My computer has been slow for some time, and when I restart (which I try not to do at this point), it has a tough time starting up. Sometimes I have to restart more than 1x. Someone suggested Etrecheck, so I ran it, and this was listed under 'major issues'.
Is my computer still serviceable? I would love to have a new HD installed, but I'm not sure it's even worth it.
[Edited by Moderator]
iMac 27″, macOS 15.6
khlota wrote:
Thank you:) My husband is a Sr Network Engineer and believes he can change the hard drive for me. I’ve thought about getting an external drive for backups as well. Do you think that with Time Machine is better than an offsite service? I’ve actually never used Time Machine :)
Time Machine works, both locally to directly-attached storage, and to a NAS, and various NAS options can then back up offsite. There are local apps that can back up local data remotely, though I’m less certain about the ease of use and particularly re-installing and recovering from those backups. Recovering files and documents sure, but not so certain about restoring everything and then booting. Time Machine can be used for restoring files and documents, and also for restoring macOS and also migrating to a re-installed or a new Mac.
Time Machine is free, works, deeply integrated with restores and replacements, and supports mixes of multiple local and remote backup targets.
As for NAS hardware choices, there are various previous discussions around here, and Ubiquiti UNAS options (your spouse might like that choice and its integration with other Ubiquiti networking gear, too) and Synology are common choices, and FreeNAS and UGreen and other choices exist. (Synology is reportedly again allowing third-party HDDs with DSM 7.3.) Whatever NAS you pick must support Time Machine server and SMB.
Getting at the internal iMac hard drive for the repair is the hassle. There are tools available, and at least one third-party teardown and third-party service manual document. Search for fix it Mac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 or such. Yeah, yours is a 27”, and not a 21.5”. Search for that 21.5” anyway.
For the internaI hardware swap, I would install an SSD and not an HDD (why-so-slow link below), and would not configure the new SSD into a Fusion.
But if somebody here does choose to install another HDD and not an SSD: How to fix a split Fusion Drive - Apple Support (downside: if the SSD is what has failed here, that’s AFAIK not repairable this side of a mainboard replacement. Which is probably too much of an time-and-materials investment for a 2019 iMac.)
Follow caveats around properly handing electronic devices, including hazardous voltages and anti-static practices, etc.
Far and away the easiest replacement approach with the iMac is to install an external SSD, and migrate to and boot and run from that pending Mac replacement. (Article below.) When the iMac is eventually retired, the external SSD can be re-used. This in addition to whatever external HDD or NAS is used for backups.
Please post the entire EtreCheckPro report, as per > How to use the Add Text Feature When Post… - Apple Community
khlota wrote:
Thank you:) My husband is a Sr Network Engineer and believes he can change the hard drive for me. I’ve thought about getting an external drive for backups as well. Do you think that with Time Machine is better than an offsite service? I’ve actually never used Time Machine :)
I would suggest doing both the off-site backup and a Time Machine backup.
John Galt wrote:
…The thermal sensor, bracket, and tools are required. Tools are generic though.
BTW: the I Fix It tool sets are some of the best-quality tools I’ve worked with.
I picked up the Pro Tech kit a while back, and — unlike many other tools available — the tools didn’t fail after a few uses.
Too many of the alternative sets approximated single-use pot metal, and quickly rounded off.
Those (and a security bit set) are useful for all sorts of mayhem, including repairing various Macs, and other gear.
Sorry, I didn't think the full report was necessary but I'm happy to share ;)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Uc_jr8hrOSDbhIEblJWp4Hg5riQMbB58/view?usp=sharing
I also have backups. I use Backblaze for off-site backup and my husband has a NAS that I use as an extra bkup.
Thank you:) My husband is a Sr Network Engineer and believes he can change the hard drive for me. I’ve thought about getting an external drive for backups as well. Do you think that with Time Machine is better than an offsite service? I’ve actually never used Time Machine :)
etresoft wrote:
HWTech wrote:
diskutil info -plist /dev/disk0 smartctl -A /dev/disk0
MEDIA_ERRORS_0 "Media and Data Integrity Errors"
NUM_ERROR_INFO_LOG_ENTRIES_0 "Error Information Log Entries"
The "Error Information Log Entries" is a count of extended error log entries the drive has stored which can include more details about the errors. Any non-zero entry indicates something wrong is going on with the SSD.
Thanks for the tip!
But what about MEDIA_ERRORS_1 and NUM_ERROR_INFO_LOG_ENTRIES_1?
All those _1 entries are a bit of a mystery.
I don't know. They both had zeroes.
I wonder if they are for a different name space on the NVMe SSDs? I know the Linux "nvme" utility has an option for most commands including the "smart-log" command to reference a particular namespace on the SSD if the SSD supports multiple namespaces.
Also, Remember it is Apple here so it may just be an oversight.
FYI, the "smartctl" command doesn't have more than a single one of those health attributes listed so I'm thinking it is an Apple thing with those seconds items "_1".
Sorry, I didn't think the full report was necessary but I'm happy to share ;)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Uc_jr8hrOSDbhIEblJWp4Hg5riQMbB58/view?usp=sharing
I posted a link to the full-report above!
I use Backblaze for off-site backup and my husband has a NAS that I use as an extra bkup.
I added a link to the full report below.
I have bkups-see other reply with info and full report
👍
I did not intend to imply their tools were anything but high quality — I simply meant OP's husband may already have what he needs.
May I ask if you/anyone has specific recommendations for an external hard drive? Before I google.... :)
khlota wrote:
May I ask if you/anyone has specific recommendations for an external hard drive? Before I google.... :)
For… internal, or external? Capacity?
I’ve been buying a mix of Seagate externals and WD (formerly HGST) He DC bare drives, RAID and NAS. But that is likely not what you want here.
But you want an SSD here, not an HDD.
If you want internal, or an external SSD, I’d see what OWC (MacSales) has on offer.
OWC will have options that will work with Macs, and with support and documentation.
Etrecheck says 'Failing hard drive - SMART status failing'
