Macbook pro won't startup. Stuck on apple logo with spinning wheel.

After hours of research...some people were saying it was the hard drive cable. I bought one on ebay for $40 with the bracket and installed myself. My brothers macbook was out of warranty. Easy install youtube tutorials. Looks like this : https://itsuperstore.com.au/images/apple%20macbook%20pro%20A1278%20hdd%20caddy.j pg

I didn't want to bring it to apple...they probably would've said it needs a new logic board as it seems that's always the issue/fix. $40 hard drive cable repair and the laptop is 100% again.

Good luck all! Hope this helps for out of warranty folks. Worth a shot

I also tried all steps with resetting pram and disk utility etc. Nothing work...went the new HDD cable route and this was the only thing that worked for me.

Update in my problem, similar problem as the author.

So I replaced my hard drive and the tool for volumes can't really handle the hard drive. It is a seagate 2.5 with the correct SATA, and the tool can read it but not make a new partition, and because of that I can't install OSX.

I did though, install OSX on a external drive connected via USB, no problems at all. So not being able to get the internal one working is really weird.

Thanks! Karl

I would suggest a new hard drive cable. I had the same issue..I was able to boot up via USB external enclosure with the same hard drive but not when plugged in internally. New hard drive cable solved it for me.

http://youtu.be/QSWQ-Vmumjk

youtube link for the tutorial on how to replace a hard drive cable. purchased the cable that has the bracket included only about $10 more it's much easier to install

hi, i have the same problem, i want to confirm that the problem is not caused by the HDD cable or by any hardware issues at all.

i have 10.8.5 installed as Guest OS on VMware Fusion, i installed the 10.9.1 upgrade on it. then reboot, but it won't reboot.

i tried again to install the upgrade on an other 10.8.5 Guest OS again and enabling the Verbose and Safe Boot before rebooting.

it stills not works, but, as it seems on the reboot logs, the system stop just after bluetooth and ethernet service start-up

Does anyone know which service start after ethernet service? could it be the problem?

that's a screenshoot of my system on verbose/safe boot: http://i.cubeupload.com/RtMa6j.png

It may be caused by a WindowServer crash.

after i succed to boot on recovery mode, i exported the system log file, that's some of the logs starting from Bluetooth service log

any idea?

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextd[11]: Can't load /System/Library/Extensions/IOBluetoothFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOBluetoothS erialManager.kext - ineligible during safe boot.

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextd[11]: Load com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager failed; removing personalities from kernel.

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextd[11]: Can't load /System/Library/Extensions/IOUserEthernet.kext - ineligible during safe boot.

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextd[11]: Load com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet failed; removing personalities from kernel.

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac kernel[0]: IntelThermal: Based on code by mercurysquad, superhai (C)2008

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac kernel[0]: IntelThermal: [Warning] Unsupported Intel processor found, kext will not load

Dec 23 16:27:32 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextcache[200]: rebuilding /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache

Dec 23 16:27:38 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextcache[202]: / locked; waiting for lock.

Dec 23 16:27:43 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextcache[201]: Created prelinked kernel //System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache.

Dec 23 16:27:43 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextcache[200]: /: no supported helper partitions to update.

Dec 23 16:27:43 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextcache[202]: Lock acquired; proceeding.

Dec 23 16:27:43 Moezs-Mac.local com.apple.kextcache[202]: /: no supported helper partitions to update.

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local WindowServer[87]: dict count after removing entry for window 0x27 is 0

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local WindowServer[87]: CGXGetConnectionProperty: Invalid connection 26387

Dec 23 16:27:56 --- last message repeated 4 times ---

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[124] ([0x0-0x14014].com.apple.AppleSpell[192]): Exited: Terminated: 15

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local WindowServer[87]: CGXGetConnectionProperty: Invalid connection 26387

Dec 23 16:27:56 --- last message repeated 4 times ---

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local loginwindow[65]: DEAD_PROCESS: 65 console

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[124] (com.apple.PackageKit.InstallStatus): Throttling respawn: Will start in 9 seconds

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local WindowServer[87]: CGXGetConnectionProperty: Invalid connection 26387

Dec 23 16:27:56 --- last message repeated 4 times ---

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local coreservicesd[83]: SendFlattenedData, got error #268435459 (ipc/send) invalid destination port from ::mach_msg(), sending notification kLSNotifyApplicationDeath to notificationID=138

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local coreservicesd[83]: SendFlattenedData, got error #268435460 (ipc/send) timed out from ::mach_msg(), sending notification kLSNotifyApplicationDeath to notificationID=160

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac.local shutdown[240]: reboot by lejenome:

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac kernel[0]: Kext loading now disabled.

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac kernel[0]: Kext unloading now disabled.

Dec 23 16:27:56 Moezs-Mac kernel[0]: Kext autounloading now disabled.

Linc can you please tell me what should i do if i have file vault 2 on? I have the same problem with the stuck login screen with the spinning wheel

Hi there, I had the same problem - which turned out to be a failing hard drive - but even though I'm a tech newbie, I managed to diagnose and fix it. I googled tonnes of articles - but found these two the best:

http://www.cultofmac.com/50685/how-to-fix-common-mac-startup-problems-macrx/

http://www.macworld.com/article/2018853/when-good-macs-go-bad-steps-to-take-when -your-mac-wont-start-up.html

Here's what I did, in case it helps anyone else (or me, for that matter, in case it happens again).

1) Diagnose:

My Macbook Pro 2010 had been a bit sluggish and kept crashing (particularly in Google Chrome, but admittedly also a couple of times in MS Word). When I tried the usual reboot last week, it stopped working. I tried each and every one of the SafeBoot, recovery, fsck -fy, clearing PRAM etc options recommended in the great articles above - multiple times - but no joy. During the reboot attempts, I got a variety of:

- the Apple logo/spinning wheel

- blue screen then shutdown

- kernel panics

- no entry sign

However I tried to get to it, I realised the problem was that I couldn't locate the startup disk. I don't know how it got corrupted - maybe it was going to fail, maybe its OS just got corrupted. Whatever, I worked it out because:

- even when trying to boot from my original OS X Install CD, it wouldn't find a disk location to install on

- I couldn't access any disk to repair from Disk Utility, however I tried (and I tried multiple ways)

So I figured - because of its recent crashes, it was most probably a failing hard drive (possibly a bad SATA cable - though I googled and that wasn't a known problem on Macbook Pro 2010s, or a very remote possibility of a bad logic board).

2) Change hard drive

I decided the hard drive was the issue, and consulted my bro and a friend who know more. They agreed. Here's some advice they gave me, plus what I gleaned online:

- you can go to the Apple store and get them to change it. It'll cost you more though, because they have to charge labour.

- if you've got the right tools, then you can change the hard drive yourself. You need a very small thin Phillips screwdriver (or a small thin normal screwdriver) and a Torx 6 screwdriver (a special screwdriver in the shape of a cute six pointed star). Which, hooray, I had.

- it's pretty easy to do (and I'm a girl). Especially if you follow instructions (just google your Macbook Pro type, there's loads of great guides out there). I used this one, and felt like a rockstar:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2010+Hard+Drive+Repl acement/4305

- as my friend Steve advised, if you're not sure about whether you can do it yourself, just try unscrewing and taking out your bad drive. If you can get that far, then you can definitely DIY.

3) Buy replacement hard drive

After researching, I went for the Samsung 840 SSD, a solid state drive. It's more highly-specced than my Macbook can handle (it can transfer data at 6.0Gb/s, whereas my Macbook is limited to 3.0Gb/s - google the numbers and reviews for yourself), but I figured it may be useful in future. And I fancy a speed upgrade from spinning disk.

4) Install the drive then the OS X

Installing the drive was okay. I had to partition the drive and then install Snow Leopard from the original installation disk (I didn't have an online Lion recovery drive). Here's some instructions:

http://www.macinstruct.com/node/130

It worked (like a rocket, I might add) so I know now I was right, and it was the drive, not the SATA cable or logic board.

5) Restore encrypted Time Machine backup - update OS X first

But I couldn't restore from my Time Machine backup, because the Macbook wouldn't recognise my encrypted external TM drive. Oh no, yet another drive that the system won't find...? But panic not. It turns out (or at least I'm hoping it does), that my encrypted external TM backup is too advanced for Snow Leopard (OS 10.6) to recognise - you need at least 10.7 (? I think, can't quite remember what number the system message told me) for that. So here's what I did:

- installed Snow Leopard OS X 10.6

- ran software update, which brought it up to OS X 10.6.8 (necessary to access App Store)

- downloaded OS X Mavericks 10.9.1 from App Store

I'm in the middle of downloading that now (it's slow), hence giving me time to write this post. Hopefully once I've done that and installed it, I should be able to get into my external hard drive, enter my password and restore from my TM backup. Fingers crossed. Then I'll enable TRIM and see if I can install online Lion recovery mode (both of which were mentioned in the various articles I read and seem like a good thing). In fact, I've just googled and found a bunch of firmware updates (google your model, it'll bring them up) that I should probably install too.

6) Take home messages

- if you can't find your disk on startup and you've tried all the methods you can, it's probably failed (though you might check the SATA cable)

- it's easy to change a hard drive if you have the right tools

- if you've got an encrypted hard drive (like my TM backup), you need to install an OS X version that's up-to-date enough to be able to recognise it

- once you've done all of that, and restored your backup, you should enable TRIM, Lion recovery mode if you can, and install any remaining software and firmware updates. (If you've installed a non-Apple drive, remember to enable TRIM after each OS X update.)

Good luck.

My Macbook pro dropped to the land, And after that when I try to start it the apple logo with the spinning wheel stuck and is not getting, I tried reinstalling the OS X but it doesn't work, tried to repair the disk but it can't repair it, Anyone please give me a solution.

I've done the all of the steps and nothing worked except recovery mode however, it does not accept my password. I type it in and press enter or click on arrow but nothing happens. I've already attempted all other boot ups.

I Really need help! My macbook pro 13 inch with retina display 2012 is doing the same thing! I reinstalled the OS than I had to go somewhere and shut down my mac. When I came back it did the same thing so I reinstalled the OS again. Then it wouldn't connect to my Wifi network so I restarted my mac and it showed that Apple logo with a spinning wheel AGAIN! So I called my brother who is very experienced in computers before me and he said it could be the CPU is too hot and should leave it off till the next day. This could be true as I live in Arizona and the heat is unbearable and one if my TV's shut down sating it was 172 degrees in the room! So what do I do???? I don't want my $1500 to go in the trash! After one year.

my macbook pro is 13inch mid 2010 model

the first simption I got was that the system crashed, the screen did not respond to my commands.

when I shut it down, it did not start again, was stuck at the apple spinning logo

then, it restarted in the safe mode, trying to recover... it did not recover and failed again to boot.

solution: remove your internal hd and put it into the external storage

boot the mac, using the option key, then verify it it is recognizable.

if yes, well the problem is the sata cable. If it is recognizable but not bootable, looks like something corrupted in the hd too, (mine was corrupted too).

if the system is corrupted you can try recover using disk utility (boot from a bootable device - option key), click on disk utility and verify and heal if possible.

try to boot using the recovered disc. if it is not bootable, try boot from another system and recover the files stored there.

finally, the major simpton that a corrupted sata cable does, it is system that is working ok, and then all of the sudden it glitches the screen somehow.. and it stops to respond the mouse.. it gets into the spinning wheel forever...

finally, if you have a macbook pro 2009-2011 you must have at least ONE spare sata cable to test.. otherwise.... you are dead.

Mine failed after 3.5 years, and after two months after the first replacement.. so... better have at least ONE spare cable like that...

this post is just to register what I did to resolve my problem.

it may help other users to debug their problem.

Similar problem. Circa 2008 17" MBP. Second battery swelled but use this laptop as a desktop. 85W charger required for operation and it runs more slowly. Now, got a white screen with apple logo and spinning gear but after a short time the gear stops spinning. Reset PRAM. No response when starting up while holding the shift key down. When holding Option key, it lists the name of my hard drive. If I click the drive, startup proceeds for a short time and then the gear locks. OS X CD did load in but the MCP did not access it for startup.

Fortunately, everything was backed up by Time Machine. Also, I was able to access the internal hard drive using the Target Disc mode and used Disc Utility from a second MBP. Since the hard drive seems to be OK, is it most likely to be the logic board?

One thing I forgot to mention, I also tried starting up in Safe Mode and did get the dark gray progress bar. It moved to about half-way and then disappeared. After that, the gear stopped.