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IMac desk top - prohibitory symbol, I ran first aid main disk issue

Ok I ran the first aid check on all drives and the main one (top) Apple HDD results - " first aid found corruption that needs to be repaired. To repair the startup volume run first aid to repair"


I also tried reinstalling MacOs, but no drive shows up to select


I think I may need to erase this drive and reinstall MacOs, but was hoping there may be a way to save some of the files on this drive before erasing it and re-installing MacOs


Any suggestions would be welcomed thank you Craig



iMac Pro

Posted on Jun 24, 2022 4:24 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 24, 2022 9:49 AM

If you are referring to your startup drive, please restart in the Recovery Partition (hold down Command + R on startup) and open Disk Utilities there and execute First Aide. HOWEVER, your start up drive is likely failing and you either need to replace it, replace the computer or seek another alternative such as using an external SSD as your startup drive.


As you did not provide any specifics about which iMac you own we cannot make any suggestions for a direction for you to take. If you want to post back with that info (please be specific such as "2015 27" iMac with 7200 RPM hard drive and 8 GB RAM") so we can help.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 24, 2022 9:49 AM in response to CsmSmg

If you are referring to your startup drive, please restart in the Recovery Partition (hold down Command + R on startup) and open Disk Utilities there and execute First Aide. HOWEVER, your start up drive is likely failing and you either need to replace it, replace the computer or seek another alternative such as using an external SSD as your startup drive.


As you did not provide any specifics about which iMac you own we cannot make any suggestions for a direction for you to take. If you want to post back with that info (please be specific such as "2015 27" iMac with 7200 RPM hard drive and 8 GB RAM") so we can help.

Jun 24, 2022 11:21 AM in response to CsmSmg

Craig,


My recommendation is that you take the computer to your local independent Apple Authorized Service Provider to have the computer professionally diagnosed. If you do know of an independent Apple Authorized Service Provider please click Apple Authorized Service Provider Locator (AASP) & Genius Appointment and then click the Find an Apple Authorized Service Provider link. Then you can get a professional assessment. They will be able to tell you which model year iMac you own, if it is older than a 2017, I strongly recommend replacing it rather than spending money on it.


As you don't seem to have backed up the computer this means your data and apps will be gone. This will be lesson that operating ANY computer without a well thought out backup plan is a guarantee of lost data. Apple provide Time Machine with EVERY Mac, all the user has to do is provide an External Hard Disk such as a OWC Mercury Elite Pro to back up to. Many experienced users buy 2 EHDs, why to have redundant backups to ensure that if one backup fails they have another. Don't laugh, this happens every single day. The 2nd External Hard Disk is used to create a bootable clone using an app such as Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! After all, what value do you put on your photos, music, financial information, etc?

Jun 25, 2022 11:15 AM in response to CsmSmg

Any Mac with 8GB or more of RAM and the largest SSD you can afford, the minimum I would buy is a 512GB SSD however if your old Mac had a 1TB HD it would be wise on the new Mac to buy one with a 1TB SSD. Also purchase one with an M1 microprocessor. Apple has moved away from using Intel microprocessors and are using their own so move forward rather than trying to live in the past!!!


Prior to buying your new machine ensure all of your third party apps are 64 bit apps and will run on current versions of Mac OS which currently is Monterey. Once you have gotten the old machine in shape, create a current Time Machine backup and then when the new machine arrives follow the simple steps in Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant and your migration and experience will be great.

Jun 24, 2022 10:19 AM in response to CsmSmg

You are not following directions. The instructions I provided will tell you the model. year iMac you own, please check About this Mac again and you will find this information! However, on a 21.5" iMac that has a failing HD I would recommend that:


  1. Backup your computer NOW using Time Machine, your HD is failing and you need to protect your data!!!
  2. I recommend that you replace the computer with a new 24" iMac or an Apple Refurbished 24" iMac with the largest capacity SSD you can afford. Another option is to buy a new (or Apple refurbished) Mac mini with the largest SSD you can afford.
  3. Buy a USB 3 external SSD such as OWC Mercury On The Go Pro and a OWC On the Pro Go Power Adapter and use a cloning app such as SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the internal HD to the new SSD. Then use the external SSD as your startup drive.

Jun 24, 2022 10:59 AM in response to rkaufmann87

I cant even get into the computer when I start up my computer I get the prohibitory sign. I then shut my computer down, turn it back on and hold down the command key and the R key. Eventually the screen shows me the macOS utilities, I go to the apple and I do not have the option of selecting About this Mac, my only choices under the apple are start up Disk, Restart or shutdown.


I do have 4 options under macOS utilities which are are restore from time machine, which I dont believe I even set this up because there is nothing there to restore from (lesson learned that wont happen again)


My next option is reinstall macOS I tried this but there where no drive to select.


I also can get into Get help on line - this is how I found the apple community


My final choice is Disk utility.

  • I select show all devices and run first aid - the Disk IMages devices all pass
  • the main one (500 GB HD) fails and I get the message below once first aid is finished
  • "first aid found corruption that needs to be repaired. To repair the startup volume run first aid to repair. to repair run first aid from recovery"


I appreciate you trying but it appears to be a lost cause as I was hoping to get some data off the hard drive before erasing it and reinstalling macOS, but that doesnt sound like the right thing to do since it appears the hard drive has failed


I dont have about this Mac available to get you more info on this computer


I cant even find the serial number that may help in finding some of the details about this machine


Again I do appreciate you trying to help and if you have any other suggestions please feel free to share


Thank you Craig


Jun 24, 2022 10:20 AM in response to rkaufmann87

Yes I held down the command and r and the MacOs utilities came up went to disk utility and ran first aid and the HD, the main HD cam back with the message above " " first aid found corruption that needs to be repaired. To repair the startup volume run first aid to repair. to repair run first aid from recovery"


How do I run first aid from recovery


Also When I click on the Apple symbol my only choices are start up Disk Restart or shutdown, nothing else



IMac desk top - prohibitory symbol, I ran first aid main disk issue

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