Macbook hard drive problem

araczek · araczek #1 (**permalink**)

11-08-2010, 04:02 PM

Hi,

I am a Windows expert but I don't know much about Mac. I tried to load Wacom drivers on my daughters Macbook last week and it seemed hung up so I hit the power button. Now it won't boot up, just get Apple logo and rotating circle endlessly. I got a hold of Techtool and the surface scan finds bad blocks.

First, how can I at least try to backup her data, say to an external drive? I don't want to try a repair without the data off the drive. Second what can I use to repair this drive, assuming it CAN be repaired. Macbook is less than a year old and can't believe hard drive might be bad.

Please give me details, I never work with Macs. At least Windows is more forgiving if you hit power.

chscag · chscag #2 (**permalink**)

11-08-2010, 07:15 PM

Welcome to the Mac Forums.

As far as repairing the hard drive is concerned, you should be able to do repairs with the original install media which is provided with the machine. Boot from it and run Disk Utility - Verify and Repair.

However, if you have Tech Tools, you can make repairs with it. Which version do you have? Once the bad sectors are repaired, backup the data using Time Machine. (Which you should already have been doing.)

araczek · araczek #3 (**permalink**)

11-10-2010, 04:13 PM

Als, not a Mac guy and besides it's my daughters machine. So I stay away from it. But thanks. But I am concerned a repair will cause me to lose data, need a way to at least try get stuff off of it before I repair.

EggrollShop · EggrollShop #4 (**permalink**)

11-11-2010, 04:39 AM

Take out the hard drive, buy an external enclosure, plug it into another computer and check to if you can see data. Then copy it.

s2odin · s2odin #5 (**permalink**)

11-11-2010, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by araczek

Als, not a Mac guy and besides it's my daughters machine. So I stay away from it. But thanks. But I am concerned a repair will cause me to lose data, need a way to at least try get stuff off of it before I repair.

It's the exact same way you would on a Windows machine. The hardware is still the same, so a hard drive found in a windows machine is the exact same size / fit as a hard drive in a Mac. Same thing with the RAM, processor (although I haven't heard of being able to upgrade a processor in a Mac).

araczek · araczek #6 (**permalink**)

11-12-2010, 08:26 AM

I'm familiar with the hardware. What I would do on a Windows machine is use a BartPE boot disk and an external USB drive and see if I could copy data.

Someone was telling me you could put the OS on an external drive (he said firewire, how about USB?), boot from the external drive and try to copy the data then.

And Techtool was saying bad blocks, not sectors.

chscag #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 23, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 32,032 Mac Specs: 21.5" iMac 2.5 GHz i5, iPad 3rd Gen., 3 iPods	11-08-2010, 07:15 PM Welcome to the Mac Forums. As far as repairing the hard drive is concerned, you should be able to do repairs with the original install media which is provided with the machine. Boot from it and run Disk Utility - Verify and Repair. However, if you have Tech Tools, you can make repairs with it. Which version do you have? Once the bad sectors are repaired, backup the data using Time Machine. (Which you should already have been doing.) Community Guidelines
	QUOTE Thanks

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araczek #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 08, 2010 Posts: 3	11-08-2010, 04:02 PM Hi, I am a Windows expert but I don't know much about Mac. I tried to load Wacom drivers on my daughters Macbook last week and it seemed hung up so I hit the power button. Now it won't boot up, just get Apple logo and rotating circle endlessly. I got a hold of Techtool and the surface scan finds bad blocks. First, how can I at least try to backup her data, say to an external drive? I don't want to try a repair without the data off the drive. Second what can I use to repair this drive, assuming it CAN be repaired. Macbook is less than a year old and can't believe hard drive might be bad. Please give me details, I never work with Macs. At least Windows is more forgiving if you hit power.
	QUOTE Thanks

EggrollShop #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 14, 2008 Location: New New Posts: 56 Mac Specs: Macbook Pro 17" (Late 2008) C2D 2.6Ghz, 4Gb DDR2, Nvidia 8600m GT 512 \| Iphone 4 32GB \| Ipad 2 WiFi	11-11-2010, 04:39 AM Take out the hard drive, buy an external enclosure, plug it into another computer and check to if you can see data. Then copy it.
	QUOTE Thanks

araczek #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 08, 2010 Posts: 3	11-12-2010, 08:26 AM I'm familiar with the hardware. What I would do on a Windows machine is use a BartPE boot disk and an external USB drive and see if I could copy data. Someone was telling me you could put the OS on an external drive (he said firewire, how about USB?), boot from the external drive and try to copy the data then. And Techtool was saying bad blocks, not sectors.
	QUOTE Thanks

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