between Spaces"
    sometimes dialog windows do this to me, its annoying as all get out.
    Two finger click on your Finder icon and go to Options and pin your Finder to "This Desktop"
    That should force the open window of finder into the space you need, then you can close it and undo that setting.
    Or you can pin finder to all desktops and it will be persistant to any space you are in, but that can get annoying.
    EE

  • How do you replace a hard drive on a xserve raid

    I am running an old xserve (10.3.9) I need to replace one hard drive in my raid set. I have a new hard drive exactly the same as the one I am replacing. Do I have to do anything in raid admin (version 1.2) or once I insert the new hard drive will it just start working and the other drives will start talking and writing data to it? Thanks for any help!

    Hi
    Slightly confused about what it is you actually have?
    Do you mean an XServe like this one here:
    http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=XServe&num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1433&bih=856&tbm= isch&tbnid=VXlw7-KP6nEsaM:&imgrefurl=http://inertz.org/2008/01/xserve-an-impress ive-multitude-of-potential-used-server/&docid=HT9gRAJQrNrS8M&imgurl=http://inert z.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/xserveg5.jpg&w=600&h=361&ei=9YPQUI6dLeX-4QTwloC 4Dw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=639&sig=102214044775849835144&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=242&st art=0&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:124&tx=152&ty=81
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    Or do you mean an XServe RAID like this one here:
    http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=XServe&num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1433&bih=856&tbm= isch&tbnid=-wl73CtlayTBlM:&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Xserve_RA ID.jpg&docid=9pxrypAvxoLK-M&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons /0/06/Xserve_RAID.jpg&w=1296&h=416&ei=9YPQUI6dLeX-4QTwloC4Dw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx= 709&vpy=345&dur=119&hovh=127&hovw=397&tx=170&ty=57&sig=102214044775849835144&pag e=1&tbnh=81&tbnw=252&start=0&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0,i:148
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    As ever try and make sure you have a full and effective back-up handy just in case.
    If it's an XServe you're going to have to provide more information as what you do will depend a little on how the RAID set was created.
    HTH?
    Tony

  • HELP: How do you make a hard drive password on my T61?

    I want to encrypt my hard drive with a password. Can someone give me a source on how to do it or step by step instructions. I have a Lenovo T61.

    You can with the chmod and chown Terminal commands. For the former, see http://www.dzinemaster.com/chmod.html. The rest is left as an exercise.

  • How do you get your hard drive icon and external drives to show up on your desktop?

    I like to have access to my hard drives on my desktop.  How do I get it so I see them on my desktop.  I believe in older Mac Operating Systems they were there automatically?

  • How do you change out hard drives without losing all your software license keys

    I have lots of cash tied up in software.

    To transfer your current hard drive I like the free application SuperDuper. It makes a bootable copy of everything on your hard drive http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html  You'll need a cheap SATA external hard drive case. Put the new drive in the case then format and partition the new drive and clone your old drive to the new one. Check that it's set up right by booting up from the external drive. Then replace your old hard drive with the new one and put your old one in the external case.
    Here's a cheap SATA external hard drive case on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-NexStar-2-5-Inch-External-Enclosure/dp/B002JQNXZC/r ef=pd_cp_pc_0

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