Macbook Pro won't boot + Rescue files + Wipe and Install

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Macbook Pro won't boot + Rescue files + Wipe and Install

How it started: I was browsing the internet and when I clicked on a link the Macbook Pro froze so I waited 15+ min for it to get back to normal, since it didnt I decided to turn it off by holding the power button down for a fee seconds. After I turned it on again it showed a grey screen with the apple logo and it was stuck there forever.

What I have tried:

- Disconnect peripheral devices - All disconnected, still the same

- Safe Mode - It starts the same then it turns off by itself

- Reset the NVRAM / PRAM - Computer restarted with the gong and a white screen and apple logo, but it was stuck there forever (after this step I didnt see the grey screen again, instead it started showing the white screen every time I turned the Macbook on)

- Disk Utility - Tried to repair the HD but it couldnt.

- Reinstall OS X - Once I get to the screen where it tells me to choose an HD I cant continue because it doesnt show any HD to choose.

- Boot DiskWarrior (3rd party) from DVD - Downloaded and burned the DVD with my PC, inserted it in Macbook Pro, tried booting it (C key while booting), I left the Macbook stuck there all night and nothing happened.

Seems like I will have to do a Wipe & Install to restore the HD, but I teally want to rescue all my music before that. Any suggestions? I dont have a Time Machine backup.

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 8, 2012 11:31 AM

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Answer 1

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Oct 8, 2012 1:12 PM in response to gtorrontegui

You need this link to recover your data

Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive

Also read this

My computer is dead, is my personal data lost?

And this link to fix your machine.

Step by Step to fix your Mac

- Disconnect peripheral devices - All disconnected, still the same

check

- Safe Mode - It starts the same then it turns off by itself

check

- Reset the NVRAM / PRAM - Computer restarted with the gong and a white screen and apple logo, but it was stuck there forever (after this step I didnt see the grey screen again, instead it started showing the white screen every time I turned the Macbook on)

PRAM holds the splash gray screen image, white screen is the same thing basically without the gray screen

- Disk Utility - Tried to repair the HD but it couldnt.

Did you try the Macintosh HD partition?, that's where your problem is

- Reinstall OS X - Once I get to the screen where it tells me to choose an HD I cant continue because it doesnt show any HD to choose.

Should be Macintosh HD partiton, since to use Disk Utiity your command r booted from the Recovery HD partition

Since you were able to boot into Recovery HD to use Disk Utility, that means the drive is working that just OS X on the Macintosh HD partition isn't booting.

If your using a external boot disk like from 10.5 or 10.6, don't.

There is one more thing to try, hook up a Ethernet cable to your router or modem (must be reset, power off/on) and use command option r keys upon boot, this (if your machine is capable) will install Recovery HD from Apple's servers instead of from the boot drive, it takes longer.

BTW your signature says you have 10.8, but this was posted in 10.6 forums.

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Answer 2

gtorrontegui Author

Level 1

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Oct 8, 2012 2:04 PM in response to ds store

Thanks for all the info, I don't know why Mountain Lion didnt appear to be selectable to post in the forums, thats why I posted it here. I'm new to OS X (only 3 months) so I tried to explain the best I could.

- I did try to repair Macintosh HD, thats the one I verified and tried to repair.

- I dont have an external OS X boot CD, my MBP didnt come with one.

I'll try to do the ethernet thing and see how it goes, if it stays the same I'll try the other tutorials you posted. If the ethernet thing works, what should I do next? Will I be able to reinstall OS X? Will the Macintosh HD be selectable then?

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Answer 3

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Oct 8, 2012 3:34 PM in response to gtorrontegui

gtorrontegui wrote:

- I did try to repair Macintosh HD, thats the one I verified and tried to repair.

first data recovery efforts

then erasure of the Macintosh HD partition (if a hard drive then use the middle secure erase selection and wait)

then reinstall of OS X from Apple's servers

then reinstall of your free iLife, then third party programs, then files from backup

Yours is the second similar issue today, Disk Utility for some reason can't repair the Macintosh HD partition

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4410502?answerId=19945466022#19945466022

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