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User profile for user: pakbot
pakbot Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Macbook Fails to Boot, no Apple Logo, any ideas?

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this might be a hardware or OS problem or this is in the right category, but I'm hoping someone can help me out with a problem I'm having with a friend's Macbook.

When I hit the power button, the chime plays, and the screen turns light gray or white, and then stays there. No apple logo, or spinning gear, no other icons, just gray. I've left it like this for a while and nothing happens.

If I hold Option to try and get a list of drives (with or without the install cd) it gives me a working mouse cursor, but never gives me any drives.

If I try safe mode, nothing happens, white screen, no change as long as I try it.

Same thing if I tried to boot from CD, the CD spins for a while, but then nothing.

Same for verbose mode.

If I try to reset the PRAM it does reboot correctly and chime again, but no other change.

It seems like these options are functioning, but nothing is working after that.

I've read that the missing logo might mean a problem with firmware, but I can't see any way to fix that without OS X installed.

Is it possible the HD has failed? Would that also explain the missing logo?
Any ideas from anyone with a similar problem? I've Google'd different variations of the problem, but can't find anything except problems with the Apple logo present.

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jan 6, 2010 3:34 PM

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27 replies
User profile for user: pakbot
pakbot Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Jan 6, 2010 4:21 PM in response to Hyprhwk2448

Unfortunately I don't know. I'm fixing it for a friend who got it as a hand-me-down from a relative. It's not very old, and is in good physical condition, nothing seems to indicate it was dropped though I concede it's still possible.

Water damage I intend to look for when I open it up, but I was leaving that for last, in case I can just repair the OS. It's looking less likely that's going to be possible.
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User profile for user: Hyprhwk2448
Hyprhwk2448
User level: Level 1
55 points

Jan 6, 2010 4:06 PM in response to pakbot

try using the original mac osx disk or a snow leopard disk. insert it and press the power button, when the screen turns on you should here a chime, unless it is muted, then hold C. this should tell the computer to bypass the HDD and boot from the mac osx disc. then go to disk utility and verify the disk and while your at it go to system profiler and check to see if both ram cards say ok (under the memory tab)

Dean 🙂

Message was edited by: Hyprhwk2448
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User profile for user: Hyprhwk2448
Hyprhwk2448
User level: Level 1
55 points

Jan 6, 2010 4:33 PM in response to pakbot

it is possible that is had been dropped. an easy fix you can try is to reseat the ram. to do this is very easy. you may already know how but if you dont here is some instructions. just make sure you take them out as if you were replacing them to inspect them of obvious damage (such as it being cracked) also while you are in there reseat the HDD. who know this may fix it but it is so simple and quick that if it does not work it is not a waste of your time.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1651

hope i am helping 🙂 Dean
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User profile for user: pakbot
pakbot Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Jan 6, 2010 4:54 PM in response to pakbot

Well I guess I found the problem. Both ram cards had a white filmy substance over the gold connectors. Unless it's a type of thermal grease put there on purpose, it must have been something spilled, no? If that was the case, and since the ram is on the bottom of the macbook, it must have passed over the main or something on the way down from the keyboard, damaging who knows what.

If it is put there on purpose, then I'll have to take it apart altogether to confirm. 🙂
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User profile for user: Hyprhwk2448
Hyprhwk2448
User level: Level 1
55 points

Jan 6, 2010 5:01 PM in response to pakbot

I have removed and replaced stock ram in my macbook and there is no "white film" on the gold connectors also many other macbook ram i have seen does not have it. The macbook would not operate at all if that had gotten down there through the keyboard. clean the ram carefully with some alcohol soaked q-tips or something similar. use the q-tip to also clean the bay in the macbook "carefully" but yes this would cause all of your problems. even on the link i posted it says incorrectly installed ram can cause a "no-power situation"

Still hope i am helping 🙂 Dean
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User profile for user: pakbot
pakbot Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Jan 6, 2010 5:05 PM in response to Hyprhwk2448

I'm still surprised it would show anything on the screen at all given the poor state the ram was in, but perhaps one of the ram bays was in better shape than the other and slightly working. I'll check with my friend and see how much time they want to put into cleaning it past this point, considering it may not ever work again if it's damaged anything else.

Thanks again for the help, it's good to have confirmation. 😀
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Macbook Fails to Boot, no Apple Logo, any ideas?

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