Fix Your Stuff Community Store

Mid 2012 model, A1278 / 2.5 GHz i5 or 2.9 GHz i7 processor.

1623 Questions View all

Options

Is my sata cable broken?

Hello, my macbook wouldn't boot one day so I tried to fix it but ended up reinstalling mac OS El Capitan on my 512GB samsung SSD that i use in it. I tested the ssd with crystal disk info, and it said it was 99% good. I have a carbon copy cloned backup on a 2.5" 5400rpm and I installed it in my computer (internal 2.5" slot) for awhile, and it worked fine, albeit very slowly, almost unusably. Then I restored and reinstalled mac os on my SSD in an external enclosure (since it wouldn't install while it was inside), and it worked fine in there. when i try to boot it from the interal interface in verbose mood, i get "Sata warning: enable drive phy pm failed", but from the external enclosure it works fast and everything.

I want to buy a new sata cable to fix the problem because i'm tired of booting from an external USB3 drive and never being able to wake it from sleep (it gives me the rainbow wheel of death when i try), but i'm worried that there's a chance it's not the problem since it works just fine with the backup harddrive.

Would you recommend buying a new cable?

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

Is this a good question?

Yes No
Score 2
Add a comment

1 Answer

Filter by:
Most Helpful Newest Oldest
Chosen Solution

Options

This issue actually sounds like you failed to format the drive GUID and Mac Extended first. It will work externally with Master Boot Block but not internally so check that first,

Cloning used to be the way to go but by doing it you lose the repair and reinstall partition. Better to do an internet reinstall where you get the partition then use Migration Assistant to move your data and apps.

Next those cable do get damaged as they come over the last step where the bottom hits the cable.

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 4

5 Comments:

Thanks for your helpful reply, Mayer! Good thought about the MBR, I didnt know that it couldn't boot an MBR drive connected to internally. I just checked in disk utility though, and the boot drive has the GUID partition map and the boot partition is formatted as OS X Extended. I actually reinstalled fresh as well, instead of cloning the backup i have. I wanted to start fresh, so as a result i have a new recovery partition. Can you think of any other possibilities or is a sata cable the way to go? (I'm thinking the $30 used one from iFixit because it has the same lifetime warranty, unless the $40 new one is a much better bet)

by

For the amount of trouble a used cable can cause the extra $10 could save you hours of trouble and a failed hard drive. It;s cheap at three times the price. I put little pads ob either side of the cable to prevent the bottom from damaging it.

by

okay, i'll spend the extra. where exactly do you put the pads? For all the trouble this one's causing, I want to make sure the new one lasts a century.

by

I use kaptan tape to secure - you really want to know all my professional tricks - hun? - I tape the cable down and secure the logic board insert, then use pads,usually left over ones from old iMac hard drives one either side of the cable and tape them into place so that when the bottom gets pressed down it does not contact the cable. Figuring this out took years of repair experience.

by

Haha yep, i want to know them all! Thank you so much for your help, Hopefully this new cable will last for much longer with all your tips.

by

Add a comment

Add your answer

Eve Matson will be eternally grateful.
View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 0

Past 7 Days: 0

Past 30 Days: 2

All Time: 1,626