Macbook Pro seemingly dead.

ricede · 02-21-2013, 07:56 AM

A friend brought around his MBP over this evening. It will not start. On pressing the power button - the sleep light glows brightly for 2/3 seconds and then dims down. Nothing else happens. I cannot boot it at all - even into recovery mode ( its running Lion )

I tried an SMC reset - no change.

Are these symptoms of a motherboard failure ?

I would like to try any suggestions, before we have to take it over 100 miles, to apple, in bangalore. Thanks.

DeltaMac · 02-21-2013, 08:15 AM

Is the power adapter correct for the MBPro model?
If the MBPro is a 15 or 17-inch, the Power Adapter must be an 85W. 13-inch will be 60W.
(Sometimes these get swapped by accident)

Have you tried booting to the Hardware test? (start while holding the D key)?
I would then try temporarily removing the internal hard drive.
While inside, you can check that the fan or fans are turning after pressing the power button. You could also try reseating the RAM sticks.
If there's no change after removing the hard drive, there's not much more you can try, outside of a service shop.

ricede · 02-21-2013, 08:28 AM

Thanks for the quick reply DeltaMac. I tried booting from an external drive ( running Snow Leopard ) Nothing happened.
Im happy to take it apart & remove the harddrive but will that serve any purpose having already tried to boot from ext HD ?

I tried booting into into Safe Mode + Target Disk Mode - both completely unresponsive.

ricede · 02-21-2013, 09:18 AM

Sorry i just realised i didn't answer your other questions.

Yes the power lead is the right one. ( i also tried it with mine [ same model ] )
Reseated the Ram - no difference.
Tried booting to the hardware test. Not possible.

It appears completely AWOL. Ah well - a journey to the big city seems in order.

DeltaMac · 02-21-2013, 09:41 AM

If the internal hard drive is very dead, it might interfere with booting to any other device.
That's why I suggested removing (or just disconnecting the internal connector to the HD) - and it's something fairly quick and simple to try.
You'll probably know within the first minute, that the hard drive is either the major failure, or results in no change.

ricede · 02-21-2013, 10:45 AM

I swopped the HD with a different one. No change.
( Not quite so quick and simple on a 15" Non Unibody 15" MBP

The clips above the superdrive slot were a pig to both unclip & reclip )

Anyway - thanks Deltamac for the suggestions. Off to bangalore in the next day or two.

DeltaMac · 02-21-2013, 11:35 AM

I thought of one more thing, if you are up to it...
Remove ALL the memory, then try to boot.
You should get an error, Probably on your MBPro, the front sleep light should flash once per second, and maybe a beep along with that. (The POST error code reporting "Memory not recognized") At least, it can help you see if the symptoms will change when you change the configuration. If the front panel LED still just illuminates, no flashing, and same response as before, then, yes, a trip for service is your next choice.

ricede · 02-21-2013, 11:49 AM

Nice idea but nope.

Sleep light still comes on brightly & then immediately dims right down. No flashing but there were a couple of feeble beeps this time without the Ram installed.

Off to see the wizard

MariaPeter · 02-25-2013, 05:13 AM

Call apple support and tell them the whole story, certainly they will help you. Or may be you need to take it to service center, as you tried almost everything.

02-21-2013, 07:56 AM	#1
ricede All Star Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 529	Macbook Pro seemingly dead. A friend brought around his MBP over this evening. It will not start. On pressing the power button - the sleep light glows brightly for 2/3 seconds and then dims down. Nothing else happens. I cannot boot it at all - even into recovery mode ( its running Lion ) I tried an SMC reset - no change. Are these symptoms of a motherboard failure ? I would like to try any suggestions, before we have to take it over 100 miles, to apple, in bangalore. Thanks.

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02-21-2013, 08:15 AM	#2
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,997	Is the power adapter correct for the MBPro model? If the MBPro is a 15 or 17-inch, the Power Adapter must be an 85W. 13-inch will be 60W. (Sometimes these get swapped by accident) Have you tried booting to the Hardware test? (start while holding the D key)? I would then try temporarily removing the internal hard drive. While inside, you can check that the fan or fans are turning after pressing the power button. You could also try reseating the RAM sticks. If there's no change after removing the hard drive, there's not much more you can try, outside of a service shop.

02-21-2013, 08:28 AM	#3
ricede All Star Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 529	Thanks for the quick reply DeltaMac. I tried booting from an external drive ( running Snow Leopard ) Nothing happened. Im happy to take it apart & remove the harddrive but will that serve any purpose having already tried to boot from ext HD ? I tried booting into into Safe Mode + Target Disk Mode - both completely unresponsive.

02-21-2013, 09:18 AM	#4
ricede All Star Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 529	Sorry i just realised i didn't answer your other questions. Yes the power lead is the right one. ( i also tried it with mine [ same model ] ) Reseated the Ram - no difference. Tried booting to the hardware test. Not possible. It appears completely AWOL. Ah well - a journey to the big city seems in order.

02-21-2013, 09:41 AM	#5
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,997	If the internal hard drive is very dead, it might interfere with booting to any other device. That's why I suggested removing (or just disconnecting the internal connector to the HD) - and it's something fairly quick and simple to try. You'll probably know within the first minute, that the hard drive is either the major failure, or results in no change.

02-21-2013, 10:45 AM	#6
ricede All Star Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 529	I swopped the HD with a different one. No change. ( Not quite so quick and simple on a 15" Non Unibody 15" MBP The clips above the superdrive slot were a pig to both unclip & reclip ) Anyway - thanks Deltamac for the suggestions. Off to bangalore in the next day or two.

02-21-2013, 11:35 AM	#7
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,997	I thought of one more thing, if you are up to it... Remove ALL the memory, then try to boot. You should get an error, Probably on your MBPro, the front sleep light should flash once per second, and maybe a beep along with that. (The POST error code reporting "Memory not recognized") At least, it can help you see if the symptoms will change when you change the configuration. If the front panel LED still just illuminates, no flashing, and same response as before, then, yes, a trip for service is your next choice.

02-21-2013, 11:49 AM	#8
ricede All Star Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 529	Nice idea but nope. Sleep light still comes on brightly & then immediately dims right down. No flashing but there were a couple of feeble beeps this time without the Ram installed. Off to see the wizard

02-25-2013, 05:13 AM	#9
MariaPeter Prospect Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 11	Call apple support and tell them the whole story, certainly they will help you. Or may be you need to take it to service center, as you tried almost everything.