MacBook Pro mid 2012 13 inch startup Grey Screen & no logo

Did the laptop display light up before you tapped on the laptop? If tapping the laptop got the display to turn on, then either the video cable is loose or damaged, or the Display has an intermittent fault. Something could also have been shorting out the Logic Board and tapping broke it loose.

I would suggest connecting an external display and closing the laptop's display to see if you get any video on the external. I would also suggest removing the SSD to see if it changes the problem. Then remove both RAM modules to see if you get the three beeps for no memory. If you get the beeps, then reinstall the original Apple RAM just to see what happens.

There are a lot of possibilities unfortunately.

If tapping changed the behavior, then you have some type of hardware issue. This model is still supported by Apple, so you can get it checked out and serviced. Software & settings won't help.

Turn it back off, then when you turn it back on immediately hold down the option and power keys on the keyboard. This may allow you to launch recovery mode, and from here you can restart normally. Sometimes this will also bring up a screen of drives to select (if there have been issues with updates). In this case double click on Macintosh HD or whatever drive you normally use.

Most likely recovery mode will launch. Hopefully this works!

troubledMac831 wrote:

• I have an old mid-2012 MacBook Pro, non-retina model. I had upgraded the RAM to 8GB and added a WD 240GB SSD. The device was working just fine when suddenly it decided to give up on me and would not turn on anymore. I tried the following:

NVRAM reset

• SMC reset

• Completely discharging the laptop and then recharging but nothing worked.

Then I came across this post which suggested that tapping the mac a little might work. Sounded absurd, but Voila, it worked. The Mac's screen lit up.

However, this is all I can see right now:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/3b1062f0-3e10-409e-ae97-77ebda5aa24d•

The screen is lit but there is nothing showing up on it. It's like a grey/black color.

Nothing past this. Also,

I am unable to boot into Safe mode. Nothing shows up on the screen except this.

• When I press the power button, I hear the startup chime much before anything shows up on the screen.

All help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot!

About the screens your Mac displays as it starts up - Apple Support

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"—

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

troubledMac831 wrote:

Will they do the diagnostics for free? I remember reading somewhere that even checking the laptop at the Genius Bar is pricey.

In the USA—In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment