I really need some help with my Hard Drive.

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I really need some help with my Hard Drive.

Here I go again. About a week ago, my computer was freezing, and getting the flashing question mark. I booted off the install disk, and managed to get things running. Then it happened again, and it started shutting off on start up. Long story short, things looked pretty haywire with the hardware and permissions test, so I have had to do 2 clean installs. Things seem to go well for a few days, then it starts acting up and freezing. Right now I am o.k. I have disconnected everything except the internet cable and the mouse and keyboard. The only programs on the mac are the ones from the install disk. I haven't loaded all my back up files yet, so it is in relatively pristine condition from the install disk. I ran the permissions repair and it was complete, I verified the disk and the Mac HD appears to be o.k. However, when I run the hardware test off the install disk it reports an error:
4MOT/1/40000003:HDD-1344

Second test reports error:
4MOT/1/40000003:HDD-1331
I called my apple rep, and he says it's probably the hard drive. He didn't seem to know much of anything. Had the attitude that let's just try a new hard drive without looking at any of the test results. My question is this, does anyone know what the error message means, and could the errors be from something other than a bad hard drive. My computer is only 13 months old. One month off waranty. I find it hard to believe that my hard dirve is fried. Any suggestions. Although I have learned a lot about diagnostics this past week I am still green at this stuff, so please keep it in simple terms. Thanks

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Sep 19, 2009 10:46 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Sep 19, 2009 11:07 AM in response to Lizzy Borden

Take it to an Apple repair station. The HD's failing. As for the error, I don't know, but they should.

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Answer 2

Lizzy Borden Author

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Sep 19, 2009 11:17 AM in response to baltwo

I live in a small town, and there isn't an Apple repair station. What makes you think that it is the hard drive for sure? And is there anywhere I could find out what the error code means?
Thanks

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Answer 3

Sep 19, 2009 11:38 AM in response to Lizzy Borden

Suggest you try the Apple GeniusBar:

http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

This allows you to pick a state and store.
I would try several until you get an answer.
My guess is you have a bad hard drive.

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Answer 4

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Sep 19, 2009 11:46 AM in response to Lizzy Borden

That's what your symptoms and the test result indicates. What the codes mean, I have no idea and a google search doesn't bring up any meaningful hits, but call AppleCare and see what they say. Why do think it isn't an HD issue?

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Answer 5

den.thed

Level 9

77,368 points

Sep 19, 2009 1:17 PM in response to Lizzy Borden

Hi Lizzy

Apple does not publish a list of Hardware Test Codes, but that Error code does suggest something seriously wrong with the HDD.

Call Apple Canada Tech Support at (800) 263-3394 and ask them exactly what the Error Codes mean and what they offer for Service in your area.

Dennis

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Answer 6

Lizzy Borden Author

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Sep 19, 2009 2:03 PM in response to baltwo

For one a few times I ran the Hardware test and things came back fine. The results keep flipping from fine to errrors. Same with the disk repair report. As the machine is only 1 year old, I'm thinking that maybe it's some other glitch. That is why I want to know what the error codes mean so as to investigate the problem further.

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Answer 7

baltwo

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62,362 points

Sep 19, 2009 2:41 PM in response to Lizzy Borden

I understand, but you need to accept that things can break out of the box. A single HD breaking within a year is unusual, but not unknown. See den.thed's post.

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Answer 8

Lizzy Borden Author

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Sep 19, 2009 3:35 PM in response to baltwo

I really appreciate the help. I have tried the help line, and they are saying the same as you guys. They still don't know what the error codes are either. I hope I don't sound like a royal pain in the ***, but my dilemma in all this is that there is no certified Apple repair person in town. The only Apple guy is certified in Sales only. The nearest repair person is about 3 hours away. The local guy said he could replace the hard drive for me. However, I have heard that if the repair isn't done by a certified repair person, the warranty is void. Is that true. Two last questions
one: If the computer starts going haywire again, would it be worth going into single user mode and running the Unix program fsck.
two: If I do go for the new HD, what HD exactly should I get, I have a 20" iMac running Leopard

2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Again, I really appreciate the help. Thanks.

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Answer 9

CMCSK

Level 6

11,452 points

Sep 19, 2009 3:57 PM in response to Lizzy Borden

I have heard that if the repair isn't done by a certified repair person, the warranty is void. Is that true.

Yes.

If your computer is still under warranty or you have Apple Care, call them or Apple Customer Relations in Canada and explain to them about your dilemma. Apple Care or Apple Customer Relations can make arraingements to have your computer picked up, sent to a repair shop and ship it back to you when repairs are completed.

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Answer 10

Lizzy Borden Author

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Sep 19, 2009 4:03 PM in response to CMCSK

It's one month past warranty and no I don't have Apple Care. Live and Learn I guess. My mistake.

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Answer 11

baltwo

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62,362 points

Sep 19, 2009 4:04 PM in response to Lizzy Borden

one: If the computer starts going haywire again, would it be worth going into single user mode and running the Unix program fsck.

No. That happens whenever you restart as signified by the spinning gear.

two: If I do go for the new HD, what HD exactly should I get, I have a 20" iMac running Leopard

Any HD that meets your current one's specs. I have a 24" iMac and it has a 320 GB, 3.5", SATA 3.0Gb/s, 7200 RPM one in there now. There are internal HDs available up 2 TB in capacity, meeting those specs. For example, see http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=14&name=Internal-Hard-D rives for example. Click on the Apple icon, About this Mac->more info and see what yours is under Serial-ATA and do a google search for your model.

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Answer 12

CMCSK

Level 6

11,452 points

Sep 19, 2009 4:08 PM in response to Lizzy Borden

It's one month past warranty and no I don't have Apple Care.

Call Canada's Apple Customer Relations. On a case by case basis they may allow coverage since you are only _"one month past warranty."_ I say this because it is unusual but not unheard of for a hard drive to go bad after _one year._

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Answer 13

Lizzy Borden Author

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Sep 20, 2009 7:50 AM in response to CMCSK

One last question. After all of this, I have ran both the verify and repair permissions, and verify disk, and have done a hardware test, everything checks out fine. I have made an appointment to have a new hard drive put in. If the hard drive is bad, is it likely to keep flipping from things are o.k. to HD errors. This happened after the first clean install I did. Is this common behavior with a failing HD. Thanks again for everyones help.

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Answer 14

CMCSK

Level 6

11,452 points

Sep 20, 2009 6:28 PM in response to Lizzy Borden

Lizzy, all I can tell you is that a failing hard drive has many many symptoms. From my experience and from reading these forums not everyone gets the same symptoms when it comes to failing hard drives. Some of these symptoms mimic non related issues.

Off hand some of the hard drive failing symptoms:
No video or the machine turns off during boot - mimic symptom
Grinding or clicking noises - sure sign of a failing hard drive
Slow performance or missing files - mimic symptom
Flashing “?” on startup - mimic symptom

It's best to let a repair technician run a diagnostic test to confirm failure especially if still under warranty.

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Answer 15

Lizzy Borden Author

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Sep 20, 2009 7:12 PM in response to CMCSK

Thanks, to all that posted. I guess I have to accept that this is out of my league. I have reloaded all of my "stuff" back on to my computer. So far so good. If it acts up again I will have take it to an Apple repair dealer. I just find it hard to deal with the fact that I can't figure this out.lol! I guess that is what keeps those guys in business. Thanks again.
Lizzy(AKA: Apple Geek Wanabe)

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