Installing a new hard drive problem? Help

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Drewskii2088 Author

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Installing a new hard drive problem? Help

So ive been having problems with my mac book and I went to the apple store and the guy told me that my hard drive had failed and to buy another one. I bought a new one and installed it myself (I've replaced the fan before so I kinda know what to do) so I turned it on and a folder with a question mark kept flashing, so I look up what to do and I did what they said and I inserted the Mac OS installation cd and was able to begin the download process. I got to the part where I could choose where I wanted to download the software but there was no hard drive option. Then I was told to go to disk utilities to set up my new hard drive but when I go to do that there is no hard drive to select. I'm so confused on what to do? I just want to install my new hard drive and use my mac.

Thanks so much, Andrew

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2010)

Posted on Jan 6, 2013 3:31 PM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

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57,305 points

Jan 6, 2013 3:54 PM in response to Drewskii2088

If you are accessing your HDD in Disk Utility using the Original Installation Disk and it is not showing, it suggests that it may not be installed correctly. Check to see if the connections are good. It could also be a defective connecting cable.

If the HDD does appear in Disk utility (using the Install Disk) then format it Mac OS Extended (Journaled) in Erase option. Then do your down loads.

Ciao.

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Answer 2

Drewskii2088 Author

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Jan 6, 2013 4:08 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

What do you mean when you say HDD .. Is that the hard drive itself or the cd? Because when I go to disk utilities only the install disk shows up and not my hard drive

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Answer 3

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Jan 6, 2013 4:13 PM in response to Drewskii2088

HDD = Hard Disk Drive. Not the Install CD. Check the installation. If you have an external HDD, connect that and see if that is shown in Disk Utility.

Sorry for the shorthand.

Ciao.

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Answer 4

Drewskii2088 Author

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Jan 6, 2013 4:24 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

I accidentally clicked that it solved my question it didn't haha sorry. But nope no luck I can't seem to locate the hard drive anywhere. The weird thing is that it's a brand new hard drive so it couldn't fail, how do I locate the hard drive and install the Mac start up disk?

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Answer 5

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Jan 7, 2013 3:26 AM in response to Drewskii2088

All HDDs will fail eventually and even new ones can be defective. You do need your original installation disk. Follow the directions in this support article.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3910?viewlocale=en_US

The key element is to access Disk Utility and format the new HDD. If the new HDD is not shown in the installation process, then there must be a bad connection or the HDD is defective You can test by attaching another HDD via USB cable and see if that one is recognized. If you encounter problems, report as much detail as possible.

Ciao.

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