Macbook Pro Won't Turn On/Can't Backup Files

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Macbook Pro Won't Turn On/Can't Backup Files

Hello!

So I've been experiencing a noticeable slowness/freezing in my Macbook Pro for the past few months and sometimes a very loud fan noises so I thought it might be due to low memory (I had about 130GB of free space out of the 500GB) so I've been trying to move my files to an external hard drive and though I transferred quite a few of my important files I couldn't transfer the majority of the files in different folders, especially if I tried to move 50+ files at once it would become very unresponsive and the only way to stop the process is if I restart my laptop, but the serious problem occurred yesterday it suddenly started making those loud fan noises again and then it froze and the screen turned completely black so I had no choice but to shut it down by holding down the power button, after a few minutes I tried to turn it on and I heard the starting chime but then it was stuck on the gray page with the apple logo, so I tried to boot it in safe boot and it worked but when I restarted it normally again (without holding shift) it was stuck on the gray page again. I tried this several times afterwards but to no avail unfortunately.

I searched up online for users who faced the same issue and found that the first thing I need to do is backup my files which I tried to do in safe boot using the disk utility but it would give me an "Input/Output Error" message, I also tried to manually move my files to my external hard drive but it does not show up in the finder only in the disk utility (I've tried different external hard drives and none of them showed up in the finder), I read somewhere that I could connect my Macbook Pro to another mac using a firewire cable and transfer the files I need but I don't have another mac nor anyone I know so could it work with a windows laptop ? if not what can I do to backup my files at this point ?

Any advises or suggestions are very appreciated! thank you in advance!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), 13-inch, Mid 2012

Posted on Nov 1, 2014 1:07 PM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,317 points

Nov 1, 2014 1:36 PM in response to Ash924

You indicate that you only see connected HDDs in Disk Utility. Check you settings in Finder Preferences (COMMAND+,):

Ciao.

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Answer 2

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Nov 1, 2014 1:53 PM in response to Ash924

" low memory (I had about 130GB of free space out of the 500GB)".

That is more than enough, you do not need to free up space.

Your issues as you describe them suggest a failing/dead disk. I hope you have enough backups already.

Shutdown the mac, start again while holding CMD+R+Alt(option). You will start in internet recovery partition (obviously you need to have an internet connection), then choose DiskUtility from the menu bar and in Disk Utility look for your startup disk. If you see it do "Disk Repair," and see what the result is at the bottom of the list of actions. If you do not see the disk at all, the disk is already dead.

(to Ogel: I try hard now to meet you in the Lounge, 😀).

Lex

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Answer 3

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,317 points

Nov 1, 2014 1:57 PM in response to Lexiepex

🙂\

Ciao.

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Answer 4

Ash924 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2014 5:00 PM in response to Lexiepex

I'm terribly sorry I forgot to mention that I have also done the Repair Disk in the Disk Utility, it paused at "2 minutes left" for a while and finally it said it the volume appears to be ok, just to confirm the the laptop's drive (Macintosh HD) shows up in both the finder and the Disk Utility in the safe boot, it's my external hard drive that doesn't and unfortunately I don't have any backups of the majority of my important files that's why I REALLY need to find a way to transfer or backup the files to my external hard drive or anywhere else.

also if the laptop's drive is dead what can I do to restore this laptop to a normally working condition ? I've been considering upgrading the ram and replacing the hard drive with a SSHD or SSD for the past month, if I find a way to backup the files will these solutions help restore the laptop ?

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Answer 5

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Nov 2, 2014 1:34 AM in response to Ash924

Did you do the Repair Disk from the RecoveryPartition, you should do it again after a run that "paused". Until it still pauses in the third run.

This may "only" be a corrupted directory, but also a dying disk. We have to see about that. In the worst case you have to prepare for a new disk, in a less horrible scenario you have to prepare for a complete disk format...

Do backups with Finder to an external disk.

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Answer 6

Ash924 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 6, 2014 7:59 AM in response to Ash924

So I've found a way to transfer my files while on safe mode by sharing folders with another windows laptop, but I still can't get the laptop to boot normally it only boots in safe mode, there's another issue that I forgot to mention which is when I open the finder or when browsing it'll take about 10~30 seconds for the page/files to show up during which a white page is shown, now when browsing in safe mode the pages don't show up at all, all I see is the white page even though I'm certain that the page loaded fully and it's not a network issue same thing in the finder but the files do appear eventually after 1~3 minutes, another thing when switching to the applications menu in safe mode the screen's transition isn't very smooth and there's a bit of a delay, I did some research and I found this Mac Pro Only Boots in Safe Mode - GeForce 7300 issue? the symptoms sound very similar to my Macbook Pro's, could this be the issue ?

also I did the Repair Disk from the Recovery Partition again and I got the same result "partition appears to be OK" I also tried the first 8 solutions in this thread ..Step by Step to fix your Mac and still no improvements, though I should mention I couldn't complete the 3rd one because it kept freezing so I had to force restart.

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