MacBook Startup, unrecognized hard drive.
I have a MacBook from early 2008 (2.4MHz, Black, Penryn). On start-up, get a flashing folder with a question mark in it. Google and some troubleshooting indicate that this means the OS can't find the start-up volume. I have systematically explored the causes and can provide the following info from symptoms/ diagnostic tests. I've already sunk $100 USD into my diagnosis and can recover about $50 of it in the form of a shiny new 500 GB external hard drive. What I'd like to know is, what other options remain to try to restore the laptop to an operating condition that (somewhat) closely reflects the original "notebook" state (without the startup drive being some sort of USB dongle). Are there some Terminal tricks that I could use to make the OS recognize the internal hard drive?
I can't start up from the original internal hard disk with the OS installed. I can start up from the original OS DVD (DVD drive is OK). The Disk Utility and Startup Disk applications run from the startup DVD do not recognize that an internal hard drive exists (no serial ATA volume is recognized; possible boot volumes are the DVD and a Network drive only). A brand new hard drive (500GB) in lieu of the original 250 GB drive is also not recognized by both applications.
The computer can boot to the Mac OS from the original drive installed in an external USB HD case. It cannot boot from the BootCamp Windows XP partition in the external USB case. Aside: I realize that I can run the MacBook for the remainder of it's life via the USB connected hard drive, but I have some applications on the BootCamp partition that I would still like to access and don't have the installation disks to put these apps on an alternate virtual machine.
Based on this behavior, I concluded that the cable from the logic board to the hard drive was faulty. Replacing the cable with a new one does not solve the problem. The original 250 GB drive with the Mac OS and BootCamp partitions remains unrecognizable.
I have run the hardware diagnostics tests from the Mac OS X startup DVD (hold down 'd' on startup- or some other letter as reported on the disk). Both the simple and extended tests report no hardware problems. The laptop did suffer a "thermal" incident (24 hours doing an intensive numeric calculation at 95 degrees C). Beginning three months later, the use of some keys on the keyboard began to wane (first the option and left arrow; later the letter "K"). The failed letter "K" is directly above the logic board connections for the display, optical and hard drives.
If the cable is brand new and the drive is not faulty (boots from USB), then is there a way to use the Terminal Application from the Startup OS DVD to test if the logic board recognizes a "port/connection" to the internal hard disk? If there is nothing wrong with the logic board port (hardware test passes), then can I force the OS to auto mount the internal drive by changing a mount point or something like that?
Thank you,
Aric
Check and make sure your hard drive is connected. Sometimes they can loosen due to movement of the computer. However, from what you wrote, I'm sure your HD is dead. I just went through the process myself. It isn't that hard to do yourself.
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Message was edited by: Mikedamirault2
Reason for edit: Paragraph Spacing18tracks, a KB is small, Ill give you that, but the reply you typed alone, if copied to TextEdit and saved in TXT or RTF format should only be several bytes (under a KB), I have Java and Class files with plenty more text in it and they only range from 1KB to 8KBs, way below 30KB, though if I were to save this webpage as an HTML file, then yes, it would probably get close
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Recently, my mid-2009 MacBook Pro has been crashing when I close the screen ("it's having a problem recognizing when the screen is closed/open and deciding what to do, error overload etc."). It wasn't an SMC issue so I took it to an Apple Store, ran some tests, and decided my hard-drive is failing.
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Model: mid-2009 13'' MacBook Pro
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Software: OS X 10.8.4
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Should I be concerned with making a fully bootable back-up (not sure what that is called) as well? If so, what program should I use to create it?
How much more life should I try and push out of this computer? I'm an engineering student and really only use it for web-surfing, music, and
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Should I be concerned with making a fully bootable back-up (not sure what that is called) as well? If so, what program should I use to create it?
How much more life should I try and push out of this computer? I'm an engineering student and really only use it for web-surfing, music, and
word-processing.
Well there is no "official Apple HD / SSD" in any regard, no worries there.
If as you say youre only using same for surfing and word processing, why the need for a SSD? You would not notice any speed diff. in use on either of those,....in boot times yes, but in word or surfing, not.
You can push it likely a few more years, for mere surfing and word processing,...many many years. Up TO the point that any major fixes become unrealistic relative to getting a new(ER) machine.
Concerned with a boot clone? yes and no. Its an ideal immediate recovery, since you cannot boot from Time Machine, ....in case of HD crash, recovery takes seconds from boot, or 20 mins or so from removing old and installing a clone. All the prosumers and pros have at least one updated clone of their prime machines.
You can do a "fresh install" if you choose, however if your current drive is FINE, why not merely clone it and save yourself some headache?...., but that is your prerogative of course. Ideally 2 drives, one to backup your data (you need that regardless of installing a new drive for sake of a backup/archive,...ideally 2 actually, not merely one).
You could clone internal to NEW SSD/HD , ...then offload unnecessary files to an external to free up space and clutter and run off the clone, and this would only take a couple hours......the clone itself takes approx. 40+ mins.
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Superduper does not clone the recovery partition, but that is NOT necessary if you keep the original HD as a “backup clone”. Most don’t bother with the recovery partition in a clone, however that is your prerogative.
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
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