(Mid 2009) Macbook Pro - hard drives keep failing

Started by ninjaPB_43, March 01, 2018, 08:50:12 AM

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ninjaPB_43

I've got an old Macbook Pro (mid 2009) that has had multiple hard drives fail in the past year and a half - is it possible something else is happening (like a logic board or something) causing the drives to fail? Or is it just bad luck with the 2 drives I bought? 

Is it worth trying a third time? I don't want to keep dumping money into failing drives, but also can't drop $1600 right now for a new Macbook Pro.

Any thoughts will help... 

Thanks
:ninja: 
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

Joe

You might want to run the Apple Hardware test software to see if it comes up with anything. Other than that it is a tossup if you are just having bad luck with hard drives or really bad luck with a logic board. If it is a traditional hard drive try an SSD. I just posted in the other thread that you can get a 480 gb SSD for $99.99 at Newegg.com right now with a promo code.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

ninjaPB_43

Thanks Joe -

The current state of the Macbook is upon boot a folder with ? - when I try to boot from original install disc to try and reinstall from scratch it cannot locate a drive at all. Looks like from THIS that I should be able to access AHT from the 2nd disc I have (Applications Install Disc 2). I'll give that a whirl when I get home tonight...
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

Joe

Yeah a 2009 might still have an AHT disk. No such luck on newer Macs.

The folder with the question mark means it can't find a boot drive so definitely sounds like an HD issue.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

scottrsimons

If you are lucky enough to live kinda close to an Apple store, I find it pretty easy to take my Macs into them to do the hardware testing for something like this. Plus the nice thing is, if you have a backup and they want to format and reinstall, it doesn't take them that long to reinstall the OS in the store, as compared to doing it at home. They have quite a few of the OSes there on their servers. Plus it doesn't cost anything but time. And you get to look around at all the stuff you can't afford (at least in my case). :popcorn: But it's still fun to window shop.
"Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!" - Homer J. Simpson

ninjaPB_43

Soooo an Update:  ran the AHT and it said no issues found. O'really? ??? :hangme:

So I decided to run the extended test, or whatever it's called..  yea, it never finished. It froze about halfway through and after about 48hours - I got out the sledgehammer. (not really)

So much for no issues...

I think it's kapootsky.  :tombstone: 

I got 8.5 solid years out of it. I may try 1 more internal HD before I scrap it altogether...  guess I'll be without a personal macbook for awhile until I can save some funds to get a new one.  :cane:
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

ninjaPB_43

Ok - broke down and bought another SSD...

Guess what - no hd found to install Os on! It's either the ribbon (which I should have tried first since it's only $25) or it's the logic board.

:angry: :ninja:
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

Joe

Do you have a bootable USB disk like a thumb drive. If not you can create one from a downloaded OS from the App Store. Then boot from the USB drive and open disk utilities and see if it sees the unformatted SSD. If so format it for the proper format for a boot disk for the version of OS you are installing. Then install the OS from the thumb drive to the SSD. If Disk Utility doesn't see the SSD at all that would be strange since AHT didn't find anything previously. And it is possible you got a dead drive. Can you connect it to another computer and see if it can see the SSD?
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

ninjaPB_43

Quote from: Joe on March 17, 2018, 07:26:04 AMDo you have a bootable USB disk like a thumb drive. If not you can create one from a downloaded OS from the App Store. Then boot from the USB drive and open disk utilities and see if it sees the unformatted SSD. If so format it for the proper format for a boot disk for the version of OS you are installing. Then install the OS from the thumb drive to the SSD. If Disk Utility doesn't see the SSD at all that would be strange since AHT didn't find anything previously. And it is possible you got a dead drive. Can you connect it to another computer and see if it can see the SSD?

I don't have a bootable USB, but I have the original install discs. I'm able to get to Disc Utility but it doesn't see the SSD at all. I have a cable (ribbon) delivering today. I'll install that and hopefully that's the problem. I also purchased a handy USB to SSD cord - in the case that its the logic board and the old SSD is still good, I can use my wife's macbook or my iMac at work to retrieve files from the SSD that hadn't been backed up yet. (only a month or so of stuff)
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

Joe

The future of your laptop isn't looking very bright.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

ninjaPB_43

Quote from: Joe on March 19, 2018, 07:37:42 AMThe future of your laptop isn't looking very bright.

I think it's done well to get me 8.5yrs of use. I'm hoping I can get 1-1.5 more...  We'll know more tonight once I get that ribbon installed. :ninja:


(if the ribbon isn't the issue, I think I'll be macless at home for awhile. Booooooooooo) :banghead:
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

ninjaPB_43

Soooooo, old SSD is still good. Transferring stuff off to my wife's MacBook now while I'm able, and will put it out on my MyCloud backup drive. Once it's finished, I'm putting it back in and changing out the ribbon. If a new ribbon doesn't work - I'll know it's the logic board.
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

ninjaPB_43

This post is from my Macbook.  :banana:  I plugged the SSD into the USB and it booted right up. :ninja:
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

ninjaPB_43

#13
Ok - well. Motherf#^{£*]€<!!

New ribbon installed with SSD proven to be good, no boot. So it's the port on the logic board.

:angry:

Edit: ignore me - I'm a dumbass.  :rotf:  I forgot to reconnect the battery cable. I also disconnect it before messing with the SSD or cable and forgot to reconnect. I'm tired, I'm getting senile, is it time for Alzheimer's yet?
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

Joe

So both drives are good? Bad? Or what? Inquiring minds want to know.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.