Is my SSD failing?

[dodder92]

My Macbook Pro 2013 13inch has gone from being the fastest computer I own to the slowest overnight and I'm wondering if the Samsung Evo SSD inside it is failing.

Every click or scroll is followed by a beachball and the machine freezing for around a minute, trying to do anything on the machine takes about 5 times as long as usual.

On boot up I keep getting the prohibitory sign which suggests the machine can't find the SSD to boot, however this only stays on for 15 seconds and then the machine proceeds to boot into Sierra.

Last night I tried to do an erase and reinstall. The erase went fine but the reinstall didn't move an inch and I left it overnight.

I'm going to put an old formatted hdd in to see if I can install the OS and boot from that, but just curious to see people's thoughts on this??

 

[keysofanxiety]

You have the 2012 non-Retina 13" MBP.

The HDD cable is failing. It's a documented and widespread issue on your model. Apple have a free silent repair program for the cables, so if you pop into an Apple Store or AASP, they'll be able to replace that cable free of charge.

 

[dodder92]

You have the 2012 non-Retina 13" MBP.

The HDD cable is failing. It's a documented and widespread issue on your model. Apple have a free silent repair program for the cables, so if you pop into an Apple Store or AASP, they'll be able to replace that cable free of charge.

Thanks for the reply, I had no idea that there was widespread issues with the HDD cable, I did think it was very unlikely that the SSD would fail but I didn't know what else to try.

So do you think I would be wasting my time putting another hard drive in the machine?

 

[keysofanxiety]

So do you think I would be wasting my time putting another hard drive in the machine?

Yes, because the problem is with the HDD cable. Pop into an Apple Store/AASP and they'll replace the cable for free.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"So do you think I would be wasting my time putting another hard drive in the machine?"

First, as mentioned above, take it to a brick-n-mortar Apple Store RIGHT AWAY, and they'll probably replace the cable for free (as well as check the rest of it over).

Second, do not, repeat, DO NOT "put another [platter-based] hard drive" into it.

DO consider swapping out the HDD for an SSD.

It will become a "new machine", you won't appreciate the difference until you actually experience it for yourself.

Also, buy a 2.5" USB3 external enclosure. Use it to "prep and test" the new SSD BEFORE you swap the drives.
After you do the swap, you can put the old HDD into the enclosure for a backup, extra storage, etc.

 

[dodder92]

OP wrote:
"So do you think I would be wasting my time putting another hard drive in the machine?"

First, as mentioned above, take it to a brick-n-mortar Apple Store RIGHT AWAY, and they'll probably replace the cable for free (as well as check the rest of it over).

Second, do not, repeat, DO NOT "put another [platter-based] hard drive" into it.

DO consider swapping out the HDD for an SSD.

It will become a "new machine", you won't appreciate the difference until you actually experience it for yourself.

Also, buy a 2.5" USB3 external enclosure. Use it to "prep and test" the new SSD BEFORE you swap the drives.
After you do the swap, you can put the old HDD into the enclosure for a backup, extra storage, etc.

Thanks for the reply, planning a trip to see a Genius. The drive is already an SSD btw