Macbook Pro mid 2010: Recovery Assistant can see drive but not write to it

Il Mio Problema

Macbook pro would not start up.

La Mia Riparazione

Macbook pro would not start up. Replaced hard drive: didnt help. Downloaded recovery assistant onto a USB and selected recovery assistant at startup by holding option key. Recovery assistant could see the new hard drive but not write to it or format it. Got a universal USB adapter from Ifixit and tested old hard drive: working fine. Suspected that this meant problem was faulty hard drive cable (lots of posts on this problem). Ordered cable from Ifixit, 30 minute instalation and macbook all good !

Il Mio Consiglio

If Recovery Assistant can see the hard drive but not write to it you may have same problem that I had.