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MacBook Pro mid 2012 won’t boot

MacBook Pro mid 2012 won’t boot all the way. Bar goes most of the way, stops, and then restarts to ask for password again

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jun 8, 2020 6:59 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 8, 2020 7:59 PM


  1. Reset SMC by following the directions applicable to your MacBook Air here ➔ How to Reset SMC. If that does not solve things then-
  2. Reset NVRAM/PRAM by following the directions applicable to your MacBook Air here ➔ How to Reset NVRAM/PRAM. If that does not solve things then-
  3. Enter ➔ Safe Mode and see if the screen issue still exists in Safe mode. Log out of Safe Mode and then reboot computer. If that does not solve things then-
  4. Finally if none of the above works then you can enter ➔ macOS Recovery Mode and reinstall the macOS and see if that solves it.


More than likely step 4 is what you will end up doing if the first 3 do not work.


Axel F.

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 8, 2020 7:59 PM in response to Macbookuser22


  1. Reset SMC by following the directions applicable to your MacBook Air here ➔ How to Reset SMC. If that does not solve things then-
  2. Reset NVRAM/PRAM by following the directions applicable to your MacBook Air here ➔ How to Reset NVRAM/PRAM. If that does not solve things then-
  3. Enter ➔ Safe Mode and see if the screen issue still exists in Safe mode. Log out of Safe Mode and then reboot computer. If that does not solve things then-
  4. Finally if none of the above works then you can enter ➔ macOS Recovery Mode and reinstall the macOS and see if that solves it.


More than likely step 4 is what you will end up doing if the first 3 do not work.


Axel F.

Jun 8, 2020 9:42 PM in response to Macbookuser22

Non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pros, especially the 2012 version, have been nearly bulletproof but for one thing: the hard drive cable.


It is better described as a super-thin flexible circuit board. It suffers from routing across sharp metal edges on the chassis. With 3-5 years of the vibration of normal use and transport, its insulation can chafe and cause big issues. Symptoms of a worn cable can mimic a failed of failing hard drive.


If the steps the others have provided do not help, consider a new cable. They are available, cheap (~US$15), and easily installed by a novice users.


Install video here: https://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbookpro_13_unibody_mid12_hard_drive_cable/


Where I bought my cable: Apple Hard Drive / SSD Cable For 13-inch MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) main drive bay

MacBook Pro mid 2012 won’t boot

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