Hard Drive Failure Controller Error iMac 6.1

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Level 1

5 points

Hard Drive Failure Controller Error iMac 6.1

I took a chance and bought a used iMac 6.1 24" for $80. The drive was whirring badly so it sounds failed. I used the included OSX 10.4 boot disk, and the installer process couldn't find a target drive. Started Disk Utility. The S.M.A.R.T. returned "unsupported". Neither erase, partition worked.

I got the last drive at the local Staples, a new 2TB Seagate (3Gb), it didn't work. I think it's not 1.5Gb/s compatible.

Started Disk Utility. The S.M.A.R.T. returned "Verifed". The Partition command failed with Partition Failed Input/Output Error.

So, I've now bought from OWC a new Seagate drive with 1.5Gb/s compatibility which was in their list of iMac 6.1 drives. Am waiting for UPS now.

500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 SATA 6Gb/s (3Gb/s & 1.5Gb/s backwards compatible) 7200RPM 3.5" Hard Drive with 16MB Buffer

But, in case, this new drive doesn't get recognized, how do I rule out the SATA controller?

I did run the Hardware Diagnostics and nothing showed.

Posted on May 21, 2015 4:34 PM

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Answer 1

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

May 21, 2015 7:39 PM in response to willbro9

I suppose you could try running the Apple Hardware Test Using Apple Hardware Test - Apple Support

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Answer 2

willbro9 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 6, 2015 2:24 PM in response to willbro9

Here is the solution to the problem of old Intel iMacs not accepting new hard drives internally, specifically getting I/O errors when trying to re-install the legacy OSX that came with the iMac. Note: This assumes that your drive is compatible (Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s, etc.)

Buy an external usb hard drive enclosure

Install legacy OSX (mine was OSX 10.4 Tiger)

Run Software updates

Buy OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard CD

Install 10.6 onto drive (still in enclosure)

Now put drive inside iMac, voila!

My iMac is a 6,1 - 2006 24" 2.16 gHz Intel Core 2 Duo

My drive is 500GB Seagate Barracuda 3.5-inch SATA 6.0Gb/s (3.0Gb/s and 1.5Gb/s backwards compatible) 7200RPM Hard Drive with 16MB Cache.

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