Chosen Solution
Hi, I’ve a MacBook Pro 5,5 with all of the necessary EFI and SMC updates. I have the same issue. I can format and install system on the shipped internal drive when it’s in an external enclosure and can boot etc. But once I put the drive into the internal slot and use the internal cable it just won’t boot. I’ve a 2nd drive from an older macbook which replicates – though for that one it will attempt to boot, but never gets passed apple emblem and grey rotating start-up. If I try to install Mac OS X onto the 2nd drive while it’s internal the installer comes back with an error. Additionally if I try to use disk utility from the USB Lion chip to format the drive while connected internally it will report an error that it failed. Obviously the drive not bad, but the question is how to discern if controller or bad cable? -Robert
Apple had a bad run of SATA cables in this series. So I would start there. But, you could also have a second issue here with the drives SATA spec. Your systems SATA I/O is SATA II (3.0 Gb/s). The drive you put in must be SATA I (1.5 Gb/s) or SATA II (3.0 Gb/s). Make sure your drive is not SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) as it will not work reliably and can exhibit strange issues like what you have seen here.
