Macbook Pro Motherboard? (repost to macbook pro discussion)

I have been trying for days to fix my intel based (2.4 ghz core duo) macbook pro and and unable to get mavericks to install correctly. Below is a list of the things I have done and the problems I have been having.

1. Backed up all my information and used a USB to start from and completly formated my hardrive using disk utility. Forma was Mac OS Extented (journaled) with GUID partition. Tried to reinstall and 1 of 2 things happen. 1 it will stop mid way through install, or install and not start up or sometimes it will start up but is a "broken version of mac osx" Meaning the apps wong open like safari or the app store. Can get system preferences to open but beyond that not much else

2. This i have replaced. I have put new ram, and a new hardrive in the computer and still have the same problems.

3. I have taken out the hardrive and installed a fresh copy of mac osx using a usb cable and my other laptop. I am able to boot my working laptop from the external drive and mac osx runs perfect. Ill take the drive out and put in back into the broken computer. The computer still wont start up.

4. Reset the VRAM and tried booting in save mode

Any help would be greatly apreciated, is it time to just let it go?

babowa Pacific NW

A little confused here, but it seems you tried to install/boot up your MBP with an OS install from another laptop? That usually will not work: one, original OS installs are machine specific, and two, if the working laptop is a build or two behind your other one as Macs cannot boot up/install OS versions older than what they came with.

So, which OS version was on the laptop before you replaced the hard drive? Was it one obtained from the app store or Snow Leopard or earlier? If it was from the app store, have you tried to simply use internet recovery (Command + Option + R during restart or boot up) to redownload the OS directly from Apple's servers?

If it was Snow Leopard or earlier, why not use your install disks to install it?

And, just to be sure: we are talking about two MBP's here? (since you posted in the iMac forum)

Corinne Robinson

Sorry for posting on the wrong forum! First time i have posted, rookie mistake (should i move this discussion to the propper forum?)

My working/New lap top is a 15 in MBP retinal display. I was thinking that might of been one of the problems I was having. So there is one thing I am doing wrong.

The macbook pro (broken one) was running Mavericks before it starting acting up. What started the problem was that the computer would not boot. It would get stuck at the apple logo upon start up.

I just started the computer using internet recovery, it booted but the weir part was that it would not accept my wifi-password. I had tried this before so thats why i created a bootable flashdrive for mavericks and started the computer holding the option key and booted from the flashdrive.

This time instead of just relying on the wifi i plugged it into my router and now i am just waiting for mavericks to install.

My question is, how is internet recovery different from booting on a flashdrive?

Corinne Robinson

Just froze mid install, this it probably the 5th time this has happened during Mavericks install