Ports not working--mac freezes during hardware test

Question

My immediate problem is my mac freezing during the hardware test. I know it can take some time for the test to be completed, but it was over an hour and it was frozen at "2 min 16 seconds," and the mouse and keyboard aren't recognized. Even during the short test.
I held the power button down and turned it off.
The bigger problem is non-functioning ports. First it was the firewire ports to my maxtor hard drive and then my lacie superdrive. And it's not the cord or the units. They work other places. That was approx. a month ago. I didn't worry too much and went back to the internal drive.
Then today my internet stopped working. The modem is not reading the computer and the computer is not reading the modem. The modem works fine with my laptop thank goodness (although it's a PC we bought for the kids to play computer games on and it's driving me crazy!). So the modem and cord are fine.
Then a couple of my USB ports were not happy today. One wouldn't read my daughter's ipod touch, but then later did (?).
And to go back to the very beginning, sometimes when I put the computer to sleep, it freezes on a black screen with a working mouse pointer, but nothing else and I have to force quit. If it goes to sleep on its own, it's fine.
Here's what I have done today: done the PRAM boot, some other command-option-O-F boot, tried the hardware test twice--it froze twice. Repaired all the permissions, reset the thing. All this I found out on the discussion groups.
I have read a lot of posts of similar problems and tried what was said there.
Am I heading for a crash? I cant back up my new stuff because the firewires are non-functional. I can't burn bunch of stuff to discs because the superdrive is going bad and won't burn properly (which is why I bought the LaCie which my computer now won't recognize.
I can't get anything off my computer except in bits and pieces with 2GB usb drive.
I know I'm rambling, but I've just spent 5 hours trying to fix this thing. Any suggestions? I'm going to take it in to the apple store to get it repaired tomorrow, but I'm worried I will lose all my data. Also I am scared of what it will cost. Is there anything else I could do tonight?
I'd love to have something else to try. Many thanks,
Barbara
Message was edited by: Barbara R.
Message was edited by: Barbara R.

Answer 1

HI Barbara,
It sounds like the hard drive is failing or has failed. Boot from your Mac install disc and if you can run Disk Utility in case the startup disk needs repairs.
Insert your install disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
*(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)*
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
Select your start up disk and click Restart
While you have the Disk Utility window open, look at the bottom of the window. Where you see Capacity and Available. *Make sure there is always 10% to 15% free disk space*
If you cannot boot from your install disc, try booting in Safe Mode
What is Safe Mode
Carolyn