How Can I Run Apple Hardware Test?

Question

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

How Can I Run Apple Hardware Test?

I'm having constant kernal panics and need to run AHT becuase I suspect it is hardware related.

I have an early 2009 MacPro4,1 model. I can't run AHT because:

1. I lost the original sofware DVDs

2. It is no longer on the hard drive after having upgraded the system multiple times.

3. I called Apple support to try and order the original system software and they told me they can't provide it and only have retail disks which don't have AHT.

4. I found a blog post that links to download AHT for various models, but MacPro4,1 isn't listed: http://rivenbyfive.blogspot.com/2012/01/download-and-run-apple-hardware-test.htm l

I'm not sure what to do at this point. Since I don't have my original disks it seems like Apple has made it impossible to run AHT on my upgraded system.

Any ideas?

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), Early 2009 Mac Pro

Posted on Oct 9, 2012 11:24 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

146,354 points

Oct 9, 2012 11:31 AM in response to tricksters

Boot while holding the d key.

Mountain Lion should have installed AHT on your Recovery partition. If this does not invoke AHT try again by holding option d.

The latter will attempt to load an Internet based version of AHT. You must obviously be connected to a wireless network when you do that.

Using Apple Hardware Test

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

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Answer 2

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 9, 2012 11:40 AM in response to John Galt

Hi John.

Neither reboot holding d or option + d does anything. The article indicates the internet based version only works for computers that shipped with lion.

and "Apple Hardware Test is included on the DVDs that are shipped with some Macintosh computers. If the copy on your hard drive becomes unavailable, use the DVDs to run Apple Hardware Test."

I previously read this article and tried all of this which is what lead me to call apple support to try and get my original software disks.

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Answer 3

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Oct 9, 2012 11:53 AM in response to tricksters

CALL again. Small fee for OEM DVDs. They have 'em.

Even if yours shipped with Lion, which some Mac Pro 5,1's did starting in late 2011 to 2012, they don't have the firmware to do network AHT and OS installs.

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Answer 4

John Galt

Level 10

146,354 points

Oct 9, 2012 11:56 AM in response to tricksters

See if your firmware is up to date: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1237

Some pre-Lion computers are eligible for a feature that conveys the ability to use the Internet version of AHT. The firmware update addresses that ability. The AHT link above explains:

"See Computers that can be upgraded to use Lion Internet Recovery for more information."

If that does not prove fruitful, the only way to re-install AHT is to use your original System Restore DVD. No standalone downloads exist.

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Answer 5

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 9, 2012 2:12 PM in response to John Galt

My system doesn't seem to be eligible and I have the latest firmware.

I'll try calling apple again for OEM disks.

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Answer 6

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 16, 2012 10:08 AM in response to tricksters

So I spent about 20 mins on the phone with Apple Care while they tried to figure out what disks to send me based on my serial. I got a disk today and it doesn't have AHT on it /System/Library/CoreServices/ doesn't have a ".diagnostics" folder in it. It seems more like a Retail disk that says Not For Resale than an actual OEM system disk.

Back to not being able to run AHT. So frustrating Apple.

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Answer 7

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 16, 2012 10:19 AM in response to tricksters

My last hope... If anyone sees this and has an early 2009 mac pro (MacPro4,1) with the original install disks, might you be so kind and message me or zip & post the directory

/System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics.

Thanks.

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Answer 8

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Oct 16, 2012 10:38 AM in response to tricksters

The 10.4.6+ OEM gray DVDs have on the label "Apple Hardware Test" and to use D on startup - it NEVER installed a package to the hard drive. At all. Ever.

The G5 came with it on CD.

From mine:

Mac Pro

Mac OS X Install Disc 1

To start up from Mac OS X, hold donw C key...

To use Apple Hardware Test, hold down the D key as the computer starts up.

OS version 10.4.7

Disc 2

Disc Version 1.0

27591-5860-A - hope that is right, I really would need magnifying glass to double check.

And they are 'gray' OEM label - so it is on the Installer Disc 1.

I think because it uses dual layer that takes something / someone else ? to access and mount/read the contents that D loads which is likely CD size.

There are links on the web for the Apple Service Diagnostic DVD that is more thorough, but none for AHT.

You can see why I think it should be there for anyone or anyone with ADC Dev account.

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Answer 9

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 16, 2012 10:46 AM in response to The hatter

Yes, my original disks had it on there as do some macbook disks I have. The OEM disk has a hidden folder on it:

"/System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics." which contains AHT.

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Answer 10

John Galt

Level 10

146,354 points

Oct 16, 2012 11:33 AM in response to tricksters

tricksters wrote:

Yes, my original disks had it ...

Just to be clear: You no longer have them, and that's not what Apple sent?

Because that is absolutely, positively what you need. You need a disc similar in appearance to the MacBook disc you describe. It will have "AHT version xxxxx " printed on the disc itself, where xxxxx = a code such as 3A153. Your Mac Pro's code may be different than that.

See if you can get that message across to Apple.

This post may be helpful: Which version of AHT for 2009 Mac Pro??

Message was edited by: John Galt

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Answer 11

tricksters Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 16, 2012 11:32 AM in response to John Galt

Yes, I lost my original disks. My first call with Apple they said they couldn't send me OEM replacement disks. My second call with Apple I was on the phone 20 minutes while he tried to find the disks to send. I paid a small fee and ended up getting sent what appears to be a white label retail disk. See attached image.

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Answer 12

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Oct 16, 2012 11:37 AM in response to tricksters

Ah, but that is on the DVD, and does it get installed to hard disk even back in 10.4.7 days? That is what and where - on hard drive - And there never was mention of using AHT w.o DVD until 2008 at least.

I can't look right now but maybe later if I boot my Mac Pro.

That could be anything. White box. White label. Not retail. And they may have mastered and burned some - just not the original 2006 era disc.

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Answer 13

John Galt

Level 10

146,354 points

Oct 16, 2012 11:37 AM in response to tricksters

Thanks... unfortunately that won't do.

Every OEM System Install DVD I have ever received for any Mac ever shipped with OS X already installed has been a uniform grey color.

😟

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Answer 14

John Galt

Level 10

146,354 points

Oct 16, 2012 11:44 AM in response to The hatter

The hatter wrote:

Ah, but that is on the DVD, and does it get installed to hard disk even back in 10.4.7 days?

I do not believe it did. It certainly was not on my Tiger era Macs - AHT exists only on the machine-specific DVDs.

If he can't make Apple understand, or if the discs are simply unavailable, the OP's only hope may be eBay.

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Answer 15

Oct 16, 2012 6:40 PM in response to tricksters

it doesn't have AHT on it

...

/System/Library/CoreServices/ doesn't have a ".diagnostics" folder in it.

Those two are not the same. Apple Hardware Test has traditionally been on the disc but OUTSIDE the "normal" File System. It has traditionally loaded with a very primitive loader that has nothing to do with Mac OS X.

The convention of also listing it in /System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics is fairly new, and is not a good way to tell whether the diagnostic is actually on the disc.

counterexample: I have a MacBook Replacement OEM disc that contains 10.6.7. It has:

disk3s1 31KB Apple-partition_map

disk3s2 637.8MB Apple_Driver_ATAPI ** that is HUGE! regular EFI_Boot is 209.7MB

Mac OS X Install DVD 7.9GB Mountable System/Installer

It claims to have AHT on it as well.

there is no /System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics on that DVD

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