The data on your Apple® computer is stored on the hard drive. You should check on this vital part of your Mac® from time to time to ensure it’s running efficiently and avoid any sudden issues that could prevent the computer from starting altogether. This general maintenance task will also alert you when it’s time to perform hard drive repairs or take additional measures. Here’s what you should know.

How to Check Your Mac's Hard Drive

Apple makes it simple for users to check the hard drive with just a few clicks. Using Spotlight, search for Disk Utility. Next, select the drive that you want to check from the list on the right. Finally, click First Aid and wait for the prompt box to appear on the screen. 

The system will ask you to confirm by clicking Run.  A box will appear informing you that the program will begin checking the hard drive for any errors and inform you that it will perform any necessary repairs.

How to Repair the Hard Drive

If Disk Utility identifies any errors related to the hard drive’s directory structure or formatting, it will repair those issues. However, before running hard drive repairs, make sure your computer is recently backed up in case there are any damaged files you need to recover later or any errors detected that can’t be repaired. 

How to Use Recovery Mode

If Disk Utility detects anything it can’t fix, you can reformat the drive and restore your system to its factory settings. First, try the repair process again to confirm that it isn’t possible to fix. Then, make sure everything is backed up. 

You can now reformat the drive by starting your Mac in Recovery Mode by pressing the Option key as the system boots, then selecting Recovery followed by Disk Utility, View, and Show All Devices. The next step is to select the drive, click Erase, then click Scheme. 

Choose GUID Partition Map from the menu, then highlight the Format menu and choose the file system format. Type in a name, select Erase, and choose Done. 

If you seek a reliable specialist for repairs or maintenance on your Mac, turn to the team at Experimax Portsmouth. Proudly serving clients throughout Rockingham County, NH, these experts specialize in hard drive repair, virus removal, and computer maintenance for a wide range of Apple products, and they also offer PC repair services. Visit them online for more information about their services or call (603) 501-0410 to speak with a team member.