MacBook Pro will not start up after plugging in aftermarket USB cord

I had the same problem. I found a solution online that actually works. Apparently, ur computer doesn't recognize ur battery which is why it's not turning on. I don't yet why connecting the USB causes the problems though.

You have to remove then reconnect the battery connector. Here are the steps, they are simple.

1. Remove the bottom cover by unscrewing the 8screws on the bottom of your macbook pro.

2. Locate the battery connector, which should be on the right side of the RAM slot. Here is how it looks like.

https://cdn.tutsplus.com/mac/authors/legacy/toby%20seers/2012/09/29/battery%20co nnector%20side.jpg

3. Carefully remove the connector then wait for 10seconds before plugging it back in.

(Your laptop might turn on after this step that’s fine.)

4. Close the bottom cover by screwing back in the 8 screws.

Removing the connector won't void ur warranty, but if u had warranty I highly advice u to take it in to genius bar.

I hope that helps.

Did you get this fixed? I had exactly the same issue - It was definitely the after-market cable I bought to charge my iPhone 5 - the instant I plugged in the USB side, my MB Pro went blank and wouldn't come back to life. No charging light, even.

The fix I found was to remove and replace the battery - only issue is that its not so easy with the unibody MacBooks. But I found the instructions here: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Battery+Replace ment/10365

Just followed thru step 3 (removed battery connector cable), replaced the connect right back the MBP started right up - didn't miss a beat.

Definitely will be avoiding cheapo cables from now on…whew!

dan

If you reset the SMC and still aren't getting any response, it's time for a trip to the Genius Bar (or another Apple Certified Repair Shop.) To truly reset the SMC, your power cord has to be functional, so if you aren't getting any indication that the MagSafe is not working, it may be that the power cord is the culprit. I hope so anyway, as that is a much cheaper repair!

Good luck!

Same thing happened to me last week. I have an Mac book pro 13inch i7. I had plugged in my iphone (with a supposedly iphone compatible lightening sync cable, which had worked in the morning) , however the phone would not charge, then the computer powered down and wouldnt switch on, i tried the smc reset, it was completely dead. I took it to an Apple retailer (not Apple genius) the following day and they tried their own charger, and said it must be a battery issue. However I finally took it back to my retailer today (6 days later) with the receipt, and they plugged it in and it was fine (although the battery had completely drained) . I am now home, and my charger is also fine, and it is charging properly. (and am writing this post on my Mac book!). I am pleased that I resisted opening the uni body. I had read on- line somewhere, to wait a few days ,then try to switch on again, and that seems to have worked for me.

Although the apple technical person at the store said it was unlikely, I am convinced it was the non apple lightening cable.

Does anyone know of a solution. Im currently waiting for my mbp battery to drain so as to recharge.. Its been six days now and its not yet charging. Still the same problem,dim light,no smc recharge. The batrery level was at 85 when it died.

Tthis post saved my life, haha! Thank you so much!

I had exactly the same problem twice. The moment i plugged in a USB cable connected to my iPhone, the screen of my MBP 13" - mid 2012 (9,2) blacked out. No more sign of live. I had no idea of what could have happened in a split second.

Today, only 2 weeks later the same thing happened, on my MBP 15" - early 2011 (8,2) model, (again with my iPhone connected to the USB cable).

Lucky me that i'm far from any apple dealer or genius bar. For some reason i tried connecting my MBP 13", and it was alive again!!!!.

So I now wait with my other macbook for two weeks before I open it up and disconnect the battery.

Never again connect the cable with an iPhone attached. Attach the cable first. Then the iPhone!

Hope this helps others.

Bert

Awesome thanks for this.

Same thing here, my girlfriend plugged in an after market non apple cable from her phone to her laptop.

The cable had proven to be unreliable and not work well, but we didn't buy a new one as it still worked most of the time.

As usual the cable stopped working and she went through the process of unplugging and replugging the cable into the laptop which usually helped along with powering the phone off and on a couple times usually got it to start charging again, however this last time her laptop screen went blank and would not power back on. When she plugged in the power cable only a fast and weak blinking green light.

We found this article and got up early and went hunting for a screw driver. We happen to be in cambodia so this was a bit tricky. Finally we found a screw driver at a PC repair shop. After unplugging the battery for 20 seconds or so and plugging it back in and then replacing the top cover this fixed the issue.

SO THANKS A HUGE AMOUNT!

We went directly to the nearest apple authorized seller and bought an Apple usb cable. The cable was 22USD.

There has got to be a way to get a good quality cable for less than that. For that price in Cambodia is like two nights in a really nice hotel room, or meals out for 2 days (Breakfast lunch and dinner for two people each day) all for the price of one cable that honestly should be 5$ at the highest quality one possible.

I'm going to have to research what makes an apple usb cable so special.

My wife had a very similar problem.

She was charging her Ipad, thru her MacBook Pro 13.3" - Mid 2012. using the cable that came with the Ipad, but charging the computer with a cheap non brand charger at the same time.

She got a message saying something like: this cable or accessory is not certified and may not work reliably

She unplugged the Ipad, and started to google the problem when the computer died.

I tried resetting the SMC without any luck.

After reading this thread I did what Dan Rosenthal1 suggested and unplugged the battery, plugged it in after maybe 30 sec, after closing the case again, the computer started without any problems. And it is not a difficult thing to do.

Thanks for the help, I am right now very poplar with the wife ;-D