MacBook Pro "13 trouble w/ logging on

[Ravennation21]

I have a 6 year old MacBook Pro "13 and I have been having trouble logging on for a good week now. I know the laptop is on its last leg but I need to access some important files before I move on to a new MacBook Pro.

Whenever I start the computer normally it will go to the apple logo and the wheel will continue to spin endlessly until I turn it off.

When I try to boot it into safe mode, the loading bar will go halfway until it disappears and goes back to the endless spinning wheel.

I have been searching for my installation disk and I'm not sure if I can find it. Even if I did find it would I even be able to access it?

Does anyone have any idea what I should try to get this puppy to log on? I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it but my battery fried 6 months ago and I had to replace it. That replacement battery also has pretty much fried and I can only run the laptop for around 20 minutes at full power while unplugged.

I would appreciate any help!

 

[balamw]

I'd pursue accessing the files directly by removing the drive or using Target Disk Mode on any "older" Mac.

Which OS were you running anyhow?

B

 

[chipchen]

I second Target Disk Mode.

 

[Ravennation21]

I will use target disk with my friend's macbook on Tuesday. What should I exactly be looking for when using target disk? Just want to make sure I'm using it correctly. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[CoastalOR]

I have a 6 year old MacBook Pro "13 and I have been having trouble logging on for a good week now. I know the laptop is on its last leg but I need to access some important files before I move on to a new MacBook Pro.

I will use target disk with my friend's macbook on Tuesday. What should I exactly be looking for when using target disk? Just want to make sure I'm using it correctly. Thanks for the suggestion!

Target Disk mode will mount your HD on your friends computer like an external disk. Move your "important files" off of your HD to some other media like a USB thumb drive, another external drive, or your friends computer (temporarily until other arrangements can be made).

Target Disk mode instructions (in case you do not have them available):
Transfer files between two computers using target disk mode
If you have two Mac computers with FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, you can connect them so that one of them appears as an external hard disk on the other. This is called target disk mode.

1. Connect the two Macs with a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable.
   
2. On the Mac you want to use as the disk in target disk mode, do one of the following:
   • If the computer is off, start it up while holding down the T key.
     
   • If the computer is on, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Startup Disk, then click Target Disk Mode.
   • When the computer has started up, a disk icon appears on the desktop of the other computer.
3. Transfer files by dragging them to and from the disk.
   
4. Eject the disk by dragging its icon to the Trash. While you drag, the Trash icon changes to an Eject icon.
   
5. On the Mac you used as a disk, push the power button to shut it down, then disconnect the cable.