How to Fix ‘Mac Hard Disk Problems’ Issue – Guide
Mac storage drives, whether hard drives or solid state drives (SSDs), can fail due to file system corruption, defective sectors or aging components. To recover your Mac’s drive and data stored on it, you’ll need to use troubleshooting methods. Here are some free ways to do so.
If your Mac won’t boot up, you can use Disk Utility to repair the disk. To do so, start macOS Recovery mode and launch Disk Utility. The program will then scan the disk for errors and attempt to fix them.
Symptoms of a hard drive problem
The mechanical hard drive’s telltale sign of failure is a click or squeak. Once you hear it, the unit can’t be saved - time to back up your data and get a new one. Don’t forget: always have a backup!
Macs may sometimes display a prohibitive symbol or flashing folder with a question mark at startup, but restarting the system usually resolves the issue. In other cases, users may encounter the rainbow wheel spinning, indicating that their Mac is waiting for something.
If your Mac isn’t booting up properly, it could be due to the hard drive. You may see no symbol at startup or a folder with a question mark flashing. Restarting the Mac can often fix this issue, but sometimes you’ll get the rainbow wheel spinning, indicating that your Mac is waiting on the hard drive.
Diagnosing the Problem
Suspecting hard drive failure? Make a backup of your Mac now. Apple Disk Utility is the best place to start; restart your Mac and hold down the command key to enter recovery mode. Don’t proceed without attempting a backup first.
Rebooting your Mac may help fix any hard drive issues. To check for problems, open the OS X utility window and select Disk First Aid. This will test the hard drive and alert you to any errors or potential issues. If Disk Utility finds a problem, try rebooting again to see if it resolves the issue.
Restarting your Mac while holding down the D key will initiate a hardware diagnostic test, which can detect any issues with the hard drive or other components.
You may have a messy hard drive
When a Mac’s file system is disrupted by a failure or improper shutdown, Disk Utility may not be able to fix the problem. To restore order, third-party utility Disk Warrior can often provide a solution where Apple’s own tool fails. Additionally, Disk Warrior can perform further diagnostics on the unit.
To diagnose and repair your Mac, you’ll need to boot it with a Disk Warrior flash drive. The program creates a recovery drive and can detect errors on the hard disk, warning you if necessary. Once booted, it will repair and optimize the unit.
Sometimes it’s not the hard drive
If your Mac is still having issues after trying all the usual fixes, it could be something other than the hard drive. For MacBook Pros, a damaged ribbon cable connecting the hard drive to the rest of the computer may be to blame. Symptoms are similar to a failed hard drive, so try testing it on another Mac to determine if that’s really the issue.
Mac users may experience operating system errors, such as an interrupted update. To fix this, they can reinstall the OS from recovery mode without erasing any data.
Before you give up hope, try resetting the Mac’s System Management Controller (SMC) as per Apple’s instructions - it may be the solution to your problem.
What if you have a solid state drive?
SSDs are silent, with no moving parts, and the same testing procedures apply. However, they cannot be removed and tested on another machine like a mechanical hard drive. Programs such as Disk Warrior can be used to optimize SSDs.
Final note
If you’re having trouble with your Mac’s hard drive, this guide can help. Got questions? Reach out to us. And don’t forget to share the love by passing it along to your friends.
