Fix Your Stuff Community Store

Mid 2010 Model A1278 / 2.4 or 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo processor

794 Questions View all

Options

Blinking question mark when booting, maybe HD damaged?

About two hours ago my MacBook Pro shutdown, as it had no battery left. When I got home I plugged the power cord in and started my Mac up. But instead of the normal startup screen, the only thing I got was a blinking folder with a questionmark.

I did some research and tried booting it up holding down the option key, but instead of the startup manager, Internet Recovery appeared. So I put my OS X Moutain Lion disc in (burned it on a disc) after the blinking folder appeared and it loaded it up. I then tried Startup Disc, but it only shows the OS X Mountain Lion disc and nothing else. Have also tried open Disc Utility, but here it only shows

SuperDrive

Mac OS X Install ESD

--------------------

disk1

Mac OS X Base System

So it seems it can't find the HD. So I'm pretty lost. Read something about it could be the hard disc being dead, or maybe just a cable not sitting right, but I'm am not sure about anything.

So I'm hoping you could tell me what's wrong and hopefully a solution. My warranty has ended, so I cannot take it back.

Thanks in advance.

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

Is this a good question?

Yes No
Score 1
Add a comment

6 Answers

Filter by:
Most Helpful Newest Oldest
Chosen Solution

Options

I had this problem recently, when i took it in to Apple, all they did was replace a cable that connected the HD to the motherboard. Apparently in the 2010 model this is a common problem!!

If I was you, I would just take it to Apple. Since it is a common problem they might do it for free (they did for me). Good luck!

If this answer was helpful please remember to mark it accepted.

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 2

5 Comments:

Only problem is my warranty has ended. Would there be any way to verify, if it is the cable that's something wrong with, so I don't go out and buy a new one and then I find out it was something else?

by

Mine was out of warranty also. However, they replaced it for free.I cannot verify it for you, except to say your situation mimics mine exactly. Normally when the Hard Drive is damaged, nothing comes up, not even the recovery drive (at least in my experience) . However, sometimes the system will not recognize the HD so the Recovery disk will come up but not the hard drive. I wish you luck!

If this answer was helpful please remember to mark it accepted.

by

Problem is here in Denmark, we only have resellers with much worse support, and they are not gonna repair it, unless I pay them with is very expensive, so I would rather fix it myself.

Someone suggested doing a SMC reset, which I did. It didn't solve anything, instead now when I boot up my Mac the fans are really loud. Don't know if that could mean anything?

by

To Mattias - go straight to Apple here: (45) 70 10 20 07 www.apple.com/dk/support/

by

Thank you!

But I just did The Apple Hardware test (extended), but it said no trouble found, so could it still be the cable even though it says nothing in the hardware test?

by

Add a comment

Options

I am seeing so many of these hard drive cable failures that I'm stocking them for the 2009 & 2010 13" & 15" MacBook Pros. Do not buy used parts for this repair as you will run into the same issue. I suggest to all that have this issue to write Apple about it and save your repair receipts. I'm pretty sure this will lead to an Apple replacement program or class action law suit and Apple will have to repay you for any professional repair expense you should incur. Apple had to repay people on the nVidia issue (although that was actually paid for by nVidia not Apple).

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 2

14 Comments:

Even though AHT showed no problems, run Disk Utilities (verify) and see if it reports any problems. WARNING do not repair the drive just let us know your results.

by

As written in the start post, the only thing that shows when I run Disk Utility is the OS X cd inserted and something called Mac OS X Base System, so it's not possible for me to do it.

by

I don't think I've ever seen this. I'd replace that cable.

by

As I need my MBP to be working ASAP I was wondering, if it was possible to take the cable from a MBP (mid 2009) and try it in mine? Or if that doesn't work, then take both the cable and HD from the 2009 MBP and put it in my MBP?

by

If they are both 13" machines, that should work.

by

Show 9 more comments

Add a comment

Options

A friend had this same problem and brought the 13" Macbook Pro to me and after hours of troubleshooting I realised that the cable that connects the harddrive to the board is damaged. So called an engineer friend who sold me a new cable and bingo the system is back on.

Hope this answer is helpful.

Adelaja Oluwatobiloba Daniel.

Nigeria

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 1
Add a comment

Options

i also had the same problem, folder with a question mark, and what i did is i go to apple and they said that my hardrive is good meaning no problem at all, so they change the cable becuase it might be the problem, but after they replaced it with a new one, the same problem again folder with a question mark..

i hope i can get an answer regarding this issue.. thank you

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 0
Add a comment

Options

FIX

I had this problem upwards of 7 or 8 times, and I fixed it by replacing the defective cable. The more times I did this, the shorter the fix held for. I have now found a workaround by using a hard drive caddy. They are available of amazon for less than £10. You remove the optical drive (for CD/DVDs) and put the caddy in its place. The hard drive is then connected to the computer via different route, bypassing the defective data cable. It does mean you no longer have an optical drive, but that's a small price to pay to have a functional computer!

Caddy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 0
Add a comment

Options

Here I found out the solution! Mine was the faulty HDD data cable. Here is how to replace that cable own your own. It was not so hard to do!!!

https://youtu.be/iZuSz86stpc

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 0
Add a comment

Add your answer

Mattias Damsgaard will be eternally grateful.
View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 0

Past 7 Days: 1

Past 30 Days: 4

All Time: 26,015