Someone dropped a friend's Mac Mini a few inches while it was not running, and today someone else slid it a few inches with a bang against a desk edge while it was running.  I ran a disk verify and it's okay, but how tough are Mac Mini hard drives?

Am I being a little paranoid about hard drive failure like a 1980s relic, or are chances good that a year or so's been knocked off the life of this thing?
Thanks,
L
P.S. Wasn't me.

With platter-based hard drives, as long as they aren't powered up and spinning, drops have little-to-no impact.  If it were dropped while the read/write heads were moving across the platters, that's when you might see a problem.
these machines use standard hard drives that you can by from any website or electronics store.  they aren't tougher (or weaker) than any other, so you should apply the same amount of care that you would with any other system.

Similar Messages

  • HT1923 hi, my mac air is really low on disk space, can i remove iTunes (which is huge) to an external hard drive to free up space and then just run it from the hard drive. instead of taking space on the mac? even if the mac no longer has enough to accommo

    Hi, my mac air is really low on disk space, can I remove itunes (which is huge) to an external hard drive to free up space?...and then run it from the hard drive instead of the mac,even if the mac no longer has space to accomodate the size of the library?

    Yes.
    Copy your music iTunes Library folder to the external drive and change the Advanced settings in iTunes to point to this new location.
    Once you're happy with these changes you can delete the same Library from your User account to free up space on the internal drive.

  • How do I erase my hard drive? My initial operating system was Snow Leopard but I have upgraded to Mavericks OS. My Snow Leopard install disk ejects when I try and use it.

    How do I erase my hard drive? My initial operating system was Snow Leopard but I have upgraded to Mavericks OS. My Snow Leopard install disk ejects when I try and use it.

    Do a backup,  preferable 2 separate ones on 2 drives. Boot to the Recovery Volume (command - R on a restart or hold down the option/alt key during a restart and select Recovery Volume). Run Disk Utility Verify/Repair and Repair Permissions until you get no errors.  Reformat the drive using Disk Utility/Erase Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then click the Option button and select GUID. Then re-install the OS.
    OS X Recovery
    OS X Recovery (2)
    When you reboot, use Setup Assistant to restore your data.

  • How do i reformat my hard drive on mac mini late 2011 with yosemite before selling my mac

    how do i reformat my hard drive on mac mini late 2011 with yosemite before selling my mac

    You can't legally sell or give away that computer with Yosemite installed.
    Before you sell or give away your computer, in addition to the steps listed in this support article, take these steps:
    1. Run Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test. The buyer will do this (or he should), and you don't want to be surprised by the results.
    2. Reset the PRAM and the SMC, which might contain personal information.
    3. If you set a firmware password, remove it by running Firmware Password Utility in Recovery mode.
    4. If you activated FileVault in OS X 10.7 or later, turn it off.
    5. If you use Boot Camp, the partition must be deleted.
    6. If you created any other data partitions on the internal drive, remove them in Disk Utility.
    7. If the machine has an internal hard drive, erase the one remaining data partition with the option to zero out data. An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.
    You can't legally or practically transfer any software downloaded from the Mac App Store to the new owner of the machine, even if it was free. That includes OS X, so if you upgraded to OS X 10.7 or later, you must reinstall an older OS, either from the installation media, if applicable, or by starting up in Internet Recovery mode (option-command-R at the startup chime.) If you installed from physical media, deliver those to the new owner.
    If you're selling the machine, or donating it in working order, and it originally shipped with OS X 10.4 or 10.5, then you have the option of installing either from the discs that came with it or from a retail Snow Leopard disc (which you must then transfer to the buyer.) The buyer should understand that if he doesn't get the original discs from you, he won't get the bundled iLife applications or the Apple Hardware Test. Replacements for the original discs can be ordered from Apple.
    The new owner will have to redownload any software that came from the App Store, including OS X upgrades, under his or her Apple ID. If you ever updated the bundled iLife applications (Garage Band, iMovie, and iPhoto) through the App Store, you can't transfer those either. The buyer will have to purchase them.
    Remove the machine from your list of registered products. If it's still covered by an AppleCare Protection Plan, transfer the coverage to the new owner by following the instructions in the AppleCare Terms and Conditions (under the heading "Transfer of Plan.")

  • My external HD stopped showing up on my desktop, but shows up in my Disk Utility.. I have tried a disk verify and repair - sometimes that works and completes, sometimes it doesn't. Either way, it wont eject or mount, and still doesn't show up on desktop.

    My external HD stopped showing up on my desktop, but shows up in my Disk Utility..
    I have tried a disk verify and repair - sometimes that works and completes, sometimes it doesn't.
    Either way, it wont eject or mount, and still doesn't show up on desktop.
    There are no ticking noises coming from the hard drive, and it lights up still, and i have tried replacing the cords, and restarting/shutting down the computer, and have tried it on a mac desktop also - same problem.
    Any help would be great!!!

    and have tried it on a mac desktop also - same problem.
    Try this on one of the Macs ...
    Open a Finder window. From the menu bar click Finder > Preferrences
    Select the General tab then select:  Show External Disks

  • How  thow  to  upgrade  a  hard  drive  in  an  mac  mini  1.7

    what  hard  drive  does  the mac  mini  take  1.7 model  of  feb  2006  and  how  to  you  upgrade  the  hard  drive  if  you  can?  and  also  replace  the  optical  DVD  copy  drive?
    thanks
    rich

    To replace HD
    http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/mac_mini_06-08/
    Google did not find anything about replacing the optical drive with a HD in your model Mini

  • How do I erase the hard drive on my mac mini with OS X lion

    How do I erase the hard drive on my mac mini with os x lion

    Restart with the Command and R keys held down and use the Disk Utility from there.
    (127020)

  • Macintosh HD won't boot, but disk utility says "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK." How do I repair the hard drive?

    I have a MacBook that needs its internal hard drive's Macintosh HD partition repaired, as the boot screen freezes on startup.  I am running a separate, working mac OS from an external hard drive in order to run disk utility and repair the MacBook's internal OS.  The issue is, it has dismounted the internal Macintosh HD partition, and won't remount. And in addition to that, the Verify Disk option returns with, "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK." I've run Verify Disk and Repair Disk a few times, all with that same result.  And the internal OS still won't boot.
    I have attempted to make a disk image of the internal Macintosh HD partition and save it to my external hard drive so I can wipe the internal hard drive clean and restore the image, but I receive errors when trying to create the disk image, and when trying to erase the hard drive (I know, I should try to erase the hard drive when I haven't made an image. When I tried to erase the hard drive, the image wasn't done and I thought it was. I got an error for erase, and I got an error for making the disk image)  I have tried making a disk image multiple times and haven't been able to create one.
    There is also a boot camp partition on the internal hard drive which is of no importance as to whether it stays or is erased.

    Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
    Do the following:
    1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
    If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer.  Proceed with reinstalling OS X.  Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files.  After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
    Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

  • How to Back Up a Hard Drive from Recovery Mode when Disk Can't Boot

    I have a mid-2009 MBP that is experiencing problems booting. I was trying to repair my disk because I was experiencing problems with my finder and spotlight not returning any results upon my requests. I read some support discussions that indicated it might have been because my preferences/plist files had been corrupted. I deleted the files and they regenerated but then my computer froze and so I rebooted it.
    My actual back-up for my hard drive is back in the u.s. (I'm currently doing field work in Brazil) but I have acquired another external hard drive to use for either booting or backing up my computer. I would normally just return my computer to a prevoius Time Machine backup, but I have valuable work from the last week that is not backed up I need to recover that my Time Machine does not include.
    I tried resetting my pram and starting the computer to the command line interface and doing the fsck, but neither worked; my disk could not be repaired because of an incorrect node structure, and it exited with signal 8.
    Is there a way to access migration assist or to copy my user files beyond the core to my hard drive in recovery mode or otherwise?

    Just turn off your wireless router until you can run Time Machine to backup your Mac notebook.
    Or remove the drive from the system and connect it to another Mac and copy all your files off it. But again it would be best to disable any and all Wifi systems in your house before you do that.
    Not sure but there may be a way to turn off the Wipe command and or it is only issued once. Never had to use it so I'm uncertain on how it actually works.

  • How can I erase My hard drive. Disk utility only gives me the option of erase free space. I have 27in iMac with Lion and 12 gb ram.

    How can I erase my hard drive? Disk utility only gives me the option to erase free space.
    Thanks for any assistance.

    Drive Preparation for Lion
    1. Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
    2. After DU loads select your 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.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Quit DU to return to the main menu.
    5. Select Reinstall Lion then click on the Continue button. You need an active network connection in order to download the Lion software.

  • How large can an internal hard drive be on a Mac Pro part #ZOD8 ?

    How large can an internal hard drive be on a Mac Pro part #ZOD8 ?

    Mac Pro tower can support drives up to 4TB is size.
    If running 10.8.4, 10.8.5 or 10.9.0, there is a bug in Disk Utility that precludes proper erasing of drives over 2.2TB as Internal drives

  • How to Install New Internal Hard Drive on Mac Pro Laptop

    My wifes 15 in Mid 2010 lap top running 10.8.4 has run out of drive space so we bought a new 1tb drive to install. We aren't sure where to go from here. The current contents are back up on Time Machine, but we also bought a small hard drive enclosure to take out the current hard drive and put it in the small enclosure.
    So...do we install the new 1tb drive into the laptop and then try and start from the original hard drive that is now in an enclousure...then "Copy" or "Migrate" the material from the original hard drive to the new on? If so...how is that done?
    Or do we try and "Copy" or "Migrate" the hard drive materials backed up on Time Machine? If so...how do we do that?
    Thank you!

    After formatting the new hdd, while still outside the mac, make a clone of your internal disk with CarbonCopyCloner on the new (still external) disk: CCC will ask you to install the Recovery Partition also, do that, and then the clone.
    Then you eject the new drive, shutdown, and then you open the mac take the original disk out, and put the new one in.
    On the OWC and other sites you will find instructions how to do the switch. Be very careful with the connectors inside .

  • A magnet fell on my macbook "late 2007 series black" and it stopped working. When i start my macbook up it sits on the white screen. i tried inserting the snow leopard disk to do a clean install but the disk ejects and all i see is the pointer.help please

    A magnet fell on my macbook "late 2007 series black" and it stopped working. When i start my macbook up it sits on the white screen. i tried inserting the snow leopard disk to do a clean install but the disk ejects and all i see is the pointer. i even bought a new hard drive to do the clean install but the same thing happens. Please Help

    Your problem is not Boot Camp, in fact, is your optical drive. Win XP requires indeed sp2, but also the internal drive, does not work from external optical drive.
    For other possible tricks, please use the appropriate Boot Camp forum, not here. Mac OS X may be installed from both external and internal optical drive and/or internal/external partition of a disk, any disk. Windows is not so generous.

  • I am looking to back up my MAC, and I need to know how big of an external hard drive I need

    I am looking to back up my MAC, and I need to know how big of an external hard drive I need. How do I determine this?

    Well, they recommend at least 2 - 3 times the size of your hard drive if you are using Time Machine because that keeps making backups until it runs out of space (and then deletes the oldest to make room for the newest).
    However, if you prefer to have a bootable clone as a backup, you need about the same size as your hard drive since it is a perfect copy of your system (unless you want to partition and keep an older clone separately).
    So, check to see how large your hard drive is and go from there.

  • How do I share a hard drive with the new iMac to load a disk from macbook pro

    How do I share a hard drive with the new iMac to load a disk from macbook pro. I want to install office for Mac from a disk but dont know how to share har drive from macpro
    thanks

    The new iMac's don' t have DVD drives however almost all have a disk drive. The easiest method of installing MS Office for Mac on your new iMac is to download it from Microsoft and then input the code you received when you purchased your original license. Otherwise you can use the DVD drive on your MBP to install on your iMac, that feature is called Remote Disc. Instructions for Remote Disc can be found at:http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5287

Maybe you are looking for

  • Problem Starting ORBacus ORB from Weblogic on HP-UX 11

    I'm trying to use Weblogic startup classes to startup an ORBacus ORB. During the Weblogic startup process I receive the following error: Fri Jul 07 15:24:49 GMT+00:00 2000:<E> <WebLogicServer> Failed to invoke startup class timeserver=utils.Server ja

  • HTTP Sender and HTTP Receiver .Pls advice urgent

    Hi All, Partner A (http) -- XI - Partner B(http) Now Trade Partner do not want to use HTTP client tool. He wants to send data through URL. Please make the full sender URL for the details below for Sender HTTP: XI system -- sapd0aa Client -- 100 Port

  • Creating new Connections/Statements/ResultSets

    Hi, RDMS = Sybase JDBC = Jconnect 5.5 obtained from Sybase website Purpose: To loop through the program below with different queries and produce a resultset. Details: I have a program that creates a query stores it in a static setter. The program cal

  • IWeb and iPhone

    If you want to see how your website will view on an iPhone the latest version of the freeware application iPhoney is available at.... http://www.marketcircle.com/iphoney/ Message was edited by: Roddy

  • HELP!!! NANO KEEPS FREEZING

    My Nano keeps freezing in the middle of songs. It will play for an hour or so and then freeze mid song for no reason. It doesn't respond to any buttons. After about an hour it will start playing again all by itself. I tried reseting and restoring it.