MacBook Pro 2017 will not boot up

beltwaylady wrote:

There's a lack screen with a file folder with a question mark. I tried all the command options

If your Mac starts up to a question mark

If your Mac starts up to a question mark - Apple Support

Try running the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected with the Logic Board or the SSD. Ignore any battery related issues for the moment since they would not cause the blinking folder with a question mark. Unfortunately the diagnostics rarely detect issues.

If the diagnostics do not report any issues, then try the steps in the following Apple article:

If your Mac starts up to a question mark - Apple Support

If the SSD is failing intermittently, then you can try Option Booting the laptop by holding the Option key down immediately after the startup chime. If you see the internal boot volume (usually named "Macintosh HD" unless you changed it), then you may be able to boot the laptop. And it may mean the SSD is beginning to fail. Option Booting may allow the SSD enough time to power up & go ready whereas a normal boot may try to access the SSD before the SSD is ready. If this is the case, then make sure to have a good backup because that SSD will fail completely at any time.

FYI, here is another Apple article with other possible startup issues in case ever need to troubleshoot another problem in the future:

If your Mac doesn't start up all the way - Apple Support

If it is the non-Touchbar model, then there is a good chance the SSD is either failing or has completely failed since that model in particular has an extremely high rate of SSD failures. You can try Option Booting the laptop (hold down the Option key immediately after the startup chime) which may give the SSD a bit more time to go ready & allow you to boot, but if this works, then you need make sure you have a good backup since next time the SSD may not come back. If the SSD is failing, I personally don't feel it is worth replacing the SSD even with a third party SSD from OWC due to all the issues with this model laptop....besides, the battery will likely need to be released some time soon if it has never been replaced before.

Try cleaning both connectors on the SSD and the board. Below is a guide on doing it on the SSD side:

SSD Cleaning

I used Isopropyl alcohol on the board side using SSD as a transfer medium by inserting and removing several times. Use a soft eraser for the connector on the SSD.

I am writing from a 2017 MacBook Pro that was in the same position as yours last week.

DR1L wrote:

Try cleaning both connectors on the SSD and the board. Below is a guide on doing it on the SSD side:

FYI, the OP says they have a laptop with the Touchbar, so there is no removable SSD. The SSD chips are soldered onto the Logic Board.

That is true. There is one more option you can utilize. Insert a fast USB memory before boot and install OS from Internet to the USB memory. I have MacOS Catalina installed on a Sandisk 128 GB USB-C memory. Although slow compared to internal SSD you can still use your computer.