Mac Pro (early 2009) 10.6.7 Hard Drive Issues

Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
So, about two weeks ago, my Mac Pro started to crash regularly. Each attempt to boot up was met with a flashing "?" inside a folder. After some tech support with Apple, I was told I had a dead hard drive. They sent me a new one.

When that drive got here, the new drive was not recognized by the computer. I called Apple again, and they said that every once in a while a drive arrives DoA. I was sent a new HDD. That drive also did not work. I purchased a compatible SATA drive in a store, and got the same story.

Then, last week, my old original drive seemingly sprang back to life and was working like normal. Unfortunately, it was a short lived respite, the drive crashed again last night, and while I can boot into it, it keeps on unmounting minutes after the boot.

I don't think the issue is the HDDs like Apple said. Is there anything potentially wrong with the motherboard, or anything else that I should be thinking about? The computer was purchased just over a year ago, and I really don't want to be stuck with a machine that can't mount HDDs.
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
844
Reaction score
49
Points
28
Location
Virginia
Your Mac's Specs
Currently 13" Late 2010 MBA, 4GB/128GB; Early 2011 13" MBP, dual core i7 2.7ghz, 4gb ram, 500gb hd
Does it matter which drive bay the drive is in? Or is this only an issue with Bay #1? It's possible it's only a bad SATA cable for that bay, like perhaps it got skinned somewhere along the line and grounded out.
 
OP
S
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Unfortunately I've tried each of the hard drives in each of the bays. The only one that reads (occasionally) is the original drive.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
When you say the new drive was not recognised when set up in say position two, what did Disk Utility say about the drive as it may well need to be partitioned GUID and formatted Mac OS Extended (Journalled)?
 
OP
S
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
The new drives didn't show up in either the disk utility or system profiler.

Two of the 3 new drives were sent by Apple themselves, so they are definitely compatible.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Sounds like logic board problems getting power to SATA connectors.
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
When that drive got here, the new drive was not recognized by the computer.

Did you install an OS on it? You didn't say.

- Nick
 
OP
S
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I would have if the drive was recognized. They were not even mounting. I could hear the HDDs spinning, but they wouln't show up in the disk utility, and the OS installer couldn't find them to install the operating system.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
256
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Bowmanstown, PA
Your Mac's Specs
*27" imac C2D 3.0/1TB/16GB**Mac Pro Octo 2.8/4x1TB/16GB**Mac Pro Quad 2.66/2x1TB/8GB**iPhone 4*
I refurbish said to be dead Mac pro's and I have experienced your issue with hang ups at boot and flashing folder with well known working drives. Again as the same for others this is an on going problem with the neglected CMOS back up battery. System preferences are saved via this battery and your main boot drive can not be recognized because the system is trying to boot from the default network start up. Replace the flat lithium battery CR2032 and try your original drive with OS installed. If no luck possible HD has gone bad. In that case install a new drive and insert OS disc, powerdown and restart holding option and once screen is reached select OS disc and boot. Once installer is reached be sure to enter disk utility and partion drive as "1" and select the options tab below and select GUID partition table for partition and istall OS. You should be fine from here. I feel the battery will solve this problem as I have seen some of the silliest issues with the pro and bad or dead CMOS back up battery such as failed CPU's HA! So try the easiest and cheapest method first. Also noted in some instances is the Airport card if installed, can go bad causing a short, really confuses the machine. I do not feel this is your problem though.
Post back your results, thank you.
 
OP
S
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Where can I find that battery (in the computer, and where to purchase a new one)?
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
No idea where the battery is, but CR2032 is one of the most common batteries. You will find it at almost any Walmart or other major store.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Under the graphics card perhaps held down by a circular clip.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Did not think so. Back to the logic board alas.
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
844
Reaction score
49
Points
28
Location
Virginia
Your Mac's Specs
Currently 13" Late 2010 MBA, 4GB/128GB; Early 2011 13" MBP, dual core i7 2.7ghz, 4gb ram, 500gb hd
If the computer is in warranty, then by all means, have Apple fix it. If not, you might consider a PCI-X SATA controller, which has got to be much less than a full system board replacement. Or move your drives to an external FW-800 enclosure and work of FW. Not an ideal solution, but at least it gets you going until you can get it fixed.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
PCI-X or surely PCI-E?
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
844
Reaction score
49
Points
28
Location
Virginia
Your Mac's Specs
Currently 13" Late 2010 MBA, 4GB/128GB; Early 2011 13" MBP, dual core i7 2.7ghz, 4gb ram, 500gb hd
You're right, PCI-E. Check out Mac Pro: About the PCI Express slots to determine the appropriate speed of your system. However the only card I'm seeing is about $170 from Sonnet. Someone else might have another recommendation.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
And they are only moderate performers. Take it back to the Apple store for best results.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top