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Replaced hard drive in MBP, still won't work

I just installed my replacement HD (SATA 2.5) in my MBP but all I get is a flashing ?. The faulty drive would get further than that but would just never mount.


The SATA cable looks to be the next replacement but it seems as though I'm not doing something basic here, so before I buy a new cable, I was hoping to get some input.


I didn't have the tool to remove the mounting screws on the old HD, so I just put the new one to see if it would work. Could this be the reason the new HD isn't being recognized?


I guess there is also the possibility that the new drive is defective but that seems unlikely.


As some background, a large (maybe 2 lb.) book fell on the keyboard as I was attempting to remove it from a shelf. A few days later, the computer started to fail.I didn't think that could cause an HD failure but it seems related.


Any input would be greatly appreciated as I don't have the funds to send it to Apple for repair (it's a refurb from them and warranty has expired.


Thanks.

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Sep 4, 2015 11:54 AM

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11 replies

Sep 4, 2015 10:10 PM in response to StPD

First get the Torx driver and install the HDD correctly.


Then boot the MBP into the recovery partition (COMMAND + R)


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314


There will be a 4 option menu. Select Disk Utility>Erase and format the HDD to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).


Exit Disk Utility and select Reinstall OSX.


If it will not boot into the recovery partition and recognize the HDD, you will have to take it out, install it in an enclosure and connect it to the MBP via USB.


Then you repeat the above steps with the HDD connected externally. That also will indicate that the internal SATA cable is faulty and must be replaced. When you replace the cable, then you should be able to install the HDD in the MBP.


Let me know how it goes.


Ciao.

Sep 6, 2015 9:45 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Thanks. I got it working finally. Really appreciate your help! One final question though.


Everything worked fine after I reinstalled OS 10.10 and even updated my scanner driver. But as I was moving some JPG files from one folder to another on my hard drive last night, Finder quit. It restarted pretty quickly and shortly thereafter, I shut down for the night and went to bed. When I woke up, I saw that my computer was still on, just the desktop background minus all the icons.


So I manually shut down and restarted and when the screen came back there were 2 login options: one as guest and one where my user should have been but with a ? instead of my photo. I typed in a password and it sort of hiccuped and then restarted normally. Just a bump in the road or sign of impending trouble with perhaps the SATA cable?


Also, should I set up a separate Admin user account?

Sep 6, 2015 10:08 AM in response to StPD

StPD wrote:


So I manually shut down and restarted and when the screen came back there were 2 login options: one as guest and one where my user should have been but with a ? instead of my photo. I typed in a password and it sort of hiccuped and then restarted normally. Just a bump in the road or sign of impending trouble with perhaps the SATA cable?


I have never experienced anything of that nature. I see no reason to believe that there would be a connection to the SATA cable. I am guessing here, but a Disk Utility>First Aid>Permissions may be in order.


Also, should I set up a separate Admin user account?

Since it can be deleted later and may be useful, it can do no harm to set it up.


Ciao.

Replaced hard drive in MBP, still won't work

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