Level 1

10 points

How to reinstall OS Sierra when Mac won't startup (grey screen)

I may have to reinstall my OS since my Mac Book Pro (15" late 2011) won't startup and just stalls at the grey screen after the Apple logo and progress bar.

All the guides online tell me to download macOS Sierra from the App Store, but how can I do this when the Mac won't even startup !?

I expect I will need to put the macOS Sierra installation file/s on a USB stick and install the OS via the USB stick ?

I have access to a PC laptop running Windows 10, but can I download the macOS Sierra installation file using the PC laptop and copy the file/s to a USB stick ?

Regarding the stalling at the grey screen, I have tried all the recommended tips but none of them have worked.

1. Run Disk Utility (start up while pressing Command and R keys): No effect - stalled at the grey screen

2. Safe boot (start up while pressing Shift key): No effect - stalled at the grey screen

3. Single user mode (start up while pressing Command and S keys): Command line prompt appeared, so I entered "fsck -fy" which resulted in “The volume FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED”. So ran "fsck -fy" again which resulted in “The volume appears to be OK". Entered "reboot" and it stalled at the grey screen.

4. Reset NVRAM (start up while pressing Command, Option, P, and R keys): No effect - stalled at the grey screen

5. Apple Diagnostic Tool (start up while pressing D key): Performed extended test and it reported the following error: 4HDD/11/40000000: SATA(0,0)

So then I thought my Samsung 850 EVO 1TB SSD had failed (its only 17 months old). Eventually I was able to use the Samsung Magician Tool on the SSD (connected via SATA III to a Windows PC) and it passed the health check.

I also found this statement from Apple regarding the diagnostic error on the SSD:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT203648

So I am still clueless as to why the Mac Book Pro will not start up, maybe the SSD diagnostic is a red herring ?

Maybe re-installing macOS Sierra will not fix the problem, but its the only thing I can think of trying. Thats assuming I can find out how to resintall the OS when I only have access to a PC laptop running Windows 10 !!!

Fortunately I performed a Time Machine back up about 3 months ago, so if I can resintall the macOS and that fixes the startup problem, then hopefully I can restore the time machine backup ?

Posted on Nov 28, 2016 7:14 AM

40 replies

Dec 5, 2016 11:10 AM in response to sky_rat

You have a late 2011 MBP. Considering the age it could have damaged hardware.

Have you booted into the Recovery Drive and run Disk Utility > Disk First Aid on your internal drive?

Boot into the Recovery Drive by holding down Command R when restarting.

Open Disk Utility

Run First Aid on your internal drive, Macintosh HD

Quit Disk Utility

If your disk is OK....

Select Reinstall macOS

Depending on your internet connection this could take some time to download the installer. Connect via Ethernet if possible

(You can reinstall Sierra over Sierra. This procedure is no different than installing one OS over another.

This process should not damage your data but it's always advised that you backup first.

MORE INFO:

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

John Galt

Level 10

155,804 points

Dec 5, 2016 11:28 AM in response to sky_rat

There is obviously a hardware fault with the Mac Book Pro (not the SDD) so it could be a write off if its too expensive to repair.

I can find absolutely no justification for that conclusion. In fact everything points to a defective SSD, and as I wrote Samsung is particularly notorious for producing cheap garbage. Yet you insist the problem lies with the Mac despite taking any action to confirm that.

It sounds as though you want justification for replacing what might very well be a perfectly good Mac with a cheap garbage Windows PC. That's your decision to make.

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 5, 2016 11:34 AM in response to dianeoforegon

I've tried everything including Recovery Drive by holding down Command R when restarting, but it just hangs with a grey screen.

The only thing that works on the Mac is AHT and single user mode

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 5, 2016 11:59 AM in response to John Galt

If its a defective SSD, then why does the MBP still hang (other than when booting in AHT or single user mode) when I have tried two different HDDs, the original HDD that came with the MBP and a HDD I borrowed from work ?

I havent had the SSD in the MBP for a while now, I have been using other HDDs which are known to work. Yet the MBP still hangs unless I boot for AHT or single user mode.

What else can I try to get the MBP working ? Ive tired different hard drives, swapped memory cards, tried all these different boot modes, internet recovery etc etc but the MBP still hangs. I can't even get Disk Utility to work to format any of the HDDs I tried.

I certainly don't want to replace it with a cheaper Windows PC but there is no way I can afford to buy a replacement MBP.

The only other option I have is to take it to an Apple repair shop (obviously not the Apple store as they are a rip off). Then its the case of finding out what the fault is and how much it costs to repair to determine whether the MBP is a write off or not.

John Galt

Level 10

155,804 points

Dec 5, 2016 12:35 PM in response to sky_rat

(obviously not the Apple store as they are a rip off).

If charging $0 for diagnosis is a "rip off" you are not interested in seeking assistance, as I have surmised.

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 5, 2016 1:03 PM in response to John Galt

Apple is a rip off, everyone knows that !

Im seeking advice on here from other Apple users, there are many other forums for all sorts of topics where people kindly offer support for free.

I was looking for a spare lightning cable for my iPhone but decided not to bother when I saw the price is £20 and all the customer reviews say how these cables are very poor quality and soon fail. Its a clever business model, I give Apple that. To sell bespoke charging cables (which is a necessity) for very high prices, but quickly fail due to poor quality, therefore requiring regular replacement to provide another source of income. These cables (even if they were good quality) are cheap to manufacture so the profit margin is huge. USB cables on the other hand are far more robust and cheaper.

Dont get me wrong, Apple products are very nice, but they also lock you in to the Apple environment and Apples prices are extortionate, even with simple things like cables.

Anyway, none of this is helping my predicament so I hope someone more understanding can help. Thanks for your help up until now.

John Galt

Level 10

155,804 points

Dec 5, 2016 2:44 PM in response to sky_rat

You can purchase Apple Certified Lightning cables and connectors from a number of vendors. Please read Identify counterfeit or uncertified Lightning connector accessories - Apple Support.

Counterfeit power devices and the cables that connect to them can have fatal results.

Apple is a rip off, everyone knows that !

If you want cheap, buy cheap. Millions of uninformed consumers make that decision every day. Nothing is more expensive than cheap junk.

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,252 points

Dec 5, 2016 5:08 PM in response to sky_rat

Unfortunately MacDrive doesn't seem to read the SSD at all.

Things that make you go, "hmmmm?"

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 6, 2016 3:11 AM in response to Barney-15E

Yeh its a bit concerning that MacDrive doesnt seem to read the SSD.

But its also a contradiction, because the SSD passed the health check using the Samsung Magician tool.

So which is likely to be right, MacDrive or the Samsung Magician tool ?

Even if the SSD was faulty, it still doesn't explain why the MBP won't work with the two other HDDs I tried.

Another concern is that when I bought the external USB enclosure, I wasn't able to read the original HDD which came with the MBP when it was fitted in the external USB enclosure. So I am suspicious as to whether the external USB enclosure even works properly. Does it matter that its a USB3 external enclosure ? I read somewhere that the USB3 external enclosures can be problematic.

I have access to another MBP tomorrow so I will try to see if that MBP will read the SSD via the external USB enclosure.

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 6, 2016 3:48 AM in response to John Galt

The Apple lightning cable reviews say it all....

Ordering yet another cable
Horrible Quality!
The Length is perfect....quality not so much
Cheaply made, not cheap to buy
Garbage cables
Piece of Junk Lightning Cable
Doesn't last that long!!
Should Be More Durable
Coating on cable cracked after less than a year, exposing the wiring inside
bad quality !
Substandard quality
Should have saved my receipt
Does anyone at Apple care?
Waste of money! but what other choice do we have?...
Cable has a life span of less than a year
Cords always break
If it had a zero I would have picked that
Short Life Span

I wanted to get 2 new cables but that would cost £40 only to fail like my existing cables.

Its not the case of wanting cheap, its the case of what I can afford so I have no option.

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,252 points

Dec 6, 2016 4:29 AM in response to sky_rat

What does a Lightning cable have to do with a Mac? Those are for iPad/Pod/Phone.

My lightning cables have never worn out as described by those reviews. I don't yank my cords out by the cord, so that likely explains why mine don't wear out.

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 6, 2016 4:58 AM in response to Barney-15E

Just pointing out how overpriced Apple products are and in some cases also poor quality. I don't yank the cords either but sometimes I have to use the phone whilst its charging because the battery drains so quick. Never had standard USB leads fail as much as lightning leads. And the reviews backup what I say.

Any comments on why the HDDs don't fix the MBP which still hangs like it does with the SSD ?

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,252 points

Dec 6, 2016 5:16 AM in response to sky_rat

I have no idea what is wrong with both your Mac and your SSD. Both seem to need to be evaluated. Working through a process of elimination to determine the cause seems to be anathema to you.

Since you have tried a working HDD in your Mac, it is either a problem with the ribbon cable connecting the drive to the logic board, or it is the logic board itself. I can't tell from your posts if you actually tried the drive installed in the Mac or through an external cable.

The cable could have been dislodged in the process of installing the SSD and finally worked itself loose of the one end or the other.

The discussion of Lightning cables is completely confusing as they have nothing to do with a Mac. I have no idea why it was brought up.

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 6, 2016 6:28 AM in response to Barney-15E

What are the chances that both the SSD (which has passed the Samsung Magician health check) AND the MPB have failed ?

The two different HDDs which I tested were installed in the MBP via the SATA III cable.

I removed the SATA cable when the MBP stopped working a few weeks ago, this was when I thought the SSD had failed. I visually inspected the cable but I couldn't see any obvious damage. Removing and refitting the cable also allowed me to check the connectors hadn't come loose.

I assume replacing the cable is the next step ? And if a replacement cable doesn't solve the problem, then the next step would be to replace the logic board ?

Maybe I could borrow the SATA cable and logic board from the MBP I will borrow tomorrow. Hopefully this might point to the source of the problem.

I am quite happy to try and fix the MBP by the process of elimination, but I hit a brick wall when the SSD passed the health check (using the Samsung Magician tool) and even more so when the two HDDs (fitted inside the MBP via the SATA cable) didn't make any difference. None of the recovery tools work and the MBP just hangs.

So are you saying that the Samsung Magician tool is wrong when it states the SSD passed the health check ? If I return the SSD to Samsung then they will only perform the same test and send it back to me, so assuming it is faulty then what else can I do ?

I don't want to end up spending hundreds of pounds replacing various parts only to find out that the MBP still doesnt work.

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 6, 2016 6:50 AM in response to Barney-15E

By the way - when you say it could be a faulty logic board, are you referring to the whole motherboard ? Not just a small removable board that is purely there for controlling the hard drive ?

If the whole mother board needs replacing then wont the cost be almost as much as a new laptop, in which case the MBP will be a write off ?

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How to reinstall OS Sierra when Mac won't startup (grey screen)