Q: help with Apple Error Code & Intermitant Boot Up Problems and ? marks

For an iMac 24 inch (Early 2008) 3.06 GHz machine, the 4MOT error code* indicates a fan issue, and recommends that a technician…

• shut down, the power back on and retest the machine
• verify that the fan speed indicator is not a zero value (yours is reporting a 3)

Without special tools and substantial experience, and because doing so would require opening your machine and thereby invalidating its existing warranty, they indicate that a technician should…

• verify that the fan blades are not obstructed by cables, tape or other obstacles
• verify that the fans are properly connected to the logic board and rotate when the machine is started
• if the problem persists, replace the fans and retest the machine
• if it still persists, replace the logic board

While HDD is a commonly used abbreviation for hard disk or hard drive, there is no Apple Hardware Test error indicator for a hard drive for this particular platform, and yours does not relate to one based upon that AHT result. While there may be a sensor issue in play, AHT does not report a sensor issue in your case.

You may wish to run the SMART diagnostics against your drive to see if it indicates an impending failure, but what you report is limited strictly to fan operation. You should take your covered machine into a dealer or service provider in order to have it tested and repaired under warranty.

*NOTE: these error codes are often non-unique, and can mean very different things from one model series to another, and—within one product family—from one specific machine type to another.

Having this exact same error code from AHT on my early 2008 iMac 3.06.
any luck, did you take it to apple?
Mine was working fine last night finder froze had to force shutdown. This morning when i booted i got the flashing "?" and now it's as if my imac has no internal HD. Leopard install DVD doesn't see it (disk utility) FW target disk mode to another mac also did not show the drive. I'm not hearing any of the usual clicking, drive noises that tells me a drive has failed.
so i ran the AHT and got this 4M0T / 1 / 40000003: HDD - 1330
if anyone has any further info i'd be much obliged. I'm in Mexico City and to be perfectly honest i don't love the idea of going to an authorized repair center as opposed to an apple store. So i'd like to show up as well informed as possible.

This is of course exacerbated by the fact that my time machine backup drive died 3 weeks ago and i haven't been able to replace it. Hence no back up.

had a similar problem with a macbook,
one of the fans isn't working,
use istat to keep a eye on it....

I just wanted to update and say that disk warrior rocks! It's well worth the money. I was able to boot of the DVD and rebuild my internal drive. Disk Utility wouldn't even "see" the drive.

Have rebooted and am now backing up for safe measure.

i spoke way too soon. After booting into my internal HD i started copying files to an external FW800 HD only to have it freeze about 15mins into it. I finally reluctantly forced shut down and ofcourse when i restarted i had the flashing ? folder again.
tried DW a second time but it wouldn't recognize the drive.
will try the demo of data rescue II.
have also left the imac off a few hours hoping it is fan related and once it cools off i can repair the Hd long enough to back up.

saddly now even disk warrior won't "see" the internal drive.
taking it to a mac service center here in Mexico.
I'm trying to come to terms with the possibility that it may be the HD and that all is lost.
hopefully 4M0T / 1 / 40000003: HDD is really just some heat sensor/fan thing that's affecting the HD

I'm having the exact same problem. What was the result of your trip to the service center?

I've pretty much accepted that I'll have to replace the HD, but I'm really hoping it isn't something more series (i.e. logic board).

Thanks!

the imac is at the repair center. They've told me they had to order a new HD, fan, and heat sensor. I'm not sure if that's because all three failed or because they couldn't narrow it down without trying the new parts. I should find out Monday, i'll update, someone emailed me suggestion a good cleaning of dust from the vents would help. In my case it did not.
and there's no mention of it being a logic board.

Got the imac back, fan and HD both replaced. Things running smoothly.

Thanks for following up on the question. FWIW, I ended up taking my iMac into a Micro Center (Apple Service Provider). They did a diagnosis and ended up only replacing the hard drive. I was worried I'd get it home and find the fan was dead too, but iStats Pro says everything is fine and the temperatures look normal.

Of course, now it won't read the Leopard Drop-in DVD that came with it, but that appears to be unrelated...

Hola Luis.

Justo me pasó lo mismo ayer.
Mi iMac ya no detecta el HD, la arranqué con el disco de instalación y el Hardware Test me marca el mismo error.

Puedo contactarte de alguna forma? a dónde la llevaste a reparar? cómo le hiciste para poder respaldar la info?

Agradezco tu atención y te dejo un mail de contacto.

ciberlink@yahoo.com

Hola, yo también estoy en México, mi computadora se volvio loca! y me marca el mismo error que a ti 4M0T/1/40000003: HDD-1379 o 1343

Tengo rato buscando la solución pero no encuentro nada, resolviste tu problema? ojala me puedas ayudar..

saludos!