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User profile for user: michielvd
michielvd Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Mac crash; recovery will not start

Yesterday my Mac suddenly crashed into a screen with blue (and white) lines. It wouldn't respond to anything, so I powered it down and tried to boot again. However, it will not boot. It will show the Apple logo, request my password and after a while (with the Apple logo and the spinning wheel) it just shows a blank screen (grey), while the CPU fans are spinning like crazy.Sometimes will it not even get this far and stop doing anything before requesting the password. The guest mode has the same problem.


I basically tried everything to fix it; the recovery option will also show the blank grey screen but nothing else (even after 30 minutes); the internet recovery downloads fine and then pulls the same stunt, so even the recovery will not work. I've tried save mode, which cannot start up (Filevault is activated) and seems to end mid-way through. Sometimes the safe mode crashes immediately after the boot starts with a kernel panic (/sbin/launchd failed, errno 2); after resetting the NVRAM it won't panic.


I've checked the hardware (T startup option, full check), which al seems to be OK. SMART status from the harddrive looks OK (checked with DiskWarrior). Starting in single user mode sometimes gets me through the password request screen and allows me to check the hard drive (fsck -fy). This seems to change permissions, however, after a reboot or exit command, the problem persists and starting up in single user mode and performing the fsck -fy command again seems to fix some issues. When I enter the exit command in safe mode, it'll start up fine, but when the graphic user interface starts, it'll give me the grey screen again (so a blank screen, while the CPU fans are at full power).


Does anyone have any idea what I can do to fix this? Since even the recovery will not start (and neither will the internet recovery), I've got no clue what to do to fix this issue...

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Sep 29, 2013 7:56 AM

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8 replies
User profile for user: GeekBoy.from.Illinois
GeekBoy.from.Illinois
User level: Level 4
2,829 points

Sep 29, 2013 8:38 AM in response to michielvd

Your comment about the "blue and white lines" has me wondering. You say you have a fairly recent MacBook Pro, correct? If that is the case, you probably have a model which has both discrete and integrated GPUs. It is possible that your discrete GPU has failed, and whenever the OS is trying to switch to it is when your system just "hangs" (because the GPU has failed). It all works properly as long as it is on the integrated GPU, but when something causes it to switch it hits the bad GPU and locks.


I would suggest that you make an appointment at your nearest Apple Store to have the specialists at the Genius Bar take a look at it for you. If you are still under the 1 year warranty (or extended Apple Care if you purchased it) then any needed hardware repairs would be free, unless it is due to accidental damage such as a spill in the keyboard, etc.


If you don't have access to an Authorized Apple Service Center, and you do have access to another Mac, you could try making an external boot drive on the other Mac, then install the app "gfxCardStatus" on that MacOS instance (when booted from the external drive). While still booted from the external drive, use the gfxCardStatus app to force the Mac to only use the integrated GPU then shutdown and boot your "dead" Mac from that drive. If it boots and runs, now, try to change the external drive to force to use only the discrete GPU then see how your system boots. If your system, will fully boot using one or the other, then it seems that your problem is probably related to one of your GPUs. It could be a hardware failure, or it could be a corrupted driver. If your system won't boot from either GPU, then my guess about it being a GPU issue is probably wrong. 🙂

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User profile for user: michielvd
michielvd Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Nov 13, 2013 5:15 AM in response to GeekBoy.from.Illinois

Let me give you an update.


The problem seems to be in the hardware. I don't know exactly what failed, but after some trouble I was able to send the MacBook to a repair centre. This repair centre claims that the motherboard needs to be replaced, because it's (and I'm quoting here) 'end of life'. Which is odd for a MacBook that's two years old.


Unfortunately, the Macbook is just outside it's warranty period and the shop I bought it in (iCentre) refuses to abide to European and Dutch law (which basically comes down to me having some rights, like a repair at a significantly reduces cost), so I have to pay almost 600 euros to have it fixed.


So there you have it. A MacBook fails after just two years and apparently the whole motherboard needs to be replaced, while the customer is given an utterly idiotic reason for this apparently neccessary replacement. I bought it at an Apple 'premium reseller'. Apparently Apple thinks it's a good idea to select 'premium resellers' who completely and utterly ignore the law and provide horrible service.

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Mac crash; recovery will not start

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