Accidentally deleted mounted internal hd from disk utility - need to reinstall OS

[dockess22]

Hi,

Had the flashing question mark appear on startup on my 2012 MacBook and tried to erase and start from scratch. I don't know exactly what I did as it's been a few weeks but I did accidentally deleted the internal hd mounted under volumes in disk utility. So now I only see the base volume in the lower half of the left side of the disk utility. (Trying to be detailed but that sounded convoluted, sorry.) I know the hard drive is in there but I can't reinstall the OS as there is no volume to install to. Please help. I can take it to a computer repair store but prefer to do myself if possible. I am not interested in recovering data, just getting this machine working. Thank you in advance for any help!

 

[Weaselboy]

Had the flashing question mark appear on startup on my 2012 MacBook and tried to erase and start from scratch.

Unless you did something to cause this, there is no reason the OS would just disappear on its own. It sounds like maybe you have a filed drive or maybe a bad drive cable.

Can you command-option-r boot to recovery and see the drive in Disk Utility from there?

 

[dockess22]

Unless you did something to cause this, there is no reason the OS would just disappear on its own. It sounds like maybe you have a filed drive or maybe a bad drive cable.

Can you command-option-r boot to recovery and see the drive in Disk Utility from there?

I tried that and do not see it. I even tried booting from disc and installing is from internet recovery mode. It never sees a volume to install to.

I did delete it on accident but I deleted it while trying to fix the flashing hard drive on startup. Thinking hard drive might have failed and me deleting the volume from disk utility now it won't appear because hard drive is bad?

 

[Weaselboy]

Thinking hard drive might have failed and me deleting the volume from disk utility now it won't appear because hard drive is bad?

Yep.... that is what I am thinking. Either a bad drive or cable, or both.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

If it's a 2012 NON-retina MacBook Pro, take it to a brick-n-mortar Apple Store.

The hard drive ribbon cable in these is prone to failure, and when it fails it will often be mistaken (by the user) for a "hard drive failure".

Apple has a free recall/replacement policy for this.

Chances are if they replace the cable, they can test your hard drive and perhaps they'll even install a good copy of the onto it for you.