Macbook Pro Mid 2012, strange issue maybe HD or Cable?

[SashaBertal]

Hi!



I've got a really strange issue with my Macbook Pro mid 2012. It recently started not letting me login to my user, spinning wheel, freezing. The apple store tested and everything seemed okay so they suggested a new HD bracket and Cable. I bought the new cable (not official) tried it out and it didnt seem to work. So I'm assuming its the HD that is gone. I plug the old cable back in and try to get to recovery, weirdly it works and lets me boot from an old TM backup.



Great, but then eventually the same problem occurs again. I try Disk utility in recovery and it says it can't repair, then it says the disk is locked and then it says its not mounted and cant find it. So I try buying a new hard drive, get tyhe flashing folder. Try another HD and get the same. Try both cables with the new hard drives and still the flashing folder.



As I'm pretty much about to give up, I plug the original HD in, and see if i can get it working again. Randomly it starts working and now I'm using it just fine. I really can not figure out what the hell is going on? Both the HD's I bought are compatible, so how could neither work? If its the cable, how come it's working with this particular hard drive?



Has anyone got any idea what i should do? I'm thinking of buying another cable and bracket and trying with the newer HD, but that aside, I'm stumped.



Thanks!

 

[satcomer]

A Mac that old might just have dust in it! Plus all hard drives fail after 4 years so replace it!

 

[Fishrrman]

It's probably NOT the internal hard drive.
It's possible that the replacement ribbon cable you bought isn't working, either.
There's a good way to "test" this.

You will need a USB3 enclosure, or a USB3/SATA docking station, or a USB3/SATA adapter/dongle like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-...478&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=sabremt+usb3+to+ssd

Now, connect your boot drive "externally" (using one of the above connections) and try to boot.
What happens?
Do you suddenly get a good boot?

IF a drive that WOULDN'T boot internally, boots and runs fine EXTERNALLY, then it suggests the drive ribbon cable.

If you have an Apple Store nearby, I'd take it back to them and ask to have an Apple-brand ribbon cable installed. Probably worth paying for, if it solves the problem.

 

[Dave Braine]

Plus all hard drives fail after 4 years so replace it!

No they don't.

 

[chrfr]

Has anyone got any idea what i should do? I'm thinking of buying another cable and bracket and trying with the newer HD, but that aside, I'm stumped.

I'd get a new Apple cable, not a 3rd party one, and test again.