MattPreece87

Q: White MacBook 2008 won't turn on

Hey!

 

I have a white 2008 MacBook that I haven't used in about 18 months. I've tried to turn it on today as i'd like to sell it but with no luck. When I plug the charger in, the light turns to green but nothing else. The The lights underneath on the battery don't turn on either. The last time I used it was 18 months ago and it was working fine. I've tried many different things that websites suggest but it still doesn't work. I'd still like to sell for spares or repairs but i'd like to give an honest description. Does anyone know of the most likely cause of this?

 

Cheers,

Matt

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Dec 18, 2015 9:26 AM

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Q: White MacBook 2008 won't turn on

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  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Dec 18, 2015 9:33 AM in response to MattPreece87
    Level 7 (24,616 points)
    Safari
    Dec 18, 2015 9:33 AM in response to MattPreece87
  • by MattPreece87,

    MattPreece87 MattPreece87 Dec 18, 2015 9:38 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Notebooks
    Dec 18, 2015 9:38 AM in response to Loner T

    Thanks for the reply but i've already tried everything on that page, including resetting the SMC. I've sold the charger now so I won't be able to do certain tests.

  • by Pmintz25,

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 Dec 18, 2015 9:40 AM in response to MattPreece87
    Level 4 (1,693 points)
    Dec 18, 2015 9:40 AM in response to MattPreece87

    Depends on where it has been for the last 18 months. It could just need a good dusting on the inside. You can use compressed air or other such computer cleaning methods to clean it out. On the old MacBooks, it's easy to just remove the back casing and clean it out.

     

    I would recommend an SMC reset, as there could be a power related issue. The battery could have completely died 18 months ago if you never turned it off. Could need to be "jumped" by an SMC reset. On a computer with a removable battery:

    1. Unplug all peripherals and the power adapter
    2. Take out the battery
    3. With the battery out, hold the power button down for about 10 seconds
    4. Put the battery back in and plug the computer back into power. See if it boots.

     

    The Macs are designed to power on even without the battery if you are connected to the MagSafe adapter. But it is really slow. If it doesn't work, try leaving it plugged in for a little while to see if the battery charges

     

    Best of luck!

     

    Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Dec 18, 2015 11:58 AM in response to MattPreece87
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Dec 18, 2015 11:58 AM in response to MattPreece87

    If you have another Macbook or Macbook Pro you are using that has a magsafe power cord. Not magsafe 2. you could remove the battery, plugin the magsafe and try to start it. If it starts ,it was the battery. Make sure the magsafe port on the Macbook is clean.