Macbook Pro Mid 2009 - blinking/flashing folder with a question mark on it.

[schaefernd]

Hi guys, and thanks for reading my post. Hopefully I posted in the right thread. Sorry if I didn't! I am a noob here

Anyway, I have a Macbook Pro mid 2009, and I think I am running 10.7, I honestly can't remember which exact software, but that would be my best guess.

I am getting the blinking/flashing folder with a question mark on it. HELP!

Leading up to this my laptop did the following in the last few days:
Unexpectedly shuts down during use.
Completely Freezes, no spinning wheel, every thing on the laptop is just frozen and doesn't move.
Freezes with the spinning wheel. So I would have to restart.
During reboot/starup it showed a odd menu screen before login and showed some english and other languages. ( I believe it was the apple help support screen) I think my laptop recognized that my computer just quit randomly and failed.
I had no viruses, I completed full comprehensive scans with both avast, and Sophos.

At one point I got the folder with the question mark, and then rebooted my computer and then it worked! I was so happy.. I was then In the process of backing up all my data, and then out of no where it froze again.

Now every time I start it, the blinking folder pops up. Command + R, does nothing. I tried holding alt+option key, and the folder disappears, but all that appears is a blank screen and my black mouse cursor.

What would you recommend?

I checked numerous forums, and I am stuck on what I should do next. I read that it might be the Damaged data cable (Sata Cable).
I found this video here showing how to replace it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1IiEe7TSKg.

What do you think the problem is? Should I try taking my hardrive out and try booting it from a external device?

Also, is there anyway I can someone retrieve the data from my hardrive if that is the problem.

Thanks so much for your help, I look forward to some suggestions!

Note: I have a Solid State Drive. 60 Gigabyte

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Hi guys, and thanks for reading my post. Hopefully I posted in the right thread. Sorry if I didn't! I am a noob here

Anyway, I have a Macbook Pro mid 2009, and I think I am running 10.7, I honestly can't remember which exact software, but that would be my best guess.

I am getting the blinking/flashing folder with a question mark on it. HELP!

Leading up to this my laptop did the following in the last few days:
Unexpectedly shuts down during use.
Completely Freezes, no spinning wheel, every thing on the laptop is just frozen and doesn't move.
Freezes with the spinning wheel. So I would have to restart.
During reboot/starup it showed a odd menu screen before login and showed some english and other languages. ( I believe it was the apple help support screen) I think my laptop recognized that my computer just quit randomly and failed.
I had no viruses, I completed full comprehensive scans with both avast, and Sophos.

At one point I got the folder with the question mark, and then rebooted my computer and then it worked! I was so happy.. I was then In the process of backing up all my data, and then out of no where it froze again.

Now every time I start it, the blinking folder pops up. Command + R, does nothing. I tried holding alt+option key, and the folder disappears, but all that appears is a blank screen and my black mouse cursor.

What would you recommend?

I checked numerous forums, and I am stuck on what I should do next. I read that it might be the Damaged data cable (Sata Cable).
I found this video here showing how to replace it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1IiEe7TSKg.

What do you think the problem is? Should I try taking my hardrive out and try booting it from a external device?

Also, is there anyway I can someone retrieve the data from my hardrive if that is the problem.

Thanks so much for your help, I look forward to some suggestions!

Note: I have a Solid State Drive. 60 Gigabyte

From personal experience, I would guess that it's the SATA cable. They're very flimsy; I've gone through 5 or 6 in my 2009. If you didn't replace it when you put in your SSD, that would've been a good idea. Thankfully it's an easy fix, and your data is fine. The folder just means that the computer is having trouble connecting to the drive.

 

[schaefernd]

From personal experience, I would guess that it's the SATA cable. They're very flimsy; I've gone through 5 or 6 in my 2009. If you didn't replace it when you put in your SSD, that would've been a good idea. Thankfully it's an easy fix, and your data is fine. The folder just means that the computer is having trouble connecting to the drive.

Should I take my hard drive out and put it in a external hardrive encloser and try to boot it from the usb to make sure it's the SATA cable?

What do you recommend?

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Should I take my hard drive out and put it in a external hardrive encloser and try to boot it from the usb to make sure it's the SATA cable?

What do you recommend?

Maybe. I've never done that before so I can't comment on it :/ Apple replaced my SATA cable for me most of those times because I had AppleCare at the time.