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My Late 2009 Snow Leopard upgraded to macOS High Sierra iMac 27" hard drive died. How can I recover my data from it. I have another iMac Late 2015 with macOS Catalina 10.15.1 loaded and a WD Elements External USB Hard Drive which could probably assist. Can someone please explain all the steps involved for recovering my data. Thanks
iMac 27", macOS 10.15
Try putting the iMac into Target Disk Mode and connect it to your new Mac to see if you can access the data. However, If the hard drive is physically failing, then the more you leave the iMac powered on and the more attempts you make to unsuccessfully recover data you risk the drive failure getting worse where even a professional data recovery service will be unable to recover the data.
Drive Savers and Ontrack are two professional data recovery services recommended by Apple and other OEMs and both provide free estimates.
If you used Time Machine or created a bootable clone then your backup is there. If you never backed up using either Time Machine or a bootable clone then your data is gone with the crashed HD.
If you are saying you have a Time Machine or bootable clone backup, simply connect the External Hard Disk via USB cable to the 2015, boot Migration Assistant (Applications - Utilities - Migration Assistant) and follow the on-screen prompts.
The only way I know is to research data recovery software or services; some will allow you a free scan. However, that is usually used after you deleted data (for instance). You'd need to check if it is possible with a dead drive.
Then it's too late, the data is gone. IF the HD has crashed then all the data crashed with it. You can use a data recovery service, however expect to pay in the many thousands of dollars to get some of your data back. Consider this a VERY tough lesson on why backing up isn't optional it is critical. Operating any computer without a sound backup plan is a certain guarantee of lost data.
Sorry to tell you that and I feel the pain but asking how to recover data after a HD crash is kind of like asking about how to get your pictures or valuable papers back after your house burned down.
Hello Envor
What you may like to try is to remove the 'dead' hard drive from your old iMac and put it into a suitable enclosure so that you can attach it to your working machine. You could then use Disk Drill to determine what may be recoverable from your old hard drive. Here's a link to the product site:- https://www.cleverfiles.com/
I have used it - it works! 😉
The ? symbol indicates the computer cannot find the startup volume which is the HD. Please look over About the screens your Mac displays as it starts up - Apple Support
I don't have a backup. I started backup on my time capsule when I bought my 2nd iMac.
Is there a way to connect my dead iMac to my new iMac and then try software recovery tools.
The old iMac start up but after the typical mac sound it boot to a folder with a question mark. Could there still be hope though.
Much appreciated for your help team..
Good luck.
Thank you
Please review this product: https://www.cleverfiles.com/hard-drive-recovery.html
I've used it. It works! 🙃
Dead macOS High Sierra iMac 27"Hard Drive (Late 2009)
