2014 MacBook Pro freezing up after 5-10 minutes

[sgage]

Hello All,

Having a problem with a 2014 MacBook Pro, now running High Sierra for years (it came with Mavericks). It boots up no problem, but suddenly after 5-10 minutes it just freezes up hard with a spinning beach ball. The track pad moves it around, but nothing responds to a click or anything.. It does not seem to be heat related. Been working fine for years.

Finally, in desparation, I fantasized that maybe it was a software issue, and since I had nothing to lose on the machine, I tried reinstalling. Installation went for maybe 30 minutes, the progress indicator going up and down, and then failed with -2100F.

I tried erasing the disk to try again, but the erasing operation seemed to fail. But the disk first aid shows everything as OK.

Wnen I reboot, it comes up as if nothing ever happened - the two accounts on the system are both there intact, all my stuff and installed programs are there, programs I'd left running were still running!

Does anyone have any suggestions as for what I might try next? I'd love to get this thing working reliably again, but I really don't want to spend money on hardware repairs. Anything ideas?

 

[sgage]

Hello All,

Having a problem with a 2014 MacBook Pro, now running High Sierra for years (it came with Mavericks). It boots up no problem, but suddenly after 5-10 minutes it just freezes up hard with a spinning beach ball. The track pad moves it around, but nothing responds to a click or anything.. It does not seem to be heat related. Been working fine for years.

Finally, in desparation, I fantasized that maybe it was a software issue, and since I had nothing to lose on the machine, I tried reinstalling. Installation went for maybe 30 minutes, the progress indicator going up and down, and then failed with -2100F.

I tried erasing the disk to try again, but the erasing operation seemed to fail. But the disk first aid shows everything as OK.

Wnen I reboot, it comes up as if nothing ever happened - the two accounts on the system are both there intact, all my stuff and installed programs are there, programs I'd left running were still running!

Does anyone have any suggestions as for what I might try next? I'd love to get this thing working reliably again, but I really don't want to spend money on hardware repairs. Anything ideas?

Further to my post of yesterday...

I just want to start from scratch. I go to Disk Utility, and all it shows is a 2 GB 'Apple disk image' called 'OS X Base System. There is nothing like 'Mac HD' or such. When I go to reinstall MacOS, there is nothing under the 'select which disk to install to'.

How can I just clear the slate and start over?

 

[TonyAguila]

Further to my post of yesterday...

I just want to start from scratch. I go to Disk Utility, and all it shows is a 2 GB 'Apple disk image' called 'OS X Base System. There is nothing like 'Mac HD' or such. When I go to reinstall MacOS, there is nothing under the 'select which disk to install to'.

How can I just clear the slate and start over?

As long as you are willing to start with a clean slate, I suggest you try Recovery. This requires that you have an internet connection. Your 2014 MacBook Pro should be equipped with SSD storage, and is capable of running macOS Big Sur. Recovery will not give you the option to install an older version.

Boot up while holding down command-R. This will bring up Recovery. Check to see if you are connected to the internet, and then select Disk Utility and see if it will show you your internal SSD. If yes, then choose to erase it, using APFS for format. If successful, exit Disk Utility and go into installing macOS. It should present you with Big Sur. Go through the installation and in the end, it will ask for your backup. If you indeed have a Time Machine backup, or a clone of your old system, you should be able to restore your ID and data. If you opt to start clean, you will just need to log into your Apple ID and proceed from there. Good luck!

 

[sgage]

As long as you are willing to start with a clean slate, I suggest you try Recovery. This requires that you have an internet connection. Your 2014 MacBook Pro should be equipped with SSD storage, and is capable of running macOS Big Sur. Recovery will not give you the option to install an older version.

Boot up while holding down command-R. This will bring up Recovery. Check to see if you are connected to the internet, and then select Disk Utility and see if it will show you your internal SSD. If yes, then choose to erase it, using APFS for format. If successful, exit Disk Utility and go into installing macOS. It should present you with Big Sur. Go through the installation and in the end, it will ask for your backup. If you indeed have a Time Machine backup, or a clone of your old system, you should be able to restore your ID and data. If you opt to start clean, you will just need to log into your Apple ID and proceed from there. Good luck!

Hi Tony,

I should have been more clear - I got to the Disk Utility through Recovery. At that point, it does not see anything besides the 2 GB 'Apple disk image' called 'OS X Base System'. Nothing I do can make it show an HD or SSD.

I tried to install a fresh macOS anyway, and all went well until at the end it just dumped me in the Rescue screen again, with no indication of what had happened, or what I should do.No doubt all my machinations have already removed my system - just this 2 GB 'Apple disk image' remains, and it won't let me see the actual drive. Incidentally, I can no longer boot into my account at all. I can give the password, but then the spinning ball forever.

Anyway, I have a feeling that if I can just get the disk to show up in the Utility and get it erased, this will work. In all my putzing around with this (a lot!), the machine has never frozen up or anything, and the touch pad has worked perfectly.

Thanks for your reply, and any further insights you can provide!

 

[TonyAguila]

Hi Tony,

I should have been more clear - I got to the Disk Utility through Recovery. At that point, it does not see anything besides the 2 GB 'Apple disk image' called 'OS X Base System'. Nothing I do can make it show an HD or SSD.

I tried to install a fresh macOS anyway, and all went well until at the end it just dumped me in the Rescue screen again, with no indication of what had happened, or what I should do.No doubt all my machinations have already removed my system - just this 2 GB 'Apple disk image' remains, and it won't let me see the actual drive. Incidentally, I can no longer boot into my account at all. I can give the password, but then the spinning ball forever.

Anyway, I have a feeling that if I can just get the disk to show up in the Utility and get it erased, this will work. In all my putzing around with this (a lot!), the machine has never frozen up or anything, and the touch pad has worked perfectly.

Thanks for your reply, and any further insights you can provide!

This might be a silly question, but by any chance, do you have Show All Devices shown in Disk Utility, instead of Show Only Volumes?

 

[sgage]

This might be a silly question, but by any chance, do you have Show All Devices shown in Disk Utility, instead of Show Only Volumes?

View attachment 4462

I've tried both. In Show Only Volumes it shows 'Disk Images' with OS X Base System below, in the other case it shows 'Disk Images' with 'Apple Disk Image Media' beneath it and OS X Base System beneath that...

 

[TonyAguila]

I've tried both. In Show Only Volumes it shows 'Disk Images' with OS X Base System below, in the other case it shows 'Disk Images' with 'Apple Disk Image Media' beneath it and OS X Base System beneath that...

Strange. I’m thinking that the internal SSD is messed up, but how can it still boot up, albeit for just a few minutes. I would next attempt a SMC reset. If I remember right, shut down and hold down the command-option-shift keys and then press down the power button for about 10 seconds. Might as well reset your parameter RAM as well. Start and immediately hold down command-option-P-R and wait for the startup sound for a second time before letting go.

Finally, start in Safe Mode this time. Hold down the Shift key until you get to the login screen. If Disk Utility still fails to show your main startup drive, then it’s probably time to consider that the SSD is indeed failing.

 

[sgage]

Well, I tried all of the above, and no joy. One time amongst all this poking around there was an indication of an actual disk, but it could not be erased - all the options were grayed out. Next time I came round to Disk Utility, was just...

Always the stupid OS X Base System which can't be erased, because it is in use. I've tried internet installs, and they all go well until the end, when they dump me into the Recovery screen. I still think there's some way of fixing this, but I need a break - my old eyes are getting tired. If something else comes to mind that I might try, please let me know!

In the meantime, thanks very much for your time and attention! The problem is not solved (yet), but I've learned a lot. I've been messing around with computers for a long time, just not Macs