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User profile for user: SeniorCitizen13
SeniorCitizen13 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

MacBook Pro 2010 fails to boot

Macbook Pro 2010 running High Sierra has operated reliably for years, now refuses boot up correctly. On power up the screen does not display the Apple symbol and the horizontal boot progress bar. Instead the display progresses from a blank black screen to a white screen with a centrally located folder with a ? symbol in it. This does not change until the device is de-powered. Does anyone know what the folder icon screen with a ? inside it means during boot up. How can it be fixed?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Nov 13, 2023 4:06 AM

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User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
72,260 points

Posted on Nov 13, 2023 10:01 AM

A long shot: Hopefully the computer has simply lost track of the startup drive location. I do that with my car keys.


Try restarting the computer while holding down the OPTION key. That brings up the Startup Manager, looking somewhat like this (it won't be in dark mode in macOS 10.13):



If "Macintosh HD" (or whatever the name of your hard drive) shows, select it. If it does not show, that suggests the drive has failed.


signed: Another senior citizen😉

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User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
72,260 points

Nov 13, 2023 10:01 AM in response to SeniorCitizen13

A long shot: Hopefully the computer has simply lost track of the startup drive location. I do that with my car keys.


Try restarting the computer while holding down the OPTION key. That brings up the Startup Manager, looking somewhat like this (it won't be in dark mode in macOS 10.13):



If "Macintosh HD" (or whatever the name of your hard drive) shows, select it. If it does not show, that suggests the drive has failed.


signed: Another senior citizen😉

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User profile for user: SeniorCitizen13
SeniorCitizen13 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Nov 14, 2023 4:41 PM in response to Allan Jones

Thank you Allan for your prompt reply. Your advice was very helpful and 100% correct. When I entered the Startup Manager the screen showed no hard drives (only offered the wifi box). So the HD has failed.


Good news is that several people have uploaded videos to Utube that provide step by step instructions to replace the hard drive and install High Sierra via the Apple servers. So the adventure continues! Fortunately I have all my personal files backed up to an external hard drive.


Many thanks

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MacBook Pro 2010 fails to boot

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