What to do next, major issue w/ 2009 MacBook pro

So, I was watching a movie in QuickTime yesterday and all of the sudden it froze and the screen was not really active at all. No key combinations worked so I held the power button and shut it down. I turned it back on and got the folder icon with the question mark on it. I shut it down again and inserted the leopard DVD and tried to boot into the hardware test and it just freezes. I held C and tried to boot from the DVD and it just freezes there and says I need to restart. So my question is. Do I need to have the hard drive replaced or is there something else to do?

I have seen that happen - a disc suddenly dies (usually I think it must be motor or bearings that go when they die suddenly and instantly like that). And I have seen where the mac will not boot if it cannot see a functional hard drive. Why? I don't know, and I do know that older, powerpc desktop machines would boot without a hard drive present. But the intel machines seem not able to.
Do you have an external of any kind (USB2 or Firewire)? If so, try connecting it and then booting from the CD. I'm not sure if it is the presence of the deceased drive in the machine making it not boot, or just not seeing a useable hard drive attached to the system at all that is the problem.
P.S. while I cannot know for certain, it does not sound to me like a logic board problem. It sounds, unfortunately, like a simple, classic hard drive failure (despite general reliability and things like S.M.A.R.T. circuitry, it is not at all uncommon for a hard disc to totally die, suddenly, instantly, and with not the slightest preamble of impending doom).
Message was edited by: Michael Black

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Ram Upgrade Issues: Mid 2009 Macbook Pro 2.53GHz

I recently upgraded my Macbook Pro RAM from the native 4G (2x2G modules) to 8Gb (2x4G modules). Restarting didn't seem to create any issues, everythig was zipping along, and all appeared well. A few minutes into basic navigating the screen dimmed and I was prompted to restart?! I restarted and all seemed well again. BUT, when I opened my browser (didn't matter which one) it would prompt me sixty seconds later that the application "crashed" and I needed to restart it (I-photo, I-tunes, etc. - didn't matter) NEXT UP - I would get get kicked out of applications that I had to Log into (Gmail, on-line banking, etc.) Each time the screen would dim like a shade was being pulled and I would be prompted to restart?! I replaced the 2 - 2G modules and all is well again. The memory was purchased from a reputable vendor and the specs. were all matched. ****I have not had the opportunity to run any Apple Hardware tests yet - I was hoping that maybe someone else had similar issues?! Any ideas and info. are greatly appreciated!!!!!!
Currently running Lion (unhappily... - but at least the 8G made the rainbow wheel spin faster!!)
Thanks!
TL

try a PRAM reset next time you install the memory.
also make sure your system sees it. simply go to  upper left corner, about this mac. it'll tell you how much ram your computer is reading.
Contact that vendor about your issue.

What's wrong with my 13" Mid-2009 Macbook Pro?

Okay, so here's what I know thus far.
My batter is totally shot. I can't use my laptop without it being plugged into a charger that also seems to be on it's way out. When I start the computer, the white power light flashes 3 times before finally powering on. I understand that I need to buy a new battery and a new charger. However, it's the other symptoms that have me really concerned.
After a few minutes of usage, if i'm lucky - my computer stops working . It tells me that I have no space left and no memory available for things. (I have 217.2 GB available). The internet stops loading pages, I can't save any files and it tells me that I have no mountable drives. I can, however, get the computer to shut down normally.
I am literally at a loss and have no idea what to even search for on these pages. Do I just need to get my battery / charger replaced and everything will be fixed or are there other serious issues that I need to be considering?
Any help, or advice is appreciated. I have no coverage left on apple-care and I have very little money to replace this computer.

Okay, so here's what I know thus far.
My batter is totally shot. I can't use my laptop without it being plugged into a charger that also seems to be on it's way out. When I start the computer, the white power light flashes 3 times before finally powering on. I understand that I need to buy a new battery and a new charger. However, it's the other symptoms that have me really concerned.
After a few minutes of usage, if i'm lucky - my computer stops working . It tells me that I have no space left and no memory available for things. (I have 217.2 GB available). The internet stops loading pages, I can't save any files and it tells me that I have no mountable drives. I can, however, get the computer to shut down normally.
I am literally at a loss and have no idea what to even search for on these pages. Do I just need to get my battery / charger replaced and everything will be fixed or are there other serious issues that I need to be considering?
Any help, or advice is appreciated. I have no coverage left on apple-care and I have very little money to replace this computer.

I am having problems rebooting my mid 2009 macbook pro (grey screen other issues), need help!

I am having problems rebooting, I have experienced the same problem as others with the grey screen but my case is a little different, It started with my mid 2009 macbook pro acting a little slower than normal, the screen would freeze, mouse wouldnt move and i'd be forced to "force reboot" this went on for a couple of days until i was tinkering with the wifi connection and it froze again. I had to reboot and this time i noticed that it took a long time to get to the login screen. i put in my password and it went into infinite load (i also tried the guest account and other accounts with same result). i tried rebooting again and the same thing would happen. after several reboots, the screen just stayed grey, sometimes with the apple logo and gear sometimes without it. Since its a 2009, (and for the most part, still works like a champ) i decided test the ram, i took one stick of ram out at a time to see if i could notice anything wrong with them. when i stuck just one in, the mac was still having the same problem rebooting. i pulled that ram and and stuck in the other and i noticed that this time the apple logo never appeard and a big crossed out circle appeared. figuring that the ram must be the problem, i ordered new ram and installed it. i noticed that when i rebooted for the first time with the new ram it was rather quick and took me straight to the login screen and i was able to log in with no problem. at this point i thought the problem was solved, but i noticed the macbook still acting funny. at first, none of my files appeared on my desktop or in the finder window. after about 20 minutes, everything magically popped up. i also noticed long pauses/freezes with the colored pin wheel spinnig. i closed the laptop and opened it again and the screen just stayed black. i tried rebooting again, and again i got the grey screen with no signs of being able to log in... i waited about 20 minutes and tried to reboot again and again i was able to log in, however the macbook is still acting slow and will freeze with no signs of unfreezing without a reboot.
my macbook is 5 years old and has plenty of miles on it, so i understand if the thing needs to be replaced alltogether but does anyone know what could be the issue? could the bad ram have corrupted the hard drive in anyway? would re-installing the OS fix it?? and if so, how would i do that if i downloaded mavericks from the app store? are there any other solutions to this problem?
all my files and what not are backed up on an external HD so theres nothing on it that i'd miss desperately if i had to whipe the hard drive but id really like to get her working again without any whiping of the HD. if anyone can help me out, it'd be greatly appreciated

It is very difficult to offer troubleshooting suggestions when the "os version" you are using is unknown as each os has their own troubleshooting solutions.
How large is your hard drive and how much hard drive space do you have left?

I have a 2009 MacBook Pro. Does anyone else have issues with their laptop having problems starting when shut off or restarting when asleep since installing Yosemite?

I have a 2009 MacBook Pro which I have upgraded a few things on. I have updated to Yosemite and am having problems with getting my laptop to come out of sleep mode, and to start when shut off. Any ideas of what this might be or how to correct it? Is this more probably a hardware issue or software?

Try these in order testing your system after each to see if it's back to normal:
1. a. Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
    b. Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
2. Restart the computer in Safe Mode, then restart again, normally. If this doesn't help, then:
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the Utilities menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
3. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu. Select Restart from the Apple menu.
4. Reinstall Yosemite: Reboot from the Recovery HD. Select Reinstall OS X from the Utilities menu, and click on the Continue button.
Download and install the 10.10.1 update.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.
5. Reinstall Yosemite from Scratch:
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
How to Clean Install OS X Yosemite
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.

What adapter do I need to connect my 2009 Macbook Pro to my 2007 iMac?

What adapter do I need to connect my 2009 Macbook Pro to my 2007 iMac? I get really confused with all of the different cables out there an I want to make sure I get the correct one.
Macbook Pro Model is: Late 2009, 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3, OS X 10.9.4 (13E28)
iMac Model: Late 2007, 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB 667 MHZ DDR2 SDRAM, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)
Thanks!

The 2007 iMac does not support cabled input. see > Target Display Mode: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Like Niel suggest's, your only option is to use a network based connection like > ScreenRecycler

I am experiencing some major problems with my MacBook Pro. I have had some issues with it turning on/off at random times, but today, when starting, I get the grey start-up screen and a recovery bar. After filling in approx 1/4 of the way, the machine dies

I am experiencing some major problems with my MacBook Pro. I have had some issues with it turning on/off at random times, but today, when starting, I get the grey start-up screen and a recovery bar. After filling in approx 1/4 of the way, the machine dies. After starting it in recovery mode, it will not allow me to download OS X Mavericks- it says the disk is locked. Any ideas? I do not have a back-up and do not want to erase everything before I have explored my options. Help?

try forcing internet recover, hold 3 keys - command, option, r - you should see a spinning globe
most people will tell you to do both pram and smc resets (google) and if you still have issues, either clean install (easy) or troubleshoot (hard)

Tried charging my 2009 MacBook Pro but the green light won't turn on and now my computer won't turn on (it was working right before I attempted to charge it!) what do I do????? Even tried using another charger I had for it and nothing! Help

Tried charging my 2009 MacBook Pro but the green light won't turn on and now my computer won't turn on (it was working right before I attempted to charge it!) what do I do????? Even tried using another charger I had for it and nothing. No green light. Computer turn on. Now what??? Help!

QUOTE: "No green light. Computer turn on."
What? so were you able to turn on the computer with the new plug? does it give you any other light? amber/orange light?

I have a mid 2009 macbook pro and my issue is that I installed windows 7 and when I wan to install the drivers it says " bootcamp x64 is unsupported on this computer model" I tried installing the drivers with the bootcamp 4 but it did not work either

I have a mid 2009 macbook pro and my issue is that I installed windows 7 and when I wan to install the drivers it says " bootcamp x64 is unsupported on this computer model" I tried installing the drivers with the bootcamp 4 but it did not work either it says that i have a newer bootcamp version. I tried a few tricks but they didnot work. I hope to be helped

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You can install a 64-bit Windows 7 or Vista version in your Mac. Make sure you downloaded these drivers > http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1630 Also, if you have the Snow Leopard DVD you used to upgrade your Mac or the OS X DVD that came with your Mac, you can use it to install the Boot Camp drivers

I have a 2009 Macbook Pro with 1T hdd 8GB Ram and ran Maverick without problem...Yosemite installation has me completely frozen, nothing works but the spinning ball...I had to force shutdown last night, and haven't turned it on again...what do you ad

I have a 2009 Macbook Pro with 1T hdd 8GB Ram and ran Maverick without problem...Yosemite installation has me completely frozen, nothing works but the spinning ball...I had to force shutdown last night, and haven't turned it on again...what do you advise? During installation emptied cache, etc. Backed up using time machine, fortunately.

Try these in order testing your system after each to see if it's back to normal:
1. a. Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
    b. Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
2. Restart the computer in Safe Mode, then restart again, normally. If this doesn't help, then:
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the Utilities menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
3. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu. Select Restart from the Apple menu.
4. Reinstall Yosemite: Reboot from the Recovery HD. Select Reinstall OS X from the Utilities menu, and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.
5. Reinstall Yosemite from Scratch:
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
How to Clean Install OS X Yosemite
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.

HT4241 What video settings will I need to change on my mid-2009 Macbook Pro?

I am trying to send Audio/Video to my mother's T.V. using a third party combo cable(item # 6331), from monoprice.com. We have a 'Mid-2009 Macbook Pro. I can get the Audio with no problems. I tried all of the different resolutions on the Macbook and the closese Video image I can fet is a vertical sliver in the upper left hand corner of the T.V.(52'' Sony Bravia Model # unknown, mounted on wall) Please help. Mothers Day is coming up an All My Childeren is coming back, but will be on Hulu. Thank You

The tech specs list the upgrades that were available from Apple when that model was being sold new. They don't necessarily reflect the aftermarket-upgradabaility. I don't believe there'd be any reason you couldn't put a hard drive/SSD of whatever capacity you want in that MBP (of course it needs to be the right physical size).
That being said, it's good practice to make sure you have a window to return it just in case.
Yeah what Bob said.
Message was edited by: Andy-J-D

I have a 2009 macbook pro 13" and want to make videos what is the best one for this mac A1278

what is a good video editor for my 2009 macbook pro 13"?

I don't see any DDR3L on the page for the RAM that would fit your model -> http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3_133 3MHz_SDRAM.
But the answer is that it doesn't really matter - just make certain to get 1333MHz.
Good luck,
Clinton
MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), OS X 10.??, 16GB Crucial RAM, Crucial M500 960GB SSD, 27” Apple Thunderbolt Display

I dropped my 2009 MacBook Pro and it will no longer work; I need to re-install the OS software to hopefully restore it: what disk(s) do I use?

I dropped my 2009 MacBook Pro and it will no longer work; I need to re-install the OS software to hopefully restore it: what OS disk(s) do I use? This may sound like a stupid question but I'm seeking to buy something inexpensive and need to know if a higher version (other than what was initially installed) will work.

Bekah1996,
since you didn’t receive its original grey installation DVDs when you purchased it, you’ll need to contact Apple directly to purchase a replacement pair. (The grey installation discs aren’t available in the Apple stores.) Some Mid 2009 models originally came with 10.5.7 (Leopard), and some originally came with 10.6.0 or 10.6.2 (Snow Leopard). If yours had 10.5.7 installed, then you’ll probably receive a 10.5.7 set of grey discs from Apple. If you’d like to upgrade its OS to anything newer, then you’d also need to purchase the white retail Snow Leopard DVD — but you should wait to see what Apple sends you, since if they send you a 10.6.0 or 10.6.2 set, you wouldn’t need to purchase the white Snow Leopard disc.

What brand of 128 Gb SSD did Apple offer for 2009 MacBook Pros?

Anyone know what brand of 128gb ssd was stock for the mid-2009 MacBook Pro?
Was it a good one?
I'm thinking of buying a used MacBook Pro - MC118LL/A which has one in it.

rmichaud91 wrote:
Hello everyone,
I just bought a 2.9 GHz core 17 processor MacBook pro mid 2012 13" with 8 GB of RAM
16 GB of RAM is the best you can do.
The optibay HD will null and void your warranty.

Display issues on mid 2009 Macbook Pro

I have had a recent intermittent display issue on my Macbook pro. It started a few months ago and is not a constant issue. External displays are fine so it seems to point to a connection between grahpics card and the 13" screen.
You can see an image of the problem here:
Does anyone have experience of similar issues?

i've done a complete rebuild back to 10.6.8 and found that both problems appear to have disappeared, both screen and TV working again since this morning without seeing any issues.
I'm now installing Lion to see if it returns.
the only difference will be that I'm not going to install bootcamp until later, this will be a clean install as before I installed Lion on a previous version of 10.6.8 with bootcamp etc already installed.
maybe this will work, wish me luck

What to do next, major issue w/ 2009 MacBook pro

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