tomclarke_bha
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: 2010 Macbook Pro won't recognise (formatted) SSD

Hi,

I've seen plenty of topics on this and done some background reading. But in short, a 13" mid 2010 MBP is just showing the folder-question mark icon when booting after inserting a newly formatted Samsung EVO 850 (holding cmd-option-r to try to boot into internet recovery mode and do a clean install).

 

I've tried to troubleshoot by using my other Macbook Pro (a mid-2010 15" model) - swapping the SSD back and forth between the two machines and I get different behaviours which is what's so confusing.

 

The steps I've taken so far are as follows:

 

- Insert SSD (unformatted) into 13" MBP. Hold cmd-option-r. Get question mark icon.

- Insert SSD (unformatted) into 15" MBP. Hold cmd-option-r. Get booted into internet recovery where I was able to format the drive!

- Insert (newly formatted) SSD back into 13". Hold cmd-option-r. Question mark icon again.

 

To make sure I didn't screw up any internals I put the old hard disk back in the 13" and it booted up just fine. So that's a relief at least.

 

So I'm at this stage. Someone please correct me if my thinking is wrong..

- It's not the SSD because my 15" model recognises it and plays nicely.

- It's not the internals of the computer, because it still boots from the old HD when I reinserted it.

- It could be the SATA cable. (I tried swapping the one over to the one in my 15" model, but the orientation is different and I didn't want to risk breaking the cable.)

- It could be a PEBKAC

 

In the meantime I'm going to install a clean version on the os onto the new disk whilst it's in the working 15" MBP. Then I'll try once more. But I'm not holding out any hope as the 13" MBP wouldn't recognise the SSD when the 15" model would.

 

This is the 13" model

This is the 15" model

 

 

Any help at all is greatly appreciated. Many thanks in advance!

Posted on Jan 7, 2016 1:33 AM

by tomclarke_bha,Solvedanswer
tomclarke_bha tomclarke_bha
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

An update! I fixed the issue but still don't really know what was wrong.

 

I ended up installing the os whilst the new SSD was in the 15" model. Then I inserted it into the 13" model once everything was fully installed and it worked perfectly. The firmware on the 13" model was up to date, internet recovery worked when the HDD was installed, but not with the SSD... so it wasn't that. I have no idea really.

 

But I got it working! So thanks for the help!

Posted on Jan 10, 2016 2:02 AM

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tomclarke_bha

Q: 2010 Macbook Pro won't recognise (formatted) SSD

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  • Helpful answers

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Jan 7, 2016 3:54 AM in response to tomclarke_bha
    Level 9 (52,303 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 7, 2016 3:54 AM in response to tomclarke_bha

    You probably have to replace the SATA cable in the 13" MBP.  This phenomenon has been reported several times on these forums.  A SSD will boot the MBP externally but not internally, and the original HDD will boot the same MBP internally.  A new SATA cable solves the problem.

     

    I do not offer a 100% guarantee, but I suspect the chances are good.

     

    Ciao.

  • by tomclarke_bha,

    tomclarke_bha tomclarke_bha Jan 7, 2016 10:33 AM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 7, 2016 10:33 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

    Thanks for the reply!

     

    I think I'll have to bite the bullet and order one. It seems like it's not a guaranteed fix from what I've read, but I literally have no more options left to me.

     

    I'll order a replacement cable and report back as to what happens!

  • by FatMac>MacPro,

    FatMac>MacPro FatMac>MacPro Jan 7, 2016 12:17 PM in response to tomclarke_bha
    Level 5 (4,815 points)
    Jan 7, 2016 12:17 PM in response to tomclarke_bha

    Take a look at this Apple Document regarding installing Internet Recovery support on older Macs. It looks as if your 15" MBP could have Internet Recovery installed and you did so but while the 13" model could it wasn't. Your description suggests that the problem is you can't use Internet Recovery to set up the SSD on your 13" and that should explain why.  I'd suggest putting the SSD back in the 15" and not only partitioning and formatting it but then installing OSX before moving it back to the 13". Or, if you can boot from an external connected to the 13" and install the EFI update which should deliver Lion via Internet Recovery.

     

    Or, you can use the Snow Leopard optical disk that came with the Mac as a starting point. I'd suggest finding the Installer disks and installing from them.

  • by tomclarke_bha,

    tomclarke_bha tomclarke_bha Jan 7, 2016 12:54 PM in response to FatMac>MacPro
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 7, 2016 12:54 PM in response to FatMac>MacPro

    Oh I didn't know that! It's a fantastic suggestion, I'll give it a go and get back.

     

    Thanks!

  • by tomclarke_bha,Solvedanswer

    tomclarke_bha tomclarke_bha Jan 10, 2016 2:02 AM in response to tomclarke_bha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2016 2:02 AM in response to tomclarke_bha

    An update! I fixed the issue but still don't really know what was wrong.

     

    I ended up installing the os whilst the new SSD was in the 15" model. Then I inserted it into the 13" model once everything was fully installed and it worked perfectly. The firmware on the 13" model was up to date, internet recovery worked when the HDD was installed, but not with the SSD... so it wasn't that. I have no idea really.

     

    But I got it working! So thanks for the help!