Apple Hardware Test (AHT) is GONE!! after Lion install

Solution found for all Macs and all softwares even if you don't have Macbook pro installdisk2.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)

2,66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

320GB Macintosh HD

OS X Yosemite 10.10.1

- AHT or Diagnostics don't run because some files are missing from System/Library/Coreservices/.diagnostics folder (it's a hidden folder)

Follow me step by step:

1) Find your MacBook Pro model from:  (top left) -> About this mac (1st row) -> System Report -> 2nd row in Hardware (for me it is MacBookPro5,3)

2) Visit https://github.com/upekkha/AppleHardwareTest#-download-links find your model and download .dmg file (just click on your model 😝)

3) Click and open .dmg file (for me it is 022-4343-A.dmg)

4) Inside your dmg go to System -> Library -> CoreServices -> and now you probably see a blanc folder, wait it's not empty but files are hiden

5) So now we have to unhide these files, therefore open your terminal (if you don't know where it is just type terminal in Spotlight).

6) In terminal paste the following:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

7) Hold ‘alt’ on your keyboard, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch.

8) Go again in your dmg and follow the same path: System -> Library -> CoreServices - and now you can see all files. Open .diagnostics folder and copy all the included files.

9) Now go in your Macintosh HD/System/Library/Coreservices/.diagnostics and paste copied files.

!!! ATTENTION !!!

DO NOT REPLACE FILES BUT KEEP THEM BOTH

10) When paste is done close all your windows and eject your dmg.

11) Open once again your terminal and paste the following defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles NO (because we have to hide hidden folders again)

12) Hold ‘alt’ on your keyboard, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch

!! Now we are ready to start Apple Hardware Test !!

1. Shut down your computer. Then, press the power button to turn it back on.
2. Press and hold the D key before the gray startup screen appears.
3. It takes a minute or so for AHT to start up and inspect your hardware configuration. While this is taking place, an icon appears on the screen:
4. When the process is complete, select your language and click the right arrow. If you aren't using a mouse, you can use the up and down arrows to select a language and then press the Return key.
5. The AHT console appears. You can choose which sort of test or tests to perform:To exit AHT, click Restart or Shut Down at the bottom of the window. Note: Your test results will appear in the window in the bottom-right of the console.
   • To perform all of the basic tests, click the Test button or press the "T" key or the Return key.
   • To perform a more thorough diagnostic test, select the "Perform extended testing" checkbox under the Test button before you click the Test button.

I hope these instructions can help you.

Have a nice day and good luck with AHT!

George Zalokostas

Nothing to download. You jumped into the middle of a thread that's focusing on restoring the AHT on machines that shipped with, whereas yours isn't one of those, so you should have started your own post and not threadjuacked this one. Criticizing someone for repeating serves no useful purpose. For your problem, follow these steps from the applicable document:

For some Apple computers that shipped with OS X Lion, if Apple Hardware Test cannot be found on the hard drive, an Internet-based version starts up instead.

1. Press and hold the D key before the gray startup screen appears. An Internet-enabled connection via Ethernet or Wi-Fi is required to use this feature.
   Note: Some Macintosh computers that shipped with OS X Lion support the use of Apple Hardware Test over the Internet. These computers will start up to an Internet-based version of AHT if the hard drive does not contain AHT.
2. It takes a minute or so for Apple Hardware Test to start up and inspect your hardware configuration. While this is taking place, an icon appears on the screen:

kimfromberwyn wrote: AHT

/System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics

Brillant kimfromberwyn I would give you the green star if I could.

I Restored from a Time Machine Back-up prior to the Lion install.

terminal command for hidden files:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE ;killall Finder

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE ;killall Finder

Also, since the 10.7.3 update is supposed to update the Recovery Partition too

AFAICT, the Recovery HD wasn't updated and has nothing new in it since the original upgrade. This is the one from from my 10.7.3 installation:

Correcto, lo he comprobado y funciona perfectamente. Pensando en la secuencia de instalación del Líon y, si Apple ha incorporado esta función en el DVD 2, tiene lógica que no funciona al instalar Lion, tanto mediante instalación limpia como instalación sobre el snow leopard. Apple debería, mediante la aplicación de actualización de software, corregir este problema, puesto que parece de muy fácil solución y de hecho, causa algunos inconvenientes.

Saludos cordiales,

File a bug report with Apple and let them advise on this new, but crappy, delivery system. They've gone off the iOS cliff and haven't provided any sensible guidance. Alternatively, contact Apple's Express Lane and let them sort out your new MBP issues.

Hi gonan111

This package has not been tested with Mountain Lion, Apple may of changed the ball game again here. I have yet to install Mountain Lion onto a machine of mine.

The issues with your mac on the other hand; I would be surprised if it was the package, would cause that sort of issue. All the package does is move AHT_CPU file into the coreserves/Diagnostics folder. Then the package just does a normal cmd line disk check, and repairs any permissions.

Have you tried re running your installer for Mountain Lion? Looks to me as though the install that has taken place has missed out a few drivers. What I would do in this instance is either a reinstall (without wiping). Just install over the top, and your files will remain or go to http://support.apple.com/downloads/#10.8.2 and download the third one down the combo update package, do a manual install of the pacakge. FIrst do a backup of your system before attempting any of these steps incase it goes wrong 😉.

Maybe do the secound one first as it would be the quickest and may just fix your install. If not then try the first step. 🙂

Let me know how it goes

Thank You

Jason C. (Jasric89)

Can you help me resolve this issue? I upgraded from 10.4 (original Install disc) to 10.6. I was mistakenly using the retail OS X 10.6 to try and boot Apple Hardware Test but kept failing, as I would just receive a normal login screen.

I followed kimfromberwyn's instructions and copied the ".diagnostics" folder from "/System/Library/CoreServices" on the original Leopard install disc to "/System/Library/CoreServices" on my iMac running 10.6. However, when I try and restart holding "D," the drive ejects the disc. Option + D does not work either.

In fact, most commands given at startup don't seem to work at all, See my thread here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6397263

I even tried this suggestion with the Tiger disc in the drive, but it brought up an installation screen--not a command line.

Yes, I found this out as well. Started a thread on it not realising that other people have been having same problems. I have had my mid-2011 iMac for just over a week with Lion pre-installed. Am in England by the way. Have been having a buzzing sound and thought I would check hardware with the AHT. According to the instruction book you are supposed to be able to access AHT with two methods, neither of which work on my iMac. Have spent a considerable time on the phone to techs in AppleCare, who didn't really know either! Was put on to a Supervisor who confirmed AHT was no longer available for iMacs with pre-installed Lion. I was told I could ring AppleCare any time I have a problem. Great! Unnecessary expense on phone calls which needn't arise if I had access to AHT. I don't like the way Apple is going with Lion. Apple seem to me to be going the same way as Microsoft. 😕

Thanks for starting this thread Sonicray, Thankfully I don't have the need for AHT at the moment but your message made me take notice. I tested my 2 day old 27" iMac, a 3 week old MB Air and finally my original 2008 MB Air. I don't have a MBP so didn't have the opportunity to try that one to your result.

Here's what worked on the ones I have:

On the new iMac which shipped with Lion (OS is on the 256GB SSD but also has a 1TB HD), a reboot would not bring up AHT; it had to be initiated from a power-up. Tested several times each way.

The new MB Air (SSD only) that shipped with Lion will bring up AHT from either a reboot or a power-up.

The original 2008 MB Air (80GB HD) which shipped with OS X 10.5.2 had been wiped clean and SL installed freshly when that came out, then Lion upgrade went on top. So the original AHT was no longer on that drive and Lion doesn't install a new one either. Having the SuperDrive attached with the original 10.5.2 Disk 1 would bring up the AHT from a power-up, (but never from a reboot). Note that if the version of OS X which shipped with a Mac was 10.5.5 or later then the AHT is on Disk 2 instead of 1.

So AHT came up on each when powering up and holding D, but only the new Air would also work from a reboot.

Also either Disk 1 or 2 has the AHT, depending on the version that shipped with the Mac.

Hope this helps someone a little.

Buenos días:

Disculpadme que escriba en español (mi inglés no es muy bueno). Yo tenía el mismo problema. Tengo un MacBook Pro 17´ de principios de 2011. Instalé Lion y tampoco funcionaba el AHT.

Probé insertando el DVD 2 (Aplicaciones), reiniciando y funcionó, también probé start up y también funcionó.

Probé a continuación instalar el DVD 2 (las aplicaciones excepto ilife que son las que en principio aparcecen como que están pendiente de instalar: manuales, etc.), reinicié el equpo y funcionó sim problemas.