Installing Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB in a mid-2012 MacBook Pro 13" woes

[Samwise]

I've been attempting to replace the HD on my mid-2012 MacBook Pro with a Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB. When I install it, the drive is not recognized. At the Genius Bar they replaced my SATA cable. No difference. Apple tech diagnosed the brand new SSD as faulty; I returned it and got a new one. Installed it. Still not recognized during start-up. When I put the SSD in an enclosure and use it as an external with USB connection it works fine. I installed an OS (Sierra) on it and am able to boot from the external drive and use it as such. But I cannot figure out why it won't read installed internally, even after the OS was installed and it's been used successfully. Any fix out there? Thanks!

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

That is strange...as your MBP drive connection supports the full 6.0 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA) spec of the Samsung SSD. Also, it is recognized as a startup disk externall in the USB enclosure.

I faintly remember a similar issue, that was corrected by performing a SMC and NVRAM reset, then starting up with with the Option key to access the Startup Manager. If the SSD shows then, you can click it, and it will set it as the startup drive in the NVRAM.

See if that works,

C

 

[Samwise]

Thank you Cory! Will update when I've had the chance to give these a go. Tried the NVRAM reset previous to no avail, but not the SMC.

 

[Samwise]

Hello and welcome.

That is strange...as your MBP drive connection supports the full 6.0 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA) spec of the Samsung SSD. Also, it is recognized as a startup disk externall in the USB enclosure.

I faintly remember a similar issue, that was corrected by performing a SMC and NVRAM reset, then starting up with with the Option key to access the Startup Manager. If the SSD shows then, you can click it, and it will set it as the startup drive in the NVRAM.

See if that works,

C

Thanks again for the tips Cory. Sadly no luck with either reset option; the drive is just not recognized (i get the "flashing question mark folder" upon power up). Heading into the Genius Bar this afternoon to see if there are any hardware fixes (even though I've had the SATA cable replaced recently). Will update if it gets resolved.

 

[Samwise]

Ok. Plot twist. I have a retired identical MacBook Pro. I dug it out and put the SSD in. Immediately started up recognizing it.

So... what could be the glitch in my current machine preventing it from seeing the SSD?

 

[fathom-avant]

Ok. Plot twist. I have a retired identical MacBook Pro. I dug it out and put the SSD in. Immediately started up recognizing it.

So... what could be the glitch in my current machine preventing it from seeing the SSD?

Greetings Samwise

Just wanted to ask for updates if you got to resolve the issue on the troubled Mid-2012 MBP13" and if the other MBP13" which recognized the Samsung EVO SSD got to install everything you need on it? It's because I'm planning to get a Samsung 870 EVO 1TB and I just want to be sure it works. Thank you.