Help!white screen

gilesrobert · 03-09-2008, 12:43 PM

Hi there, I just experienced a bad thing, the screen on my mac book pro just shaded down and a message appeared saying in 5 languages that I should restart the computer, the cursor wouldn't move, I've never seen that before and I didn't like it, but I had no choice ,now it won't start up, just a white screen, any ideas as to whats going on? or what to do?...thanks for now ...Giles

fish3k1 · 03-09-2008, 12:56 PM

I had that same screen not so long ago, for me it was caused by a kernel panic but didn't cause any long term effects... yours sounds like it's more seriously nerfed :/ beyond trying to boot in single user mode and do some tests in the command line I'm not sure how you'd find out what went wrong, but I'll be damned if I know a thing about command line inputs.

DeltaMac · 03-09-2008, 01:34 PM

Your kernel panic is not something to ignore. It's often a symptom of a hardware problem, like faulty memory, or problems accessing an external device of some kind. With your 'white' screen - you may have some corrupted files in your system, or just some hardware problems in your system.
You should test your hardware, and your system shipped with the means to do that.
Boot to the hardware test on your restore DVD. Insert disk #1, and restart holding the letter D. Run that test, and come back here with any errors that are reported.

gilesrobert · 03-09-2008, 02:55 PM

I tried booting up from the disc pressing the c key, now I tried with the d, you can hear the disc spinning but it just won't boot!, only the white screen again!, getting desperate now!,I have 2 1 gig memory mods in there ,one I added after I got it but no probs for 18 months until this!, shoul I try and take one out?

DeltaMac · 03-09-2008, 04:22 PM

Yes, you can try that. Faulty memory can cause that type of problem.
Take one chip out, then try with the one chip in one slot, then change that chip to the other slot. Do the same with the second chip - one slot at a time. You would be looking for improvement, or some change in the boot.

A failing/failed hard drive could also cause this.

gilesrobert · 03-09-2008, 05:01 PM

Deltamac, thanks for your quick replies, I took out the top memory chip(one that I got on ebay,here in Italy just after I bought the macbook pro ,august 06, it's a CEON) and up it booted!, I put it back in and the same old white screen!,took it out again and everything seems to be fine! so I guess that the chip just went down, there is a good mac guy near me where I bought the computer I'll get him to check it out tomorrow and get another memory chip if need be ,they're cheaper now anyway, I was just in the middle of some important work, you know how frustrating it is!, luckily I didn't loose anything,thanks again

Giles

03-09-2008, 02:55 PM	#4
gilesrobert Prospect Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 24	I tried booting up from the disc pressing the c key, now I tried with the d, you can hear the disc spinning but it just won't boot!, only the white screen again!, getting desperate now!,I have 2 1 gig memory mods in there ,one I added after I got it but no probs for 18 months until this!, shoul I try and take one out? Last edited by gilesrobert; 03-09-2008 at 03:00 PM. Reason: addition

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03-09-2008, 12:43 PM	#1
gilesrobert Prospect Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 24	Help!white screen Hi there, I just experienced a bad thing, the screen on my mac book pro just shaded down and a message appeared saying in 5 languages that I should restart the computer, the cursor wouldn't move, I've never seen that before and I didn't like it, but I had no choice ,now it won't start up, just a white screen, any ideas as to whats going on? or what to do?...thanks for now ...Giles

03-09-2008, 12:56 PM	#2
fish3k1 Triple-A Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 112	I had that same screen not so long ago, for me it was caused by a kernel panic but didn't cause any long term effects... yours sounds like it's more seriously nerfed :/ beyond trying to boot in single user mode and do some tests in the command line I'm not sure how you'd find out what went wrong, but I'll be damned if I know a thing about command line inputs.

03-09-2008, 01:34 PM	#3
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	Your kernel panic is not something to ignore. It's often a symptom of a hardware problem, like faulty memory, or problems accessing an external device of some kind. With your 'white' screen - you may have some corrupted files in your system, or just some hardware problems in your system. You should test your hardware, and your system shipped with the means to do that. Boot to the hardware test on your restore DVD. Insert disk #1, and restart holding the letter D. Run that test, and come back here with any errors that are reported.

03-09-2008, 04:22 PM	#5
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	Yes, you can try that. Faulty memory can cause that type of problem. Take one chip out, then try with the one chip in one slot, then change that chip to the other slot. Do the same with the second chip - one slot at a time. You would be looking for improvement, or some change in the boot. A failing/failed hard drive could also cause this.

03-09-2008, 05:01 PM	#6
gilesrobert Prospect Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 24	Deltamac, thanks for your quick replies, I took out the top memory chip(one that I got on ebay,here in Italy just after I bought the macbook pro ,august 06, it's a CEON) and up it booted!, I put it back in and the same old white screen!,took it out again and everything seems to be fine! so I guess that the chip just went down, there is a good mac guy near me where I bought the computer I'll get him to check it out tomorrow and get another memory chip if need be ,they're cheaper now anyway, I was just in the middle of some important work, you know how frustrating it is!, luckily I didn't loose anything,thanks again Giles