Macbook Pro wont load past the apple sign

[bamctaggart]

Gday

got a macbook pro 13" 2009 model, when turning it on it loads as normal, except the load bar is really slow and when it gets to the end it flashes up with a file with a question mark.

The hard drive in there is fine, i have tried other hard drives also, and when i put the hard drive in a portable drive case and plug in through USB it loads up perfect, logs into mac osx and runs as it should.

i have tried multiple hard drives with different OSX's on it, all work through USB external drive but not when plugged into the sata drive inside. I have also tried a new sata cable but no luck.

any suggestions would be great!

 

[Branflaakes]

It's gone, brother, it's gone.

Come join the Night's Watch at Waiting For Skylake Macbook Pro thread.

 

[thewap]

Can you boot the mac from an external enclosure with the original hard drive?

Put a different HD in the mac, then boot from external, then try disc utilities .

 

[duervo]

Replace the drive cable. Whoops, you already did. Points to probably the drive cable connector on the logic board, or something else logic board-related.

At any rate, yeah ... probably going to need to get a new system, because logic board for that age of a system is going to be cost prohibitive.

 

[bamctaggart]

Can you boot the mac from an external enclosure with the original hard drive?

Put a different HD in the mac, then boot from external, then try disc utilities .

yeah ive got a 17" mpb and used the solid state from that but it still wont load, but yes when put either the ssd or the original hdd in the external enclosure it loads.

 

[thewap]

yeah ive got a 17" mpb and used the solid state from that but it still wont load, but yes when put either the ssd or the original hdd in the external enclosure it loads.

clone the original drive then put it back in the MBP. Then boot from the clone externally, then launch disc utilities to take a look see if the internal drive is being read at all.

 

[bamctaggart]

well i found a work around, my 17" MBP is also cactus (early 2011 model) and the graphics/logic board is shot, and i missed the boat on getting the free repair. Anyways i used the DVD bay as a second hard drive with the special caddy, i removed this caddy and it fit the 13" MBP (amazingly) and now im running the 13" through the caddy, still wont find a HD in the main spot, and when it does it wont read it. But it lives another day until the new MBP is released in the coming months.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"The hard drive in there is fine, i have tried other hard drives also, and when i put the hard drive in a portable drive case and plug in through USB it loads up perfect, logs into mac osx and runs as it should."

This was a very smart diagnostic procedure on your part.

If the internal boot drive still works fine when you put it into an external case, I would suggest that the internal "ribbon cable" connecting the drive to the motherboard has gone bad on you. Many others have had problems with the flimsy cable.

I believe replacement cables are relatively cheap and easily sourced.

You can go to ifixit.com to see what the process for replacement is (pretty easy, I believe), and also to get the correct part number.

ifixit may be able to sell you the cable. Or, try ebay.

Important: Be sure to use THE RIGHT TOOLS for the job.

Hope this helps.

Edit:
I see you found a workaround by using the old CD bay.
Might still be worth replacing the ribbon cable for the regular internal drive bay.

 

[JPNFRK7]

OP wrote:
"The hard drive in there is fine, i have tried other hard drives also, and when i put the hard drive in a portable drive case and plug in through USB it loads up perfect, logs into mac osx and runs as it should."

This was a very smart diagnostic procedure on your part.

If the internal boot drive still works fine when you put it into an external case, I would suggest that the internal "ribbon cable" connecting the drive to the motherboard has gone bad on you. Many others have had problems with the flimsy cable.

I believe replacement cables are relatively cheap and easily sourced.

You can go to ifixit.com to see what the process for replacement is (pretty easy, I believe), and also to get the correct part number.

ifixit may be able to sell you the cable. Or, try ebay.

Important: Be sure to use THE RIGHT TOOLS for the job.

Hope this helps.

Edit:
I see you found a workaround by using the old CD bay.
Might still be worth replacing the ribbon cable for the regular internal drive bay.

He said he tried a new "SATA cable", which he is probably referring to the ribbon cable. I think Id try another ribbon cable if thats the case just to see if the first was bad.