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MacBook Pro (2007) 3,1 & 10.8.5 freezing

While it goes without saying, firstly if you possess one of these MacBooks (I believe the unofficial model description of these MacBooks is the "Santa Rosa" model), do yourself a HUGE favor and make a back-up before attempting to upgrade to OS X 10.8.5.

Regarding my expereinces thus far attemtping to update:

At the onset, I can attest to the fact that my MacBook Pro runs OS X 10.8.4 flawlessly. Furthermore, the Apple Service Diagnostic disc for my 2007 MacBook Pro 15'' 3,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz A1226 MA895LL/A reports absolutely NO Hardware issues whatsoever including the memory check. I have tried EVERYTHING in performing ALL the obvious troubleshooting (i.e. permissions repair, SMC & PRAM rest, subtracting/adding memory modules etc.).

I have also installed OS X 10.8.5 in all three (3) possible configurations (software update, combo update and the full/clean Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.5 .app install) and all have produced the same result with the system freezing. The vast majority of times after a successful install, it will freeze right at boot up (i.e. white screen, grey apple, and spinning wheel) though several times I have actually gotten to both the login stage as well as in the desktop itself before it freezes. I have tried installing it both on internal and external hard drives yet it makes no difference. I am at a complete and utter loss as to what the heck to do. I have owned a mac of some sort since 1998 and I have never experienced a situation regarding an incremental OS update like this ever before.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4), 2007 MacBook Pro 15'' 3,1 Intel Cor

Posted on Sep 19, 2013 9:22 AM

121 replies

tj_andersen Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 20, 2013 9:41 AM in response to blubb1

By the way THANK YOU VERY MUCH for offering that important tidbit of information. I contemplated if indeed my future included replacing/upgrading that NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT inboard graphics card despite the fact that my card is showing no indication of faliure. With your statement, you potentially saved me from needlessly making an unnecessary and costly repair.

Sep 20, 2013 5:54 PM in response to tj_andersen

The same here guys. Mac pro a1226 or 3,1 from 2007. I notice my mac a little slow but i thing that could be possible because he is old. My issues start 3 days ago when from nothing the laptop start to freeeezing, just today i get time to look at.

Take of the hard drive an put in another laptop, its ok!

Take one of the RAM modules, its ok with both 2gb!

Reset the NVRAM and the SMC, done!

My last thing to do was put the instalation on the flash drive and start the mac with the instalation, try to get the MAC HDD fixed but nothing so i start Safari and go here. I will go to save my data and put 10.8.4 and wait more info about it.

Thanks guys for share your information.

Sep 21, 2013 1:59 PM in response to tj_andersen

Same issue here. MBP 3,1 Late 2007. Random freezes (w/no trackpad/mouse/keyboard ability) shortly after boot. Sometimes would get so far as the desktop, but mostly at the Login screen, and even before. Have not been able to successfully boot since yesterday. Tried Safe Boot, same problem. Tried Reinstall ML... didn't work. Finally able to login after doing clean install of ML on an external, so currentlly running 10.8.5, but who knows for how long.

Sep 21, 2013 9:53 PM in response to roaringmousebrad

I try to disable all my apps from the initializing but still so bad freezes... And yes same time i can boot but dont take long to stop the intire system. I am using an windows pc to save my data and i will got with 10.8.4.

How lucky you are with 10.8.5 roaringmousebrad?

Sep 21, 2013 10:54 PM in response to tj_andersen

Same issue here. MBP 3,1 Late 2007 17". Worked perfectly with 10.8.4. Updated to 10.8.5 with the combo updater. Now freezes, whether regular boot or Safe boot, at the end of the grey screen period with the spinning gear, when the screen should go blue and start loading the desktop.

Have tried all the usual remedies.

The NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT failed and was replaced a number of years ago. Noticed on xlr8yourmac.com that Nvidia has released a driver update to solve issues with 10.8.5 on Mac Pros of this era with similar graphics cards.

"Quadro & GeForce Mac OS X Driver Release 313.01.03

for Mac OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5 (12F37)

New in Release 313.01.03f01:

Contains performance improvements and bug fixes for a wide range of applications.
Includes new NVIDIA Driver Manager preference pane.

Release Notes Archive:
This driver update is for Mac Pro 5,1 (2010), Mac Pro 4,1 (2009) and Mac Pro 3,1 (2008) users only.

Supported Products:
GeForce 600 series: GTX 680 for Mac
GeForce 200 series: GTX 285 for Mac
GeForce 100 series: GT 120
GeForce 8 series: 8800 GT
Quadro series: K5000 for Mac, 4000 for Mac
Quadro FX series: FX 5600, FX 4800 for Mac

CUDA Application Support: In order to run Mac OS X Applications that leverage the CUDA architecture of certain NVIDIA graphics cards, users will need to download and install the CUDA 5.5.24 driver for Mac located here. (v5.5.24 (2013.08.13))."

Could our problem be with the GeForce drivers ?

Sep 22, 2013 2:05 AM in response to isabel137

Interesting thought about NVIDIA drivers. In fact, my MBP first froze up when i was switching external monitors to my HDMI cable to my tv (I was trying to watch a movie), something that always worked fine before, but maybe the new driver is the culprit.

In any case, my test install of 10.8.5 to an external worked but only for awhile, then froze up like the main drive.

In the good news department, I have since found my original 10.8.2 ML Installer and reinstalled it. All is working fine now. When I get adventurous, i may dl the 10.8.3 and try that, but right now, my baby is working now and I'm hestitant to go anwhere until apple clarifies the update issues.

tj_andersen Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2013 4:33 AM in response to isabel137

In my many vain attempts to resolve this issue on my own, I installed the CUDA driver and it made no difference. In my humble opinion, we are all witnessing something never done before in computing history (at least that I know of). Out of either human error, indifference or negligence one thing is quite certain at this juncture, those responsible for assembling OS X 10.8.5 did not create it with the MacBook Pro (2007) 15" 3,1 A1226 in mind. Only time will tell if our loyality and patronage will motivate Apple to correct this issue. I would not count on it however as these "vintage" laptops appear to have long ago been put to rest in the mindset of Apple Computer.

Ren_R

Level 1

4 points

Sep 22, 2013 10:57 AM in response to tj_andersen

Same problem here with same Macbook Pro late 2007. Thanks to Time Machine back up, enabeling me to go back to 10.8.4.

Eric Root

Level 10

684,237 points

Sep 22, 2013 12:28 PM in response to tj_andersen

Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

Feedback

Sep 22, 2013 1:36 PM in response to april_may

I have the 17" (2.4GHz) Late 2007 MBP (3,1) and it doesn't seem to have any problems. Now, granted, I don't use it near as much since I got my Late 2011 17" MBP 1.5 years ago, but it does still work for me when I need it. I will add that I had problems when I tried upgrading it to 10.8.2, but that was due to incompatible software, and it took me several weeks to track that one down. Once I got it tracked down, it was easy enough to correct though.

My system is running upgraded RAM, upgraded HDD, and the logic board has been replaced twice by Apple (once for the NVidia chip issue, and once due to their error). The current logic board is now 2 years old and it is still working fine. It is possible that you are having issues with the NVidia graphics chip, as I seem to recall that some of the symptoms were random lockups...

blubb1

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2013 2:39 PM in response to tj_andersen

has anyone tried to use the graphic drivers from 10.8.4 (so the kext file) and see if it helps in 10.8.5??

tj_andersen Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2013 4:45 PM in response to blubb1

Yes...Tried replacing both (meaning both series of kext sets at the same time) the "GeForce" & the "NVDA" sets from my OS X 10.8.4 Extension folder into the OS X 10.8.5 with kext wizzard (this process was actualy the first solution I attempted among a dozen or so others) and it was only after all my unsuccessful attempts that I created my initial post here a few days ago.

tj_andersen Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2013 4:55 PM in response to GeekBoy.from.Illinois

A poster on "page 1" of this actual thread noted that while his/her 17" MacBook Pro model with very similiar specifications updated to OS X 10.8.5 seemingly without issue, his/her 15" (the model I and virtually all other owners of this same model) is experiencing the indentical freezing issue that myself and others here are reporting.

tj_andersen Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2013 5:06 PM in response to tj_andersen

Here is the the "page 1" post F.Y.I.

april_may

Re: MacBook Pro (2007) 3,1 & 10.8.5 freezing

Sep 20, 2013 6:03 AM (in response to tj_andersen)

Same thing here. Is there a single 15 inches Sata Rosa MBP working correctly with 10.8.5, anyone?

For information, a 17 inches MBP (3,1, almost same hardware) works perfectly.

Sep 23, 2013 10:23 PM in response to tj_andersen

Add another 2007 MBP 15" to the mix with the same problem. The freezing doesn't seem to happen until I start using the computer hard for a few hours. The first time it happened, I thought maybe it was a bad SSD, but I was able to take the SSD out and super duper it onto a different SSD on my iMac just fine. When I put in the second duped SSD, it still froze. So I re-installed 10.8.3 (onto the duped SSD) and then updated to 10.8.5. Everything ran fine for a couple of days, then during a couple of hours of hard use, it froze again. Once it freezes, it seems to keep freezing. I then took out that SSD and put in my original SSD with Snow Leopard and it's running flawlessly. My next move will be to re-install 10.8.3 and just leave it at 10.8.3.

MacBook Pro (2007) 3,1 & 10.8.5 freezing