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Why is my iMac clicking and having difficulty starting up?

In the past 2 weeks, my iMac has been making odd clicking noises when starting up and when waking from sleep. The motor drones to start up (accompanied by the clicking), will fail, and it will try starting again. It usually requires restart when I'm coming back from sleep. During start up, a folder icon with a question mark will flash. I have to restart around 10 times until the computer starts up normally (still with some clicking).

During use, the computer functions normally, although in the past day my computer will freeze my clicking power on my mouse. That is to say, my mouse can move around the screen, but clicking does nothing. This lasts about 2 minutes, and then my mouse works fine. Don't know if the problem is related.

Disk utility is not allowing me the option of "Repair Disk." When I verify disk with disk utility it reads:

Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
Checking HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking Catalog hierarchy.
Checking Extended Attributes file.
Checking volume bitmap.
Volume Bit Map needs minor repair
Checking volume information.
Invalid volume free block count
(It should be 10795540 instead of 10795539)
The volume Macintosh HD needs to be repaired.

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit


1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair

Can anyone help?

iMac Intel Core 2 Duo (late 2006), Mac OS X (10.4.11), 20" 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

Posted on Apr 22, 2009 3:40 AM

Reply
6 replies

Apr 22, 2009 12:49 PM in response to storyalexis

Hi and Welcome!

*"During start up, a folder icon with a question mark will flash."*

Go here: A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac

Hopefully booting from your install disk you can repair the disk using the Disk Utility app. If DU can't repair the disk the first time, click Repair again. Sometimes it takes a 2nd or 3rd pass. If DU cannot resolve the problem, then you need DiskWarrior or TechToolPro









Carolyn 🙂

Apr 22, 2009 2:35 PM in response to storyalexis

A clicking noise, not the normal noise a hard drive makes, could be indicative of a physical problem with the hard drive. If you manage to get the directory repaired keep a sharp ear out. I would make sure to do a complete backup ASAP. I would also run the Apple Hardware test to check the drive. Also, check the SMART status of the drive.

Apr 23, 2009 3:09 AM in response to Fortuny

Interesting developments:
When I start-up from my Mac OSX disk and bring up disk utilities, it does not recognize the HD in the left-hand menu. I can only select from the install disk itself to verify/repair. Am I doing something wrong?
I also tried to run OnyX before booting from the Mac disk, but it stopped and just told me that the startup disk needed to be repaired.

Why is my iMac clicking and having difficulty starting up?

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