MBP crashed, now won't boot (ends up with blank screen)

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MBP crashed, now won't boot (ends up with blank screen)

Hi,

My MacBook Pro (15" early 2011) crashed when waking up, the screen looked like it was split and the two halves connected end-to-end, with the spinning beach ball. I pressed the power button to shut it down, and now it won't boot again.

I get the startup chime, then the Apple logo and progress bar, but after a while that changes to a blank white/grey screen (of slightly different shade), and then nothing happens. (I thought maybe it just takes a long time to get going so left it on overnight, but in the morning 12 hrs later it was still blank.)

I've reset the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM (several times). I've also tried all the various startup key combinations but none work, so I can't get into recovery or safe mode, they all end up with the same blank screen.

Trying to boot with D for diagnostics gives me a black screen with the message "Unable to run diagnostics. DEC500", then another black screen with more text flashes by (so quickly that I can't read it) and the computer shuts down.

Any suggestions (short of 'bin it and buy a new one')?

TIA,

r8pe

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Oct 22, 2020 5:43 AM

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Answer 1

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HWTech

Level 9

55,946 points

Oct 22, 2020 1:27 PM in response to r8pe

This model is known to have a bad GPU. You can try forcing the laptop to use the Intel GPU. Since you cannot boot into Safe Mode, then you can try using the information in this article:

http://www.dosdude1.com/gpudisable/

Or one of the links on this page:

https://github.com/steveschow/gfxCardStatus#latest-news

Many times what you describe on the display is from a defective LCD Panel (aka Display Assembly).

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Answer 2

r8pe Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 22, 2020 7:32 AM in response to r8pe

PS: In case this helps, I took the hard drive (SSD) out and connected it to my other MBP via cable as an external drive. Managed to access the contents without any problems, and rank DiskUtility first aid which checked out okay, so can't imagine there's any major physical problem at least. -- r8pe

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Answer 3

r8pe Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 23, 2020 5:49 AM in response to HWTech

Many thanks @HWtech — that did indeed solve the problem! :) Okay, the display looks slightly odd now and acts a bit flaky, and I lost the ability to sleep the computer, but at least it's usable again so I can put it to pasture in an orderly fashion.

BTW, I followed the first link (dosdude1). Do you know if the github ones would work better somehow, or do they all produce largely the same outcome?

Thanks again for your help on this, much appreciated!

Best,

r8pe

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Answer 4

HWTech

Level 9

55,946 points

Oct 23, 2020 7:36 AM in response to r8pe

The other links do the same editing of the NVRAM settings, but in a different way.

If your laptop could actually boot normally or into Safe Mode, then you could have installed the gfxCardStatus app to switch the GPU. I honestly don't know if this app uses a different method or not to control the GPU.

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Answer 5

r8pe Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 23, 2020 7:48 AM in response to HWTech

Okay no worries. I've been meaning to retire this machine anyway, I just didn't want it to die without warning, so to have it back up and running, even with slightly dodgy graphics, is pretty much perfect outcome.

Thanks,

r8pe

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MBP crashed, now won't boot (ends up with blank screen)

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