MacBook Pro 2012 - New HDD or SSD not recognized internally

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Level 1

15 points

MacBook Pro 2012 - New HDD or SSD not recognized internally

I have an old MBP2012. It has a 750GB HDD (Toshiba MK7559GSXF). I have scanned it and it doesn't appear to have bad sectors, but it must be on its way out because even after erasing and reinstalling the OS it takes about 5-7 minutes to boot (Read and Write speeds are not very consistent as well 25-40). It also hangs consistently for a few seconds when trying to do anything (opening apps, browsing via Finder, searching it Spotlight, etc.).

I have 2 new disks here ... a Samsung 850 Evo 250GB SSD and a WD 500GB 7200rpm 2.5 HDD. Both of them work ok on my Windows PC. On the MBP even though they are recognized if I connect them via a SATA to USB cable and I can erase/format them via Disk Utility, if I connect them internally (replacing the old HDD) they are not recognized in Disk Utility either via a working Bootable OSX 10.12 USB or Internet Recovery (so I also cant select the disks to install the OS).

Any ideas? Never stumbled upon a problem like this before. 😕

MacBook Pro

Posted on Mar 26, 2017 10:41 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Mar 26, 2017 10:48 AM in response to ThePro PR

I'm guessing because of how the SSDs are partitioned. Please follow these directions on how to prepare them correctly when they are used internally.

Clean Install of Sierra or El Capitan on a Clean Disk

Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command-Option-Rkeys until a globe appears.
The Utility Menu will appear in from 5-20 minutes. Be patient.
Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
When Disk Utility loads select the drive (usually, the out-dented entry) from the side list.
Click on the Erase tab in Disk Utility's main window. A panel will drop down.
Set the partition scheme to GUID.
Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.

This should install the version of OS X that was pre-installed when the computer was new.

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Answer 2

Mar 26, 2017 8:35 PM in response to S.U.

This is the "punchline" (screen capture) from that Video:

Brue computing posted an interesting Video on Youtube. The proposition was that the SATA cable problems in certain MacBooks was caused by abrasion against the machined inside of the aluminum case. Their solution? RED TAPE!

(The drive has been removed for photographic clarity)

One strip applied to the case, and one strip applied to the underside of the cable.

You should use RED tape because it is associated with higher speeds, and will therefore keep the high speed bits from spilling out of the cable and accumulating inside the case.

OGELTHORPE insists that I have a fiduciary responsibility to tell you that--^

.

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Answer 3

ThePro PR Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 26, 2017 3:36 PM in response to Kappy

That's the thing. Bothe the new SSD and new HHD are not recognized inside Disk Utility when its connected internally (if I put the old drive in, its recognized without issues, but like I said everything is slow).

I read that some people had this issue with SSD and most say that changing the SATA cable works (that the SATA cable was defective), but the strange thing is that it does it even with a new HDD as well like I mentioned on my original post (its 7200rpm though, not 5400rpm).

Should I replace the SATA cable?

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Answer 4

Mar 26, 2017 6:22 PM in response to ThePro PR

If you attempt the install with the new Drive in an external enclosure, that cuts the problem in half. It isolates the problems of Initialization and Install and Run from problems of Internal Power and Data cable and positioning.

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Answer 5

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Mar 26, 2017 7:47 PM in response to ThePro PR

Is this the 13" mid-2012 MBP? If so, it has a known issue with the cable going bad, and it would definitely be a good idea to replace it. A good price on a replacement cable is from OWC:

https://eshop.macsales.com/search/hard%20drive%20cable

But it might also be worth trying what this guy did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amg5w0rlwDo

Good luck!

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Answer 6

ThePro PR Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 27, 2017 5:52 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I tried it with black electic tape, but it didnt seem to help.

The old/original Toshiba (Apple branded) 5400rpm drive is still slow.

The Samsung SSD and the WD HDD (7200rpm) drives are recognized via USB and I can install and boot from them if connected via USB, but internally they are not recognized.

I found a working Toshiba HDD (5400rpm) that I had around here which is the closest I can get to the original HDD specs, but still no dice (same thing as the SSD and WD HDD).

If I connect the original Toshiba HDD internally the computer boots normally (althoughs slow).

Why would it recogznie the old HDD but not 3 different SSD/HDD? Could it really be the cable in this case? Is there a possibiliyt that the logic board is faulty? Ideas?

PS: I had already tried to reset the SMC & PRAM.

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Answer 7

Mar 27, 2017 6:16 AM in response to ThePro PR

The red tape trick is a hack. It may work, it may not. If you are having good results with External drives, but none at all with Internal drives, try replacing the cable with a new one. It is not very expensive.

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