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Did my hard drive die?

Hello, all,

So, the hard drive on my PB G4 Ti (800 mhz, 512MB SDRAM, 15-inch, OSX 10.3.?) appears to have gone bad.


Issue in sum:
Disk started making a new grinding, scratchy noise -- which I have learned is mostly likely the actual disk getting scratched -- along with that rainbow pinwheel. Not good.

Tried to run fcsk, but no response. Hardware Test disk comes up clean in both quick and extended tests . But I can only run it with HD removed.

I have what is a really a two-part question:

1) Can/should I trust the Hardware Test disk, if it tells me everything is OK if it only works when I take out the hard drive?
2) If yes, suggestions for brands of new drives? And do I need to format it? Couldn't find out w/ a Google search. I have learned here that I cannot use a Serial ATA-type. I have liked newegg's offerings the best so far.

btw, the 40 GB I intially had was plenty. I just want to get this Mac going for a few months while I save for a new one. Afterward it'll be my backup computer.

-- Here are the details for your reference:

Experienced "bad" noise and pinwheel. Did not respond to force quit. Had to hold down power button. I tried running Apple Hardware test, but disk (not HD) spun for more than 5 minutes and nothing --- just the mac with a question. I tried to run fcsk with no luck.

I then handed it over to my friend who is former PC tech (yes, the caveat here is she is not a Mac tech) from one of those electronic store chains. She took out the HD and got it to spin as a slave and no hint of the grinding noise.

With the HD out, she also got the Hardware Test disk to run the short and extended test. Both came out clean.

HD put back in. When re-started, again made the grinding noise.

She diagnoses the HD as the problem and thinks it is also the source of my heat and trackpad issues. She said even if I take it in for repair, all the tech can really do is put in a new HD and she what happens -- as in let it run and see if it crashes. In that case I want to just buy my own $40-or-so HD and chance it. Perhaps this Samsung
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152501


I just read this discussion
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=845175&tstart=15.
Should I too try to run mac OSX off an external drive to test my Mac?
I am not quite as computer savvy as the user in the discussion. Perhaps I am a few steps below this, but am willing and quick to learn.

thanks in advance

PowerBook G4 Titanium Mac OS X (10.3.2)

Posted on Jul 6, 2007 2:46 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jul 6, 2007 5:09 AM

Hi, Kerry. Yes, you can probably trust AHT under the circumstances. Replacing your hard drive should put you back in business. Yes, you will need to format the new drive in Disk Utility (choose "Mac OS Extended Journaled" format) before installing anything on it.

There isn't much to choose between brands of hard drives at the bottom end of the market, which is where a budget 40GB drive is today. If you can get a 5400RPM drive for nearly the same money as a 4200RPM unit, buy the faster one. Let the length of the manufacturer's warranty and the vendor's price and shipping charges be your guides. NewEgg is a good vendor.
11 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 6, 2007 5:09 AM in response to Kerry Tsukamoto

Hi, Kerry. Yes, you can probably trust AHT under the circumstances. Replacing your hard drive should put you back in business. Yes, you will need to format the new drive in Disk Utility (choose "Mac OS Extended Journaled" format) before installing anything on it.

There isn't much to choose between brands of hard drives at the bottom end of the market, which is where a budget 40GB drive is today. If you can get a 5400RPM drive for nearly the same money as a 4200RPM unit, buy the faster one. Let the length of the manufacturer's warranty and the vendor's price and shipping charges be your guides. NewEgg is a good vendor.

Jul 6, 2007 7:36 AM in response to Kerry Tsukamoto

You may look at http://www.ifixit.com and other sites for repairing guides, so you can replace the harddisk by yourself.

Anyway, as already told by the previous poster, there isn't much difference between harddisks and all have to be formatted for use with OS X.

Hope you've made a good backup of your data ๐Ÿ˜‰

Regarding recommendable HD brands, I wouldn't go with Samsung, since we had two harddisks (out of four) that got damaged within their first two years. I likely can recommend Seagate/Maxtor and Hitachi.

Jul 6, 2007 2:23 PM in response to tobias Eichner

Thanks to you both for the info. I feel better hearing from others it's not a lost cause.
... And now I am the new poster child for backing up data. I have only a few things backed up (e.g. resumes). I always figured I could backup the others (e.g. vacation photos) "later." That'll teach me.

PowerBook G4 Titanium Mac OS X (10.3.2)

Jul 7, 2007 8:36 AM in response to Kerry Tsukamoto

If I can give a recommendation for backup: Buy an external harddrive (that connects via firewire) and do a full clone of your entire harddisk.

The advantage of this solution is that you not mistakenly forget something to backup and you can even boot from the external drive in case of an internal HD failure (note that you can only boot from firewire drives, not from USB devices).

I made good experiences with Intego's Personal Backup X4 ( http://www.intego.com) but there are also free software products like CCC or SuperDuper available.

Jul 7, 2007 12:19 PM in response to Kerry Tsukamoto

Hello again,
So, I've been looking up hard drive instructions like suggested. I cannot seem to find how to add a new one if my original is kaput. Instructions are all for upgrades.

I understand that you add a new HD and then boot off of OSX disk. Then open Disk Utility (Is that the same as the Drive Utility I am seeing in some readings?)

Next, I format the new drive. This is where I am lost. (All I can see to choose a format is under the "erase" tab, which is OK in this case I guess since the drive is empty anyhow. I know it is not RAID or restore being that I have nothing to restore. I guess I am expected something more straight forward from Apple.)

Would someone tell me the steps from there? I'd hate to mess this part up.
FYI: It is likely I will boot from OSX 10.1.4, though I am using 10.4.10 now.

Then again there is a retailer whose disks come Mac formatted, but naturally they also cost more and I cannot see why I personally couldn't handle this myself with a little help from the forum ๐Ÿ™‚

Jul 7, 2007 2:17 PM in response to Kerry Tsukamoto

So, I've been looking up hard drive instructions like suggested. I cannot seem
to find how to add a new one if my original is kaput. Instructions are all for
upgrades.


And exactly this is considered as being an "upgrade" ๐Ÿ˜‰ Maybe a bit misunderstanding, but it makes sense when you consider that you can't "add" more space to a harddisk if you want to get a higher capacity... you always have to remove the old and put in a new one.

I understand that you add a new HD and then boot off of OSX disk. Then
open Disk Utility (Is that the same as the Drive Utility I am seeing in some
readings?)


Basically it should be sufficient to insert the boot CD/DVD for OS X. Anything else is done automatically by the installer.

Someone else may correct me, but there shouldn't be any further steps to perform. Just read the screen messages carefully and follow the instructions.

FYI: It is likely I will boot from OSX 10.1.4, though I am using 10.4.10 now.


If your operating system on CD/DVD is 10.1.4, yes then you have this version. After complete installation, you can obtain the update packages by using the auto update (prepare yourself that this procedure needs some time).

Then again there is a retailer whose disks come Mac formatted, but
naturally they also cost more and I cannot see why I personally couldn't
handle this myself with a little help from the forum ๐Ÿ™‚


I guess that this simply means that the disks are pre-formatted for Mac... but you shouldn't take care much.

However it is important that you ensure the new HD being compatible with your computer. Basically this means a size of 2.5 inch and an ATA interface. If you are unsure and buy from a local dealer, you may remove the old harddisk and take it with you ensuring they sell the correct model.

Jul 15, 2007 5:25 AM in response to tobias Eichner

We have the same trouble: non-start and no movement from HD--heard it clicking.
Here's what we have done to date:
-Reset factory by removing battery and holding start button as advised. No change to startup pattern (blue screen plus flashing question mark/finder).
-Started with emergency Apple disc for disc tools: Major error -9972 for Toshiba drive, cannot be repaired. Disc utilities did not recognise the system, so could not change startup disc. Some other erors repaired by Symantec tools that said drive was 'unrecognisable.'

After that we had to abort atempts to startup after repairs, using both HD and CD because of chirping and screaming noises from ?internal drive which had evidently become unstuck.

Question: Can screaming HD be read using our newer PowerMac and firewire and could running damage other components?

We have recently moved from mainland USA to Guam, the backup and OS discs are in transit, so have time unless we can find a compatible OS to install. I think it's a 10.3.7.

I see plenty of advice on hard drive replacement which it sounds like we need. But could there be any other causes and how would we detect them?

Looks like this one is dying or dead too!


PowerBook G4 (15-inch 1.67/1.5GHz Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Jul 15, 2007 5:37 AM in response to Ben Helmer

Welcome here ๐Ÿ™‚

Question: Can screaming HD be read using our newer PowerMac and firewire
and could running damage other components?


Well, you can try to insert this HD in an external case connected via firewire - maybe you are able to restore some data. But this is quite unlike, it depends upon the damage the HD has.

When following this procedure you can't damage other components of your computer.

By the way, you probably would get much more attention when just starting a new topic for each inquiry ๐Ÿ™‚

Jul 15, 2007 5:33 PM in response to tobias Eichner

I appreciate your note re hard drive. Just hope that's all it is, and will check through posts and instructions on checking stuff out.

By the way, you probably would get much more
attention when just starting a new topic for each
inquiry ๐Ÿ™‚

Thanks-- I tried but couldn't find the 'new topic' link. Is this a weakness of the site or my eye-sight? ๐Ÿ™‚


Powerbook G4 (15-inch 1.67/1.5GHz Mac OS X (10.3.7)

Jul 16, 2007 9:28 AM in response to Ben Helmer

Hi, Ben. the "Post a New Topic" link appears at the upper left corner of the topic list on any Forum page. It does not appear on any Category or Topic page, because you can only post a new topic in a Forum, not in any existing Topic or in a Category. Pay attention to the large-type headings at the tops of all the Discussions pages and this will quickly make sense to you.

Category page (There are several levels of these)
Forum page
Topic page

Did my hard drive die?

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