Replaced hard drive and upgraded RAM, now my Macbook won't start up?

At the suggestion of a "genius," I recently replaced the hard drive on my 2008 macbook with an SSD while also upgrading my RAM to 8 GB.  When I attempt to power up, I get only a flashing gray folder with a question mark.  I've tried several of the fixes from these forums (PRAM reboot, hold down "option" key, D, X, etc.) but nothing works.  I rechecked the installation of the SSD and RAM and they look solid.  Any suggestions?

My old hard drive crashed, so my intent was to restore the OS and everything else via my time machine back-up.  (That's the direction I got from the genius rep.)  Am I missing a key step somewhere?

Similar Messages

  • Replacing Hard Drive and a RAM in older HPE 475uk

    Hello there,
    I wondered if you could give me some advice at all?
    My 4 year old HPE-475uk deskt PC's hard drive is starting to get noisy and slow and has been having errors. Rebooting/resetting the computer and reinstalling Windows 7 hasn't helped so I think it's time to put a new one in. While I'm at it, I'd like to replace my RAM too.
    My computer is a HPE-475uk, Intel i5 Dual Core, Windows 7 64bit and I have 8GB or Ram (2x2x2x2). Here is a link to the full spec/motherboard etc if it helps or I'm not making any sense!! http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c02622053&DocLang=en&docLocale=en_US&...
    Unfortunaley, I'm not that technical and I've been out of the loop for so long that I am unsure what is now compatible with my PC and wondered if someone could point me in the right direction of the correct products!
    I would like to replace my current SATA 2 1TB HDD 7200rpm with a similar size (or bigger and faster if compatible?) but with a large cache. (I'm a musician and use a lot of sampled instruments). Is it right that I can put a 2TB SATA 3 drive in? Would I have to do anything other than install it as it's newer hardware on an older motherboard? (IONA GL8E)
    Also I would like to take out my current PC3-10600 DDR3-1333 (240-pin) RAM and replace it with 16GB max that my motherboard allows (4x4x4x4) but am unsure which memory is right for my computer. Every time I go to buy, someone either says it's not compatible or too fast! I am looking at Kingston Technology 4GB KVR13N9S8/4 1333MHz DDR3 Non-ECC DIMM Memory Module. Can you tell me if this is ok or point me to the one that will work if not?
    Thanks so much for your help! It's very much appreciated!
    Kat
    This question was solved.
    View Solution.

    Yes. Those modules you linked to at Amazon should work. 
    With a single hard drive you can  shrink the C: \ partition and create a seperate partition for your work.
    ****Please click on Accept As Solution if a suggestion solves your problem. It helps others facing the same problem to find a solution easily****
    2015 Microsoft MVP - Windows Experience Consumer

  • When replacing hard drive and upgrading to Mountain Lion, which should I do first?

    Hey guys,
    So I'm upgrading the HD in my 2011 MBP 8,2 from a 500GB HD to a 1TB hybrid drive. I also have a copy of Mountain Lion that I downloaded from the app store. I'm planning on doing a clean reinstall after I put it my new drive, but I'm not sure if I should:
    Replace the HD, install Lion on it, then upgrade to Mountain Lion, or
    Upgrade to Mountain Lion right now, Replace the HD, then reinstall Mountain Lion.
    Is there really any difference in what order you do it in?

    Thanks man, just finished everything, works like a charm! I decided to replace the HD before upgrading the OS. This silly new dock design is pretty strange to get used to though...

  • I have an air with 64Gb hard drive and 2Gb RAM and would like to upgrade both the HD and RAM. WHat should I buy?

    I have an air with 64Gb hard drive and 2Gb RAM and would like to upgrade both the HD and RAM. WHat should I buy?

    TWTexas wrote:
    WHat should I buy?
    compensate or purchase a new Air
    Recommend a SUPERSLIM portable 1TB HD
    RAM cant be upgraded, as The Fox-man has already said.

  • I got a flashing folder with a question mark. I got a new hard drive and upgraded to 4 gigs and can't open anything or reload the operating system? Help?

    I got a flashing folder with a question mark. I got a new hard drive and upgraded to 4 gigs and can't open anything or reload the operating system? Help? FYI: I have been using boot camp with windows 7 and started getting a kernal_data_Page_error and it would reboot windows, i was trying to do a chkdsk on the next reboot, but thats when i started getting this issue. I have put in a new hard drive and went from 2 gigs to 4. I can not get the computer to do anything, even the monitor does not show anything now????

    Prep your new drive:
    Drive Preparation
    1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button.  When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
    2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be reported  on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (for Intel Macs) or APM (for PPC Macs,) then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
    6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
    After formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Install OS X.

  • IPhoto events and pictures missing from iPhoto after restoring new hard drive and upgrade to iLife11

    My iPhoto events and pictures are ALL missing from my iPhoto Library after I tried restoring my programs on a new hard drive AND upgrading to iLife11!  Over the last few months, I upgraded my 2008 Macbook Pro's hard drive from a 250 GB to a 500 GB hard drive and since then have been manually installing and restoring programs and software.  I decided to do things manually because I had problems with doing Time Machine backups/restores in the past, so before I upgraded the drive, I manually saved everything to a Western Digital MyStudio 1 TB hard drive that I had just for the purposes of a second back up.  Anyway, I tried importing the pictures onto the new library, but couldn't find the hard copies at first, so that didn't work.  I then tried deleting the iPhoto Library that came with new operating system, then copying my old backup onto the new hard drive...that didn't work either.  However, when I right clicked on the iPhoto Library icon on my external hard drive (the original) and clicked on "show package contents," the folder not only contained the originals, but they were still organized by year and event just as I had them originally! 
    So, then I thought "why don't I try just importing the pictures directly into the new iPhoto Library!"
    I tested it out, and sure enough, it worked!  I then tried importing an entire folder (which, was actually the name of the event), and again it worked!  So, I literally clicked and dragged my entire 2007-2009 library of pictures (which was about 35 GB) back into my iPhoto Library!  AND, this only took about 30 minutes to download, enough time for me to write this post and the following instructions to Recap: 
              1. Open your new iPhoto Library
              2. Go to wherever your ORIGINAL iPhoto Library is saved/backed up, then Right-click (or Control click) on the iPhoto icon 
              3. Click on "Show Package Contents"
              4. Go to the folder called "Originals" or "Master"
              5. Click and drag everything INSIDE the folder (not the folder itself) to your new iPhoto Library
              6. DO NOT try Importing from inside iPhoto!  For some reaseon, iPhoto can't see these images, but I promise, they're there! 
    I assume this could work on other iLife programs, but luckily I have MobileMe and my iCalendar updated itself, though I did have to do some tweeking...
    Hope this helps other people out, GOOD LUCK! 

    I'm re-posting the answer to this problem so I can show it has been answered: 
    Open your new iPhoto Library 
    Go to wherever your ORIGINAL iPhoto Library is saved/backed up, then Right-click (or Control click) on the iPhoto icon
    Click on "Show Package Contents"
    Go to the folder called "Originals" or "Master"
    Click and drag everything INSIDE the folder (not the folder itself) to your new iPhoto Library
    DO NOT try Importing from inside iPhoto!  For some reason, iPhoto can't see these images, but I promise, they're there!
              GOOD LUCK!!!

  • Re: My Macbook 2009 model was recently upgraded with a new hard drive and upgraded to Mountain Lion OS. I am battling to retrieve all my photos that were ''saved'' in iCloud. Can someone help?

    Re: My Macbook 2009 model was recently upgraded with a new hard drive and upgraded to Mountain Lion OS. I am battling to retrieve all my photos that were ''saved'' in iCloud. Can someone help?

    If you are trying to recover photo stream photos, they are only held in iCloud for 30 days.  All you would be able ro recover is photo stream photos from the last 30 days.
    If you have an iOS device that still has the photo stream photos one it, you can save them to the camera roll by opening the my photo stream album, tapping Edit, tap the photos, tap Share, tap Save to Camera Roll.  Once in the camera roll, they can be imported to iPhoto on your Mac as explained here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083.

  • My Macbook 2009 model was recently upgraded with a new hard drive and upgraded to Mountain Lion OS. I am battling to retrieve all my photos that were ''saved'' in iCloud. Can someone help?

    My Macbook 2009 model was recently upgraded with a new hard drive and upgraded to Mountain Lion OS. I am battling to retrieve all my photos that were ''saved'' in iCloud. Can someone help?

    While we all have MacBooks in this forum most of us don’t use iCloud. There's an iCloud Support Community where everybody uses iCloud. You should also post this question there to increase your chances of getting an answer. https://discussions.apple.com/community/icloud/icloud_on_my_mac

  • Illustrator Cs5 will not open.  Recently upgraded hard Drive and upgraded to Maverick OS 10.9.3.  Where should I start troubleshooting?

    Illustrator Cs5 will not open.  Recently upgraded hard drive and upgraded to Maverick OS 10.9.3.  Where should I start troubleshooting?

    gj,
    Unless it has worked since the upgrading, I believe you should uninstall, run the Cleaner Tool, and reinstall.
    Use the CC Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems | CC, CS3-CS6

  • How do I reinstall CS6 Extended 64-bit after replacing hard drive and OS?

    How do I reinstall CS6 Extended 64-bit after replacing hard drive and Windows 7 64-bit OS?

    You can download the trial installer directly. Find the appropriate link below.
    You must be on a trial download page to use the links, otherwise you get an error message.
    For example, load the following page: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=photoshop_elements&loc=us
    before pasting the link into the address bar.
    http://trials2.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/PHSP/13/win32/Photoshop_13_LS16.7z
    http://trials2.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/PHSP/13/win32/Photoshop_13_LS16.exe
    You need to kepp both files downloaded into same folder and after download click on .exe file to extract .7z

  • While updating the firmware Update, i disrubted the download and now my macbook won't start up! Any suggestions on how to fix it? i only see a black screen

    While updating the firmware Update, i disrubted the download and now my macbook won't start up! Any suggestions on how to fix it? i only see a black screen and when i press the power button i hear the noise that it would make if it was going to start up. But i only see black.

    Try:
    - iOS: Not responding or does not turn on
    - Also try DFU mode after try recovery mode
    How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings
    - If not successful and you can't fully turn the iOS device fully off, let the battery fully drain. After charging for an least an hour try the above again.
    - If still not successful that usually indicates a hardware problem and an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store is in order.
      Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar              

  • Replacing Hard Driver and RAM

    Is it okay to replace the Internal Hard Drive and RAM at the same time? Also, once I replace the hardware how do I restore my last Time Capsule Backup to the new hard drive?

    Hello Jason Castellani -Usually best to do one major change at a time in case something goes wrong. That said I can see where you are going here once you got your MBP apart. If you are a gambling man go for both, esp if you have done the procedures before and comfortable with the operation.
    See this knowledge base article for your migration question.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1177
    Hope this helps
    Message was edited by: leroydouglas

  • G5 Tower, replaced hard drive and now can not get it to work- HELP

    My G5 (tower) crashed hard & after a trip to the Genius Bar at my local Mac Store I found out the hard drive was dieing.
    The Mac person fixed some problem files & told that I could replace the hard drive. I bought a 350 GB SATA 3.5in hard drive and placed it in the second slot in the tower. I then used time machine & backed up the hard drive to the second slot (after I backed up on an external hard drive- just to be safe).
    I removed the hard drives & placed the new one in the A slot. When I turned on the computer I had the ? folder. I turned off & restarted holding the option key and got two folders, one with a turn back arrow & a rt facing arrow. Clicked either did nothing. Does any1 know what I am doing wrong?? If so please let me know. Much appreciated.

    Did you reset your PRAM?
    command-option- p-r
    Hold down all four keys as the mac starts up and wait for the chimes to ring twice. Then let the machine start up as usual.
    If it works be sure to check your date and time settings (the system will tell you)
    You can also start up from your system disk holding down the c key as it starts-- go past the language screen and open disk utilities from the menu bar run disk repair and then repair permissions. Set your startup disk to your new drive.
    Hopefully that will take care of the problem.

  • Music on hard drive, replaced hard drive and now library won't match up

    I put all my cd's on a hard drive (9000 or so songs) and had a hard drive failure, so I moved all the songs to a new hard drive and now I can't use the Itunes library to connect with that hard drive, except one song at at a time.
    Is there any way to get these two to communicate?
    David

    Is the rest of your music located in a different folder? You'd need to know where those files are in order to add them to iTunes. If you're not sure of their location, try a Spotlight search. Are you not able to locate the files to add them to iTunes, or are you selecting them but they are not appearing in the iTunes library?
    I have all the actual music files located on a external hard drive, but the itunes file name(s) are located on the computer. The problem started when I got a new computer and switched all the stuff over, and then got a new hard drive because the old one was making noises. I copied one hard drive directly over to the other and now am trying to connect the two so they talk together.
    The fix you sent me semed to work great until I noticed that I did not have any music after the letter "a" (namely 1/36 of the music). I ried it again with another copy I had and lost that too. Now, I am working with the copy I had on the other computer, which doesn't have all the data, but does have most of it, and I can survive adding the other stuff later somehow by re-copying the music and getting the data over again, but I do want to somehow get the other 35 letters worth, if possible.
    David Molony

  • Macbook Pro replacement hard drive and re-installation of OS X

    My son's Macbook Pro (mid 2009) started crashing on boot up and gave a input output error. I have replaced the original 250gb hard drive with a 750gb drive and also upgraded the ram from 2 to 8. Finally I have also replaced the battery. I am using Leopard installation dvd to re-install the software but can only progress as far as the screen 'Install Mac OS X' but there is no disc offered to install it on. By using Disk Utility the only disc shown is the dvd. Pressing the 'New Image' tab I entered 'Save As' 750gb WD HD and 'custom size' as 750 gb. Utility Disk informs me that the disc is only .75mb? Any suggestions to solving my problem and completing the installation program? 

    Niel, I've checked the connection to the hard drive and all is good but as a check I have disconnected and re-connection the cable to the hard drive and the board. I have also 'listened' to the hard drive and it appears to be spinning. Unfortunately, the Snow Leopard installation disc gets no further with its installation. Are Macbook Pro's of this age prone to cable breaks, or am I using the wrong disc for a full OS X installation, if Snow Leopard is an just as update? Is there anyway to add the drive using Disk Utility and if so how do I do it?

Maybe you are looking for