Chosen Solution
My hard drive died. I have replaced it with a SSD. How do I get the Mac operating system on the new ssd?
You’ll need to connect to the internet so your system can run Internet recovery service which Apple offers. Here’s a good writeup: How to Re-Install OS X with Internet Recovery on a Mac. Once you’ve getting it running the recovery service I would recommend you first run disk utility to make sure the new drive is formatted with GUID partition mapping & using a journaled file system. Then run the OS installer. I’ll warn you this may take some time depending on how fast your connection is. Now if you encounter any issues here you likely had a bad HD SATA cable to start with as they often go bad and you may in fact still have a working HDD! I would recommend you still stay with the SSD, but you’ll want to get a case for your HD so you can continue to use it like this one: USB 3.0 SSD SATA Hard Drive Enclosure If you need to save some pennies Then this will do to get you running Startech 2.5" SATA to USB adapter but it won’t protect your drive. Here’s the IFIXIT guide for replacing the HD SATA cable: MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012 Hard Drive Cable Replacement and here’s the needed part: MacBook Pro 13" Unibody (Mid 2012) Hard Drive Cable Two things here to watch out for first place some electricians tape onto the uppercase where the cable crosses over as the rough surface of the aluminum over time damages the cable. Also don’t go crazy with the bending of the cable around the corners as you can break the conductive foil of the cable wires.
You’ll have to find some help from an outside source since your new Ssd won’t be even recognized by the Mac without formatting. Do you have the original install drive ? If yes put in the disk or the pendrive and turn on the computer, it will start from it, choose disk utility and format the drive as Mac os/GUID partition, then install whatever you have at hand and then update from Apple with latest Os. Or, in case you have a time machine backup on an external drive you can restore your system from that. If no, in case you have access to another mac you’ll have to create a bootable usb drive after downloading the OS from Apple or search for a .dmg around the internet, not very easy but you can find it if you search hard enough.
This sounds like what has happened to me: This is something other than a traditional HD issue
I don’t quite understand all those instructions. They seem to be assuming the Mac is working, or can boot up in safe mode or somehow access the utility menu. On my Mac I believe the HD is corrupt and I am thinking of replacing it with a new HD or SSD. How can I get macOS X on the new HD if my Mac is dead in the first place? Can anyone please help?
