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Early 2011 Model: A1278 / 2.3 GHz i5 or 2.7 GHz i7 processor

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Hard Drive can't unmount

I am stuck with this problem now. Disc will not unmount, no matter what I try.

My disk is fine, so I don't need to repair it, I checked that just encase. I have tried to zero the disk from terminal, says the same can't unmount, and cant unmount it from restore utility. I wanted to boot it up normal, but only got half way then just stay like that. I don't think I have got enough RAM in this one, only 4GB, and I remembered that Logic pro X was on my disk, with all the gear, everything.

This is why I wanted to Erase it, so as I could use from an earlier backup that didn't have all that. it is loaded with an earlier version of Yosemite to what's on Disk as well.

How do I erase this disk?

Any help would be appreciated

Cap

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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You may want to check the systems firmware. Follow this Apple T/N: About EFI and SMC firmware updates for Intel-based Mac computers you want to be at least at the levels listed here. If you have older firmware your SATA port maybe running at SATA II (3.0 Gb/s)Vs SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).

You also may want to replace the HD SATA cable as its known to have issues running with faster SATA III drives. Follow this IFIXIT guide: MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011 Hard Drive Cable Replacement

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Hi Dan I think you might be right, as I have been thinking about this. By the way, I just found out the MacBook I got off my friend, that I am tiring to upgrade is a mid 2009, he told me it was a 2011, I just looked about this mac and its not. and I took a HDD from a late211, early12 500GB hard drive. I will have to have a look. What sort of upgrade hard drive cable should I get?

However I will try the fire wire to fire wire tomorrow and see how it goes, and if that's no good I will get a new cable. Will the 500GB drive be ok still once I change the cable. Or do I need a 2009 HDD?

Thanks for the response

Speak later

Cap

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If you are using a fixed SATA III drive in a SATA II system you can also encounter issues unless you can jumper it down to SATA II. It's starting to sound like that is the case here. Can you give us the make and model of the drive so we can check its specs and let's make sure we are working on the correct model here. It's a Mid 2009 MacBook Pro 13" correct?

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Hi Dan its a Sata 11 HDD HGST TT5SAE500 500GB 2.5, 7MM SATA2-5400 RPM.

YES THE MAC BOOK I AM TRING TO BOOT IS MID 2009.

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No need to YELL, I understand this can be frustrating. Remember I'm not there so you have to help me 'See' what you have.

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OK, thats Good! So we know for sure the drive is AOK for this system. Lets look at the systems settings what drive is set as the startup disk? Is it this drive?

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My bet is that it's not the hard drive at all. I've run into to several machine that exhibit very strange problems and all have been solved by this program, take it into an ASP or Apple Store and have them run the test:

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro...

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I got a funny feeling that somehow there is something similar to my main HDD and it is getting confused. For example pointing to the other things instead of my main drive I want to use. So therefore I think I need to find out what it is and get rid of it, like another drive or whatever. Then I will be able to erase it. This is just a guess, because my HDD is fine, and says it is on the disk utility,don't need to be repaired. I have done all the sudo codes under the sun on terminal, and no Joy, so has to be picking up the wrong drive or aliases, given out the wrong signal as a substitute?? Will be something simple but annoying.

Anyway thanks again Mayer, if I got time and I cant fix it I will pop into shop.

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Yep was the HDD cable, nothing to do with the hard drive. Well I am glad that ones over. After I put a new cable in no probs, up and running straight away.

Anyway thanks for your support

All the best

Cap

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Step 1: Shut down your mac

Step 2: power on your mac (once chime starts hold down the alt/option key until you see the boot options menu).

Step 3: boot into your installer partition

Step 4: click on disk utility

Step 5: you know the rest from there

Update (12/30/2015)

oops sorry didntread all of it take the hdd out of the a machine and reformat it on another machine buy an external hdd dock

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Hi AAndy

I was thinking that, could I do it on my other MacBook, by taking the hdd out, booting it up, and then swap again? would I have to do another reset of time machine backup when I put my other disk in though?

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ok if you go on ebay and look for the dock itself it is easier that way then try to do through that way, and to answer your question yes that would be a good way of make sure your hdd is not corrupt

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how ever going through the dock instead of trying to putting the other hdd in would boot up fine if the hdd is not have bad sectors or the pcb is shorted

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This is a cheaper option if you want to take the drive out: SATA to USB adapter cable. But you'll need to connect your drive to a working Mac to test the drive. The other option here is setup your system in Target Mode and connect your system via a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable back to back with a second Mac system.

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Hi folks

Yes my drive is not corrupt i have it booted on the external docking station after wiping it on another mac. I then made a Yosemite bootable usb, and went back over to my other MBP, and booted it all, plus time machine back up through external dock. Works fine through this. However it will not boot in the main drive, nor will it erase, still says can't unmount, but disk is fine. Why can't i boot it in my main drive? I can get into all the files if i go into help through safari recovery page, this is refusing to boot in the main drive, but external is fine. I have even wiped the Alias files trough external off course, as would not be able to do it internal as no bin. There got to be something i am doing wrong?? Anyway i get firewire cable tomorrow until then i will mess about. Not sure if target will work? If it does, then its a big sigh of relief. If it doesn't then looks as though this is a desktop run by docking station. Cables are fine by the way as well.

kind Regards

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