MBP (Mid 2009) wont boot into recovery mode

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MBP (Mid 2009) wont boot into recovery mode

I have a MacBook Pro (Mid 2009, serial W8*****66E) that is having some trouble booting into any form of recovery mode. I had recently updated the system to run OS X El Capitan 10.11.6, to test the stability. I intended to erase the 500GB HDD completely and reinstall OS X, but after my first attempt at erasing the HDD and using a bootable USB drive to install the OS, the Mac restarted and prompted me with a "Prohibitory" symbol. I rebooted the Mac, and then it presented me with the question mark folder symbol. Rebooting while holding the Option key or Command+R only bring up a white screen, along with my cursor. It then shuts off by itself after about 30 seconds. I am not worried about recovering any files on the hard drive, but I would just like to know if I can make this Mac work again myself.

[Personal Information Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Oct 22, 2020 1:05 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,980 points

Oct 27, 2020 12:38 PM in response to AppleGeek202

The MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2009) shipped with older Mac OS X 10.5.7 on DVD.

Model specific Mac OS X 10.5.7 (9J3032) ~ Yours identifies as 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo

Suggest use of "FireWire Target Disk Mode" to access this tired Mac, from working Mac, via FW cable.

(Or other USB cable may be used; depending on the unknown "working" Mac.)

• Tech Tip: How to Boot and Use a Mac in Target Disk Mode - eshop.macsales

https://eshop.macsales.com/blog/41010-mac-os-101-how-to-boot-and-use-a-mac-in-target-disk-mode/

• Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-mac-computers-target-disk-mode-mchlp1443/mac

• Identification

Introduced June 2009

Discontinued April 2010

Model Identifier MacBookPro5,5

Model Number A1278

EMC 2326

Sales Order Number: MB990LL/A (2.26 GHz), or MB991LL/A (2.53 GHz)

However access to hard drive may be achieved via FireWire Target Disk Mode

where it does not need to boot into Mac OS X, for external access to HDD content.

You may use FireWire Target Disk Mode | wiki, with your Mac as it has FW port.

There are 2-USB ports & 1-FireWire port. Depending on what your 'other Mac' has

these can be useful to gain access to hard drive; then to see it as external storage.

(mactracker.ca database app + powerbookmedic 'lookup' used to locate details)

Take care & good luck!🌤⛵️

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Answer 2

Oct 27, 2020 3:48 PM in response to AppleGeek202

Your description sounds like the drive is going bad. On Macs before about 2011, Recovery depends on an additional partition on the boot drive, and may be getting corrupted.

If you have a bootable Installer, I urge you to boot to it, and use its Disk Utility again. Remember that First Aid only examines the Disk Directory for consistency, and if the drive has a large number of Bad blocks, it could pass First Aid and still be unusable. Do see if there is an unusual SMART status -- although that has a large number of false "I'm Fine" readouts, if it says your drive is bad, it is incredibly bad.

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Answer 3

Jeff_W.

Community Specialist

Oct 27, 2020 12:03 PM in response to AppleGeek202

Hello AppleGeek202,

We understand that you've been unable to get your Mac to boot since erasing the HDD.

Since you've tried macOS recovery and a bootable installer, we suggest contacting support to see what other options may be available: Get Support

We hope you have a good rest of your day.

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MBP (Mid 2009) wont boot into recovery mode

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