Chosen Solution
OK, so I’ve had my MacBook Pro for about 8 years now, always ran smooth until about a week ago I got this flashing folder and my OS wouldn’t boot. I looked it up on Google, mostly it pointed towards a failed hard drive I tried to get into the system recovery mode holding alt and ctrl R, and it worked like twice I was able to get to the options. But, they didn’t respond when I clicked on them and the screen just ended up going gray. I got to point where if i just let it boot normally, I got the flashing folder and if i tried to hold alt or anything it would show my cursor but just a gray screen. I came to believe after what I read that maybe my hard drive failed, so I ordered a new one pretty much the same one I already had. I just received it today and hooked it up properly everything seems to be plugged in right. When I went to start it with the new hard drive I just get a gray screen holding alt and ctrl R yield the same results just a gray screen! Anything else I could try? Trying not to take it into the Apple Store and have to pay 600 dollars at that point I’d just buy a new system.
You could have a bad hard drive cable. They are known to go bad over time. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Hard Drive/IR Sensor Cable Replacement Other ideas: If internet install will not work you could try OS X Recovery Disk Assistant: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433?loca… There are other key combinations for getting into recover mode too: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314 Last idea is to use an install disk and then once it is installed upgrade it. https://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6377…
Your Mac pre-dates Internet recovery. In addition your original HD may not have the hidden partition setup and then there is the version of OS-X/MacOS you are running here also makes a difference. Thats if the HD was working which I’m tending to agree is the root issue here. OK what to do?? Hopefully you still have the original OS install CD/DVD disks as you’ll need them to get your system running here. Your other option is to setup from another Mac a OS installer USB thumb drive. I would also look at replacing the HD SATA cable as well following this IFIXIT guide: MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Hard Drive/IR Sensor Cable Replacement References: Startup key combinations for MacComputers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet RecoveryHow to create a bootable macOS Sierra installer drive
