New SSD but not working

[kaz cooke]

Hi all

I have an SSD to swap over with my HDD but when I hook it up to run a folder with a question mark appears.

I’ve followed all the instructions to erase the drive, install a new copy through command R and even tried carbon copy program but nothing. Even when I hook up the HDD and start my Mac the SSD shows up all the files to boot.

Am I missing something

 

[harryb2448]

How was the drive formatted and if you have been running Snow Leopard, Recovery does not work with that old operating system.

Next question is the Snow Leopard DVD is a full retail version, and not system install or downloaded version? We really can't help without all relevant information on operating system, model Mac etc. It happens often what is in the avatar is not up to date,.

 

[pm-r]

I have an SSD to swap over with my HDD but when I hook it up to run a folder with a question mark appears.

Your description of your situation and what you are doing and actually trying to do is far from clear I dare say.

A "a folder with a question mark appears" happens if there is no bootable OS either installed or "blessed". i.e. kaput!!

Did you backup your previous drive or does it still work??

Does your copy of Snow Leopard work when used as a boot volume?

So many unanswered questions…





- Patrick
======

 

[kaz cooke]

How was the drive formatted and if you have been running Snow Leopard, Recovery does not work with that old operating system.

Next question is the Snow Leopard DVD is a full retail version, and not system install or downloaded version? We really can't help without all relevant information on operating system, model Mac etc. It happens often what is in the avatar is not up to date,.

I have a MacBook Pro 17inch mid 2009 3.0ghz 500gb HDD originally came with Snow Leopard installed full retail on but have it upgraded to El Capitan.

I formatted the disk by disk utility selecting erase and choosing OSX Extended (journaled) and scheme as GUID partition map.

I then restarted my Mac and went into command R where I selected install OSX and selected the SSD which would in stall El Capitan, went through the whole process and nothing.

So I formatted again and then used Carbon Clone toclone the HDD to the SDD but nothing.

The old HDD still works fine and boots up etc.

Strange thing is when I tried the install via command R the SSD was connected externally and seem to have work as it booted up as a factory install and going through the set up, as when I disconnected the SSD externally the HDD ran and brought up what I done last on it i.e disk utility.

I reconnected the SSD externally and it pops up on my desktop so I know it’s working and all the is folders are there

 

[ferrarr]

Try going into System Preferences > Startup Disk, and select the SSD as the startup volume? Does this work?

 

[kaz cooke]

Try going into System Preferences > Startup Disk, and select the SSD as the startup volume? Does this work?

I held down alt to get theboption to boot from a drive and selected SSD and I went in to preferences to change the start.

I think it did boot from the SSD as I changed the profile pic from the HDD and it shows plus both drives are seen by the laptop.

Tried just the SSD drive connected and pressed alt from restart but no boot option come up just the mouse cursor



Just tried having the SSD inside the laptop and the HDD connected as an external and when I restarted I pressed alt for the boot select screen and only the HDD showed up in the menus. When the laptop started I went to about this mac and in the storage it just showed the HDD and not the SSD. The SSD doesnt come up/show as an external hard drive and a message comes up saying disk you inserted is not readable.

At a guess it seems the internal cable can’t read the SSD properly and that’s why it can’t boot from the SSD, is there a cable change I need to make internally?

 

[ferrarr]

I think you need to erase the SSD again. This time when in Disk Utility (DU), make sure you go to View, and have Show All Devices selected. Then you want to make sure you select the SSD drive, and not just one partition of it.

Here's what mine looks like.

 

[pm-r]

I think you need to erase the SSD again.

+1!!

And when you use CCC to create a backup bootable clone, look for any option to make it "bootable" and make sure it's checked, if it's even still available.





- Patrick
======

 

[kaz cooke]

Went to erase again and went in to select the drive below photo shows the selectedbone



Then went to Carbon clone and selected the part to make it bootable but still the same problem.

 

[pm-r]

Then went to Carbon clone and selected the part to make it bootable but still the same problem.

It sounds like maybe time to return the SSD and start over and maybe get some professional help to get things working properly.





Patrick
————

 

[kaz cooke]

It sounds like maybe time to return the SSD and start over and maybe get some professional help to get things working properly.





Patrick
————

Could it be the sata cable inside the MacBook Pro? As found something online that suggest some don’t read SSD

I doubt a company will accept a return on the SDD as it works and shows but just not when placed inside a laptop.
I’m gona try a computer shop nearby and see if they have any thoughts.

Thanks for the help guys

 

[pm-r]

Could it be the sata cable inside the MacBook Pro?

Are you using the same SATA cable with the other drive that does work? If so, I would doubt if the problem is with the cable. Unless it has an intermittent break/connection somewhere.

I assume most brand SSDs are Mac compatible, but that's an assumption which is not the best thing to use, and personally I do not like using, no, won't use Kingston products, which your new SSD seems to be. I got stung by them too many times many years ago.





- Patrick
======

 

[ferrarr]

It could be the SATA cable, but if you're experiencing an issue with it as an external, then the cable shouldn't be affecting that?

 

[chscag]

It's not the SATA cable if he can boot the original hard drive from it. It appears to me that the Kingston SSD is either not bootable or it may even be defective and/or perhaps not compatible with his MacBook Pro. I agree with Patrick. He should return the Kingston SSD if possible or if he can't do that, use it as an external drive.

Like Patrick, I do not trust Kingston products. Kingston products are generally inexpensive and popular but as the old saying goes.... "you get what you paid for".

 

[pm-r]

Like Patrick, I do not trust Kingston products. Kingston products are generally inexpensive and popular but as the old saying goes.... "you get what you paid for".

Maybe the pricing has changed lately, but some years ago all Kingston stuff, especially RAM always sold at a premium price so in my experience, one didn't get what one paid for.

It was almost as bad as the pricing on "Monster Cables" and most of their other Monster products which was actually quite embarrassing.





- Patrick
======

 

[kaz cooke]

Update

Have sent back the SSD drive and hoping they will except. Any recommendations for a SSD drive?

 

[pm-r]

Update

Have sent back the SSD drive and hoping they will except. Any recommendations for a SSD drive?

I trust you got a proper RMA before returning the product.

A return merchandise authorization (RMA), return authorization (RA) or return goods authorization (RGA) is a part of the process of returning a product to receive a refund, replacement, or repair during the product's warranty period.

Or maybe that isn't required in England. But it sure is here.







- Patrick
======

 

[kaz cooke]

update.

Sent the SSD back to shop and they accepted it and got my money back, think im going to stick to the HDD for a while

thanks for the help