Indexing and spinning wheel issue on MacBook Pro 5,5

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Level 1

4 points

Indexing and spinning wheel issue on MacBook Pro 5,5

I am new to apple computer user.

When I tried the find applications on the mac it will go into a searching mode (the colored wheel spinning) and will not stop, I waited a hour still spinning, also went to the search symbol and it said the computer was indexing, I waited 1/2 hour still indexing.

Sometimes it just goes into the searching mode when I try to log in.

I have a Macbook Pro 5,5, A1278, 13, Mid 2009

OS x Snow Leopard v10.6

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 14, iOS 18

Posted on Jan 12, 2025 5:49 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

69,194 points

Jan 14, 2025 8:33 AM in response to onlyme13

onlyme13 wrote:

The hard drive was replaced.

It could still be a bad drive or an incompatible if it is an SSD.

Bad memory is another possibility especially if it had a memory upgrade with 3rd party RAM.

You may just have discovered why you were given this laptop....issues the previous owner did not want to deal with. I don't know how you are booting this system to install the OS, but the only reliable way of creating a bootable macOS USB installer is using the instructions in the following Apple article assuming you have access to another compatible working Mac (generally 2007 to 2015 to create a bootable macOS 10.11 El Capitan USB installer although there are some exceptions).

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

To test the hardware, you can try installing Linux Mint onto it or by trying to boot from a Knoppix Linux 7.x USB stick (later Knoppix versions may work, but I never tried them on such as old system....don't install Knoppix though, since it is just a useful swiss army knife best used for testing systems).

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

155,696 points

Jan 14, 2025 5:29 AM in response to onlyme13

Any directions would be appreciated.

Get a new Mac, or a more recent one that doesn't require discs because that one is a relic.

That Mac is too old to use Internet Recovery: Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - Apple Support, and if there is a way to download OS X Snow Leopard from an authorized source I'm not aware of it: Mac OS X 10.6 Manuals and Downloads - Apple Support

If you want to restore it to its former glory get those two grey discs. The person who gave it to you should have retained them. They must accompany the Macs they shipped with from cradle to grave.

With due respect for your experience using Dell computer systems, it is as applicable to Macs about as much as decades of experience with Bell Telephone Systems is applicable to iPhones.

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Answer 3

HWTech

Level 9

69,194 points

Jan 13, 2025 6:09 PM in response to onlyme13

More than likely the hard drive is failing which is not surprising for a 15 year old drive.

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Answer 4

onlyme13 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 13, 2025 9:49 PM in response to HWTech

The hard drive was replaced.

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

155,696 points

Jan 13, 2025 9:22 AM in response to onlyme13

Welcome new Apple computer user, but you are using a very old operating system. So old that you will find it nearly useless for anything Internet-related.

Describe to us how you came to acquire that Mac. Do you have its two original grey discs? Because you will need them.

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Answer 6

onlyme13 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 13, 2025 9:49 PM in response to John Galt

It was given to me, the person did not have any discs, I got the OS by going to the Apple website and downloading it. The computer does load the OS but it goes into the searching mode sometimes. It does allow me to enter the network info and does find the network, but when I try to update the software, which it tell me there is 5 items to load , it shows on the progress bar that it is downloading, but then it gets to the end of the bar and does nothing from there, about 3 hours.

As I said before when I went to the search area upper right corner it told me the computer was indexing, the one time the estimate time was 4 hours to index.

I am new to Apple, have used Dell computer systems for about 20 to 30 years, but the Apple system is, so different. I know this macbook pro is old but in good condition I believe, the person who gave it to me replaced the hard drive, as I said it did work and loaded the OS.

Any directions would be appreciated.

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Indexing and spinning wheel issue on MacBook Pro 5,5

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