SSD/SATA problem on MBP early 2011

[T0bra]

Hi everyone,

I tried to upgrade my macbook pro (13-inch, Early 2011 - OSX Sierra 10.12.1, all specs below*) with an SSD Crucial MX300. It worked, but at some point (after few weeks) the system started to get stuck. The only way to recover the laptop was to issue an hard reboot each time this happened.

This was fine until the pc was not able to boot anymore. Digging around the forums, it turned out the problem could be related to the SATA cable. So, I changed the cable and the macbook was up and running again! Unfortunately, this lasted for a couple of weeks: the problem appeared again and I have a fleshing folder with a question mark at startup.

I changed the cable once again, but the same drama happened. I bought a cable compatible with my notebook through iFixit.

Now, the only solution I found is to connect the SSD externally from the USB and run the operating system from there. Which is working fine, but it is uncomfortable and obviously slow (like not having the SSD).

Any idea?

Thank you very much in advance.

(*)
Hardware Overview:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro8,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 2,3 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Boot ROM Version: MBP81.0047.B2C
SMC Version (system): 1.68f99
Serial Number (system): C02FD3R7DH2L
Hardware UUID: 00954623-0239-5912-BFA7-C8A82231FDCA

Intel 6 Series Chipset:

Vendor: Intel
Product: 6 Series Chipset
Link Speed: 6 Gigabit
Description: AHCI Version 1.30 Supported

 

[Fishrrman]

Could it be a "weak" drive connection port on the motherboard?

I'm sure you've already done this, but...
... did you go to the startup disk pref pane, and set the internal drive to be the startup drive?

 

[radicsf]

Hi

I have this exact problem (13inch late 2011 MBP) since I put an Samsung EVO 840 SSD into my laptop.
I changed the data cable and it solved the problem for a year. But now I have this problem again and yesterday I replaced the cable once again. But didn't solve it. The laptop freezes and a question mark appears on boot. But sometimes it's working. It is total random but mostly not working.
I tried to change OS (linux) but it didn't help. I thought that maybe my logic board is faulty. I couldn't lost anything so I tried something i've read: took apart the laptop and placed the logic board into a kitchen oven. 180 celsius, 7 minutes. Didn't help.
I've read sooo much forums and sites and there's no solution. I think I have to replace the SSD with my old HDD.

edit: it's not about the startup drive thing. The SSD drive even not appears there so can't select it.

 

[T0bra]

Could it be a "weak" drive connection port on the motherboard?

I'm sure you've already done this, but...
... did you go to the startup disk pref pane, and set the internal drive to be the startup drive?

What do you mean with drive connection port? Is there something I could do to restore it in case?

Concerning the startup disk pref pane, yes, I did it.

@radicsf: does it work with the old HDD?

 

[radicsf]

@T0bra : I tried it for a few hours. During that I didn't experienced any freeze or blinking question mark. But it is very slow compared to ssd.

Based on this article it is a common bug:
http://blog.macsales.com/11895-2011-macbook-pro-sata-problems-resolved

It seems macOS Sierra probably contains the needed EFI update but it didn't solve the problem. At least not for me.

My boot rom and smc is the same as yours:
Boot ROM Version: MBP81.0047.B2C
SMC Version (system): 1.68f99

 

[T0bra]

@T0bra : I tried it for a few hours. During that I didn't experienced any freeze or blinking question mark. But it is very slow compared to ssd.

Based on this article it is a common bug:
http://blog.macsales.com/11895-2011-macbook-pro-sata-problems-resolved

It seems macOS Sierra probably contains the needed EFI update but it didn't solve the problem. At least not for me.

My boot rom and smc is the same as yours:
Boot ROM Version: MBP81.0047.B2C
SMC Version (system): 1.68f99

I'll try to roll back to the HDD and see if it works.

Btw, for me neither OS Sierra solves the problem.

 

[T0bra]

@radicsf I got a suggestion to use the MacBook Pro 13'' Mid 2012 HD cable to solve the issue. I asked for a clarification about why this replacement should solve the problem.

As soon as I get an answer I will post it!

 

[radicsf]

@T0bra Thank you! I'm very curious!

 

[KoMaNik]

Same here MBP Early 2011:
Boot ROM Version: MBP81.0047.B2C
SMC Version (system): 1.68f99

 

[bungalowhulk]

Hi, just wanted to chime in as I had intermittent issue for years after installing an SSD into my Mid 2012 MacBook Pro. I couldn't find anything online that helped so maybe this will be of some use to someone in the future

I replaced the Macintosh HDD with a Samsung EVO 840, removed the disk drive and put the original HDD in its place. After several months my mac started having issues reading the SSD and then couldn't boot the OS. I bought a new SATA cable which seemed to fix it for a short time...after literally years of intermittent issues, 3 replacement cables and many many OS re-installs I gave up.

One day I decided to use the original HDD in a different computer so removed it from the MacBook. Out of curiosity, I disconnected the SATA cable for the second hard drive, booted up the MacBook and it's been smooth sailing ever since! So for me it was an issue with the secondary SATA port even though the primary port appeared to cause the issues.

Strangely enough, the computer booted fine from the HDD on the second SATA port when the SSD was disconnected. So maybe it's related to both drives running simultaneously.

Anyone, I hope this helps someone!

 

[lechuzazul]

Hi, I'm currently experiencing this same problem with a Crucial MX500 SSD (500gb) in a early 2011 Macbook Pro 13".

Last October I installed the new SSD without formatting it, and following the Mac instructions I installed de Mac OS in the new SSD and it functioned properly (but every now and then the screen did frozen sometimes).

4 months later my mac didn't boot and by restarting in safe mode (holding alt/option key) my SSD doesn't show up.

I clicked on "recover system from the internet" and clicked on "disk utility".

Finally the SSD shows up but I can't fix it or repair it and the error is the following:

"Volume verification error. Files system not recognized"

Checking The Partitions Map Scheme it says "Master Booting Register (MBR)".

I think my SATA cable is OK and there is no hardware malfunctions because I can see the SSD in Disk Repair , but I'm going to connect my old HD in order to discard this possibility.

Looks like i will have to format my SSD in order to reinstall the OS software, but I will try to connect my SSD via usb-STA cable before in order to save my information as I don't want to lose it in the formatting procedure.

Could this Macbook Pro 2011 error in SSD be fixed?

If I repair my SSD (formating and installing OS) will this error repeat in the future?

Thanks for the support!
[automerge]1582668803[/automerge]

Hi, just wanted to chime in as I had intermittent issue for years after installing an SSD into my Mid 2012 MacBook Pro. I couldn't find anything online that helped so maybe this will be of some use to someone in the future

I replaced the Macintosh HDD with a Samsung EVO 840, removed the disk drive and put the original HDD in its place. After several months my mac started having issues reading the SSD and then couldn't boot the OS. I bought a new SATA cable which seemed to fix it for a short time...after literally years of intermittent issues, 3 replacement cables and many many OS re-installs I gave up.

One day I decided to use the original HDD in a different computer so removed it from the MacBook. Out of curiosity, I disconnected the SATA cable for the second hard drive, booted up the MacBook and it's been smooth sailing ever since! So for me it was an issue with the secondary SATA port even though the primary port appeared to cause the issues.

Strangely enough, the computer booted fine from the HDD on the second SATA port when the SSD was disconnected. So maybe it's related to both drives running simultaneously.

Anyone, I hope this helps someone!

Hi, I didn't understand this part, could you be more specific? :

"One day I decided to use the original HDD in a different computer so removed it from the MacBook. Out of curiosity, I disconnected the SATA cable for the second hard drive, booted up the MacBook and it's been smooth sailing ever since! So for me it was an issue with the secondary SATA port even though the primary port appeared to cause the issues."

 

[bajang14]

Hi, sorry to jump in, and sorry for my english, it's not my main language, but I want to inform a few things regarding this matter, I currently refreshing a few old macbook/pro with SSD and RAM upgrade, mostly went well until I came across an early 2011 13" MBP, I heard story about HDD flex cable problem with this series so I went a head and replace the cable with new one, put the original HD back and replace the optical drive with SSD+adapter, and, for two day's I tried to fresh install High Sierra but always failed, then I took out the HDD and SSD and hook it to USB adapter and install Sierra (not High Sierra, since it failed earlier) externally, the HDD worked and installed but the SSD failed, tried a couple of times still the same so I replace the SSD with different brand and new...still failed..at this point I was about to give up with this laptop and send it back to the owner, then I remember, I have a 2012 13" MBP with liquid damaged logic board, so I decide to just try the flex cable from the 2012 model to the 2011 model, I replace the HDD and DVD cable from the 2011 with the 2012 ones and it worked flawlessly, I was able to install both on HD (attached to the original slot) and SSD (attahed to DVD slot) without problem, a minor problem occur due that the 2012 HD flex cable is longer than the 2011, but, I find no problem to tuck in the excess between the main board and SSD adapter, so far it's still working fine and I am able to upgrade to High Sierra flawlessly.

I do compare the HD flex cable and the 2012 model is wider (and longer) than the 2011 model and the track seems to spread apart from each other, but, the connector is the same.

My personal thought on this matter is not that the original 2011 flex cables flawed or degrade but perhaps it's not designed to withstand the data speed of SSD or newer OS, however, its still puzzle me why it also affect USB performance.

I haven't receive other 2011 models to confirm this since mostly the model that came to me are from 2010 and 2012 and a few airs, the 2011 15" models are notorious for the gpu fail and the flex cable problem for the 13" so maybe most of the owner already abandoned them.

The photo show a temporary setup for the SSD with the 2012 flex cable with the original flex still attached to the case

I hope this information useful

regards


I do a small repair business for laptops/desktop mostly Apple for friends and lately I tried to encourage laptop owners to upgrade their laptops instead of buying new ones, especially, with current pandemic still threatening our daily lives and a lot of us had to stay and work from home and laptops or desktop become a necessity for our works