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Mid 2015 MacBook Pro: Is my SSD dying? Can I replace my SSD?

M

MalagLagoon

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 19, 2019
168
62
I’ve got a hunch my SSD is dying. During the last few days my trusty 2015 MacBook Pro has been experiencing random freezes with a spinning beach ball when using various applications. This includes severe crashing - a hard lock/freeze requiring a power cycle while on. Today there was an abrupt restart due to an unknown problem. Following these catastrophic events I have run Disk Utility many, many times during the last three days. Disk Utility reports errors and these errors are only cleared up after running Disk Utility several times in a row - because upon first pass Disk Utility is unable to fix the errors.

I’ve used this MBP since 2017 non-stop - I don’t even turn it off at night. I know there’s got to be a lot of mileage with this MBP. I strongly suspect it’s dying soon.

I’m guessing the SSD is having issues and perhaps this is the main cause of recent instability. I’ve run an application called EtreCheck and that shows that my SSD is exhibiting poor performance (slow).

It just so happens that I have a 2nd 2015 MacBook Pro with a bad GPU. This 2nd MBP works well enough for internet browsing and email - but usually experiences a hard crash if you use something like Final Cut Pro. This 2nd MBP has been useful as a backup MBP when my main MBP needed repair (such as replacing the battery).

I’m considering swapping the SSD - taking the good SSD from the 2nd MBP and installing the good SSD into my main MBP.

I have a TimeMachine backup on an external USB hard drive. I’m tempted to just swap the SSD and see what happens - see if I can restore the operating system and reload the last saved TimeMachine backup.

Maybe that’ll buy me a little time before I purchase a replacement MacBook Pro.

So, my questions are:

  1. Does it sound like I have a bad SSD?
  2. Is it possible to replace the SSD with a new one - then restore macOS + data?

Thanks for any advice and/or help!

-M
 
Also... make sure that you have the right tools.
I believe you'll need a "security Torx driver" to get the screws off the back of the 2015.
Check ifixit.com for details.
 
Well, I would not mess with the one with "a bad GPU", or try to use parts from it to fix your main/better one.

On the main-one ... I forget how you do it on a Mac, but you need to read the SSD's SMART-Status. That will tell you how healthy the SSD is, and whether it's even worth trying to save.

Normally, when HDDs and SSDs start failing ... it's a downward-spiral. I've never really seen one "get better" or heal-itself. Luckily. new SSDs are cheap now-days.
 
Fishrrman said:
Also... make sure that you have the right tools.
I believe you'll need a "security Torx driver" to get the screws off the back of the 2015.
Check ifixit.com for details.
Click to expand...
I've got the Torx tools from iFixit. I replaced the battery on this laptop about 1.5 years ago.
 
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