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Level 1

5 points

erased macintosh hd and recovery hd

Hi, I was installing Window's XP on my 2009 iMac by booting up from Windows XP CD, did not use Disk Utility as it does not support XP. I was able to install it, but then don't have any of the driver, so my iMac is mute and dumb, and could not go online… :-( When I try to boot from OSX, I found to my horror that Both the Macintosh HD and Recovery HD are gone! When I hit Option while booting, Windows HD is the only hd showing. So now it only boot up into Windows XP, and holding Command and R key does not get the iMac into recovery mode either. And I don't have any cd with the iMac. I spent all day today trying to figure out how to get my OSX back, but nothing worked… Please help me, Thank you very much!!! -Ming

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Mar 29, 2015 4:16 PM

41 replies

yinming Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 30, 2015 7:50 PM in response to SeaPapp

I got it done just by dumb luck, before seeing your post.

By the way Mike, do you know much about iMac freezing up? It is really annoying

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Mar 30, 2015 8:32 PM in response to yinming

Expand on "freezing up". With a fresh install of OS X and no third party software you're looking at a hardware failire, probably hard disk.

Mar 30, 2015 9:01 PM in response to yinming

Why would you ever do that? A mac is not a PC! Think of the money you could save, sell the MAC and take your new found wealth and buy that cheap PC that you dream of

yinming Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 4, 2015 1:06 PM in response to SeaPapp

Mike, need your help again... The Snow Leopard I installed worked fine for a few days, but when I try to update it to OSX 10.6.8, it failed to install (finished downloading). Then I used disk utility to erase the harddrive and try to re-install Snow Leopard. However, it is not installing. about 30 minutes into the installation, I will get a message saying there was an error in installation, and ask me to re-start the computer and re-install. Happened several times.

Please help! Thanks!!!

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Apr 4, 2015 1:30 PM in response to yinming

I'm going to guess that since you mentioned freezing also that the hard drive is failing.

yinming Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 4, 2015 2:32 PM in response to SeaPapp

Funny it worked all of a sudden! Thanks Mike. Happy Easter's!

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Apr 4, 2015 3:09 PM in response to yinming

All of the sudden? I don't know about that since you said it's been freezing up. Remember I said that I was guessing. It's impossible to diagnose a hardware problem online, but when I start adding things up it seems like you're having drive problems. Your best bet would be to take it to the nearest Apple Store or AASP and at least get a diagnostic and estimate.

Happy Easter to you too!

yinming Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 11, 2015 9:28 AM in response to SeaPapp

I bought this used. The previous owner did take it to Apple store, and they couldn't find anything wrong on the hardware... Seems like freezing up is a common problem for 2009 iMac...

Anyway, it is working with Snow Leopard now, better than Yosemite at least, not freezing up as much. But the wireless keyboard is acting funny, volume keys not working, oh well...

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Apr 11, 2015 9:41 AM in response to yinming

Most problems with the wireless keyboards are "solved" by putting in a new battery, even when the existing one is not exhausted.

Apr 11, 2015 11:02 AM in response to yinming

I have a 2009 iMac, never ever froze up, not even once! Won't even break down, I'd like it to so I could get a Mac Mini BUT this one keeps going. Your problems started when you tried to PC it, it is not a PC.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 11, 2015 11:24 AM in response to yinming

yinming wrote:

I bought this used. The previous owner did take it to Apple store, and they couldn't find anything wrong on the hardware... Seems like freezing up is a common problem for 2009 iMac...

No, it is a problem with your Mac, one that should be investigated before you lose data.

erased macintosh hd and recovery hd