Macbook flashing folder; already replaced SATA cable

I have a Macbook Pro 2012, and it suddenly crashed and when rebooted it would not detect the OS (flashing ? in folder). It would also not detect the SSD in recovery. It did, however, work with the original HDD.


I thought it was the SATA cable, so I replaced it, but I still have the same problem.


I thought it may be the SSD, but the SSD appears to work when I plug it into a Windows PC and the drive health is sitting on around 71% with no issues detected.


Any other ideas? Could it still be the drive?


Thanks

MacBook

Posted on Oct 23, 2021 3:32 AM

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Posted on Oct 23, 2021 4:42 PM

How did you determine the drive health? Run DriveDx on macOS or GSmartControl on Windows/Linux and post the complete health report here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper. There is a portable version of GSmartControl for Windows that does not require any installation (it can be run from the Downloads folder). You may also want to provide the health report for the original drive as well.


How did you setup up the new SSD? Did you perform a clean install after first using Disk Utility to erase the SSD as GUID partition and MacOS Extended (Journaled)? If you cloned the drive, then how did you clone it? Carbon Copy Cloner is the easiest way of cloning a macOS boot drive.


Have you tried connecting the original hard drive or the new SSD externally using a USB to SATA Adapter, drive dock, or enclosure? Some SSDs may not be compatible and perhaps your replacement SATA Cable is defective.


Make sure to disconnect all external devices in case one of them is causing a problem. When testing the drives externally connect them directly to the laptop.


Try running the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected (best to have the original hard drive installed internally since third party drives tend to report failures with the diagnostic).


Also try an SMC Reset and PRAM Reset (hold the PRAM Reset for at least three chimes).

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Oct 23, 2021 4:42 PM in response to agcza

How did you determine the drive health? Run DriveDx on macOS or GSmartControl on Windows/Linux and post the complete health report here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper. There is a portable version of GSmartControl for Windows that does not require any installation (it can be run from the Downloads folder). You may also want to provide the health report for the original drive as well.


How did you setup up the new SSD? Did you perform a clean install after first using Disk Utility to erase the SSD as GUID partition and MacOS Extended (Journaled)? If you cloned the drive, then how did you clone it? Carbon Copy Cloner is the easiest way of cloning a macOS boot drive.


Have you tried connecting the original hard drive or the new SSD externally using a USB to SATA Adapter, drive dock, or enclosure? Some SSDs may not be compatible and perhaps your replacement SATA Cable is defective.


Make sure to disconnect all external devices in case one of them is causing a problem. When testing the drives externally connect them directly to the laptop.


Try running the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected (best to have the original hard drive installed internally since third party drives tend to report failures with the diagnostic).


Also try an SMC Reset and PRAM Reset (hold the PRAM Reset for at least three chimes).

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Oct 23, 2021 3:45 AM in response to agcza

The SSD is either malfunctioning, or its contents somehow corrupted. Your options are to boot Recovery and see what that reports and that possibly including attempting to reload macOS, and to swap the SSD for a different storage device and restoring your backup to that.

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Oct 24, 2021 10:50 AM in response to agcza

The SSD looks Ok. The UDMA CRC Errors are most likely due to the bad SATA Cable. If you see the "Raw Value" increasing for this attribute, then it may mean the replacement cable is also bad (or perhaps there is an issue with the SSD or Logic Board but these are much less likely).


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Macbook flashing folder; already replaced SATA cable

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