MacBook Pro mid 2012 rattling and slow

[SoCalChevy]

So just before class started I was carrying my laptop like a book, as i normally do, and I heard a rattling I’ve never heard before. Then I got feedback from the speakers during class. And it’s been running slow, especially the internet stuff. Some applications are unresponsive. Are these things all connected? If something is loose in my speaker, could it have damaged other components? Can this be repaired? Don’t know if it’s relevant but the hard drives only 3 years old.

 

[MartyByrde]

Need to ask some questions:

1. What exact Mac Model do you have?
2. What exact Mac OS are you running?
3. Are you making backups to an external device? And if so, what program do you use?
4. Ever do any disk cleanup/repairs/maintenance?

 

[SoCalChevy]

1. Mid 2012 macbook
2. El Capitan, 10.11.6
3. I backed it up via time machine a few months ago. Uploaded my one important document not backed up to google drive after the trouble started.
4. I’ve repaired permissions in the past. Did checkups via disk utility today

 

[MartyByrde]

What did Disk Utility show? Also, it cannot repair your startup device if you launch Disk Utility "directly", that is, while you are using your machine. You would need to boot your machine to Recovery Mode, by holding down the Command and R keys while it is booting up. Once that completes, you'll get a screen that has 4 choices, the last one being Disk Utility. You can then launch it to inspect and, if necessary, repair the internal drive.

The only thing is your Time Machine backup is not that recent. So if you need to recover, your restored system will not be "up to date", so to speak.

Also, just running Disk Utility to check, and repairing permissions, is not enough. If you have any files, folders, etc. on your internal drive that you no longer need, you should get rid of them.

And does the machine still "rattle"?

 

[SoCalChevy]

I don’t know enough about tech to say what disk utility shows. I just know that everything is slow and sometimes becomes unresponsive, Skype audio is choppy both coming to and coming from me (both with speakers and headphones), and I have assignments due and another class tomorrow. I’m actually in class right now, with my video turned off.
My time machine backup isn’t useful as it’s in the state where I live, not where I’m visiting for the holidays.
It only rattled when I held it like a book, between my arm and body with the hinge down. It clicks every few seconds, which is normal for it.
changing from WiFi to my iPhone hotspot hasn’t made a difference, so it’s not my internet. I keep getting notifications that my internet is unstable.
Do you think these problems come from damaged components? I feel like it is since it all started after the rattling. It sounded like a rain stick.

 

[MartyByrde]

That's a very good possibility. But it depends what is causing the rattling. If it has a Hard Disk Drive, then possibly the arm that moves to get information from/write information to is "bad". But if you have a Solid State Drive instead, then it would be something different.

 

[SoCalChevy]

What did Disk Utility show? Also, it cannot repair your startup device if you launch Disk Utility "directly", that is, while you are using your machine. You would need to boot your machine to Recovery Mode, by holding down the Command and R keys while it is booting up. Once that completes, you'll get a screen that has 4 choices, the last one being Disk Utility. You can then launch it to inspect and, if necessary, repair the internal drive.

I just booted it like you said. It let me run a check using first aid but didn’t give me the option of repairing anything. And I noticed the clicking is different than usual. It’s 4 clicks in quick succession, with the first sounding louder. It repeats a few seconds later. If I could attach a video I would.

 

[SoCalChevy]

That's a very good possibility. But it depends what is causing the rattling. If it has a Hard Disk Drive, then possibly the arm that moves to get information from/write information to is "bad". But if you have a Solid State Drive instead, then it would be something different.

How do I tell which I have?
I’m thinking it’s not solid state, but I’m not certain.

 

[SoCalChevy]

This is what disk utility showed in safe mode

 

[MartyByrde]

How do I tell which I have?
I’m thinking it’s not solid state, but I’m not certain.

Can't remember if with El Capitan, you can click on the Apple Icon locate in the upper left corner while you are in the Finder, select "About This Mac", then click System Report, and finally click on Storage. That should tell you what kind of internal storage device you have.

 

[MartyByrde]

This is what disk utility showed in safe mode

That shows things are OK, at least from a Systems Perspective.

 

[SoCalChevy]

Can't remember if with El Capitan, you can click on the Apple Icon locate in the upper left corner while you are in the Finder, select "About This Mac", then click System Report, and finally click on Storage. That should tell you what kind of internal storage device you have.

I did so and found a part where it says "rotational," does that mean it is not solid state, or is that about something else entirely?

 

[MartyByrde]

I did so and found a part where it says "rotational," does that mean it is not solid state, or is that about something else entirely?

Here is what it says for my late 2018 Mac Mini:

"APPLE SSD AP0256M"

So, obviously SSD. Nothing about rotational.

 

[SoCalChevy]

Just to give everyone an update, I took it in and got a solid state drive and a new fan. Seems the rattling was coming from fan damage, and the hard drive was wearing out.