MacBook A1181 Battery / Power Switch problem.

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Level 1

8 points

MacBook A1181 Battery / Power Switch problem.

Hello! I just bought a nice-condition MacBook1,1. Clean and damage free. There's an issue, though with getting power where it should be! Using a known, good battery and adapter, here's what happens: when the adapter is plugged-in to the Mac, it turns on, all by itself...no power button needed! Additionally, if I swap-out the battery for another that's known to be, say, at 50% capacity, the green lamp on the connector does not change to orange...it stays green.

There's also an issue ( this is the last one! ) @ the power button: the Mac roars to life, but will run for a few seconds, than stop. If I go through pushing the button a few times--or even hold the button down until the first chime--all's well, and the A1181 is up & running.

This is a good, Old Mac, and I'd like to get it happy & do my part to keep it that way...all suggestions are appreciated.

Sincerely, Michael.

MacBook, macOS 10.13

Posted on Dec 5, 2021 3:37 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,980 points

Dec 5, 2021 9:18 PM in response to Lotccat

Suppose we'd try and see if some resets are in order?

These should do: NVRAM Reset:

"Shut down your Mac, then turn it on and immediately press and hold these four keys together: Option, Command, P, and R. You can release the keys after about 20 seconds, during which your Mac might appear to restart." (Should chime two times.)

• Reset NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063

There's the reset for SMC 'system management controller'

With Removal Batteries: "Lifewire's" article, to the point:

• Resetting SMC ( System Management Controller) on a Mac - with removable batteries | lifewire.com

https://www.lifewire.com/reset-smc-system-management-controller-on-mac-2260840#reset-the-smc-on-mac-notebooks-with-removable-batteries

Apple laptops with removable batteries include the 13-inch, mid-2009 MacBook,

all MacBooks, and MacBook Pros introduced in early 2009; and before. (2006)

1.Shut down the Mac.

2.Remove the battery.

3.Press and hold the power button for Five seconds.

4.Release the power button.

5.Reinstall the battery.

6.Turn on the Mac by pressing the power button.

Apple Support's SMC reset article was revised & clouded.

[Details got more complex as time passed, and new things

were added to the instructions; those were simpler before.]

Safe mode on start up is more straight forward of these.

Often 'log-in' required as part of start-up into Safe mode.

• How to use Safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Instructions for 'Intel-based' Mac models:

Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key as your Mac starts up.
Release the key when you see the login window, then log in to your Mac.
You might be asked to log in again. On either the first or second login window,

you should see ”Safe Boot” in the upper-right corner of the window.

4.Read through article content... to see if you should've done other steps(?)

..And then exit Safe mode [by use of 'normal' restart] is all that's required..

PS: got batteries/magsafe? OWC: OWC lists replacements for this model

also has Apple authentic MagSafe1 power adapters at reasonable cost.

Good luck & happy trails! 🤖🌻☃️❄️

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Answer 2

Lotccat Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 8, 2021 8:56 AM in response to K Shaffer

Hello, & thanks for your timely reply...I appreciate it, and will run-through the procedures you've suggested.

Please accept my apologies for not responding sooner; your answer showed up in a few hours, while it's taken me a few days to get back to you. It turned out that there was another issue, this time with the DVD player. I decided to buy a used replacement, and it took a few days to arrive. As The Fates decreed, however, the player was just fine...the problem was a deformation in the slot aperture: it sure looked as if someone had tried to eject a DVD, and ended-up pressing the metal surround so much, that it grabbed to poor DVD on the way in...ouch! I straightened it, and all's well.

And: I've decided to use a brand new HDD, and my Snow Leopard Install DVD ( a real one...) to get back to a known baseline. I'm hoping that any power issues will be done away with, once there's a fresh HDD and, Snow Leopard's up & running.

I'll be sure to write back with an update. I plan to attempt the next steps this evening, and should know what's up very soon.

Thanks again, K Shaffer!

Michael.

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MacBook A1181 Battery / Power Switch problem.

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