mle teacher

Q: Yosemite fails to load onto new SSD

Hi - I just purchased a Crucial BX100 SSD for my perfectly-healthy 2008 aluminum Macbook.

 

I am not a techie, but it didn't seem too difficult. I read all the instructions. I made a bootable USB of Yosemite using diskmakerX. I have my time machine (and crashplan) backups. I didn't have a SATA-USB cord so I didn't make a clone, but I feel adequately backed up with multiple copies of my stuff.

 

Install seemed painless. Everything seemed fine. I've since gone back and checked the hookup - seems fine.

 

But when I turn on the computer and hold down the <option> key, it starts up with no notice of my (Yosemite boot) USB. I get the little black arrow icon on a clean white screen.

 

I tried holding both the <option> and the <command> keys: I get the black apple logo (yay!) and progress bar for about 5 seconds - then the computer shuts down.

 

I plugged in the external with the Time Machine backup, holding down the <option> key. My drive's name and icon pop up (yay!) with an arrow below it (not the same arrow as described above). I click on that. I get the black apple logo (yay!) and progress bar for about 5 seconds - then the computer shuts down.

 

I feel like nothing is seriously wrong, but I seriously don't know what to try next.

 

Any ideas?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Jul 9, 2015 2:49 PM

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Q: Yosemite fails to load onto new SSD

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  • by Ralph Landry1,Solvedanswer

    Ralph Landry1 Jul 9, 2015 2:57 PM in response to mle teacher
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jul 9, 2015 2:57 PM in response to mle teacher

    There are a lot of instructions about making a bootable external drive, but Apple's are pretty simple and straight forward: OS X: Installing OS X on an external volume - Apple Support

  • by mle teacher,

    mle teacher mle teacher Jul 9, 2015 3:26 PM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 9, 2015 3:26 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Well I have the boot disk. Actually, with the Time Machine backup, I have two boot disks. But when engaged they both do the same thing - I get the apple logo and the progress bar for about 5-6 seconds, and then the computer shuts down. I guess I could try a third startup disk, but this one that is failing now has worked on previous computers - I think it's a fine disk ...

  • by mle teacher,

    mle teacher mle teacher Jul 9, 2015 4:16 PM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 9, 2015 4:16 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

    I am sorry for sounding defensive. You're right that if a thing isn't working one way, I should try it another. I am in the process of making another usb drive to boot Yosemite on my new drive in my old computer. Don't yet know if it will work, but I appreciate the suggestion. Thank you.

  • by mle teacher,

    mle teacher mle teacher Jul 9, 2015 5:23 PM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 9, 2015 5:23 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Hi again - your suggestion to make this other kind of startup disk worked in a  roundabout way - through the startup disk that your instructions created I was able to start my computer, format the new drive, and then I had to use the other Yosemite boot disk to install Yosemite on the new drive. I believe there must have been an easier way, but thank you for your suggestion!

  • by Ralph Landry1,Helpful

    Ralph Landry1 Jul 9, 2015 5:28 PM in response to mle teacher
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jul 9, 2015 5:28 PM in response to mle teacher

    You are welcome.  There are a couple techniques for making bootable install drives, but a bootable installation means you can actually run the computer, so that is the approach I prefer.