Macbook pro not turning on, not charging

If the SMC reset as linked above doesn't work for you, try the following...

Make sure power adapter is removed.

Remove the bottom cover of the MacBook Pro (take note where the three long screws go).

Locate the power connector cable for the 'non-removable' battery (next to the memory modules).

Preferably using a small flat tool such as a small flat screwdriver or such, carefully pry the connector upwards by its edges until it comes off.

After a brief pause, reconnect the battery connector. This may cause the system to start up and fans etc. to activate.

Check to see if the screen is on and indicating startup and also press battery indicator button on the side to verify that the indicators light up.

* If the system starts up normally, you can shut it down, replace the bottom cover, attach and plug in power adapter, verify the charge indicator lights up and perform the SMC RESET as linked In the above post for models with battery you cannot remove yourself and as I describe below.

* If the screen has not come on during the 'startup activity' then hold down the power button to force shutdown. Replace bottom cover, attach power adapter and verIfy charge IndIcator lIghts up, THEN perform the SMC RESET (Hold down left side SHIFT-CONTROL-OPTION keys whilst simultaneously pressing Power button for a few seconds, then release them together). Then press power button again to start the system and check normal operation. You MAY have to reset date and time.

Hope this helps and saves a trip to the Genius Bar.

1. Best thing to do, is to take the MBP to the Apple store for evaluation.

2. Try Reset SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

Choose the method for:

"Resetting SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own".

Best.

K4L3L wrote:

with a heat gun I heated all the logic board (needs to be careful to not damage the cables), and that solve the problem.

A question to you, K4L3L, specifically is- why do you heat your MacBook Pro's logic board? And this is good, because for me the OP's solution, sadly, did not work for me:

K4L3L wrote:

If that doesn't work for you leave the battery unplugged and reset the SMC controller and plug the charger (whitout connecting the battery) that also works (you need to replace the battery)

________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________

In general response to the OP: I have the mid-2010 13" MacBook Pro unibody with the same problem as most folk here. In my case, though, it has already been condemned by the repair centre as probably needing a new motherboard or logic board. Which means I am game for anything as I have nothing to lose. Therefore I was perusing this thread with great interest as mine also:

• went off without warning despite being on charge and powered up (lid shut) overnight. With my iPhone S charging on it,
• with all but one of the battery lights illuminated (ie still a goodly amount of charge which I was topping up) as I plugged in the charging cable. And which I watched go amber as I am hyper-careful with it (it is pristine and looks like new).

What I do want to add is that the MacBook Pro had been in for a weird symptom (vowel keys did not work for about an hour three days before the hard drive ceased to be recognised, something which apparently was sorted by the repair centre putting in a new controller cable at the princely sum of £145) and which preceded THIS latest problem two weeks later by 24 hours. Meaning- all was OK for about ten days and then I again lost use of the vowels and about 24 hours later- dead.

What has been tried is the reset for the non-removable battery model, the disconnecting by the repair centre and myself of the battery and that is about it. I have not, myself, tried using it with the battery disconnected but would expect that the repair centre would have. 🙂

Anything anyone else can add to this- please, please do. I had spent, in all, £1300 for the MacBook Pro and a further £450 on the repair and the upgrades I had just done ((RAM to the maximum of 8GB and installing an SSD which ALL worked fine, thanking you kindly and which were done AFTER the repair as it was not clear that it wasn't the hard drive which had failed) and am still without a computer which works. I cannot afford to have it repaired by the repair centre who state that in order to know what it is one must pay for the logic board and/or motherboard to fit them to work out if that is the problem.

Final note- the MacBook Pro, although pristine, was used long hours, daily. It has been THE best Mac I have ever had and I loved editing on it with Final Cut Pro 6 with just Snow Leopard. Stable as anything- NO crashes EVER.

hey there,

I had this same problem and just went to the Apple store today to get it diagnosed.

It seems most likely to be the mag safe connector, the connector that charges the battery. At the store we booted it up fine with another battery, and even with another charger it would not charge. The genius at the bar said its either the logic board, the part that connects to the battery or the mag safe protector (the charger connector internally). They could fix it there for the flat fee of $320 + parts but I'm going to try to fix it at home with help from my stepdad. hope we can find parts somewhere!

best of luck!

-Luke

Ok.... I think the original post refers to the latest MBP with non removable battery as one year warranty just running out is mentioned.

So the procedure I posted applies to that model.

I also had to send back an older MBP to replace a logic board and fortunately they extended the coverage period because it was an issue they discovered due to an issue with a particular video card.

As for the chargers, sometimes they need to be reset by unplugging from the wall for at least a minute and you could also look up SMC RESET for models with replaceable battery. If not, would be good to hear how you get it sorted out.

hey all,

for anyone with the older model with the removable battery that runs in to this problem, try this:

unplug the computer from power

remove battery

hold power button for 10 seconds (seemingly nothing will happen)

put battery back

plug power back in

(try jiggling the power adapter a little while in its socket)

press power

it solved my problem! I was very happy to find out I didn't need to have it serviced and that it was a simple fix at home. even the folks at the mac store did not try this, I had to hear it from my stepdad. recommended as a fix for those with the removable battery.

-Luke

Hi there...

I do believe it was the 15" unibody MacBook Pro as this happened in 2009 and I sent it up to Miami with a coworker who dropped it at a Genius Bar. The issue should still be on here as I looked up phrases like 'MBP blank screen' or 'MacBook pro video card issues'.

I don't have the paperwork with me as I'm working in another country now but if I find any details in my email still I'll post. I know the logic board was replaced and the notice from Apple said they would cover repairs if failure occurred within two years of purchase and mine failed one month before that period was up. The bill was looking like approx. $350 until they (GenIus Bar) realized it was to be covered by them.

Plunjer-

The trick about disconnecting the Non-Removeable Battery of my 2009 Macbook Pro worked! I had just about given up and thought it might be a logic board issue. I'd tried resetting the SMC and PRAM to no avail. Googled and YouTubed and could find no solution. My battery was still showing good health and over 60% charge, so I didn't think the battery needed replacing.

I did have to actually remove the battery in order to get the connector undone. There are special 5 point "security screws" holding it in. I shaved down a small flat blade screwdriver with a file and was able to get the screws out without too much damage to them. Once the battery was moved out a bit, I could pull the battery cable out of the board. I think the older ones, or perhaps a different model, have the connector on top of the board and removing the battery isn't necessary. For mine it was. I disconnected the cable, waited a few seconds, then plugged it back in. I replaced the battery and tried the power button. YES! it started on battery power, which is what it had refused to do previously (would run only when plugged in - with "not charging" message at top right of screen. Once reassembled, I re-set the SMC (although it seemed to be working fine without having to do that). Now the magsafe is not a constant green but an amber color as it charges the battery.

Thank you for your post. It worked. Hope your post and mine help others with this problem.

Hi,

I have the same problem, it was ok in night and next day when i try to start it was not turning on and also not charging, Then i open the back cover and remove battery socket and contact again, now the Power button turn on and fan start working but no display, Keyboard and power lights working, I just take to Apple service centre and the guy replied the same answer that it may be logic board issue and they will diagnose the issue and will get back to me. also he told if it is damage/liquidize it will cost me around $ 700 .. Mine is Mac book Pro 13" i7 purchased last year,

Anybody faced the same issue and any idea how it will fixx

Thanks 🙂

I just wanted to reply to this thread to confirm that Plunjer's suggestion worked! My father was having this exact problem with his 2011 MacBook Pro 13" and we followed the procedure for disconnecting the battery and then reconnecting it as Plunjer suggested. Sure enough, the battery indicator lights started working again and the computer booted right up after pushing the power button. The time and date were messed up since we had reset the SMC earlier in an effort to bring the Mac back to life but everything else worked perfectly.

Thanks again!

Good heavens, thank you kind sir! I did this and reset my PRAM,VRAM and SMC and my macbook pro is working good once again. I had a simmilar problem, let my macbook drain of battery (something I do rather too often), MacBook had problems such as the screen would go into a rainbow of colours or the screen would suddenly turn off and I had a beeping sound when I turned on my Mac. Thank you very much for this great solution, really helped out and definately saved a trip to an AASP. Do try it out everyone having this problem, it really and truly works. Thank you once again!

Old thread, but I wanted to post that it almost helped. My wife's MBP ('09, 13") has a similar problem. I followed the suggestion and got the indicator lights to come on (shows fully charged battery), but still doesn't start. I'm going to take it in Monday. Will update with what I find for future visitors with similar problems.

By the way, the steps you gave were easy to follow. Thanks for putting this out there.

Anytime. Did you also try an SMC Reset after getting the charge lights to come on?

I recall a certain batch of MacBook Pros had issues with motherboards /video cards. I had to send one back for a board replacement in 2009 after Apple posted a bulletin of a discovered problem which they would fix even if out of warranty if the issue surfaced in a certain time frame.

Let's know what you find out.

I tried the SMC reset. It did not work. I also learned after digging out the box that we bought it in 2010 so we are still covered by AppleCare. Unfortunately, there isn't much they can do when your son spills tea on it and doesn't mention it. (Well, he didn't spill it on it, but on the table and enough of it went up through the vent. You can see the line on the back cover. He wiped up the table and the case thinking it was good enough.) I didn't even notice the water spots when I took off the back cover the other night.

Electronics and liquids make terrible bed buddies!

Very helpful advice / directions. My 13" MacbookPro June 2012 with a 256 SSD experienced the same issues as described in this thread (not turning on, not charging, charger LED indicator light glowed a dim green and then stopped glowing). Performing the steps of removing the bottom cover, unplugging and replacing the battery cable, reconnect MagSafe charger (LED lights up as intended), power up computer, perform SMC reset (at same time depress shift-ctrl-option-power button, hold briefly, release all at same time, and finally depress power button). After those simple steps my computer was back up and working as it should with zero noticable impact on system performance or memory/storage.

Thank you very much for taking the time to give this advice as it saved me significant time and potential money by avoiding a trip to the Genius Bar at our Apple Store here in our Birmingham, AL.

Roll Tide !!! 🙂