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MacBook flashes grey and then doesn’t turn on! Fan is at full blast’

I received an old MacBook from a neighbor that was about to throw it out because it didn’t work. It’s an a1181 and it kind of boots. Keyword: kinda. You see, at first, all it did was when you plugged it in, after a few seconds, the screen would flash grey for half a second, and at the same time the fan would go full blast. I took it apart to see what was going on in there, cleaned it, but it still did the same thing as before. I contacted apple, they did everything they could (and it kinda did something different). At one time I was able to get it stuck on a grey screen, but haven’t been able to since. After resetting NVRAM and other stuff, it changed from a grey screen to a white screen. The next day it was back to square 1. Sometimes it will do the startup sound, and the grey screen will last as long as the sound is playing, but then disappears. The battery is puffed and doesn’t work. I don’t have the battery connected to it right now l. I also realized that the ram had some kind of white stains on it near the slots it plugs into. It was on the ram and on the slots. If I removed 1 ram stick (there are 2 sticks, 512 mb each) then I could get it to bong, but then it was back to square 1 after a day. I can get it to bong only if I remove the ram and put it into a different slot and pretty much just mess with it a bunch. I just realized that if I let it be for a few minutes (like 10 maybe) the fan will shut off. Any suggestions? Resetting the System Managenent only gives me a high pitch beep, but it does only sometimes. Resetting PRAM rarely gets any reaction, and the caps lock key worked only once (when apple was helping me). Num Lock did not work, however. Currently speaking, Num Lock and Caps Lock don’t work. The screen works, the speakers work, the fan works, the power supply works, the hard drive works (at least I think), CD Drive ejects, screen works (but doesn’t turn on really, only shows a single color at a time, usually nothing, but can be white or grey). What do you think?

Posted on Jul 9, 2021 8:53 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jul 10, 2021 12:12 PM

Chickeniscoolhhh:


There are articles that suggest steps one may try & get a tired Mac to start up.

To correctly identify the age and exact build year model is helpful. Everymac

has an Ultimate Lookup Mac Apple specs page. Use clues to learn more.


While yours likely has been worked and not seen upkeep; so the battery may be

past retirement age and other consumable parts well on their way out.


One of those articles tells how to see if the Mac can start up past a grey or black

screen. Other articles, not on same page, tell of other symptoms & potential cures.


• If your Mac doesn't turn on - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204267


This one has two parts, first is easy; second, attempts to troubleshoot further.

Following, covers additional symptoms on failed startup, should they appear.


• If your Mac doesn't start up all the way - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204156


These are a few detailed items to attempt to make the Mac start to work.

But there could likely be damages, or points of excessive wear to stop it.


Another symptom screen article says kinda what your Mac does:


• If your Mac starts up to a blank screen - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210905


Could be a failed hard drive, or other hardware damage behind symptoms.


One effort to try, may be to attempt to start your Mac from macOS Recovery

yet if its much older, that may require vintage install DVD media, to reinstall.


• About macOS Recovery on Intel-based Mac computers - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314


Thought to say, due to age and wear, this unit may only be good for DIY

tinkering; or perhaps a candidate for 'i-fix it yourself' efforts. Too old for

an authorized Apple repair service; while some shops may look into it.


[If you have a backup from an earlier Time Machine on external drive,

that could be useful to help troubleshoot; while it may not boot the

Mac, if damages stop its natural startup functions.]


This MacBook likely best identifies as 'early 2006-2010 13-inch' model.

Or another early MacBook (intel-based portable, not PowerPC) series.

And will ask host/moderator to Relocate this Thread, to that ASC area.


Similar questions

3 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 10, 2021 12:12 PM in response to Chickeniscoolhhh

Chickeniscoolhhh:


There are articles that suggest steps one may try & get a tired Mac to start up.

To correctly identify the age and exact build year model is helpful. Everymac

has an Ultimate Lookup Mac Apple specs page. Use clues to learn more.


While yours likely has been worked and not seen upkeep; so the battery may be

past retirement age and other consumable parts well on their way out.


One of those articles tells how to see if the Mac can start up past a grey or black

screen. Other articles, not on same page, tell of other symptoms & potential cures.


• If your Mac doesn't turn on - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204267


This one has two parts, first is easy; second, attempts to troubleshoot further.

Following, covers additional symptoms on failed startup, should they appear.


• If your Mac doesn't start up all the way - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204156


These are a few detailed items to attempt to make the Mac start to work.

But there could likely be damages, or points of excessive wear to stop it.


Another symptom screen article says kinda what your Mac does:


• If your Mac starts up to a blank screen - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210905


Could be a failed hard drive, or other hardware damage behind symptoms.


One effort to try, may be to attempt to start your Mac from macOS Recovery

yet if its much older, that may require vintage install DVD media, to reinstall.


• About macOS Recovery on Intel-based Mac computers - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314


Thought to say, due to age and wear, this unit may only be good for DIY

tinkering; or perhaps a candidate for 'i-fix it yourself' efforts. Too old for

an authorized Apple repair service; while some shops may look into it.


[If you have a backup from an earlier Time Machine on external drive,

that could be useful to help troubleshoot; while it may not boot the

Mac, if damages stop its natural startup functions.]


This MacBook likely best identifies as 'early 2006-2010 13-inch' model.

Or another early MacBook (intel-based portable, not PowerPC) series.

And will ask host/moderator to Relocate this Thread, to that ASC area.


MacBook flashes grey and then doesn’t turn on! Fan is at full blast’

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