MacBook won't boot

[Alklha]

Just tried turning my MBP on and it got to the Apple screen and about a third of the way through the process bar before just shutting down. It's plugged in and running the latest update.

Any ideas what the likely problem is? Chances of recovering data from the HD? I haven't backed up in about a week, nothing too important, but still.

Edit: Forgot to add that it does the same in safe mode. The hard drives name shows up, select it, starts the process, fans kick in and then I get a # sign

 

[JTToft]

That means it can't load the OS. Could be hard drive damage, but it could also just be permissions or file system problems. Try repairing with Disk Utility (boot from your Recovery Partition: CMD+R on boot).

Also, see this.

It would be good to know which specific MBP you have.

 

[Alklha]

That means it can't load the OS. Could be hard drive damage, but it could also just be permissions or file system problems. Try repairing with Disk Utility (boot from your Recovery Partition: CMD+R on boot).

Also, see this.

It would be good to know which specific MBP you have.

Thanks. It's a 15" mid-2010 i7.

I went to verify and repair diak, both said that the drive was okay. I went to reinstall OSX and it doesn't give any options when asked to select the disk to install onto.

 

[DebianJunkie]

Turn it off. Then press and hold Command and V keys together then press power button (all the while holding cmd+V). This will initiate verbose startup - black screen with white letter messages- report back any errors or failures it says.

My 9,2 did not boot until I reset P ram. Turn it off. Then press and hold Command, option, P and R keys together then press power button (all the while holding cmd, opt, P an R) You'll hear the startup chime, continue holding the 4 keys, MBP will restart. Upon hearing the startup chime for the second time release the 4 keys. Your pram has been reset. If then it doesn't boot up report back with command +v bootup as I wrote.

Also when you boot in recovery mode does the disk util there show your harddrive or is it missing?