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iMac Intel EMC2211
Do I need a OS disc after I have replaced my hard drive or can I boot up using my time machine backup disc? I ask because my IMAC did not come with OS disks when I purchased it. Also, is there a limit to the size of HD I can install on my IMAC, it is an EMC 2211?
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You're lucky as this was the last iMac that can still use a standard SATA hard drive, the newer ones require Apple only drives. If the new drive is one of the newer faster drives, you may need to jumper it down to 1.5. To do this just do a search for your drive model n umber and the word jumpers for information on the settings. You will need a system disk to format the drive, Call Apple with a credit card and your serial number and get an original installation disk for $15. With the disk you can install a system, do the updates and then use migration assistant to get your data from your backup. http://support.apple.com/kb/HE57
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Thanks to Mayer.
That was the information I was looking for.
I had a new WD 2TB and when I installed it I got white screen. Zapped the P-ram and started to get the "no" symbol and would not start in safe mode.
New 2tb drives can do 6Mbps and need to be jumpered down to 3Mbps.
In my case Jumper 3/4. These drives do not come with a jumper so I located an old 160GB IDE drive and borrowed its jumper.
Fixed
boots fine.
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Your iMac would usually come with an OSX installation disc, unless purchased as a used system from a retailer other than Apple or it is a new iMac with OSX Lion pre-installed. You can boot to your Time Machine drive if you hold down your Option key (Alt) at the iMac chime when switching on the system, you should then see your Time Machine as a listed bootable device. Select the drive by clicking once on the symbol and an arrow should appear underneath. Clicking this will then boot to the Time Machine.
Hope this helps,
Wes
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I thought it should have come with an install disc as well at the time, but didn't find one in the box, it was purchased at Best Buy and the OS was already installed when I unboxed the machine. Looking back I should have asked the retailer about it but was new to Mac at the time and didn't think to do so. Thanks for your response and yes, the info does help, Thank you so much! One other thing, I assume that if I can reboot from the Time machine disc, then I can load all the data from my Time Macine disc onto my newly installed hard drive and reboot from that going forward, correct?
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Starting in the fall of last year ('11) Apple no longer supplies an install DVD with any of the iMacs and laptops (systems with Lion).
What Apple has done is create a hidden partition on the hard disk to allow you to re-install the OS from the "Recovery HD Partition".
See Apple Support Doc: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4649
As you can see you don't need to re-build the hidden partition if you don't want it!
So if you want to exchange out your HD with a bigger unit with these newer systems you have two ways: with or without the hidden partition.
See Apple Support Doc: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433 Lion "Recovery Disk Assistant"
To setup with the recovery partition and/or install the OS you need to have an external drive case to install the new drive temporarily. Hookup up the external with your iMac run the recover disk assistant program then setup the OS and transfer your files using the Apple installer program (accesses software via the hidden partition on your original HD). If you don't want the hidden partition just jump over that step.
To double check things are working select the external as the boot drive and restart. If it comes up you can then swap it out with the internal. Now your new drive has a recovery partition if you installed it, the OS and your current files. Any 6Mbps SATA drive will work (I just put a 2TB drive in my system).
I would recommend getting a USB thumb drive to install the recover files to that way you'll always have tools available if you reformat your older drive (loosing the original files).
Older iMacs don't have the hidden partition (like yours) so your only issue is installing the OS once thats done and you've transferred your files swapping out the drive is all thats needed. Granted your limited to the current OS from your system as your doing a direct copy Vs a fresh install. If you want a fresh install you'll need to put you hands on a copy of the Install OS CD/DVD's (Leopard or Snow Leopard) or use the Lion install DVD on top of your transferred OS
As you have found out the older iMacs have the 3Gbps SATA bus not the newer 6Gbps SATA bus and needed to jumper down the drive.
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That's all well and good but how does it affect this user? This machine came out with OSX 10.5.2 installed.
As I stated you can do a direct copy of the files via the externally connected HD. As your doing a complete image of the current system there's no issues.
Once the HD has the files all you need to do here is bless the HD as being the startup disk and it should take control of the system via the FW or USB connection. Once you get to this point its just an issue of swapping the drives out.
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Apple iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.8 24-Inch (Early 2008) Specs
Identifiers: Early 2008 - MB325LL/A - iMac8,1 - A1225 - 2211
by mayer