Problem with old MBP

clv101 · 5 Aug 2017 at 23:45

I've got a 2012 i7 MBP here and it won't boot. It chimes, Apple logo show, progress bar gets half way then it reboots and just loops like that.

I can't boot into Safe Mode.
I can boot holding Option-S for single user mode and run fsck. Reports the boot volume 'appears to be OK'.
I can boot holding D to run the Apple Hardware Test and everything seems fine.
I can enter Startup Manager (holding Option) and select a USB stick with OSX install on, but attempts to boot from this result in the progress bar followed by a frozen white screen.
I can use Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet, after entering WiFi details, back to a frozen white screen.
Booting with Command-V for verbose mode doesn't suggest anything obvious...

Any ideas?

PiKe · 5 Aug 2017 at 23:54

Isn't there something about SATA cables going bad with the 2012 models?

Alternatively your hard drive may be goosed.

clv101 · 6 Aug 2017 at 00:17

That was my first thought, but fsck checks out and the Apple Hardware Test doesn't find anything wrong.
In single user mode I can navigate the whole file system.

PiKe · 6 Aug 2017 at 00:40

I don't think AHT does extensive tests on the hard drive, a full test on a 1tb drive would take about 2.5 hours.

If you have a spare 2.5" drive just throw that in and see if it behaves any differently.

clv101 · 6 Aug 2017 at 20:12

Swapped in a known good drive - exactly the same deal.
What else can I do to figure out what's wrong / fix it?

PiKe · 6 Aug 2017 at 20:27

Cable is the next logical thing to try.

metachi · 6 Aug 2017 at 20:54

run ASD EFI 3S150 to check for sensor problem. can be found on google search. you need a usb drive to burn the image.

try disconnect the trackpad flex, wifi flex and superdrive flex to see if the problem still exists..