Apple Hardware Test

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Apple Hardware Test

My Intel iMac came with Leopard, which I used until Snow Leopard came out. I bought the Snow Leopard disc as soon as it was available and, over time, through software updates arrived at version 10.6.8.

Having had to get the hard drive replaced recently, it has occurred to me that out of curiosity I might use the Apple Hardware Test to have a look and see what it does. Of course, it's no longer on my system, because, having originally been installed with Leopard, it disappeared when I upgraded to SL. The new HD has a fresh install of SL. I can't boot into it by holding down the 'D' key upon reboot.

I have the original grey Leopard install discs that came with my machine, and see that disc 1 includes AHT version 3A137.

I have a copy of Pacifist.

So my questions are :

(a) Which file would I look for on disc 1?

(b) Assuming I can extract it, would it be in order to place it in the System/Library/Coreservices/.diagnostics folder (which after much reading on my part is as close as I get)?

(c) This might seem a trivial question, but I understand now that this AHT is machine specific, so should I then be able to reboot holding down the 'D' key and run the AHT?

New ground for me - all of this.

The machine's specs are :

Model Identifier: iMac7,1

Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo

Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz

Number Of Processors: 1

Total Number Of Cores: 2

L2 Cache: 4 MB

Memory: 4 GB

Bus Speed: 800 MHz

Posted on Aug 1, 2013 12:17 PM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Aug 1, 2013 2:30 PM in response to Rod Fryer

Rod Fryer wrote:

Of course, it's no longer on my system, because, having originally been installed with Leopard, it disappeared when I upgraded to SL.

Not so. It never was installed, but came on the original Leopard discs. Find the one that shows AHT on it and follow the instructions.

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Answer 2

Rod Fryer Author

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1,873 points

Aug 1, 2013 2:40 PM in response to baltwo

This where I get confused, Baltwo. I preface what follows by saying I wouldn't have the temerity to argue with you … but …

On page 43 of the wee booklet (entitled "EverythingMac') that came with my iMac …

it seems to suggest that the AHT was already on the machine, no?

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Answer 3

Rod Fryer Author

Level 4

1,873 points

Aug 1, 2013 3:05 PM in response to baltwo

Hmmm. I used Pacifist and extracted the document called 'About Apple Hardware Test' from Disc 1 of the pair of discs that came with the machine. This is what I find :

Bit of a mismatch between this and what I read in the wee manual (also online at

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iMac_Intel-based_Mid2007_UserGuide.pdf).

I'll try that disc and the 'D' key route.

You were right, baltwo. You normally are, which is why I was confused.

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Answer 4

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Aug 1, 2013 3:24 PM in response to Rod Fryer

Well, I didn't know Apple started that with iMacs shipping with Leopard. I thought that only happened with ones shipping with Snow Leopard and later. I just went through my broken 24" iMac booklet, which says the same thing, and, while I was researching. found the AHT read me doc that you just posted about.

Popped the install disc into my current machine, launched Pacifist, and see that there is a .diagnostics folder. So, returning to your original query, use Pacifist to install that after you delete the hidden one currently resident in the CoreServices folder. That should restore booting AHT from the HD using the D key.

If it doesn't work, then your only alternative is to use the install disc.

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Answer 5

Rod Fryer Author

Level 4

1,873 points

Aug 1, 2013 3:30 PM in response to baltwo

So you found the same mismatched documents that I did? Thanks for your replies, btw.

I was scuppered anyway regarding the "Restart your computer with the media containing Apple Hardware Test" route.

The outfit that replaced my HD pooched the optical drive. I'm sure there's something jammed in it. (All completely deniable of course.) Can't get a disc in without damaging it - which is why I now have a brand new SL system disc.

So I now have a neat wee external Samsung USB optical drive. That of course contravenes the "disconnect all external devices with the exception of keyboard, mouse, display, and speakers" clause in the AHT instructions.

I shall follow your advice about the .diagnostics folders. I guess I need to make something invisble visible.

I'll return to this project in the morning with renewed optimism.

Thanks again.

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Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Aug 1, 2013 3:50 PM in response to Rod Fryer

So you found the same mismatched documents that I did?

Yes. A close reading of that install disc, implies you need to insert it, and restart holding down the D key. They might have been practicing with putting it into CoreServices and got the booklet and document mismatched. However, you can try doing the installation as I described earlier.

This, when run in the Terminal app, unhides all hidden files/folders:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 1

this rehides them:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 0

As for running the test with the ext optical drive connected, just do it.

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Answer 7

Rod Fryer Author

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Aug 1, 2013 4:25 PM in response to baltwo

With the hidden files/folders unhidden, there is no .diagnostics folder in /System/Library/CoreServices.

You found one?

I have OnyX installed. That does the unhiding/rehiding bit.

I dare not try anything further tonight in case I groggily cause mayhem.

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Answer 8

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Aug 1, 2013 5:18 PM in response to Rod Fryer

Hah! You stated in your OP, System/Library/Coreservices/.diagnostics folder, so I assumed you were seeing one there. If none exists, just have Pacifist install it and it should be put into the CoreServices folder. Alternatively, install it to the Desktop and just drag it into that folder. Ensure that the permissions are system w/R&W and wheel and everyone w/R only.

BTW, the command's I posted is what OnyX, TinkerTool, and all such 3rd-party utilities use. I usually prefer to know what those apps are on about. 😉

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Answer 9

Rod Fryer Author

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Aug 2, 2013 1:25 AM in response to baltwo

Yeah, I assumed from my reading up on all of this that the .diagnostics folder would be there. The only 'dot' items were :

.dat002e.001 (a RAR file)

.disk_label

.disk_label.contentDetails

So I used Pacifist, extracted the .diagnostics folder from the original grey disc, and put it into the /System/Library/CoreServices folder.

As for permissions, the .diagnostics folder itself had no mention of 'wheel', but all of the items inside the folder were as you recommended.

So I restarted holding down the 'D' key, and ended up back at the Desktop - no Hardware Test.

I restarted with the grey disc in the external drive, held down the 'D' key and hey presto! there it was. I ran the test, and got the almost gnomic 'No trouble found' message at the end. Relief!

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Answer 10

Rod Fryer Author

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Aug 2, 2013 1:46 AM in response to baltwo

I took another look at that .diagnostics folder. Highlighting it and using command-I, the permissions were :

system Read & Write

admin Read only

everyone Read only

Couldn't see if 'wheel' was a possibility for inclusion.

Just out of curiosity, when you wrote 'system w/R&W and wheel and everyone w/R only', what does the 'w' stand for?

Another small point - the version of AHT that actually ran is 3A141, not 3A137 as printed on the label on disc 1. Lots of little false trails and inaccuracies for the enthusiastic amateur to trip over in this wee project. 😀

Thanks for all your help here, baltwo. Much needed as you can tell.

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Answer 11

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Aug 2, 2013 4:13 AM in response to Rod Fryer

Run this command in Terminal. Cmd-I is often a pale reflection of the actual permissions.

ls -la /System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics

I think Baltwo's w is short for "with."

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Answer 12

Rod Fryer Author

Level 4

1,873 points

Aug 2, 2013 5:18 AM in response to WZZZ

Thanks for looking in WZZZ.

OK. Here's the response from Terminal :

total 56

drwxr-xr-x 12 root admin 408 13 Nov 2007 .

drwxr-xr-x 114 root wheel 3876 2 Aug 06:55 ..

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F4208CA9

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F4208CAA

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F42187C8

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F42189C8

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F4218FC8

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F4228EC8

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-F42786A9

drwxr-xr-x 9 root wheel 306 13 Nov 2007 Mac-bundle

drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 13 Nov 2007 Mac-default

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 27966 5 Oct 2007 diags.efi

I can't pretend I know what any of that means 😁

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Answer 13

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Aug 2, 2013 6:15 AM in response to Rod Fryer

Those all look good.

d is for a Directory (a folder) - hyphen in front is for a file.

See this for a basic explanation.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2963

For ls -la (both a and l options are combined in this command.)

ls -l

(long) list the files with their characteristics (size, privs, owner, etc)

ls -a

list all files in the current directory (including those that would normally be invisible)

http://www.westwind.com/reference/os-x/commandline/navigation.html

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Answer 14

baltwo

Level 9

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Aug 2, 2013 12:04 PM in response to Rod Fryer

OK. WZZZ answered most of your queries. To correct the .diagnostics folder perms, run this in the terminal. At the Password: prompt, slowly type in your admin password, since nothing shows up on the screen, and hit the return key:

sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics

Then, restart and try booting into the AHT by holding down the D key.

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Answer 15

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Aug 2, 2013 12:12 PM in response to baltwo

I see I missed that. He needs to go to root/wheel from root/admin.

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