MacBook Pro 15" mid-2010 making soft ticking noise

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MacBook Pro 15" mid-2010 making soft ticking noise

After leaving my MBP mid-2010 on for a lunch break, when I came back it was turned off. Trying to turn it back on results in no activity - no boot up sound, no lights, etc.

I have tried clearing the SMC (holding Shift, Ctrl, Alt and the power button for 10 seconds) with no changes. I've tried doing an NVRAM reset but as it doesn't turn on I don't know if this would help - it didn't seem to do anything.

I have tried a replacement charger, no change. I also tried with the battery removed - no change. The light on the charger is green when connected.

The battery gauge does not light up when the button is pressed or when the charger is attached most of the time - sometimes the gauge works when a charger is attached, when it does I get all the lights green.

The only thing I note is that when the charger is connected it makes a soft ticking noise, roughly tick one per second when the charger is connected. Every so often it stops for one tick, no pattern I've found.

I have previously replaced the hard drive with an SSD so it's definitely not that - also the sound seems to come from the section nearest the power button. I can't see any obstruction on the fans and the sound is much quieter than a fan noise would be. It's only really audible with an ear touching the case - it's that faint.

I have a replacement battery on order but I don't expect it to help - does anyone have any idea what I could try next?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Dec 1, 2020 3:52 AM

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Answer 1

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HWTech

Level 9

68,618 points

Dec 1, 2020 8:01 PM in response to LordWarfire

If you cannot power on the laptop with the battery disconnected and using only the charger, then a replacement battery will most likely not make a difference.

The ticking noise is most likely the fan unless the noise is coming from the speakers.

The 15" & 17" models are known to have GPU issues which can also sometimes result in "no power" situations as well.

Try unplugging the charger from the electrical outlet for a minute to reset the charger's internal circuitry. Try powering on the laptop with the battery disconnected and only using the charger after this reset. You may also want to perform another SMC reset in this setup. The magsafe LED should cycle when the SMC reset is performed.

Leave the battery disconnected for all tests.

I would remove both memory modules to see if the system gives you the three error beeps for no memory. If you do not get these three beeps it means you either have a Logic Board failure, DC-In Board failure, or a power adapter issue.

If you get the three beeps, then I would install a single memory module in the slot nearest the keyboard since the other slot has a greater chance of being defective due to bad solder joints. Try powering on the laptop again.

If you still don't have any signs of life, then I would disconnect everything including the battery, hard drive & optical drive cables, display cable, keyboard & trackpad cables (and both memory modules unless you had the three beeps in the previous step when both memory modules were removed) and try powering on the laptop using just the charger. You will need to use the power on pads on the Logic Board to turn on the laptop:

https://beetstech.com/blog/where-are-macbook-pro-unibody-power-on-pads-located

Once you get the replacement battery you can try powering on the laptop by disconnect the DC-In board as well as trying the other options I listed earlier when suggesting using only the power adapter.

I suspect you have a defective Logic Board.

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Answer 2

LordWarfire Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 2, 2020 9:55 AM in response to HWTech

The ticking noise is most likely the fan unless the noise is coming from the speakers.

> It really doesn't sound like the fans, if anything it sounds like it comes from near the power connector. But I can't be sure.

Try unplugging the charger from the electrical outlet for a minute to reset the charger's internal circuitry. Try powering on the laptop with the battery disconnected and only using the charger after this reset. You may also want to perform another SMC reset in this setup. The magsafe LED should cycle when the SMC reset is performed.

> I have disconnected the battery and I have replaced the charger and left it disconnected overnight, no change in behaviour when I try to turn the MBP on. After holding the SMC keys down for 20 seconds there is no change to the magsafe LED (it stays green) and the MBP still doesn't turn on.

Leave the battery disconnected for all tests.

> The ticking seems to have stopped with the battery removed. After replacing the battery the ticking starts again, even if I then remove the battery again. As soon as I disconnect the magsafe the ticking stops and doesn't restart after reconnecting the magsafe.

I would remove both memory modules to see if the system gives you the three error beeps for no memory. If you do not get these three beeps it means you either have a Logic Board failure, DC-In Board failure, or a power adapter issue.

> After removing both memory modules there is no change - no sounds or activity when trying to turn it on.

If you still don't have any signs of life, then I would disconnect everything including the battery, hard drive & optical drive cables, display cable, keyboard & trackpad cables (and both memory modules unless you had the three beeps in the previous step when both memory modules were removed) and try powering on the laptop using just the charger. You will need to use the power on pads on the Logic Board to turn on the laptop:

https://beetstech.com/blog/where-are-macbook-pro-unibody-power-on-pads-located

> I have removed all of the connectors on the board (bar the fans) and when using the power on pads nothing happens. I've tried multiple times with multiple tools to make sure I definitely bridged the pads but there is no activity at all.

I suspect you have a defective Logic Board.

> I have to agree it seems likely - but it's weird it was working then suddenly stopped. Are there fuses on the board I can test/repair? Given the weird behaviour with the power gauge is it possible there is a problem with the DC-In board I can fix/replace?

Replacement logic boards go for over £170 currently which is a lot for a 10 year old machine so I'm very open to any other ideas.

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Answer 3

HWTech

Level 9

68,618 points

Dec 2, 2020 4:52 PM in response to LordWarfire

Usually if you have the problem with using just the battery and using just the power adapter it will be a defective Logic Board. You can try replacing the DC-In Board as it is inexpensive, but the DC-In Board usually doesn't interfere with using the laptop on battery power. If the battery is good, then just disconnecting the DC-In board will eliminate the DC-In Board as a possible suspect.

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MacBook Pro 15" mid-2010 making soft ticking noise

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