Macbook Pro

dominatrix1 · 26 Nov 2012 at 10:44

The other day my laptop was running fine and then it suddleny , froze. Upon booting up I recieved a flashing folder sign - this i assume means it was searching for the operating system.

I then decided to reboot the OS and when i tried to select a disk where to install the OS I had no disk to select.

Does this mean the Hard drive is gone and i need to replace it ?

Is it easy to do this your self ? Macbook pro was bought in late 2009 ?

pingwing · 26 Nov 2012 at 13:03

Hard drive has broken, you need to buy a new 2.5" one (the small ones).

Unscrew the bottom, take the hard drive out, put a new one in, screw back together, get the recovery discs out (or an install usb thing), install OSX again and smile

Easy job and a good opportunity to get an SSD

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook...53+GHz+Mid+2009+Hard+Drive+Replacement/1518/1

There's the Ifixit guide, I had an 09 mbp too, don't do the battery unplug step (too much hassle), but it is an easy one to do overall.

dominatrix1 · 26 Nov 2012 at 13:53

Thanks for that mate - looks relatively straightforward - Can you reccomend a place to buy ?

VaderDSL · 26 Nov 2012 at 13:54

Could be the drive needs repartitioning also? Boot from disc, load up disk utility and see if there is a partition/drive being recognised.

dominatrix1 · 26 Nov 2012 at 13:59

VaderDSL said:
Could be the drive needs repartitioning also? Boot from disc, load up disk utility and see if there is a partition/drive being recognised.

When I went into disc utility the only thing that showed up was the OS cd i just put in ?
I assume this means it almost certainly is hard drive failure ?

http://www.pcupgrade.co.uk/productdetails.asp?ProductID=9317&categoryid=454

Is this the correct hard drive ?

Thanks

pingwing · 26 Nov 2012 at 14:29

Yeah that'll fit

For the same price you can have double the capacity from ocuk...

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-135-SA&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=896

But ANY 2.5" harddrive can go in there, they are user serviceable on macbook pro's and there's nothing stopping you putting a faster one, bigger one in and so on

delta0 · 26 Nov 2012 at 14:48

This happened to the other half's laptop. Replaced the hard drive with another one that was the same as the one that came out. That failed soon after. Replaced that one with a Western Digital drive and it has been perfect since. She's still after a new MacBook though

manic111 · 26 Nov 2012 at 15:10

Do you need a torx screwdriver to replace the drive, by the way, or can you wiggle it out with a phillipshead? Got a new SSD coming and don't really fancy having to buy a screwdriver just for it!

pingwing · 26 Nov 2012 at 15:34

It helps to have a torx head for the 4 screws that old the hdd in place but I just used a clampy thing to twist them out and into the new drive. (forgotten what the tool is but it was the clampy thing off my pen knife to turn them out the drive, didn't take long)

Skyboat · 26 Nov 2012 at 15:51

It could just be the cable. Mine did the same thing and I took it in for a Genius Bar appointment and the HDD was fine, just the cable was faulty.

manic111 · 2 Dec 2012 at 17:21

pingwing said:
It helps to have a torx head for the 4 screws that old the hdd in place but I just used a clampy thing to twist them out and into the new drive. (forgotten what the tool is but it was the clampy thing off my pen knife to turn them out the drive, didn't take long)

Pliers?

FreeStream · 2 Dec 2012 at 17:23

You need a torx head or if your desperate a pair of grippy pliers will do the trick.

pingwing · 2 Dec 2012 at 19:26

manic111 said:
Pliers?

THATS THE JOBBY!!!