AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 I'm hoping somebody can help me out. I have a Powerbook G4 Titanium w/ a failing hdd. I ran a test through SMART Utility and it came up "FAILING". What are my backup options? I have two external usb hdd but from what I've seen online in other places I get the impression that would be useless. What can I possibly do for backup now and reboot once I get a new hdd installed? Thanks ahead of time. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 Use CCC or superduper to clone your ready to die HDD (ASAP). ANY USB or Firewire HDD is OK to use. Even smaller ones are OK (as long as the amount of data to be copied IS THE SAME OR LESS AS THE TARGET DISK). Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574677 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Use CCC or superduper to clone your ready to die HDD (ASAP). ANY USB or Firewire HDD is OK to use. Even smaller ones are OK (as long as the amount of data to be copied IS THE SAME OR LESS AS THE TARGET DISK). Cloning/copying the hdd isn't the problem. My main concern is being able to boot once i have a new hdd installed. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574715 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Cloning/copying the hdd isn't the problem. My main concern is being able to boot once i have a new hdd installed.Both creates a BOOTABLE clone disk just specify the correct clone options. Checked myself (unfortunately). Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574760 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Both creates a BOOTABLE clone disk just specify the correct clone options. Checked myself (unfortunately). Even when it says that PowerPC Macintoshes aren't able to boot from a usb device? Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574764 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Take a screwdriver and remove the HDD from the USB HDD enclosure and install it to your Mac instead of the broken one... (provided they are of the same type (SATA or IDE)) Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574768 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Take a screwdriver and remove the HDD from the USB HDD enclosure and install it to your Mac instead of the broken one... (provided they are of the same type (SATA or IDE)) I didn't even think of doing it that way. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574769 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Also, if there are a hackintosh or a desktop Mac (in other words a computer where you can connect more then one HDD. OS X should also be present on the above computer). Connect both Failing HDD and a Target HDD. Clone. Disconnect. Install the clone drive back to Mac. If it works, say goodbye to your old HDD... Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574774 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Also, if there are a hackintosh or a desktop Mac (in other words a computer where you can connect more then one HDD. OS X should also be present on the above computer). Connect both Failing HDD and a Target HDD. Clone. Disconnect. Install the clone drive back to Mac. If it works, say goodbye to your old HDD... Cool. Much appreciated. Thank you. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1574776 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 So much for that idea. My external IDE HDD doesn't show up on the desktop or in disk utility. Most of the time it just makes a clicking sound. I had planned to copy everything to that drive then install it into the powerbook. Now what? Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1577881 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 So much for that idea. My external IDE HDD doesn't show up on the desktop or in disk utility. Most of the time it just makes a clicking sound. I had planned to copy everything to that drive then install it into the powerbook. Now what?You could also clone the disk on a desktop PC using Clonzilla/GpartedMagick Live CD (provided that the PC has two unused IDE connectors). You will need the same or bigger target HDD.As for doesn't show up on the desktop or in disk utility. Most of the time it just makes a clicking soundnot a good sign either... It is either a problem of the USB enclosure or the HDD itself. Perhaps you could try a different enclosure, if the problem repeat, get a different HDD.Also you can take the drive "I had planned to copy everything to" and install it to the Mac. Then boot to an OS X install DVD (if you have one). If the disk shows up in Disk Utility, then it is OK (though you may do "Verify Disk" just in case). Then do a clean install of OS X. Upon reboot connect the USB enclosure with the "failing" (the one from Mac) disk and do "Transfer... from another volume on this Mac" to copy all data, settings and applications. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1577978 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 You could also clone the disk on a desktop PC using Clonzilla/GpartedMagick Live CD (provided that the PC has two unused IDE connectors). You will need the same or bigger target HDD.As for not a good sign either... It is either a problem of the USB enclosure or the HDD itself. Perhaps you could try a different enclosure, if the problem repeat, get a different HDD. Also you can take the drive "I had planned to copy everything to" and install it to the Mac. Then boot to an OS X install DVD (if you have one). If the disk shows up in Disk Utility, then it is OK (though you may do "Verify Disk" just in case). Then do a clean install of OS X. Upon reboot connect the USB enclosure with the "failing" (the one from Mac) disk and do "Transfer... from another volume on this Mac" to copy all data, settings and applications. Unfortunately no install disc(s). Powerbook came preloaded with software. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1578019 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Unfortunately no install disc(s). Powerbook came preloaded with software.Obviously you should check the other options I've suggested then. Check if the USB enclosure is OK (if I remember correctly, you have two enclosures. If both acts the same way with the same HDD, probably HDD is not good) Check if the target disk is OK Check if USB socket on the Mac is functional (properly functional) If there is no way to get it done with your Mac+your HDD enclosure(s), use any PC with IDE connector (most have if not all) and clone the Mac disk to a working IDE disk using CloneZilla Live CD (or similar CD based tool). I remember having one disk with SMART check not passed. The problem was solved by zero-filing the drive and then formatting it again. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1578024 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Obviously you should check the other options I've suggested then. Check if the USB enclosure is OK (if I remember correctly, you have two enclosures. If both acts the same way with the same HDD, probably HDD is not good) Check if the target disk is OK Check if USB socket on the Mac is functional (properly functional) If there is no way to get it done with your Mac+your HDD enclosure(s), use any PC with IDE connector (most have if not all) and clone the Mac disk to a working IDE disk using CloneZilla Live CD (or similar CD based tool). I remember having one disk with SMART check not passed. The problem was solved by zero-filing the drive and then formatting it again. Thanks. I appreciate it. I'll let ya know what I come up with. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1578035 Share on other sites More sharing options...
feierdd Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Thanks. I appreciate it. I'll let ya know what I come up with. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1578046 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbinoBuffalow Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 Was finally able to backup my system and swap drives. I used CCC to copy everything to an external IDE which took a little while. Once that was finished I pulled the bad drive from the powerbook and put the new one in. It worked flawlessly. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235958-help-w-failing-hdd-potential-backup-options/#findComment-1588950 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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