MacBook Pro takes days to boot

[Courtneyferg]

Please help! I believe this all started after an update, but I'm not sure. I believe I am now running Sierra, but I can't get in to confirm...

My MBP began running very slowly one day. I noticed all of the memory was being used and tried to restart the computer to figure out the problem. The restart took almost an entire day, and once my computer was booted, I could not do anything on it for it running so slowly. Since then (a few months ago), I have been able to accomplish nothing on it. Last night I decided to look into it because, you know, I kind of need a computer. I tried booting in safe mode, and it got stuck. I tried loading the disk utility, and I ran the first aid, but it went even slower after that. Resetting the PRAM did nothing but freeze. This morning I went and purchased more memory. I believed from what I saw on my computer that I had 2 GB of RAM, but when I went to replace it, there was actually 4 GB. I installed 8 GB, and I could not get past the gray screen with the startup bar on it. I tried to reset the PRAM, but currently the startup loading bar has been stuck!

Please help! I can't just go buy a new computer because when I really think this is something with the update! I am so frustrated and don't know what else to do. My husband is of no help because he is admantly against Apple products, so I'm on my own.

Current situation: start up is taking so long that the screen keeps going to sleep.

 

[Honza1]

OK, start with recovery mode (cmd+R on reboot) and if you get there, check the hard drive using Disk utility. That should work with all newer machines. May be hard drive is corrupted. That can slow down the system. It may or may not be fixable with First Aid.
If you live somewhere close to Apple store, make appointment and ask them to figure out what is wrong. That will be free and you will know what the problem is.
You provided absolutely no info on what MBP you have. I suspect you can boot in hardware test as see, how that works. Instructions : https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201257 . There are reports about bad hard drive cables and that can slow down the drive significantly. With experience and some hardware someone could boot this from USB drive and see if it works, but I suspect that is not job for you?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Please help! I believe this all started after an update, but I'm not sure. I believe I am now running Sierra, but I can't get in to confirm...

My MBP began running very slowly one day. I noticed all of the memory was being used and tried to restart the computer to figure out the problem. The restart took almost an entire day, and once my computer was booted, I could not do anything on it for it running so slowly. Since then (a few months ago), I have been able to accomplish nothing on it. Last night I decided to look into it because, you know, I kind of need a computer. I tried booting in safe mode, and it got stuck. I tried loading the disk utility, and I ran the first aid, but it went even slower after that. Resetting the PRAM did nothing but freeze. This morning I went and purchased more memory. I believed from what I saw on my computer that I had 2 GB of RAM, but when I went to replace it, there was actually 4 GB. I installed 8 GB, and I could not get past the gray screen with the startup bar on it. I tried to reset the PRAM, but currently the startup loading bar has been stuck!

Please help! I can't just go buy a new computer because when I really think this is something with the update! I am so frustrated and don't know what else to do. My husband is of no help because he is admantly against Apple products, so I'm on my own.

Current situation: start up is taking so long that the screen keeps going to sleep.

It’s far more likely your hard drive has died than a ram issue or even the data cable connecting your hard drive to the logic board. Replace it with an ssd, do let us know the model and year of your MacBook it will help us advise you.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
Do you have a non-retina MBPro with removable drive and RAM?
(seems like you suggest that above)

If so...
It could be either:
1. The hard drive ribbon connecting cable has gone bad on you
2. The hard drive itself has gone bad.

If this is the case, adding RAM WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE, because the problem hasn't been addressed at all.

What I would do:
REPLACE THE RIBBON CABLE FIRST.
If you have a brick-n-mortar Apple Store nearby, I'd make an appt. for the genius bar, and let them look at it. For a while they were exchanging these ribbon cables FREE of charge (they were a weak point in the design). They might do this for you.
If they won't do it for free, you have two choices:
1. Pay Apple to do it, or
2. Do it yourself.

You already know how to take the back off.
It's easy to remove the drive (two screws) and change the cable.
Go to ifixit.com to see what's involved.
You can get the cable part number from them, buy it from them, or buy it online.

A SUGGESTION:
While you're changing the cable, if you still have a platter-based hard drive inside, CHANGE IT FOR AN SSD. You won't believe the performance increase this gives you.

 

[sphinxa1]

SOS! besides the sleep, reboot and hanging issue in my MBP 2015 15 inch that I have to live with it. The machine could take days to respond to reboot!! yes.. when pressing the power button, USB devices will turn the light on, however, the machine won't respond and won't reboot. Nothing, this could take hours, nowadays! yes last reboot took 2 days for the machine to respond and to power up. This is the worst machine and service I have ever had. Sent for repair for a screen problem, the machine came back with the same problem as they changed the motherboard, then it went back they changed battery and screen. It came back with this wake/sleep reboot issue and power button no response! They cannot even find what the problem is. I get this report to send to apple on 5 times a day. All new software updates. It is for sure hardware, and to my surprise, it is not a loose connection, since when it boots it is not related to moving the machine. The machine will take up to hours, days, and boots when she wants, litterarly.