Hello. I have an issue. I got a macbook pro late 2011 from a friend. I tried to reinstall the MacOS but the problem is that it shows me the "Blinking folder icon"... Is it something bad ? I researched a bit and it says that if i change the HDD i wont be having this issue anymore. Or is it something more in depth of it? Like MOBO or something?...
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Macbook Pro Late 2011
- Thread starter DudyGM
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The blinking folder simply means that your Macbook Pro is not successful in locating a bootable system.
Either the drive is wiped (erased), or you simply need to successfully install a macOS system.
If you have installed a system, but it is not one that is correct for your MBpro model, then you will not get a flashing folder, but you will get a circle with a slash--the "prohibited" symbol. You would also get that same prohibited symbol if the system that is installed has some part of system incorrectly installed, or missing some needed files.
You will only get the flashing folder if no system at all is found.
Either the drive is wiped (erased), or you simply need to successfully install a macOS system.
If you have installed a system, but it is not one that is correct for your MBpro model, then you will not get a flashing folder, but you will get a circle with a slash--the "prohibited" symbol. You would also get that same prohibited symbol if the system that is installed has some part of system incorrectly installed, or missing some needed files.
You will only get the flashing folder if no system at all is found.
Try this:
1. power off -- all the way off (hold down the power on button for about 6 seconds).
2. press and HOLD down these keys:
Command-OPTION-R
...and now press the power on button.
KEEP HOLDING THOSE KEYS DOWN
3. When you get asked for your wifi password, let go of the keys and enter it.
4. Now, you should see "a spinning globe", which indicates that it's trying to boot into INTERNET recovery. It takes a while, so just wait it out.
5. Do you get to the internet utilities screen?
If you do...
1. Don't run the installer yet
2. Open disk utility
3. IMPORTANT: Go to the "view" menu and choose "show all devices"
4. Look at "the list on the left". The topmost line is the physical drive inside (we need to erase it)
5. Click the top line to select the drive, then click "erase"
6. Erase it to "Mac OS extended, journaling enabled, GUID partition format"
7. When the erase is done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer
8. Start clicking through the installer. The Mac will reboot one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no indication of activity. Be patient.
9. When done, you should see the initial setup screen (choose your language).
10. Start clicking through and get yourself set up.
1. power off -- all the way off (hold down the power on button for about 6 seconds).
2. press and HOLD down these keys:
Command-OPTION-R
...and now press the power on button.
KEEP HOLDING THOSE KEYS DOWN
3. When you get asked for your wifi password, let go of the keys and enter it.
4. Now, you should see "a spinning globe", which indicates that it's trying to boot into INTERNET recovery. It takes a while, so just wait it out.
5. Do you get to the internet utilities screen?
If you do...
1. Don't run the installer yet
2. Open disk utility
3. IMPORTANT: Go to the "view" menu and choose "show all devices"
4. Look at "the list on the left". The topmost line is the physical drive inside (we need to erase it)
5. Click the top line to select the drive, then click "erase"
6. Erase it to "Mac OS extended, journaling enabled, GUID partition format"
7. When the erase is done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer
8. Start clicking through the installer. The Mac will reboot one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no indication of activity. Be patient.
9. When done, you should see the initial setup screen (choose your language).
10. Start clicking through and get yourself set up.
I have a mid 2011 MacBook pro 13 inch. My hard drive got corrupted, so I erased it completely and re-installed my Snow Leopard Installation Disk. I started from Snow Leopard all the way to High Sierra. Everything works well again. I suggest you find a Snow Leopard Disk on ebay.
You might simply replace the HDD (if it is indeed an HDD (spinning platter disk drive)) with an SSD.
One problem with installing Snow Leopard is that you CAN find an installer DVD, but challenging to find one that will install Snow Leopard on YOUR MBPro. Requires a special build which is only on an original DVD that shipped with your new MBPro, with version 10.6.6 or 10.6.7. A commercial Snow Leopard will be be latest 10.6.3, which won't even boot your MBPro. Much easier to install a newer OS X from a bootable USB installer. There's many places on the 'net--search for "Create bootable installers for older OS X". There's very little reason to begin with a really old version, when you can just install the version that you would like, such as High Sierra. And, that will work best on an SSD, no problem.
One problem with installing Snow Leopard is that you CAN find an installer DVD, but challenging to find one that will install Snow Leopard on YOUR MBPro. Requires a special build which is only on an original DVD that shipped with your new MBPro, with version 10.6.6 or 10.6.7. A commercial Snow Leopard will be be latest 10.6.3, which won't even boot your MBPro. Much easier to install a newer OS X from a bootable USB installer. There's many places on the 'net--search for "Create bootable installers for older OS X". There's very little reason to begin with a really old version, when you can just install the version that you would like, such as High Sierra. And, that will work best on an SSD, no problem.
I guess imma try with an SSD ( i know the difference and so on, im not that a-technical 
) Also, i cant use ebay since Romania, doesnt have ebay and it would take too long for shipping especially a CD... ( i dont trust the delivering companies ). Thats a first and second is that as far as i know, i mean i did a little research, they said that High Sierra would work by downloading it from the apple store without an account ( wich i did ) and did a bootable usb with TransMac. At this moment, there s a totally new HDD from another donating laptop wich has no OS on it and thats why im trying to boot the OS so i can reuse the MB. I ll try watcha guys said and i ll let ya know. Thank you so much for the advice and also i have to mention that its the first time doing / trying things with MB because im normally a Windows User... This is a new niche for me ( in matters of installing a new fresh copy of OS ).
) Also, i cant use ebay since Romania, doesnt have ebay and it would take too long for shipping especially a CD... ( i dont trust the delivering companies ). Thats a first and second is that as far as i know, i mean i did a little research, they said that High Sierra would work by downloading it from the apple store without an account ( wich i did ) and did a bootable usb with TransMac. At this moment, there s a totally new HDD from another donating laptop wich has no OS on it and thats why im trying to boot the OS so i can reuse the MB. I ll try watcha guys said and i ll let ya know. Thank you so much for the advice and also i have to mention that its the first time doing / trying things with MB because im normally a Windows User... This is a new niche for me ( in matters of installing a new fresh copy of OS ).Do an NVRAM reset first, then try that same Option-command-r
NVRAM reset: power up while holding Option-Command-P-R
You should hear the boot chime sound.
Keep holding those same 4 keys until you hear the boot chime 2 more times, then release the keys.
Try the same Command-Option-R
You should get the spinning globe icon, because you are booting to your internet. It will take a long time to boot to internet recovery. You might have to wait more than 5 minutes
NVRAM reset: power up while holding Option-Command-P-R
You should hear the boot chime sound.
Keep holding those same 4 keys until you hear the boot chime 2 more times, then release the keys.
Try the same Command-Option-R
You should get the spinning globe icon, because you are booting to your internet. It will take a long time to boot to internet recovery. You might have to wait more than 5 minutes
Option-Command-P-R / Option-command-r / Command-R doesnt work.... for some reason, my keyboard might be faulty or something.. because even option works only when "its in the mood"... otherwise i press it and nothing happens... might be a mobo issue so i guess imma let this macbook go and get a new one