Help recovering an Intel iMac 27", 2017

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Help recovering an Intel iMac 27", 2017

This is for a 2017 iMac 27" - Intel, obviously. As far as I know it was running macOS Catalina.

On boot, it chimes, the Apple logo appears, and the white loading bar gets half way in reasonable time, but then very very slowly fills out the rest. It seems to get to the end and then just stops. I've left it there for a good deal of time and it does not get any further or complete booting.

My initial assumption was the hard drive was malfunctioning.

I have done the following things to try and troubleshoot:

Turn off and on again
Unplug and leave for a while before turning on again (assume this resets SMC)
Reset the PRAM/NVRAM
Attempted to start in Recovery mode; it refuses to enter Recovery mode (this is with an Apple keyboard plugged in via cable). I assumed the Recovery partition must be missing; but this does seem very unlikely as the owner of the iMac is very unlikely to have removed it by mistake or otherwise.
Created a bootable macOS Catalina external disk; and then held ALT at boot time and selected this external drive as the boot drive. It sees it; but then repeats the previous behaviour (very slow loading, and never actually boots to a desktop.) - it *seems* to ignore the external drive as the boot drive.

At this point, I'm thinking there is some other fault - possibly RAM, possibly motherboard, given that it won't boot from the external drive.

Is there anything else I can try to coax it in to life, as it is?

Failing that, is there any way to recover data from the hard drive (assuming it's OK) other than disassembling it and removing the drive?

FYI - it did go to the local Apple dealer, and they wrote it off with no inspection.

Thanks for any help.

iMac

Posted on Aug 3, 2022 11:42 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Jack-19

Level 8

46,020 points

Aug 5, 2022 11:49 AM in response to -Bubba-

___Bubba___ wrote:

If you have another Mac, you may be able to use Apple Configurator in place of recoveryOS to revive or restore the computer. However, this certainly seems like a hardware issue to me, and this would only work with a purely software issue.

You're welcome to try, though - Revive or restore an Intel-based Mac using Apple Configurator - Apple Support

That only applies to Intel-based Mac computers with the Apple T2 Security chip, which the iMac (27-inch, 2017) does not have. Only iMac (27-inch, 2020) has a T2 Security chip.

Jack

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Aug 5, 2022 11:57 AM in response to weirdbeardmt

A 2017 iMac is supported by Apple. I think the local dealer was blowing you off hoping you'd buy a new one from him. Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers should be able to get parts for that model if necessary. I have the same model.

Do you have a full and complete backup of you boot drive? If not see if you can boot the iMac into Target Disk Mode. If you can you'l be able to copy off al of your user data with another Mac.

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

144,114 points

Aug 3, 2022 1:04 PM in response to weirdbeardmt

Please take the computer to another local Apple Authorized Service Provider to be professionally diagnosed, however first follow the steps in Gray screen appears during startup. I suspect it has suffered a hardware failure, you do not have the proper tools for testing and getting it professionally diagnosed will likely be much less expensive than a self repair especially when you don't have the correct tools and/or knowledge and skill to tear down an iMac.

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Answer 4

weirdbeardmt Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 4, 2022 1:26 AM in response to rkaufmann87

I've already tried the steps listed above, which are the same as in If your Mac starts up to an Apple logo or progress bar - Apple Support

There is only one AASP in my area which is the one it has already been to as mentioned.

I'm ignoring your final point.

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Answer 5

-Bubba-

Level 6

10,344 points

Aug 5, 2022 11:45 AM in response to weirdbeardmt

If you have another Mac, you may be able to use Apple Configurator in place of recoveryOS to revive or restore the computer. However, this certainly seems like a hardware issue to me, and this would only work with a purely software issue.

You're welcome to try, though - Revive or restore an Intel-based Mac using Apple Configurator - Apple Support

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Answer 6

rkaufmann87

Level 10

144,114 points

Aug 4, 2022 12:12 PM in response to weirdbeardmt

Then you may need to travel to another Apple Authorized Service Provider.

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Answer 7

weirdbeardmt Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 5, 2022 8:38 AM in response to rkaufmann87

(1) Literally logistically not possible.

(2) Why would I do that when the first one said "We won't look at it because it's too old to order parts for" - surely the second would say the same thing.

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