Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Macbook pro 13" 2009 flashing prohibited, logo and folder

aangvento

aangvento

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 18, 2020
79
24
The computer was working perfectly until I shut it off by pressing the power button and then turned it back on. Now, it chimes and it shows a white screen with a flickering symbol. It flicks between the apple logo, a "prohibited" sign (circle with one stroke) and the folder icon with an interrogation sign. I believe I am using macOS X. All I wanted to do was do a clean macOS install and patch it to catalina.

I tried entering recovery mode or any other pre-boot commands, but the only ones that work are Option for choosing the starter disk (there's only one) and clearing the VRAM.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to fix this? Thanks!
 
What type of boot drive does your MBPro have? Original hard drive? SSD? (You would not want to even try going to Catalina on an older spinning hard drive!)
Recovery system would be only on the boot drive. If THAT drive has failed, then Recovery system is often gone, too.
There's no other choices - 2009 is too old for Internet Recovery, for example.
Replace the drive with an SSD. Boot to an OS X installer, format the new drive, reinstall macOS.
It can be your choice to upgrade to Catalina using a patched installer, but make sure your SSD is good.
(those older MBPros are known to have fragile SATA cables, and often don't need much movement to lose a connection. SSD will make that problem more noticeable with boot problems, and intermittent lockups.
So, it's usually a good idea to replace the SATA cable at the same time when upgrading to an SSD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: aangvento
I do not have a CD for macOS X. I will be upgrading it to an SSD when goign to Catalina, as well as RAM.

I did not know about the internet recovery being hnavalible, this explains a lot! Does it work on a MBP 2011? Just out of curiosity.

Is there a way to make a bootable macOS X pendrive? So I can try installing it fresh. Thank you!
 
As a test of the SATA cable, remove the drive and put it in an external enclosure. Reboot the computer while holding the option key down and then select the external drive to boot from. If it boots then I would think the sata cable is bad. If you get the same errors then you have to replace the drive.

According to ifixit internet recovery started after 2009. Read about it here: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Start+Up+a+Mac+in+Internet+Recovery+Mode/119437
 
justashooter said:
As a test of the SATA cable, remove the drive and put it in an external enclosure. Reboot the computer while holding the option key down and then select the external drive to boot from. If it boots then I would think the sata cable is bad. If you get the same errors then you have to replace the drive.

According to ifixit internet recovery started after 2009. Read about it here: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Start+Up+a+Mac+in+Internet+Recovery+Mode/119437
Click to expand...

First of all, thanks for the ifix link!

Second, the idea to boot it fron usb was amazing. I should have thought about it!

I booked it from USB and it gives out the same error, the icons just flick much slower (which makes me think its something in the HD that is sending the signals?)

So the problem is wirh the HD. I will need to reinstall macos leopard on this hd, or in another spare hd I have laying around. Is it possible to make a bootable drive for leopard? Where can I download the .dmg to create the boot?
 
The last official OS X for a 2009 MBP is El Capitan, and that is what I would install. In fact I don't think you will find an installer for Leopard.

The 2009 is a SATA2 3g system. I have read that people have had a problem installing a SATA3 6g SSD that is supposed to be backwards compatible. It seems it works fine for some and not for others. The MBP I upgraded I installed an OWC SATA2 3g drive. It works very well.

You will need a working MBP (a working mac anyhow) to create the installer for your computer.

The following are links you will want to read through.

How to download and install macOS – Apple Support (UK)

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system. These steps are primarily for system administrators and other experienced users.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 - Apple Support

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro
support.apple.com support.apple.com
 
aangvento said:
So the problem is wirh the HD. I will need to reinstall macos leopard on this hd, or in another spare hd I have laying around. Is it possible to make a bootable drive for leopard? Where can I download the .dmg to create the boot?
Click to expand...

Nowhere. Apple has never distributed their OS that way. You can buy a Snow Leopard disc from Apple.

A 2009 MBP does not support Catalina in any case.
 
justashooter said:
The 2009 is a SATA2 3g system. I have read that people have had a problem installing a SATA3 6g SSD that is supposed to be backwards compatible. It seems it works fine for some and not for others. The MBP I upgraded I installed an OWC SATA2 3g drive. It works very well.
Click to expand...

I will keep that in mind. If I manage to find a SATAII drive I will buy it, but it is not likely. If I get a SATAIII and it works I will come here to tell you all which one!

I googled it and it said leopard, so I will look for el captain! Thank you!


posguy99 said:
Nowhere. Apple has never distributed their OS that way. You can buy a Snow Leopard disc from Apple.

A 2009 MBP does not support Catalina in any case.
Click to expand...

Also, macOS is, in fact, free. Apple cannot charge for it because it is based on Darwin, which is open software. They can, however, make so you can only use in apple devices (and they have by macOS license). The downside of not writing the program from scratch like Windows.

However, they probably didn't disponibility it for free because... Apple is Apple! So I will talk to a friend.

the laptop does support it, Apple doesn't. You can use a patch to trick the installer into installing in the laptop. It's called patching. Works well, if you get more ram and faster drive. Will not be as powerful of course, but the system will run!
 
justashooter said:
Other World Computing sells SATA 2 drives.

OWC Mercury Electra 3G SSD (Solid State Drive)

Optimized for maximum SATA 3Gb/s performance with ultra-efficient block management. Uses 75% less power than hard drives and 50% less power than SSDs.
eshop.macsales.com eshop.macsales.com
Click to expand...

I do not live in the US, so I have to roll with whatever I find in my local market. But thank you for looking it up for me!
 
aangvento said:
Also, macOS is, in fact, free. Apple cannot charge for it because it is based on Darwin, which is open software. They can, however, make so you can only use in apple devices (and they have by macOS license). The downside of not writing the program from scratch like Windows.
Click to expand...
Where in the world did you get the idea that you can't charge for open source software? Not that Apple does. But they also do not grant a distribution right. Darwin is governed by the APSL.

Also... written from scratch like Windows? You have GOT to be kidding. The entire Windows network stack is rooted in BSD.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back