Internal Hard Drive Not Detected >_<

[Jiafey]

I updated to El Capitan: then ran Safari, it lagged and the rainbow wheel showed up thus i restarted my laptop. then next thing i saw is a flashing "?" folder and it ended up unbootable.

Things i tried:
1. Restarting and holding Option/Alt Key - DIDN'T WORK
2. Resetting the NVRAM (Holding Command (⌘), Option, P, and R) - DIDN'T WORK
3. Target Disk Mode (Holding T) - DIDN'T WORK (bought a new thunderbolt cable and tried connecting to 3 different MacBooks, all 3 MacBooks were unable to detect my macbook)
4. OS X Recovery Mode (Holding the Command (⌘) and R): DIDN'T WORK
4.1. Disk Utility > My Startup disk doesn't show thus i can't do a FIRST AID nor a RESTORE or even an ERASE.
4.2. Reinstalling OS X > No Startup disk so there's no way to proceed.
5. Booting OS X Yosemite from an external Hard Disk: DIDN'T WORK
5.1. Using the Command Line/Terminal - diskutil list (doesn't show my internal hard drive)
6. Using TestDisk to recover and fix it but: DIDN'T WORK
6.1. Again the Command Line/Terminal can't detect the original startup disk (internal HD)

Is there any other way I can fix this? I went to an authorize Apple Service provider this morning but they told me it will take minimum 20days for them to be able to fix my laptop as there is a queue (don't want to bring it to other place as it is still under warranty - my laptop is 6mos old and i still got 6mos remaining on my warranty plus repairs are quite costly here). I think 20days is too long as I'll be traveling soon.

Thanks for your help!

 

[CoastalOR]

It seems like all of your tests indicates you have a hardware problem. Can you boot from your external backup? If you can then you might restore from your external backup to another external (new) and use the the new external to run your system until you can have Apple repair your Mac. Running your OS from an external HD will be slower, but it is a temporary solution until your system is repaired.

 

[chabig]

That sounds like a failed logic board, since all of the drive options you tried have failed.

 

[rigormortis]

what about having someone make you a bootable sd card?
sd would be faster then usb keys


http://www.techrepublic.com/article...e-a-bootable-usb-installer-for-os-x-yosemite/

have you tried running apple diagnostics in extended mode?
it can only test if the disk is installed.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201257
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202731

is there a way you can remove the drive and put it in another computer?


i guess you have a SSD enabled mac, so you cant hold it against your ear.


tell apple you want mail in service
or
if its not too late , buy apple care and then ask for mail in service

yeah. that a good idea. its probably a logic board. you said you have 6months left of warranty. number one priority is TO BUY APPLECARE

and then maybe chill for a week and then say oh it just died now heh


the reason why i pushed applecare is because you get mail in service on laptops. the apple warranty would require you to drive to a genius bar and then come back in a week when your computer was ready.

 

[rigormortis]

you didn't mention that you tried to reset the smc...

( i don't know if its worth a shot )

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Plug in the power adapter.
3. On the built-in keyboard, press the Shift, Control, and Option keys on the left side and the power button, all at the same time.
4. Release all three keys at the same time.
5. Turn on the computer.

 

[rigormortis]

applecare even offers onsite repair , in the united states.

 

[Jiafey]

It seems like all of your tests indicates you have a hardware problem. Can you boot from your external backup? If you can then you might restore from your external backup to another external (new) and use the the new external to run your system until you can have Apple repair your Mac. Running your OS from an external HD will be slower, but it is a temporary solution until your system is repaired.

Yes CoastalOR, I can boot in on external hard disk. But it still can't detect my internal hard disk. I tried using the Terminal/Command Prompt but diskutil isn't showing the internal HD. Yeah seems like i really need to bring it to an authorize service center as it still has 6mos warranty left (though i can't bring it till next week coz i finish work at midnight and they're all close.) I'm just trying to figure out if there's a way i can fix it while waiting for the time i can bring it there(plus it takes a long time for them to fix it, told me it wud take minimum 20days + the fact that i can only bring it after a week = would take me a month to get my laptop fixed).

 

[Jiafey]

That sounds like a failed logic board, since all of the drive options you tried have failed.

doesn't seem like a logic board failure, because i can boot through an external HD, and the problem started right after i upgraded to El Capitan (or maybe its just a coincidence? )

 

[Jiafey]

applecare even offers onsite repair , in the united states.

thanks rigormortis, ima try that when i reach home. I'm not in US and there's no Apple Store here. that's why it takes time for repair because they send the diagnostic reports to US then wait for the parts needed to be shipped here. I don't think buying Applecare then pretending that it just broke is a good idea. I got a lot of case number logged/saved under my laptop's serial number coz i called them a number of times

 

[rigormortis]

thanks rigormortis, ima try that when i reach home. I'm not in US and there's no Apple Store here. that's why it takes time for repair because they send the diagnostic reports to US then wait for the parts needed to be shipped here. I don't think buying Applecare then pretending that it just broke is a good idea. I got a lot of case number logged/saved under my laptop's serial number coz i called them a number of times

i think your fine and they probably would still help you. i think u would get better help in the us if you had applecare.

i know your under warranty


what i said about pretending it just broke , it was more for like an accidental damage situation or like a pre existing health thing

 

[Jiafey]

i think your fine and they probably would still help you. i think u would get better help in the us if you had applecare.

i know your under warranty


what i said about pretending it just broke , it was more for like an accidental damage situation or like a pre existing health thing

Just an update, did Apple Diagnostics (turn ON then holding D) and it mentioned there may be some issues in SMC and PMS, tried doin the SMC Reset (holding shift+ctrl+option key) but it didn't work for me. Called apple and they advised that i bring it for repair. Anyway thanks guys!

 

[Jiafey]

i think your fine and they probably would still help you. i think u would get better help in the us if you had applecare.

i know your under warranty


what i said about pretending it just broke , it was more for like an accidental damage situation or like a pre existing health thing

Just an update, did Apple Diagnostics (turn ON then holding D) and it mentioned there may be some issues in SMC and PMS, tried doin the SMC Reset (holding shift+ctrl+option key) but it didn't work for me. Called apple and they advised that i bring it for repair. Anyway thanks guys!