how to recover data from a mac mini late 2012 that will not boot

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how to recover data from a mac mini late 2012 that will not boot

my mac suddenly froze out of nowhere, all but the mouse. i rebooted and got the prohibitory symbol. i cannot go into safe mode, but i can go into recovery mode. i ran first aid on my disks and it came back with no errors.

i tried firewire to connect it to another mac of the same model, and it shows up in disk utility but not on my desktop. (did i not wait long enough?)

i have considered reinstalling the macOS (mojave) but i want to make sure it doesnt damage my data. i could make a backup image of the internal disk (APPLE SSD SM128E Media) and store it on an external drive, but i dont understand what this disk is- it shows a capacity of 121.33 GB and no other info, whereas i believe it should be 1TB?

i have also considered removing the hard drive entirely and connecting it to another mac.

all i want is to recover all my files without erasing anything. i do not have a time machine backup. please help me with my next step

Mac mini, macOS 10.14

Posted on Jun 20, 2020 10:27 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

space34 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 24, 2020 4:49 PM in response to space34

thank you for all answers and help! but upon opening the computer up to try to use the drive externally, we found out that the connection to the hard drive had come loose. plugged it back in and everything is 100% fine. regardless i am backing everything up now and will continue to do so with more frequency in the future. this computer is refurbished, so maybe that is at fault?

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Answer 2

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,008 points

Jun 21, 2020 12:07 AM in response to space34

Perhaps you should try the seemingly failed smaller capacity storage drive

in an Enclosure, to help determine its fate? Maybe the original full capacity

of this drive included a larger component; largely gone 'invisible'..?

Was small SSD, a portion of 'Fusion' drive, which could no longer be accessible??

Sometimes the 'split' portion may be totally missing; or sometimes, it's visable.

• About Fusion Drive, a storage option for some Mac computers - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202574

• How to fix a split Fusion Drive - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207584

If it was a Fusion drive, two parts in one case; the rotational part could have

totally failed; leaving the solid-state portion, in limbo. (So likely, its toast.)

The drive could be removed from Mac mini and placed in an external enclosure

that can support a boot-capable hard drive; not a simple basic USB, but powered.

Some recovery efforts have been successful going this route; as read-only of data.

At least perhaps files maybe found, and saved to another storage drive.

[A new drive for the Mini mac could be prepared for transplant into Mac using

a tested known good external enclosure, too. Sometimes its harder to install a

newer macOS version into external, inside the enclosure.]

Anyway, since I have one of these Late 2012 Mac Mini (i7 quad/dual HDD server)

which has both original 5400-RPM 1-TB drives; & three Mac systems on partitions.

I've balked on upgrading from stock; between other real world issues, but should.

Good luck on a path with repair/replacement, to recover usefulness!🌞🎣

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Answer 3

QuickPost

Level 10

103,317 points

Jun 20, 2020 10:36 PM in response to space34

You could elect to send the drive to a specialist in which they would charge ~$1800 just to look at the drive. It all depends on how much your data is worth. This is an important lesson as to why it is always important to maintain a current backup.

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Answer 4

QuickPost

Level 10

103,317 points

Jun 20, 2020 10:30 PM in response to space34

Hello,

Unfortunately if Target Disk Mode did not work (which you state you have tried) then it sounds like this Mac’s hard disk has failed and its data cannot be recovered.

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Answer 5

space34 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 20, 2020 10:31 PM in response to QuickPost

if this is actually the case, is there absolutely no way to recover the data, even sending it to an expert?

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how to recover data from a mac mini late 2012 that will not boot

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