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Help!!!! Recovery mode disc utility cannot fix my MacBook Pro HD what do I do next?

HELP!!!! My MacBook Pro will not boot up. First aid in recovery mode disc utilities says it cannot repair my hard drive!!!! I have tried 3 times - same result. Is there anything else I should try before moving on? I have a time machine backup on an external hard drive from a couple of months back. More recently I synced my lap top with google drive. I can see all my documents and photos on the google drive back up (via my iPad) but none of my applications and system files. What is the best way to go forward? If I restore the laptop with the time machine back up which predates the google drive sync how could I restore the google drive files to the lap top? FYI I’m in lock down in Kathmandu nepal, have no access to Apple online support - it’s not available here. I cannot go to the Apple store and do not have access to a second Mac computer, I do have access to pc Lap tops and fairly good WiFi. Please help!!! Many thanks, Fionnuala

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.12

Posted on May 25, 2020 12:55 AM

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11 replies

May 25, 2020 7:05 PM in response to fionnualaShenpen

If you had a backup of your MacBook Pro created on another Drive then I would have asked you to try-

  1. Get into Recovery Mode
  2. Use Disk Utility to Format your HD (Formatting will address and identify corrupted areas of the HD if any as well)
  3. Reinstall macOS from Recovery Mode
  4. Restore the backup file.

Do you have a backup created over Time Machine on a remote drive?


Axel F.

May 25, 2020 6:16 AM in response to Axel Foley

Hi Axel,


my MacBook Pro lap top would not boot up despite repeated tries. When I pressed the start button it would make the sound and the Apple logo would appear and then very slowly the lap top would start to boot up but before fully finishing - I could visibly see a bar tracking the process - the screen would black out. So I googled the issue, found similar advice in a number of places and so decided to try booting it in recovery mode and running the first aid option. Hope that provides all the background you need. Prior to this the lap top had been working fine. The battery was not out of charge. It was in sleep mode. I hadn’t fully closed it.

May 25, 2020 7:58 PM in response to fionnualaShenpen

If you do NOT have backup, your existing drive holds the only possible copy of your files.They may be gone, but as long as there is some hope of recovery, DO NOT erase your internal drive. You need to buy an External drive.


You can use a drive enclosure, a "toaster" that you just drop one or two drives into slots -- gravity holds them and ambient air cools them, or a simple adapter that lays all the cables out across your desk.


Install MacOS on the new external drive, and get it set up to your liking. Now you can use the full power of MacOS to run a salvage operation.


If the drive will MOUNT (even if it won't repair or boot) this may be easy. If not, a Utility like Data Rescue form ProSoft can make excursions onto a damaged drive, try to rescue files, and copy them off to a safe place.


Remember to look for your files. Over 350,000 of the files on that drive are MacOS, and you already have a good copy of that.

May 26, 2020 12:04 AM in response to Axel Foley

Hi Axel,


that’s very helpful and clear. Yes I have a time machine backup on an external hard drive. (Is there any way I can double check it’s operational before wiping my lap top - I’ve no reason to suspect it’s not but I’m just a bit nervous!). Also after my most recent time machine backup I synced the MacBook Pro lap top with google drive. After using my time machine backup (which predates the google drive installation) is there a way I could link to the google drive backup other than individually downloading all the files missing from the time machine back up.

May 26, 2020 12:00 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi Grant,

I do have a new external hard drive. How would I install Mac OS on the new drive? I do not have access to another Mac computer so I would ether have to work from my MacBook Pro in recovery mode or a PC lap top?


And if I managed to do that what would the next step be? I couldn’t really follow your suggestion!


Thanks!

May 26, 2020 7:05 AM in response to fionnualaShenpen

<<How would I install macOS onto an External drive?>>


almost EXACTLY the same way you install it onto a new Internal drive.


Attach the drive and start in Recovery. If you get lucky, it will find and use Recovery_HD on the drive. Otherwise, it will use Internet Recovery and may take take several minutes to a quarter hour to load the correct version of the Tools over the Internet.


Use Disk Utility to ERASE the External drive by its immutable device-name, which will set up the partition map and create a default Volume on which to Install. Provide a meaningful mnemonic Volume-name. Once completed,

Choose Install MacOS , BUT: **Choose the external drive** This is the only difference!

It will download and install the same version you were running.


When it completes and restarts, it will be running Setup Assistant, and ask you to create a new Admin User.


You should chose a name slightly Different from the old one, so that old and new do not collide. -OR-


--------

ONLY If you are feeling adventurous, you can, instead of creating a NEW user, tell Setup Assistant that your files and userid are "over there" on the Internal drive. Be prepared for it to hang or be unable to Mount the drive to do that, and you may have to give up, Restart and create a new User instead.

---------


Once this is done, you have a working Mac with MacOS installed. set up your mail and you can check your emails and send text messages. At your leisure, you can use Utilities to try to salvage files off the damaged Internal drive. Data Rescue by ProSoft is one that is recommended.



May 26, 2020 7:35 AM in response to fionnualaShenpen

Ensure that Time Machine has been backing up as planned. Should be hourly basis unless you backup manually. You can also enter into Time Machine and check to see whether all you backups and files are accessible. This will ensure that Time Machine is working and files are accessible.

I do not know of any way to link your Google Drive backup files into automatic recovery other than installing the missing files (from Time Machine backup) manually.


Axel F.

May 27, 2020 4:07 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi Grant,


I managed to follow your instructions! I am so pleased. Thanks so much for your help. I can access all the files on the internal hard drive. When I open it on finder there is a folder called damaged files. Inside this there seems to be just one file. Should I leave it should I delete it? I am now in the process of moving all the files on the internal HD to the external HD. Once I’ve done that what should I do next? And how to I eventually end up with all my files back on the internal HD?


thanks so much for your help!


May 27, 2020 7:42 AM in response to fionnualaShenpen

Open a Finder window showing the Source files, and display them is a way that is comfortable for you.

without closing that window, choose:

Finder > File > New Finder Window ...


... and in this window navigate to the place where you want the files to go, their Destination.

Drag and drop the files you want to keep from the Source Window to the Destination Window.


Hints to help maintain your sanity while doing this:

note the NUMBER of files in each window. If needed:

Finder > Views > show status bar


I like do this in List view, with the columns sorted by name.

when you are done, you should have as many files in the destination window as started out in the Source window.


Do not be in a big Hurry to delete old files. after a week, if you did not need them, you can delete them.

Help!!!! Recovery mode disc utility cannot fix my MacBook Pro HD what do I do next?

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