2012 MacBook Pro won't find Hard Drive

[citrusface]

I've been looking around to see if I can find a similar issue to mine - I can't really find anything, so I figured I'd ask you guys and gals.

This all started when my cat decided that running across the room and jumping on the coffee table onto my mac and using it as a surfboard would be awesome. My lap top slid off the table and onto the hardwood floor - about a foot and half drop.

I picked it up and it was still running... sluggishly... but running. I decided to reboot.

On reboot - it was taking forever then I got the blinking fold with a ?

I booted in Internet Recovery mode - no Hard Drive to be found. I can see Disk0 but that's it. I figure my HD bit it. Whatever, I'm bummed but no big deal. I buy another hard drive and swap it out.

Reboot in Internet Recovery mode - Same thing - no HD just Disk0

So now I'm at a complete loss to what has happened and I hope some chip isn't jostled loose somewhere.

Any ideas of what could be going on? Thanks for the help.

 

[Weaselboy]

I booted in Internet Recovery mode - no Hard Drive to be found. I can see Disk0 but that's it. I figure my HD bit it.

If Internet recovery still works, then I'd say odds are good the computer itself is still okay and your cat just killed the drive. If you are going to replace the drive and can afford the price bump, a new SSD would really speed things up.

 

[Fishrrman]

As Weaselboy said, now's the time to put a new SSD into it.

IF you put the SSD in, and it -still- is acting flaky insofar as the drive is concerned, be aware that the internal ribbon cable for the drive is a "weak component" on this model. Perhaps the shock of being knocked to the floor could have damaged it. It's a VERY easy replacement.

You can find excellent illustrated instructions on the drive and cable replacement at ifixit.com.

 

[citrusface]

I put a new drive in it - its still doing the same thing.

Maybe it is is the ribbon cable - not sure that the piece is called... where can i pick that piece up from?

 

[Weaselboy]

I put a new drive in it - its still doing the same thing.

Maybe it is is the ribbon cable - not sure that the piece is called... where can i pick that piece up from?

iFixit sells them.

 

[CoastalOR]

While you are waiting for a new SATA ribbon cable you could do some additional testing/preparation.

Get a external enclosure or SATA connector/cable:
1. Connect your old drive externally to see if your MBP can access it. This will show if your old internal drive is still good and help confirm that your problem is the SATA cable. Hopefully you do not have a double or more failures due to the fall.

2. Try connecting your new drive externally, format it, and install the OS. This will confirm that you do not have a DOA new drive and help get you ready for restoring normal operations when the new cable arrives. This process will help eliminate one more unknown.