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MacBook Pro takes me to OS X Utilities, won't boot

I Was using my MacBook Pro just fine earlher today with no issues, when I got tired and decided to plug in the charger and have a nap. upon awaking about two hours later, my MacBook Pro opens up to this screen saying "OS X Utilities" giving me four options- Restore from Time Machine Backup, Reinstall OS X, Get Help Online and Disk Utility. I'm having issues with these-


Restore from time machine backup-

seems to continuously give the message "searching for time machine backups" without any results

maybe I'm not waiting long enough?


Reinstall OS X-

after agreeing to the terms and conditions again, I'm given the message "select the disk where you want to install OS X" with a greyed out image of "Recovery HD" underneath it saying "650 MB total, 89.2 MB available". Trying to select the greyed out image of the Recovery HD gives the message "this disk is locked", and I'm unable to move forward with the process


DISK Utility-


the left panel has 5 sections- 500.11GB APPLE HDD, Macintosh HD, Superdrive, disk1, OS X Base System

in that order

the 500.11GB APPLE HDD section seems fine when I go to first aid and do a verify disk check, but still gives me the option to repair disk, however upon clicking it I get the red message "Error: Live file system repair is not supported."


im able to click on the greyed out "Macintosh HD" and do a verify disk check, where it says "Error: this disk needs to be repaired. Click repair disk". Upon clicking repair disk I get the message "Error: Disk Utility can't repair this disk....disk, and restore your backed-up files." then a pop up saying "Disk Utility stopped repairing Macintosh HD - Disk Utilitt can't repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files."


clicking disk1 gives me no options, so i click "OS X Base System" beneath it

i click "verify disk" and get a green message "The volume OS X Base System appears to be OK."


----

im unsure of where to go at this point, I don't know how to backup my files, can someone please explain how I'm able to access them at this point to back them up? It doesn't seem like I can. I have about 10,000 photos on this computer and nearly 1000 songs, nothing of which I believe is backed up, unless it's kept in a "Time Machine Backup" but using that doesn't seem to be any help, and I don't remember making any backups in the past?

im unable to exit the OS X Utilities section, and if I try to shut down and open in safe mode, my macbook pro appears to crash and reload to "OS X Utilities"

i have no idea what caused this or how to fix it, everything was going fine when I was on my computer earlier, what caused this?

im using OS X Mavericks but I'm not sure what version. And unsure if how to check in my MacBooks current state, trying to boot in safe mode gives a section in the left side of my loading screen saying "Mac OS version not yet set" as well as a lot of other info?????

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks

Posted on Apr 13, 2015 2:29 AM

Reply
3 replies

Apr 13, 2015 6:23 AM in response to jjejej

It appears that your HDD has failed. It will have to be replaced with a new one.


If you do not have backups, you may install the damaged HDD in an enclosure and connect it to the MBP via USB. Search on the Internet for data recovery applications that will examine if they can recover any data. That will usually be free. If they indicate that data may be recovered, then you wlll have to pay for the application.


If no success, then you may consider employing a professional data recovery service. That will be expensive with NO guarantees of success.


Ciao.

Apr 14, 2015 1:26 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Thanks for your help! It's unfortunate but yeah, it does look like my HDD failed.. I was wondering if you could explain what you mean by "install the damaged HDD in an enclosure and connect it to the MBP via USB" ? I don't quite understand. I was doing some reading online and read that if I get a firewire or thunderbolt cable to connect my MBP to another MBP, i can apparently somehow extract files from my MBP that way?

Apr 14, 2015 2:30 AM in response to jjejej

What you are describing is called Target Disk Mode:


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1661


What I am proposing has the same objective (retrieving data) but a different approach. You install the HDD in an enclosure such as one of these:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&IsNodeId=1&N=100008040 %20600006255


Connect it to the MBP via USB and with luck, access your data.


Ciao.

MacBook Pro takes me to OS X Utilities, won't boot

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