MacBook Pro automatically booting into recovery partition

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MacBook Pro automatically booting into recovery partition

Hey there. Hoping to get some help with this odd issue. As noted: I have a mid 2009 MacBook Pro running 10.8.2 (ML). I did a fresh install on a new disk about 6 months ago. I am running 2 partitions. Both 10.8 and one encrypted. Issue came up this morning when I went to boot up. It booted into the recovery partition. odd! So i rebooted and same thing. Rebooted again and held option to select the primary partition and it sat and sat and ended up booting into the recovery again. This is occurring with both partitions

So. Since the recovery is working. Ran disk utility and preformed a permissions verify and repair (no success) both returned errors. Then ran verify disk and then repair. Same issue. Reports that the disk cannot be repaired....

Never run into something like this. Wondering on where to go from here. I'm out of the country and don't have access to my gear to run some diagnostics to ensure the data is intact. Disk utility is showing both partitions with accurate details. Just can't boot into them. My last backups at home don't have my latest info so I'd like to wait to wipe/ reinstall.

Any ideas? Should I run disk utility from another source??

Thanks

-mike

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2009), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Jan 31, 2013 6:27 AM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Jan 31, 2013 6:50 AM in response to Mike Demarco

The evidence suggests that the HDD is failing. See if you can run an Apple hardware test. If not I would take it to a repair facility for verification and possible replacement of the HDD.

Ciao.

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Answer 2

Mike Demarco Author

Level 1

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Jan 31, 2013 7:09 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Hey

Appreciate the prompt response. Only thing is that I don't have a boot disk handy to run the AHT. I'm thinking that the data became corrupted on the partitions (don't know how). The disk seems fine being that I can boot into my recovery partition fine on the disk. No clicking or other physical symptoms from the disk. Disk is also extremely new seagate monumentus xt 750gb

Thanks

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Answer 3

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Jan 31, 2013 7:16 AM in response to Mike Demarco

You run the AHT from the internet. I think it is Option key + d key at startup.

But if your system is Auto booting to the Recovery HD partition then the Macintosh HD partition is TOAST. Whether it is just major corruption or the drive is starting to fail and can't read from that partition is unknown.

Well since it is a fairly new drive then it may be the cable that goes from the drive to the logic board. They are known for failures. Or then it could be the drive.

One way to check is to remove the drive and connect it by SATA to USB adapter and if the system boots from it the drive is fine and the cable has gone bad.

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Answer 4

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Jan 31, 2013 7:17 AM in response to Mike Demarco

You do not need a boot disk.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

Note, you may have to use ALT D for the startup.

Age of a HDD does not guarantee that it will not fail prematurely. I hope it is no more that a file corruption.

Ciao.

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Answer 5

Mike Demarco Author

Level 1

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Jan 31, 2013 7:26 AM in response to Shootist007

Once I return home from Spain ill be able to do that. Thanks. However I was hoping to try and build a portable disk to boot off to ensure the data remained on the drives. I've had this happen once before and was able to remove all the content from the drive when accessed by a working system. Don't know what caused it to become unstable. The theory with the HDD cable is that technically i wouldn't be able to access anything from the disk if it were not working. I'll give the Internet based AHT a try. Doesn't appear to be working at the moment.

Seems like I'm stuck until i return home to my tools.

Thanks

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