Error code -501 0F

[Dave_R]

MacBook Pro 15" mid 2010 2.66

On startup getting grey screen with flashing ?

Used Opt/Cmd/R to get internet recovery

First time, got into Disk Utilities, found the hard disk and ran First Aid. All OK.

However, restart came up with flashing ? again.

Shut down and restarted

This time, up came error -501 0F

Apparently this is "teScrapSizeErr =-501,/*scrap item too big for text error record*/"

Can anyone give a clue as to what is the problem.

I suspect the hard disk is kaput, but then why did First Aid run clear?

Thanks in advance for any clues.
David

 

[junkw]

did you try to reinstall macOS

 

[Dave_R]

After the First Aid check had run with no errors I expected a restart to work normally. However, that restart gave the the flashing ? again.
That was when I shutdown again, expecting a Opt/Ctrl/R restart to bring me back to the Utilities screen via an Internet Recovery, to be able to try a recovery from backup.
That was when the error code "-501 0F" appeared.

Tried twice more to do a Opt/Ctrl/R restart each time ending with -501 0F error - not getting the Utilitirs screen.

 

[junkw]

cmd-r gives the same result?
[automerge]1577399580[/automerge]
can you boot on external usb?

 

[Dave_R]

Thanks for your replies.
Cmd-R exactly the same.

Really wondering about the error message. It's very odd - really not describing the underlying error - almost saying "error reporting doesn't work here as the info is too big to handle by the system." Not exactly useful.

Just wondered if anyone had seen this before.

I think I'll try a new HD.

 

[Dave_R]

Well, Installed new HD - no problems & recovered from backup.