sporry
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: Trying to recover after a hard drive replacement

guys,

i upgraded my old iMac 27" from late 2009 by replacing the HDD with a Samsung SSD 850PRO 1TB.

The mechanics are very easy. Didn't have any problems getting it in.

My problem is that i cannot get it to go into recover.

I tried making a bootable USB drive and do a fresh install, but that doesn't work. It got stuck at "one second remaining" (don't all installations do that?).

Im now attempting to use my time machine to do a restore. It's supposed to take 9+ hours (and still counting up).

Honestly I don't think this will work and I'm looking for advice here. Apparently hundreds if not thousands of people did this successfully with the exact same machine. I'd like to know why mine is different for some reason.

iMac (27-inch Late 2009), Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Aug 28, 2016 6:52 AM

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sporry

Q: Trying to recover after a hard drive replacement

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  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Aug 28, 2016 7:12 AM in response to sporry
    Level 10 (123,501 points)
    Aug 28, 2016 7:12 AM in response to sporry

    Do you have the original 10.6.x Install Disc to try to install that on the USB Stick?

     

    Can you run the Apple HW Test from the original Install Disc with the D key?

     

    Using Apple Hardware Test - Apple Support

  • by sporry,

    sporry sporry Aug 28, 2016 7:28 AM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 28, 2016 7:28 AM in response to BDAqua

    I Don't have the original discs anymore. i recently threw them out as everything is via internet nowadays.

    I Don't think it's a sudden hardware failure. It does start from USB and from time machine, and I can do disc utilities and erase the disk. The SSD is supposed to be compatible As others were successful In installing that on the same type Mac.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Aug 28, 2016 7:29 AM in response to sporry
    Level 9 (53,643 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 28, 2016 7:29 AM in response to sporry

    I don't think that model supports recovery mode.  Recovery at one level uses a special partition on the drive for recovery but since you have replaced the drive that does not exist. Internet recovery can be used on some model Macs but I believe yours pre-dates that and cannot even be upgraded to use it.

     

    Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - https://support.apple.com/HT202313

     

    If you use Time Machine over a USB connection I guess it could take a long time to restore depending upon how many files you had.

     

    I believe standard procedure with a Mac of that vintage is to use the original OSX installer disc (Snow Leopard) to install to the computer, then upgrade to the desired OSX.  Maybe you can use a USB installer but I have no experience with those and you might want to do a general web search to see how others have handled the problem.  If you still have the original drive you could try cloning it to the new drive:

     

    SuperDuper - http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html (shareware) - I believe this can be used in tiral mode in a manner that would meet your needs.

     

    The Restore function of Disk Utility included in OS X. Kappy's directions - http://discussions.apple.com/message/8799711#8799711

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Aug 28, 2016 7:34 AM in response to sporry
    Level 9 (53,643 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 28, 2016 7:34 AM in response to sporry

    Never throw away those discs. They are considered by Apple (and any new owner of the computer) to be as integral a component to the Mac as the video card. Should you wish to sell the Mac the next owner would need the disc for utilities it contains, plus any bundled software.  As you yourself are finding, you need them now.

  • by sporry,

    sporry sporry Aug 28, 2016 4:06 PM in response to sporry
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 28, 2016 4:06 PM in response to sporry

    Thanks for the suggestions Everyone.

    I Think I may still have the original disks tugged away somewhere.

    I Might not need them though. Looks like my overnight time machine restore worked.

     

    ITs it's funny how when you read upgrade instructions for your specific machine, that somehiw you always encounter something different.

     

    So, next project may be replacing the SuperDrive with a second hard drive (if that is possible).