Hello Apple support!
We have an issue with our iMac being slow/beach balling, I have included an EtreCheck log:
It mentions "This computer has a hard drive that appears to be failing" while the hard drive health checks done by the Mac itself through first aid at launch. Could a failing hard drive be the cause for beach balling and would there be any way to fix this?
Thanks in advance for your help.
iMac van iMac24" (2)
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
You have no Time Machine backup and a failing hard drive. You need a backup ASAP! If you do not have a Time Machine backup drive, I recommend using a SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE - Western Digital as your backup drive. You can then follow the Apple Support steps to setup your Time Machine backup: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support. I personally also use iCloud in addition to Time Machine to sync all my files and photos to all my Apple devices. Although iCloud is not a "true" backup service, iCloud can also act as an emergency backup, but this is why iCloud should be used in addition to Time Machine. I strongly recommend using it. Here are some resources on setting up iCloud for Mac:
For fixing the failing drive, your Mac is too old for Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to service your Mac. You can, however, use an external FireWire 800 SSD as your startup disk and run macOS and your data from that. It will also make your Mac much faster. For more info, instructions, and what external SSD to buy, please read: How to Setup and Use an External SSD as y… - Apple Community.
However, considering the age of the iMac at 11 years old, you might want to strongly consider replacing the iMac. The external SSD solution is good if you must keep the iMac.
However, either way you go, make sure you get a backup going!
Jack
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
You have no Time Machine backup and a failing hard drive. You need a backup ASAP! If you do not have a Time Machine backup drive, I recommend using a SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE - Western Digital as your backup drive. You can then follow the Apple Support steps to setup your Time Machine backup: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support. I personally also use iCloud in addition to Time Machine to sync all my files and photos to all my Apple devices. Although iCloud is not a "true" backup service, iCloud can also act as an emergency backup, but this is why iCloud should be used in addition to Time Machine. I strongly recommend using it. Here are some resources on setting up iCloud for Mac:
For fixing the failing drive, your Mac is too old for Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to service your Mac. You can, however, use an external FireWire 800 SSD as your startup disk and run macOS and your data from that. It will also make your Mac much faster. For more info, instructions, and what external SSD to buy, please read: How to Setup and Use an External SSD as y… - Apple Community.
However, considering the age of the iMac at 11 years old, you might want to strongly consider replacing the iMac. The external SSD solution is good if you must keep the iMac.
However, either way you go, make sure you get a backup going!
Jack
Performance-wise, this is the usual problematic iMac 8 GB HDD configuration, though this is a 27” and the memory is at least easy to upgrade. And this (failing) hard disk is slightly faster than the usual slower model that some iMac configurations feature.
It’s also featuring a hard disk drive which is failing. Hard disks that are failing are replaced, not repaired.
Usual recommendation for these iMac configurations is adding and migrating to and booting from an external SSD, but this Mac is old enough to have slow external I/O (USB 2.0) and the performance of an SSD on that connection won’t fair all that well.
Which leaves swapping the (failing) internal HDD for an SSD, or retiring this (failing) ~11 year old iMac.
And as previous replies have mentioned, no backups effectively means that the data here has no value, or can be easily reconstituted or rebuilt from other sources. Particularly with failing main storage. Getting a backup here would be my first and highest priority, if the data on this (failing) iMac does have value.
Get a backup. Then decide if you want to spend money on a 2010. Or replace it with a newer (used, refurb) or new Mac.
ps: This isn’t Apple Support you’re discussing with. We’re other users, like you.
To make sure the slowness isn't due to software do the following: download and run Etrecheck. Copy and paste the results into your reply. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC and recommended by Apple Support to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.
IMPORTANT:
Before running Etrecheck assign Full Disk Access to Etrecheck in the Etrecheck's Privacy preference pane so that it can get additional information from the Console and log files for the report:
Also click and read the About info to further permit full disk access.
Copy the report
and use the Additional Text button to include the report in your reply.
iMac keeps beach balling
