HT201626: Intel-based iMac (Mid 2007) and later: How to find the serial number

Learn about Intel-based iMac (Mid 2007) and later: How to find the serial number
dmcgrogan
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: My I mac won't boot, I have gone to restore but the apple hard drive next to the main hard drive says the drive is "locked" ??????  What to do?

I have an IMac which won't boot up and when I tried the restore function the Hard Drive next to the Main Hard Drive says it is "locked" when I tried to use it to restore my system.  I have Mountain Lion which was working fine until recently.  Now I can sit LITERALLY for an hour waiting for the gear to stop spinning but not results for loading the program.   HELP!!!

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Jul 16, 2013 5:15 PM

by Dr.Mac.,Solvedanswer
Dr.Mac. Dr.Mac.
Level 3 (636 points)
A:

As of 10.8.4,  the volume must be unlocked first.

Here’s how the unlock procedure works for Disk Utility:

  1. Boot your Mac and hold down ⌘-R (Command –R) to boot from the Recovery HD partition.
  2. Open Disk Utility.
  3. Select your locked hard drive.
  4. Under the File menu, select Unlock “Drive Name”
  5. When prompted for a password, enter the password of the authorized account on the drive.
  6. Once you unlock the disk, hold down the Option key on your keyboard and click on the File menu.
  7. Under the File menu, select Turn Off Encryption… with the Option key held down, it is no longer grayed-out.
  8. When prompted for a password, enter the password of the authorized account on the drive.
  9. Disk Utility should display a progress window labeled Starting conversion to JHFS+
  10. Your drive should now be unlocked.


Posted on Jul 17, 2013 1:57 AM

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dmcgrogan

Q: My I mac won't boot, I have gone to restore but the apple hard drive next to the main hard drive says the drive is "locked" ?????? ... more

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  • Helpful answers

  • by kayewilkins,

    kayewilkins kayewilkins Jul 16, 2013 5:22 PM in response to dmcgrogan
    Level 1 (87 points)
    Jul 16, 2013 5:22 PM in response to dmcgrogan

    When you chosoe the drive to install are you clicking on the Mac HD or the recovery drive?

     

    Try using the network recovery if its avialble to you adn completely earsing the drive, do not doa time machien reastore.

     

    Check the drive for error in disk utility and check the formats of the drives.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Jul 16, 2013 11:55 PM in response to dmcgrogan
    Level 10 (207,963 points)
    Applications
    Jul 16, 2013 11:55 PM in response to dmcgrogan

    The drive has malfunctioned. What backups do you have?

  • by Dr.Mac.,Solvedanswer

    Dr.Mac. Dr.Mac. Jul 17, 2013 1:57 AM in response to dmcgrogan
    Level 3 (636 points)
    Jul 17, 2013 1:57 AM in response to dmcgrogan

    As of 10.8.4,  the volume must be unlocked first.

    Here’s how the unlock procedure works for Disk Utility:

    1. Boot your Mac and hold down ⌘-R (Command –R) to boot from the Recovery HD partition.
    2. Open Disk Utility.
    3. Select your locked hard drive.
    4. Under the File menu, select Unlock “Drive Name”
    5. When prompted for a password, enter the password of the authorized account on the drive.
    6. Once you unlock the disk, hold down the Option key on your keyboard and click on the File menu.
    7. Under the File menu, select Turn Off Encryption… with the Option key held down, it is no longer grayed-out.
    8. When prompted for a password, enter the password of the authorized account on the drive.
    9. Disk Utility should display a progress window labeled Starting conversion to JHFS+
    10. Your drive should now be unlocked.


  • by dmcgrogan,

    dmcgrogan dmcgrogan Jul 17, 2013 6:32 AM in response to Dr.Mac.
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jul 17, 2013 6:32 AM in response to Dr.Mac.

    Thank you very much.  This helped tremendously.  Should have gone to support long before instead of spending hours trying to figure out why the computer wouldn't boot up.  Got hypnotized watching the spinning ball.   Thanks again, Dr. Mac.

  • by Jiminsilverlake,

    Jiminsilverlake Jiminsilverlake Nov 19, 2013 8:51 PM in response to Dr.Mac.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2013 8:51 PM in response to Dr.Mac.

    Help Dr. Mac

     

    I have the same problem - locked Mac hard drive where I know the system password, but now it won't boot up.  When I go to disk utility, I see my hard drive, but when I click on the drive and go to the file menu, I don't have the option that you described above - "unlock drive name."   Instead, my options are new window, new, open disk image, close, get info, and unmount (name of my hard drive).  In grey, and not available are the options - eject, enable journaling, change password, and turn off encryption.

     

    How do I get to a point where I can enter the system password and get back into my computer?  Any assistance you can offer would be hugely appreciated!

  • by sunnyfrommontreal,

    sunnyfrommontreal sunnyfrommontreal Jan 19, 2016 8:17 PM in response to Dr.Mac.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2016 8:17 PM in response to Dr.Mac.

    Hello Dr. Mac, I have the same problem but on a macbook pro 13inch. And i cannot seem to find the Unlock "Drive name" under File. Please help me out

  • by mortyman,

    mortyman mortyman Feb 25, 2016 3:25 PM in response to Dr.Mac.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 3:25 PM in response to Dr.Mac.

    I attempted to follow the directions to unlock the disk but am stumped at #4.  "Unlock Drive Name" is greyed out... as are nearly all of the options under the "File" menu.  I know the drive functions as I was using it this morning before purchasing my new MacBook Pro.  I may have mistakenly erased the incorrect drive.  What more can I do to unlock the drive?