10.6 Snow Leopard Killed Apple Hardware Test?

"D" boots the hardware test from a DVD. Did you put the system DVD that came with your machine into the machine before you tried to boot?

Message was edited by: Retired Engineer

I am having the same problem. Since upgrading my MacBook Pro to SL, my system tells me that I do not have bluetooth hardware installed. I've inserted the SL disc and restarted while holding the D key, to run the hardware test. My computer disregards the command and reboots into normal operating mode. Any suggestions?

Apple hardware test is not present on any retail OS X DVDs. it's only present on the original disks that came with your computer. that's what you need to use.

Thank you! That makes sense and, sadly, was too obvious for me to catch.

This is incorrect. "D" boots the hardware test from firmware, if you have a recent-enough Mac. It is "C" (originally for CDs) that causes your Mac to look for a bootable disk in the CD/DVD drive. Or hold down the option key until you get a series of icons to choose from.

If your MacBook Pro is one of the newer ones ("unibody" with the black border around the screen), hold down the "D" key after rebooting without a disk in the drive to run the hardware test. Otherwise, insert one of the DVDs it came with (usually marked "Apple Hardware Test") and reboot holding down the "C" key.

Newer Mac Pros have Apple Hardware Test on a hidden partition on the hard drive, so you can run it (Boot with D pressed) without using the DVD. If you upgrade to Snow Leopard, it will still be there. If you partition and erase the hard drive, then install Snow Leopard, Apple Hardware Test will be gone. To run it, insert the install DVD that came with the computer, then boot while pressing D.

Any other suggestions? I've tried all of the options above for the Apple Hardware Test, but to no avail...

1. Rebooting & holding "D" with the original disks that came with the computer (10.5 Leopard)... this got me the furthest, but ended up giving me an error message saying "Hardware Test cannot be used on this computer (or something to that extent),
2. Rebooting & holding "D" with Snow Leopard in the drive,
3. Rebooting & holding "D" with nothing in the drive,
4. All of the above, but holding down "Option" instead of "D".

None of those worked for being able to access the Apple Hardware Test. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Sounds like you have 2 Macs--are you sure you're using the right disc for each computer?

Are both machines having troubles?

For the Mac Pro--did you upgrade any parts, such as the video card?

~Lyssa

1. Rebooting & holding "D" with the original disks that came with the computer (10.5 Leopard)... this got me the furthest, but ended up giving me an error message saying "Hardware Test cannot be used on this computer (or something to that extent),

Did you upgrade your graphics board? The hardware test may not be able to run with hardware that didn't exist when the test code was written.

I have the same problem, ever since I updated my iMac to 10.6 the hardware test has vanished and I can't get it back.

Apple Support article, link supplied by den.thed
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

pay attention to: "Note: Please be sure to disconnect any external devices, printers, hard drives, scanners, and so on (other than the Apple keyboard and mouse) from your Apple Computer before starting up to Apple Hardware test and running the Diagnostic."

Some additional info here, but only for the iMac:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1883

Message was edited by: myhighway

Same problem here. Updated to 10.6 on a PowerMac, and none of the procedures described above gets me a hardware test. The DVD that came with the computer is 10.5, started up holding the D key, all devices except screen (mouse and keyboard connected via screen) unhooked, I get the normal login window.

If the AHT is actually on the dvd you are trying, simply try again. Also try holding down the "Option" key as an alternative to the "d" key. (There is no reason to hold down an upper case letter d key, it's just the d key)

Holding down the proper key temporarily disables the software installed on the Mac's hard drive, forcing the system to attempt to boot from the disc in the optical drive. However, you may well be using a dvd that does not contain the AHT.

Does the dvd you're using have "AHT" or "Apple Hardware Test" printed on it - just read the dvd label to find out. To the best of my knowledge there has never been a dvd which included the Apple Hardware Test but did not show somewhere in small print " AHT" and the version number, or else "*Apple Hardware Test*" in large print.

Message was edited by: myhighway

Hi esa ceduti;

Can you explain how you managed to upgrade to Snow Leopard on a PowerMac?

PowerMacs have PowerPC processor and are incapable of being upgraded to Snow Leopard.

Allan