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

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

After installing Lion on my new early 2011 MBP the AHT is gone...

Pressing "D" will not load the AHT (it was installed and working fine in my MBP prior to Lion).

I called the APP hotline to inquire about it and the technician couldn't boot into the AHT on all the macs with Lion available to him.

(a report has been filed with the engineering team)

According to the newly updated KB: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509

QUOTE: "Some Macintosh computers that shipped with OS X Lion support the use of Apple Hardware Test over the Internet."

After pressing and holding the "D" key the Mac just loads into the desktop... There is no online AHT or pre-installed AHT available...

>> Is anybody else having this problem?? <<

If you are having the same problem maybe you should also report it to Apple: http://www.apple.com/feedback/ or the APP hotline...

MacBook Pro , MacBook , Mac Mini , PowerBook , iBook, Mac OS X (10.7), AEBS (N) and almost every Apple software available in the market

Posted on Aug 5, 2011 2:24 PM

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Answer 1

Sonicray Author

Level 5

4,555 points

Aug 16, 2011 10:19 AM in response to Ton Haarmans

I do have the EFI 🙂 it's 249MB, the other is just 200MB, I removed it already... no worries! (it was just empty...)

Thanks for the reply! 😁

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Answer 2

Aug 16, 2011 5:03 PM in response to Sonicray

I had a little time to revisit this on my original 2008 MB Air that shipped with OS X 10.5.2 and been wiped clean with SL installed then Lion upgrade on top...

Remember that the original AHT was no longer on this machine. I simply copied the AHT from the original 10.5.2 Disk 1 to the same location on the Lion installation and AHT it works as it did!!!

SO...

Copy the ".diagnostics" folder from "/System/Library/CoreServices" on your original disk supplied with your machine to the same "/System/Library/CoreServices" location on your Lion installation; and holding the D when booting again accesses the AHT:

/System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics

Of course it's easiest if you show your Hidden files first!

Good luck!

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Answer 3

Aug 16, 2011 6:18 PM in response to kimfromberwyn

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

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Answer 4

Aug 17, 2011 12:57 AM in response to kimfromberwyn

Wow! Excellentkimfromberwyn 🙂 2 thumbs up !

This workaround worked perfectly on my 2011 MBP that came with SL 10.6.6. I am now able to launch AHT without the DVD.

I really wonder why Apple doesn't include AHT with Lion or, at least, doesn't give access to it over internet for other types of Mac (like it does for the MBA).

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Answer 5

Sep 1, 2011 7:59 PM in response to Sonicray

Can anyone upload the AHT files to file sharing sites like megaupload or rapidshare? I lost my restore discs for my 2010 MBP and have since upgraded to Lion. Thanks

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Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Sep 1, 2011 9:01 PM in response to horse9118

Bad idea, since each AHT is machine build specific. However, a call to Apple (1-800-MY-APPLE) should result in them shipping replacement discs for a nominal S&H charge.

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Answer 7

Sonicray Author

Level 5

4,555 points

Sep 2, 2011 6:41 AM in response to Sonicray

Apparently not many people read the first page so, I am just going to repost this here from the first page (make life easy 😝 )

HOW TO FIX THE AHT PROBLEM IN LION:

Just to clarify what Francisco was saying in Spanish:

> The original AHT that came preinstalled in the MacBook Pro (and maybe all other Macs) is found in disk #2.

> Originally I thought the AHT had a different partition on the HD but it ends up being an extension of the OS.

> This is not installed in OS X Lion, If you used the USB key or download it from the App Store, the AHT will not be included.

> So, to install it back in, you can either run the install from the DVD (just make sure you don't install iLife again and other files which you may not need)

OR

For Road Warriors 😉

Since installing the bundled package will also install other Snow Leopard files; You might want to try this:

> Download Pacifist ( http://www.charlessoft.com/ )

> Drill down the CPUHelpFiles install package and only install theCPU_AHT package.

⚠ By the way, there is no way of undoing this, unless you want to reinstall Lion from the recovery partition.😊

> Restart your mac

> Everything should be A+ ok 🙂

> To test what you just installed restart the mac and hold down the "D" key before the screen turns white/gray. After a few seconds you should see the AHT loading screen:

Done! there is no need to have that DVD with you when you travel...

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Answer 8

Sep 3, 2011 6:32 AM in response to Sonicray

This procedure works for me! Thanks!

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Answer 9

Sep 5, 2011 5:24 AM in response to Sonicray

How did you use Pacifist when it says it isn't compatible with Lion ?

It just quits on me when I try. Website states it isn't compatible.

Edit: sorted I was using 2.0 instead of 2.6

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Answer 10

Oct 23, 2011 1:45 PM in response to Sonicray

Doesn't work for me.

Have a mid-2011 iMac with Lion pre-installed, no DVDs.

When I turn it off and then turn on again, immediately holding the D key on my Apple USB kbd, the startup idles for maybe 20-30 seconds before it finally shows the Apple logo and starts up normally.

So, I guess it's trying to go online and download AHT, but it somehow doesn't succeed in that. My Ethernet connection has a direct cable connection, DHCP configured, and it's also connected via Wifi to another router, with WAP2 and DHCP. Yet, it can't download the code. Weird.

Very bad idea, Apple, to rely on internet to perform a critical hardware test!

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Answer 11

Oct 23, 2011 3:20 PM in response to Thomas Tempelmann

Not included in Lion, however

Apple Hardware Test can be put back in place from a back-up /TimeMachine/ or SnowLeopard install disk.

/System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics

Copy the ".diagnostics" folder from "/System/Library/CoreServices" on your TM or SL disk to the same "/System/Library/CoreServices" location on your Lion installation.

Holding the D when booting again accesses the AHT.

/System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics

Easier if you show your Hidden files first!

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

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

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Answer 12

Oct 23, 2011 4:32 PM in response to leroydouglas

I don't understand you.

Why do you repeat something to me that you have already written once above? And it doesn't even apply to my comment since this new Mac has no SL backup and therefore there is no .diagnostics file, either.

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Answer 13

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Oct 23, 2011 5:41 PM in response to Thomas Tempelmann

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.

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.
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:

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Answer 14

Oct 25, 2011 2:42 AM in response to baltwo

Giving replies to people without trying to even understand what they write isn't helpful, either - it rather comes across as trolling.

If you read my original comment, you could see that I already explained in every detail that I did what you quoted to me. My message to this thread was meant to say: It doesn't always work!

And my question why someone replies to me with something that doesn't apply to my question is because his reply says clearly: "In response to <my name>". So, he did apparently try to reply to me, didn't he? That's the whole purpose of threaded commenting, if you haven't noticed.

And yes, if I wanted to resolve my own issue, I should open my own thread. That wasn't the purpose of my comment here, though.

I realize now that I should have not responded to leroydouglas' comment, though, because it appears that he did not attempt to reply to me but just used the reply button on the last entry he found. That's confusing indeed, especially if you're not using the threaded but the flat view.

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Answer 15

Oct 25, 2011 2:47 AM in response to baltwo

Just to comment on your "Nothing to download" note. I guess that refers to my first msg saying "it's trying to go online and download AHT". Then you quote the very text from Apple that says that "These computers will start up to an Internet-based version of AHT". Well, what do you call this internet access if not downloading? The hole point of it is that the Mac will download ATH in this case, doesn't it? Please explain if I misunderstand this concept.

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