macbook HD not listed in disk utility-is it dead?

[lorijessica]

I was running Firefox on my macbook (running Mac OS X 10.5.1) when the spinning wheel came up and the application wouldn't force quit so I powered the machine off manually.

Since then, when I try to boot, a grey screen appears after the start up chime and nothing else happens. I went through the steps recommended on apple support for this problem, but when I get to the part where it recommends getting to disk utility via the Mac OS X installation disk, the MacIntosh HD is not listed. Does this mean my hard drive has crashed?

Does anybody have any ideas or additional steps I can try to get my macbook up and running?

 

[BlueRevolution]

Does this mean my hard drive has crashed?

Possibly, yes. What you describe sounds symptomatic of a hard drive failure to me. Does the drive sound normal? Is there a clicking noise?

 

[lorijessica]

Possibly, yes. What you describe sounds symptomatic of a hard drive failure to me. Does the drive sound normal? Is there a clicking noise?

I don't hear any clicking noise, just the usual sort of hum when the startup CD is being read. The machine won't start off the startup CD either...

So...does this mean all my unbacked up data is also lost? What's the best course of action now?

 

[donuttakedonuts]

Try taking it out of the computer and putting it in an external enclosure, that MIGHT get you data back.

Also: Why 10.5.1? Why not .8?

 

[lorijessica]

Try taking it out of the computer and putting it in an external enclosure, that MIGHT get you data back.

Also: Why 10.5.1? Why not .8?

You mean take the hard drive out of the computer and put it in what exactly? and then reinstall? What does this do?

10.5.1 is the OS that came with it...

Thanks!

 

[donuttakedonuts]

You can upgrade your OS for free with the included software update, which is under the apple menu. Too late for that now.

What I mean by an external enclosure is a 2.5" enclosure such as this one from a company such as OWC. You can remove the drive with instructions from ifixit.com. However, unless you have an enclosure lying around, this isn't worth it as the drive is probably dead.

 

[BlueRevolution]

The machine won't start off the startup CD either...

If it won't start, what do you mean here?

...but when I get to the part where it recommends getting to disk utility via the Mac OS X installation disk, the MacIntosh HD is not listed.

 

[lorijessica]

If it won't start, what do you mean here?

It starts, it chimes and then a grey screen appears and nothing else happens...when trying to boot with the startup disk, nothing happens as it tries to search for available drives and nothing comes up...please tell me there's something else to try?? I have videos of my son's first walk outside on there among many other precious memories...

 

[miles01110]

It starts, it chimes and then a grey screen appears and nothing else happens...when trying to boot with the startup disk, nothing happens as it tries to search for available drives and nothing comes up...please tell me there's something else to try?? I have videos of my son's first walk outside on there among many other precious memories...

Are you holding down "C" on startup with the disc inserted? Try that. If it doesn't work, hold "Option" and try to get to the partition selection screen. Can you select the disc from there?

 

[BlueRevolution]

And if you can't even boot to the CD, the problem isn't with the hard drive.

 

[lorijessica]

And if you can't even boot to the CD, the problem isn't with the hard drive.

Thank you both so much for sticking with me on this!

I held C down after pressing the power button on and it took a few minutes, but the computer got to the Mac OS X installation screen.

From the Mac OS X installer menur, I can also select "utilities" and "Disk Utility". Under Disk Utility, the MacIntosh HD is not listed under the Toshiba drive.


Not sure what I'd have to do to get to the partition selection??

 

[lorijessica]

one more thing...I find it curious that only a 149.1 GB hitachi drive is listed as a hard drive. I'm supposed to have a duo core processor with 250 GB of memory.

 

[miles01110]

I held C down after pressing the power button on and it took a few minutes, but the computer got to the Mac OS X installation screen.

Well that's good. This means that at least you can try re-installing OS X if all else fails.

From the Mac OS X installer menur, I can also select "utilities" and "Disk Utility". Under Disk Utility, the MacIntosh HD is not listed under the Toshiba drive.

That's a little interesting. If it's not listed, it means the system can't find it, which (more than likely) means it is dead.

Not sure what I'd have to do to get to the partition selection??

Instead of holding C on startup, hold Option. You might try this just out of curiosity, but since the system disc doesn't even find the HD I'm pretty sure it won't matter.