My Macbook is acting weird...

Okay so this is the macnbook from about 2008-07 and I don't like letting a machine just die out, now this macbook just stopped working and heres the list of "symptoms" it has been giving me.

does not start up

occasionally the backlight flashes on and off went attempting to boot

the "whirring" noises that signify its started occur but nothing past that

grey screen (no logo)

when fully charged the "whirring" noises just repeat over and over

I'd like to save this computers life and not let it just be tossed asside for the shinier new mac. Any help would be appreciated.