If you take a look in /System/Library/CoreServices/.diagnostics you'll find the entire Apple Hardware Test installation. When you hold down 'D', the system looks for an EFI boot-loader that calls itself a diagnostic disc. If checks the optical drive first, and then the hard drives.

Its not embedded in the EFI itself. Its also not on another partition on your drive. Its just a folder in your /System folder.

Please Note: the .diagnostics folder will only exist if you are running the Mac OS X installation that came with your machine. If you have ever done an Erase & Install off a retail disc, then you will NOT have the .diagnostics folder.

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Pell

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Q1) Is it the case that newer machines no longer come with a optical test disc?

Q2) Are the diagnostic tools not available anywhere on the install disc?

If the answers are both no, what is a user supposed to do when it is time to replace the hard drive?

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Using a rusty Amiga 4000T & a shiny Mac PowerBook G4

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