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Is my hard drive failing?

I suspect my hard drive is showing signs of dying. I have noticed that some files that I download are 'corrupt' and they wont open. Also, at times my iMac suddenly freezes for no reason with the rolling coloured ball and the only way to get out of it is by switching the iMac off. I have tried see if there's an issue by running First Aid in Disk Utility and what ends up happening is everything freezes up and I have to switch the iMac off from the back.

Can anyone tell me how I can check the health status of my hard drive and see if it needs replacing?

Posted on Jun 23, 2016 5:27 AM

Reply
15 replies

Jun 23, 2016 8:31 AM in response to Rudegar

S.M.A.R.T may pick up a disk problem as Rudegar says. But if it reports "the disk appears OK" then it would be helpful to download and run EtreCheck, created by one of own helpers here in ASC. It is a diagnostic tool that's very useful to us in finding problems. Also it will give us further specs on your Mac. After it runs post the log file here. It will contain no personal information.

Jun 23, 2016 9:00 AM in response to philcool

philcool wrote:


if he/she has an apple care people will not waste their time by asking here! they will go directly to apple store😝

Not everyone in the world lives in easy distance to an Apple Store. And, in my area, appointments can sometimes take days to get. Sometimes, people can get help here faster. The OP is not wasting their time or the forum's.

Jun 23, 2016 9:07 AM in response to macjack

Here is the EtreCheck log: (great software btw!)


EtreCheck version: 2.9.12 (265)

Report generated 2016-06-24 02:03:18

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 6:34

Performance: Below Average


Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.

Click the [Remove] links to remove adware.


Problem: Beachballing


Hardware Information:

iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

iMac - model: iMac9,1

1 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n


Video Information:

NVIDIA GeForce 9400 - VRAM: 256 MB

iMac 1920 x 1200


System Software:

OS X El Capitan 10.11.5 (15F34) - Time since boot: about one day


Disk Information:

WDC WD20EARS-00S8B1 disk0 : (2 TB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 2.00 TB (7.97 GB free) (Low!)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB


HL-DT-ST DVDRW GA11N ()


USB Information:

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Western Digital Elements 10B8 2 TB

Time Machine (disk2s1) /Volumes/Time Machine : 2.00 TB (248.14 GB free)

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

TDK LoR Gold 3.0 15.49 GB

masOS (disk1s1) /Volumes/masOS : 15.48 GB (15.44 GB free)

Apple Inc. iPhone


Configuration files:

/etc/hosts - Count: 1


Gatekeeper:

Anywhere


Adware:

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.spigot.ApplicationManager.plist

~/Library/Safari/Extensions/Quitelex.safariextz

2 adware files found. [Remove]


Kernel Extensions:

/Applications/Parallels Desktop.app

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.hypervisor (11.2.0 32581 - SDK 10.9 - 2016-06-10) [Support]

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.netbridge (11.2.0 32581 - SDK 10.9 - 2016-06-10) [Support]

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.usbconnect (11.2.0 32581 - SDK 10.9 - 2016-06-10) [Support]

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.vnic (11.2.0 32581 - SDK 10.9 - 2016-06-10) [Support]


/Library/Application Support/Roxio

[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (1.6 - 2014-10-18) [Support]


/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] foo.tap (20111101 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[loaded] foo.tun (20111101 - 2016-06-09) [Support]


/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (1.6.6 - SDK 10.6 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchAfaTech (1.1 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchCinergy450 (1.1 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchCinergyXS (1.1 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchEmpia (1.1 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchVoyager (1.1 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.eyetv.ClassicNotSeizeDriver (1.1.2 - 2016-06-09) [Support]

[not loaded] net.telestream.driver.IODVDImage (1.0.0.71 - 2016-06-09) [Support]


Startup Items:

tap: Path: /Library/StartupItems/tap

tun: Path: /Library/StartupItems/tun

WDMyBookServiceStartupItem: Path: /Library/StartupItems/WDMyBookServiceStartupItem

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite


System Launch Agents:

[not loaded] 8 Apple tasks

[loaded] 147 Apple tasks

[running] 83 Apple tasks


System Launch Daemons:

[not loaded] 45 Apple tasks

[loaded] 156 Apple tasks

[running] 89 Apple tasks


Launch Agents:

[loaded] com.citrix.AuthManager_Mac.plist (2015-03-17) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-03-03) [Support]

[running] net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist (2011-10-01) [Support]


Launch Daemons:

[loaded] com.DesignScience.DSMTTool.plist (2014-10-21) [Support]

[failed] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-05-10) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (2016-03-03) [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist (2015-03-07) [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Agent.plist (2015-11-04) [Support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist (2016-04-11) [Support]

[loaded] com.rockysandstudio.WUHelper.plist (2015-09-04) [Support]

[failed] com.vmware.launchd.vmware.plist (2009-04-08) [Support]

[running] io.hideme.mac.plist (2014-08-31) [Support]

[loaded] io.hideme.mac.tun.plist (2014-11-10) [Support]

[failed] net.privatetunnel.ptcore.plist (2014-02-05) [Support]


User Launch Agents:

[running] com.spigot.ApplicationManager.plist (2015-06-17) Adware! [Remove]

~/Library/Application Support/Spigot/ApplicationManager

[running] com.vladalexa.MagicPrefs.plist (2016-06-22) [Support]


User Login Items:

Safari Application (/Applications/Safari.app)

iTunes Application (/Applications/iTunes.app)

Mail Application (/Applications/Mail.app)

Displaperture Application (/Applications/Displaperture.app)

Transmission Application (/Applications/Transmission.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Google Drive Application (/Applications/Google Drive.app)

Messages Application (/Applications/Messages.app)

Nutrition Plan Microsoft Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm) (~/Documents/Health/Nutrition Plan.xlsm)

Notes Application (/Applications/Notes.app)

WhatsApp Application (/Applications/WhatsApp.app)


Other Apps:

[loaded] WhatsApp.135072

[running] com.getdropbox.dropbox.83232

[running] com.google.GoogleDrive.48672

[running] com.manytricks.Displaperture.48032

[loaded] com.microsoft.Excel.54432

[running] com.vladalexa.MagicPrefs.MagicPrefsPlugins.89312

[running] jp.co.canon.cijscannerregister.90592

[running] org.m0k.transmission.59872

[loaded] 409 Apple tasks

[running] 212 Apple tasks


Internet Plug-ins:

NPDjVu: Unknown (2015-06-17) [Support]

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-05-19)

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 (2014-09-29) [Support]

PrintDialogExt: 6.1 (2008-06-17) [Support]

Silverlight: 5.1.41212.0 - SDK 10.6 (2016-01-17) [Support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.242 - SDK 10.6 (2016-06-12) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-05-19)

Flash Player: 21.0.0.242 - SDK 10.6 (2016-06-12) Outdated! Update

iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 - SDK 10.8 (2012-08-10)

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.2.1 - SDK 10.6 (2012-05-01) [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: 9.1.0 (2009-02-28) [Support]

ContentUploaderPlugin: 1.2 (2007-12-12) [Support]

JavaAppletPlugin: 15.0.1 - SDK 10.11 (2012-12-13) Check version


Safari Extensions:

Open in Internet Explorer - Parallels - http://www.parallels.com (2016-06-10)

YoutubeWide - Pedrocc - http://www.pedrocc.com/safari (2010-06-11)

macfest (2015-07-23)

Social Fixer-1 - Matt Kruse - http://SocialFixer.com/ (2013-06-24)

Best YouTube Downloader - Neobars (2015-01-18)

1Password - AgileBits - https://agilebits.com/onepassword (2016-05-21)

Adblock Plus - Eyeo GmbH - https://adblockplus.org/ (2016-03-26)

Quitelex - Quitelex - http://www.quitelex.com/faq#quitelex (2015-07-23) Adware! [Remove]


3rd Party Preference Panes:

Flash Player (2016-05-10) [Support]

Flip4Mac WMV (2013-03-30) [Support]

MagicPrefs (2012-10-18) [Support]

Perian (2011-07-24) [Support]


Time Machine:

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh: Disk size: 2.00 TB Disk used: 1.99 TB

Destinations:

Time Machine [Local]

Total size: 2.00 TB

Total number of backups: 75

Oldest backup: 14/11/2015, 12:32 AM

Last backup: 24/06/2016, 1:36 AM

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 2.00 TB < (Disk used 1.99 TB X 3)


Top Processes by CPU:

4% Transmission

1% com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(7)

1% WindowServer

0% Google Drive

0% kernel_task


Top Processes by Memory:

1.14 GB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(7)

770 MB kernel_task

434 MB softwareupdated

401 MB Safari

238 MB WhatsApp Helper(2)


Virtual Memory Information:

68 MB Free RAM

8.18 GB Used RAM (1.58 GB Cached)

126 MB Swap Used


Diagnostics Information:

Jun 22, 2016, 10:37:02 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Word_2016-06-22-223702_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]

/Applications/Microsoft Word.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft Word

Jun 22, 2016, 06:43:29 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/HideMeService_2016-06-22-184329_[redacted].cras h

/usr/local/bin/HideMeService

Jun 22, 2016, 06:43:28 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/HideMeService_2016-06-22-184328_[redacted].cras h

Jun 22, 2016, 06:41:23 PM Self test - passed

Jun 23, 2016 9:28 AM in response to erahi

Also uninstall MacKeeper

While not specifically malware, MacKeeper is specifically carpware. It has borked many Macs


Manual Uninstall Mackeeper


1. Open MacKeeper.

2. Quit MacKeeper.

3. Open the Applications folder and drag MacKeeper to the Trash.

4. Enter your admin password.

5. A pop-up window appears asking if you want to Uninstall the rest of the components.

6. Click Uninstall MacKeeper.

7. Choose Go > Go to Folder from Finder.

8. Enter ~/Library/Application Support.

9. Find a file called NoticeEngine.plugin. Drag it to the Trash.

10.Restart your Mac (Apple > Restart).

Is my hard drive failing?

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