High Sierra Killed My Hard Drive?

Hey thanks again for the help Diane, I haven’t tried an instal off a USB. This is what I’m expiencing after trying new SSD; on the recovery to instal HiGh Sierra I keep getting a error saying Recovery server unavailable, I am able to see Internal drive and the SSD in disk utility, when I try another recovery to instal previous OS, it doesn’t show any Internal/ SSD except the disk images, when I get info I seen the file system listed as unknown, which makes me thing that something software wise isn’t matching up

Right now MBP is with Apple they are going to try and see if they can the original SSD working. I was reading on another’s form that maybe I should try resetting the PRAM. Will keep you guys posted with resolution. Again open to any suggestions at this point!

I was so disappointed that I had this issue also. As a new MacBook Pro owner, I was stunned to learn that my hard drive crashed and had to go to Apple Genius Bar. While they got my machine running, of course I lost all the data on hard drive. Just did not expect this from Apple and a relatively new computer.:(

hey so just an update on my case, none of the internet recoveries are no luck for me. I had a friend put the High Sierra update on a flash drive for me. It would initiate the instal with the original SSD in bit would get an error, (see attached photo). I went ahead put in the new OWC Aura SSD and The OS instal will go all the way the instal then reboot then loop back to the Page to do the instal/ recovery/ online help/ time machine back up. I can see in disk utility that it’s puting the instal on the new SSD but still just looping after initiating the instal again. Let me know if any work around a come up. I will keep you guys updated.

Hey Diane thanks again for sticking with this nonsense of an instal, I am still getting a loop back to the main utilities pages even after trying to format new SSD to APFS, (even tried APFS encrypted) one thing I would like to note is the OS on the USB is currently formatted to Journaled Ext., is that right ?

What's really frightening is I'm having the exact same problem on a MacBook Pro I bought in spring of 2017. So a new device is being destroyed by this update. What is going on? Where are the quality controls?

Lear70 wrote:

Note: Apple keeps deleting my replies. I have printed copies. They are trying to control the message. The only thing it does it strengthen my resolve. You should quit while you're ahead.

Nonsense should be removed, it clutters up the forum making it harder for sensible people to use. Keep your printed copies, we all have copies emailed to us.

Do you have it still? Do you still have the receipt from the computer store that you took it to?

Why did you take it to them rather than the Apple Store?

I saw you put the haddrive in an external "caddy" but you didn't mention using a USB installer stick until the last reply. What did the USB stick boot to? What does disk utility see when you boot from the USB?

Right, CSound. The fact that a new hard drive fixed the problem instantly makes them incompetent. The fact that the original hard drive isn't readable in any other computers and isn't accessible externally even to reformat it makes the shop incompetent. Right. Sorry the facts don't support your conclusions. I will continue to watch this thread for others with the same issue but I am done speaking to someone who simply wants to insult me. Good day.

And it happened to a buddy of mine here in town. Luckily he was able to recover his data off his hard drive, but he had to buy a new HD. Just wait, the paid apologists will be back shortly telling all of you how this isn't possible. It's ridiculous.

Hi Diane,

I'm glad I found this discussion thread! I have a late 2013 MacBook Pro with SSD drive (original) and was only attempting to update the OS because my current version (Mavericks) did not support the Home Office for Mac that I was trying to install - just my luck the one it tried to install was High Sierra. Initial error was that it couldn't find the OSInstall.mpkg file, but downhill after that - couldn't see Macintosh HD in Startup Utility. Tried restoring from my Time Capsule (I'd done a backup before trying the Home office install) but no luck there - think that was due to it not seeing an HD to restore to. Went to Genius Bar - initial diagnostic check ok. He tried installing Sierra - no go - he then did a "deeper" diagnostic check and said my SSD drive was faulty !?!? £714 to replace!!! No way!! Laptop working perfectly well before the attempted High Sierra install. I have tried doing your suggested shift-option-command-R but all I get if the Apple logo with the spinning disc (as in when somethings taking time to do - I assume that's not the same as the Globe you've mentioned?) I'm not seeing anything happen there. Is my next best option to try the USB install route?

thanks

Thanks! That brought up the globe, although Diane's post on page 5 did say shift-option-command-R.

Anyway, then selected disk utility and I can see a 500.28 GB APPLE SSD SM0512F Media disk with disk02 underneath it - however, after she lectins the Erase tab, none of the Erase... Buttons are available to select i.e. They're all greyed out?

off to bed now, so I'll check in the morning for any other welcome advice.

Thanks again

Hi Diane,

thanks for all that info but unfortunately the unmountDisk command failed with the following message:

"Forced unmount of disk0 failed: at least one volume could not be unmounted"

My OS was Mavericks before the attempted High Sierra install so you are right to say that I am "using Disk Utility in Yosemite or older" if only I had updated to Yosemite when it became available the I would not have had to update to High Sierra for my Home Off is install since it only needed 10.10 or later!!

The Base system does indeed show the Mount point as '/'

yes I am puzzled as to why it shows the connection type as external for disk0, and additionally, it only appears temporarily then eventually disappears altogether??

Perhaps the the high cost quoted to replace my drive is because it it soldered onto the main board and so can't be replaced in isolation? I'll double check. I certainly don't mind paying £129 to replace the SSD if it's possible on my model of MacBook Pro.

Thanks again

Hi Diane

I've added another screenshot below of my latest attempt. I executed the "mount" and "dd" commands just to see what they were all being used for. So you can see /dev/disk0s2 mounted on "/Volumes/Macintosh HD"

Again if I'd try to unmount disk0 it fails but if I try it again immediately it then says it is successful.

However, executing the "dd ..." command returns an "Operation not supported"

I tried doing the dsk partitioning after that but it says it can't find the disk now. Is that dues to the dd command failing? Note I didn't use sudo since it couldn't find it and I read in any case that when you boot up in recovery mode you get a root shell so no need for sudo.

Any last thoughts or isn't it a case of new SSD - ifixit.com does have an example of replacing the SSD on late 2013 MacBook Pros and looks simple enough - just slots in so not soldered - phew!

Thanks

Tried unmounting disk2-12 first but that made no difference (see image).

As for using the command exactly as shown ie "sudo..." that doesn't work - I get a "sudo: command not found" message, hence why I have to omit it for the "dd..." command. Looks like I'm at a dead end, or rather drive!

Stand by for the apologists who will attack you and tell you that it's not possible, that your repair shop is incompetent, etc etc blah blah. It's a known issue. Unfortunately Apple has no interest in actually making it right, which only ensures I will NEVER AGAIN by a new product from them. Used secondary market only. Hope they enjoy their lost revenue. (p.s. My wife and I make a LOT of money; we can afford it, we simply won't reward bad behavior).