2011 MBP 17" won't boot Hardware Test

Question

Level 1

4 points

2011 MBP 17" won't boot Hardware Test

My MacBook Pro is acting strangely lately. When I close the lid, sometimes it doesn't go to sleep. Also, when I shut it down via the menu system, it will go to a blue screen and just hang there for 30-60 seconds before shutting off. Sometimes it just goes to that blue screen while doing random tasks.

Almost every time I'm hooked up via Thunderbolt->HDMI, when I unplug the cable (disconnect from TV), the computer goes to a blue screen.

I'm trying to run the Hardware Test, but right when that OS9 menu comes up, the computer shuts down instantly. I've tried holding F2 while booting as well as holding 'D' while booting (with USB OSX 10.6.7 Install DVD inserted). No dice with either one.

I'm running 10.6.8 with 16GB of SuperTalent RAM. I have a 120GB Intel 320 SSD in the optical bay and the stock 750GB  HDD in the stock position.

Is my laptop now a dud that needs replacing?

MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.6.8), 2.3 i7, 16GB RAM, 120 SSD, 750 HDD

Posted on Jun 30, 2012 7:58 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 30, 2012 8:48 PM in response to EEaudio08

You could have a number of issues. First you should verify and, if needed, repair your disk. Insert the disc that came with your system and hold down the option key while booting - this should give you the option of booting to your internal or DVD. From the DVD run Disk Utility to both repair permissions and verify and, if needed, repair your internal HD.

If that doesn't do anything, you can always try resetting both your PRAM and SMC.

Now if that doesn't work, I'd take your computer into your local Apple Store so that they can run diagnostics. It may be something more serious. It's unusual that you can't boot into AHT, and that's a real eyebrow raiser.

Good luck,

Clinton

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Answer 2

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 1, 2012 11:32 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

I did a PRAM rest, SMC reset, and repaired disk / disk permissions, and I still can't boot into the Hardware Utility with bootup + D or bootup + F2, with my OSX install USB inserted. I'll set up a Genius Bar appointment now.

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Answer 3

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 1, 2012 11:36 AM in response to EEaudio08

Now the trackpad is acting up too. There's definitely something hardware-related that is messed up here.

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Answer 4

Jul 27, 2012 8:37 AM in response to EEaudio08

To anyone else finding this thread, I am having very similar issues. While I haven't had any blue screen issues, I've had almost all the other ones. I've also experienced some of my applications... going crazy. Just wierd random problems. I'm going to be taking my machine in as well. I will hazard a guess and say that the logic board is in the process of failing.

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Answer 5

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2012 8:46 AM in response to Ilsa Loving

Actually, I might have solved my problem. The last time I set this laptop up, I had directly copied my SSD to another HDD. When I put the SSD back in, I copied it back from Disk Utility on the boot up disk, again. That's right around when all of my problems started.

To solve it, I did a Time Machine backup, put in the install USB and formatted the drive (one-pass zeroed-out, to be exact), and re-installed 10.6.7. I updated it to 10.6.8, then used migration assistant to pull my documents/apps back onto the drive.

Since then, everything has been working very well. The screen has only turned blue once (in about a month), and it was only briefly. I haven't tried to run a hardware test from the install USB, but I'll do that soon to see if it works now.

I also took it into an Apple Certified Technician store before fixing the SSD issue, and they could find nothing with the hardware test they ran on it.

TL;DR = do a fresh install and then bring your files back.

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Answer 6

Jul 27, 2012 8:55 AM in response to EEaudio08

Whoa, that's freaky. That's almost exactly what I did. I bought a new HD and copied the old one over using disk utility.

I'm shocked that such bizarre issues could come from cloning the HD. If you could verify AHT works I would greatly appreciate it. If so, I will immediately begin doing as you suggest.

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Answer 7

Courcoul

Level 6

18,558 points

Jul 27, 2012 8:58 AM in response to EEaudio08

Well, the AHT is tucked away in a corner of the boot volume since 2008, so if that is hosed the only way in will be thru the Install media (if it still had that) or thru the Internet (Lion+ versions).

There are clones and then there are clones. With the newest two kitties, some cloning utilities screw up and you lose the Recovery partition and probably AHT too. The formerly free CarbonCopyCloner did the deed correctly. OR you can wait a long, long while for Disk Utility to do the correct cloning too.

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Answer 8

Jul 27, 2012 9:02 AM in response to Courcoul

Being ABLE to boot AHT isn't the problem. Booting AHT is the problem. Using the original disks that came with the machine, AHT will start to boot, and then the whole machine powers off just as the GUI starts to appear.

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Answer 9

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Ilsa Loving

So weird that the exact same thing happened to you that happened to me. As Courcoul mentioned, something must have been borked in the cloning from original to new disk. I thought it was an SSD to HDD issue, but if you were only using HDD, then I must be wrong.

I'm burning my intall disc to USB now, I'll report back when I've attempted an AHT.

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Answer 10

Courcoul

Level 6

18,558 points

Jul 27, 2012 9:08 AM in response to Ilsa Loving

Not to overlook the obvious, the Mac is connected to the power adapter?

Hearing the fans rev up when I do AHT on mine leads me to believe it is a power hungry program.

And do consider that the AHT is supposed to be model-specific. Can't run a 2010 AHT on a 2012 MBP.

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Answer 11

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2012 9:07 AM in response to Courcoul

Yes, it was hooked up to power.

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Answer 12

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2012 10:10 AM in response to Ilsa Loving

I can't verify that AHT works, because my computer now won't even try to boot AHT when I hold F2 or D during bootup. It sees my install USB and will boot to the install USB to re-install 10.6.7, etc, but it won't do the AHT.

I'm not too concerned, since everything else is working well at this point, and since I don't have any blank DVDs to burn, I can't test it with my external optical drive.

If you restore your system with TM and then run an AHT, please let me know how it goes!

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Answer 13

Jul 27, 2012 10:22 AM in response to EEaudio08

Okay, in that case I will try when I get home tonight. I will report back when I find out.

I really hope this is the case. I absolutely do not relish the idea of having to send my machine in for repairs.

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Answer 14

EEaudio08 Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 5, 2012 5:55 AM in response to Ilsa Loving

Well, my issues have been gone for a while, but this morning all of a sudden, the screen flashes to blue every couple minutes. The only way for me to fix it is by putting it to sleep (which on its own takes about 20 seconds) or by performing a hard reset.

When the screen turns blue, I press CMD-alt-eject. The display powers off instantly, but I can still hear either the fans or the HDD spinning softly inside, and the white status light stays brightly lit. About 20 seconds later, I hear the fans power completely down, and the light shuts off. I can then press a button to wake the laptop.

The way it "flashes to blue" is much like when you log in or log out (boot up or shut down) a MacBook, and the background flashes from the stock space image to whatever background you've chosen. It's a smooth animation, but then it gets stuck on blue.

I'll go hunt down more forums for advice, but I just wanted to share this here.

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