How do I retrieve data from a macbook pro that won't boot?

[jeanga]

Hi everyone,

I've been having a similar problem to the one described in this post:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/237118/

And tried every little thing described in this but nothing happened, so I booked myself in to see an Apple Genius who will hopefully fix the problem as it is possibly due to the video card (problem with some NVIDIA stock).

In the mean time, I've got a laptop that won't boot and lots of crucial information on it...

I was wondering whether any of you guys had any suggestions as to how to recover that data? I've tried many things, i.e. try to https://forums.macrumors.com/images/smilies/frown.gifplug a separate screen into it, try to use it as a firewire drive (link it to another MBP via Firewire 800 and start it while pressing the T key on the keyboard) but nothing seems to work.

I've got the feeling that the hard drive is fine and that my data is warmly resting in there, but can't find a way to get to it...

Please help

Thanks

JeanGa

 

[spinnerlys]

You may need to extract the HDD itself.

• White/Black MacBook (2006 to 2009):
  
  Apple - Hard Drive Replacement Instructions
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement​
  
  
• Aluminium Unibody MacBook (late 2008 to mid 2009):
  
  Apple - User Guide (page 38)
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement​
  
  
• White Unibody MacBook (late 2009 to ....):
  
  Apple - User Guide (page 37)
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement​
  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
  
  
• Aluminium 15" MacBook Pro (2006 to 2008):
  
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement
  Apple doesn't offer instructions on their Support page​
  
  
• Aluminium 17" MacBook Pro (2006 to early 2009):
  
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement
  Apple doesn't offer instructions on their Support page​
  
  
• Unibody Aluminium 15" MacBook Pro (late 2008 to mid 2009):
  
  Apple - User Guide (page 38)
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement​
  
  
• Unibody Aluminium 13", 15" & 17" MacBook Pro (2009 to ... - models with built-in battery):
  
  Apple - User Guide for 13" MBP, 15" MBP & 17" MBP (all starting at page 37)
  iFixit - Installing Hard Drive Replacement: 13" MBP, 15" MBP & 17" MBP (Teardown)​

 

[Tonsko]

Yup, extract hard drive and purchase a USB to sata/IDE cable. About 12 quid in the UK from ebay.