Macbook Pro black screen after booting

Question

MattRStewart Author

Level 1

11 points

Macbook Pro black screen after booting

I have a MacBook Pro and it will sometimes boot normal, but more often it will boot with the following problem:

- Press power button

- Grey screen appears

- Apple logo and spinning wheel shows, but are larger than normal (like zoomed in and stretched a little

- After a normal amount of time, the boot screen flashes and turns to a black screen.

That's it. I can't see anything after this point. The screen stays black, but i know it successfully booted under there cause the caps lock key works, the sound keys work, the DVD eject button works, etc. I can even see the drive on other computers over network, and can even do a screen sharing fine.

I have done a PRAM and NVRAM reset.

I have done FSCK and tried a few commands recommended to other similar problems.

Any other suggestions to get this thing back up and running like normal?

image comparing normal boot (left) with problem boot (right):

Posted on Feb 9, 2012 9:56 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 9, 2012 10:10 PM in response to MattRStewart

After a normal amount of time, the boot screen flashes and turns to a black screen.

Matt ...

You zapped the PRAM, but if you haven't tried yet, try Resetting the System Management Controller

If that didn't help, run the Apple Hardware Test

Might be a hardware problem ...

FYI... when you post a question, please tell us which Mac OS X you have installed.

Thanks !! 🙂

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Answer 2

MattRStewart Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 9, 2012 11:51 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

sorry... its an older macbook pro im trying to revive.

I do have Lion installed - 10.7.3.

I just wiped the drive and reinstalled Lion with no other apps yet, and made sure the base sysytem is updated 100%.

In addition to the PRAM/NVRAM reset, I did do the SMC reset too, just forgot to mention it.

I tried running the AHT, but it will not launch when holding D. And I downloaded Lion and no longer have any of my earlier 10.5/10.6 discs laying around.

Ive repaired permissions and repaired disk.

Same problem happens. Some boots good, many many boots bad.

EDIT:

BTW.... this is not under warranty, and therefore I am not interested in bringing to any repair shops. I will do what I can myself before throwing off a bridge.

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Answer 3

Nov 28, 2012 10:06 AM in response to MattRStewart

I have exactly the same issue with same MacBook Pro. In my case an external display works just fine but no internal display is recognized by the OS. Have tried resetting NVRAM and SMC. Re-installing Mountain Lion and a bunch of other things. Issue is the same when I boot into windows but there I'm able to "extend screen" and make the internal display on the MBP light up although resolution is not correct and what should be at the top of the screen is at the bottom.

I think it may be related to an error in the EFI or one of the drivers for the screen but I don't know how to check that.

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