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So I would like to know if it is possible to diagnose and install new OSX using blank SSD in an iMac that has broken LCD and no hard drive?

I bought this iMac out of auction where you cant test anything and buy as-is, and looks like I'm in deep trouble as the display doesn't work and it has no hard drive. The iMac chimes with Apple sound when turned on so that tells me motherboard is working.

gfdsal
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1 Answers1

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Yes it is possible to diagnose and install macOS on an iMac with a broken LCD and missing hard drive.

The iMac all-in-ones from that vintage has a mini Display Port for a second display. It supports Leopard through El Capitan. Here’s what you’ll need at a minimum:

  • A mini display port to VGA, DVI, or HDMI adapter, depending on the monitor you’re hooking up to.
  • A bootable USB - either an installer or a USB with a full installation on it. You can create an installer by following one of the many guides found online. If you want to use the full install, you’ll need to install macOS to a USB flash (64GB is sufficient) or a USB hard drive.

As for a keyboard, I’m assuming it comes with one, but if it doesn’t, you don’t need an Apple one; a cheap USB keyboard will work fine. Just remember, the “Windows” and “Alt” keys are the Command and Option keys, respectively.

Allan
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  • Makes so much sense. So the followup question is does the bootloader automatically shifts to second monitor connected by VGA or HDMI or the operating system has to be loaded first and from there we can use maybe a keyboard shortcut? I mean to say that when the power button is pressed, will iMac automatically show the boot options which are necessary to install the OSX into external monitor? – gfdsal Feb 27 '20 at 13:45
  • It will mirror, by default, the same way a PC does. – Allan Feb 27 '20 at 13:48
  • @Allan: Is there something special about 2009 iMacs? I ask because I currently have a 2007 iMac with a second monitor connected using a DVI jack. When I boot from a USB El Capitan installer, the displays do not mirror. I can drag the initial window to the second monitor, but the initial window does not appear by default on the second monitor. Also the menu bar remains on the builtin display regardless of where the initial window resides. Opening the Disk Utility results in the Disk Utility appearing only on the builtin display. – David Anderson Feb 27 '20 at 15:50
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    @DavidAnderson I don’t know about special, but I did this exact thing with a 2010 iMac I bought from a government surplus store that had a physically broken LCD – Allan Feb 27 '20 at 15:56
  • @Allan looks like we are on the same boat. I also purchased from the government discarded items auction :) – gfdsal Feb 27 '20 at 21:31
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    Here’s to hoping you are as lucky with your purchase as I was! :-) – Allan Feb 28 '20 at 00:04
  • My comment was wrt a 2006 iMac with an internal display that is going bad. Like the 2007, the 2006 does not mirror when an external display is connected. If Allan is correct, then all I would have to do is disconnect the internal display and this would cause the external display to become the main display. – David Anderson Feb 28 '20 at 00:23
  • @DavidAnderson im not sure that disconnecting the internal display will switch the logic to automatically make external display as main display. But if the cost is not a burden then we can always give it a try. – gfdsal Feb 28 '20 at 13:38
  • @Allan please see if this question could be of value. – gfdsal Apr 25 '20 at 18:35
  • I actually started researching it yesterday because it piqued my interest. I don’t know the answer, but I’ll try to find out – Allan Apr 25 '20 at 19:17