Hardware Test not Working (iMac-El Capitan)

Question

Level 1

95 points

Hardware Test not Working (iMac-El Capitan)

I am having some strange 'slow-downs' in my system. Some documents, sometimes internet connection, safari not loading, take ages to load.

Some documents are large which may be a reason. My iMac is a relative new mac with 32 GB ram, so there should not be a problem.

Internet connection seems fine as well.

I try to load the hardware test.

First, as I remembered doing I restart holding down the option key, to load disk first aid - this should lead me to tools installed on the hidden partition. … It does not. Maybe this is organised different in the latest os?

option-D does not work either!

I made a usb-startup'disk' when installing 10.11 for the first time to be able to repair and load/install at a later stage.

My version of os is now 10.11.3.

In the system settings it does not see this disk as a startup-disk. However, when I load from it, it starts the installer.

I 're-instaled the system (overnight), … I did not know what it did: in previous versions there was choice. Now, in the morning, all seems to work fine again. Still I want to do the hardware test.and still this is not working!

In the disk-aidprogram I cannot se the separate (hidden) partition anymore.

Is there something to worry about here?

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 2.7 GHz intel i5 core 27 inch

Posted on Jan 21, 2016 1:45 AM

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Answer 1

jeremy_v

Community Specialist

Jan 22, 2016 9:21 AM in response to Jo!

Hi Jo!

It looks like you had some strange 'slow-downs' on your iMac, but everything is working fine after reinstalling OS X. Is that right?

If so, I don't believe you have anything to worry about in this case.

You can start up to Apple Diagnostics / Apple Hardware Test by holding down the D key when starting your Mac. See OS X El Capitan: Use Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test for more information.

Holding down Option will let you choose a startup disk on your Mac, but may not show hidden volumes. This is mentioned in How to choose a startup disk on your Mac:

Depending on the Mac you are using and the version of OS X that is installed, the Recovery System volume (Recovery HD) might not show up in Startup Manager. Press Command-R during startup to start your Mac from the Recovery System.

Additionally, the Option-D key command at startup will try to load Apple Diagnostics / Apple Hardware Test from the Internet. See Startup key combinations for Mac for more information on key commands.

Sincerely.

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Answer 2

ezkl2230

Level 1

8 points

Aug 31, 2016 1:38 PM in response to jeremy_v

Jeremy you seem to have missed the point of her question. Yes she's having slowdowns; I'm experiencing that myself. The problem is, as she said, holding down the D key while rebooting or the option D key does not bring up the diagnostics. I am having exactly the same problem. I boot my computer, I listened for the chime, I press the D key, and it goes to the sign in screen as it always does without bringing up the diagnostics. I have also tried pressing the option D keys while booting up, again after waiting for the chime, and again, the computer goes directly to the sign in screen without ever bring up the diagnostics. THAT is the main problem about which she is writing, and I am experiencing exactly the same problem with a fresh load of el capitan on my mid2007 imac.

We need to figure out why the diagnostics are not coming up as they are supposed to when depressing the proper key combinations.

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Answer 3

iW00

Level 6

8,542 points

Aug 31, 2016 2:30 PM in response to ezkl2230

@ezkl2230, as per Using Apple Hardware Test - Apple Support most likely you need access to Installation Discs that came with your Mac.

Some Macintosh computers that shipped with OS X Lion and later support the use of Apple Hardware Test over the Internet. These computers will start up to an Internet-based version of AHT if the hard drive does not contain AHT. An Internet-enabled connection via Ethernet or Wi-Fi is required to use this feature. Internet-based AHT functions the same as AHT on the hard drive or flash storage outlined above.

Using Apple Hardware Test on computers with OS X v10.7 and earlier

AHT is located on the Applications Install Disc 2 and should be included with your computer or the MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive on a MacBook Air (Late 2010). To start AHT on these computers make sure the Applications Install Disc 2 is inserted into the built-in optical drive, external Apple Superdrive, or for the MacBook Air (Late 2010) be sure the MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive is inserted into a USB port. Then, follow steps 1-6 outlined in the previous section of this article.

@Jo!

Try to use ALT+D when booting your Mac.

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Answer 4

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Aug 31, 2016 2:57 PM in response to iW00

You have a fusion drive (can tell by the 1.11TB max storage listed). On a fusion drive, commands like "alt" for alternative boot menu at startup don't work. I don't think "d" or "alt-d" work either for Apple system diagnostics on a fusion drive.

I don't use CoreStorage (the thing behind a fusion drive) so I can't test this. You could try "command-alt-d" at start up, but I don't think that will help. Worth a shot I guess.

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