Macbook Aluminium 13" Randomly Freezes

Question

Macbook Aluminium 13" Randomly Freezes

Hello, people!

I have a Macbook Aluminium 13" (Core 2 Duo 2GHz, 2GB RAM and 160GB HDD) that randomly freezes in several different stuations.

Abou two months ago, it was being used by my mother and it suddenly stopped working. She was using Safari and the coloured-spinning circle went up and didn't stopped for a long time. Meanwhile, I tried to open/close windows, open "About this Mac" window and several other things. No success.

After a while, I forced it to turn of by holding down the power button and tried to reboot it to see if it was a isolated event or if it would happen again. Turns out that the it was not a isolated event and the Mac stopped working again, but right off the start, it would't even launch Safari or any other program...

As I had Bootcamp on that laptop, we started using it on our Windows partition and everything was running really smooth (on Windows). No freezes, crashes or even BSOD (which i tought was really inpressive).

One or two weeks later, when I had time, I formatted the Macintosh partition and tried to install Mac OSX Snow Leopard (the laptop default OS is Leopard, but I had bought a copy of Snow Leopard) to see if it would be different.

The system installed, normally, rebooted, played the Apple "welcome" video and led me to the first configs (those where you choose an Wi-Fi connection, Apple ID, username and profile picture) but it turned out that the system would't even be able to end these configuration steps.

Sometimes it froze at the Wi-Fi config, but mostly it froze at the image changing option with the same symptons: coloured spinning-circle and no response of any other command. If tryed to foce-reboot, the "welcome" video would be played once more and I had to go through everything again.

I left the laptop aside for about two months after this, and today I decided to make it work, but not. Formatted the whole HDD (excluded the Bootcamp partition including) and chose the Zero Config option at the formatting options. Installed the system and made through the config steps to end up with the system freezing at the image change. Everything same as before, but now, after force-rebooting the system booted, launched normally (almost) and left me on my desktop ( ! ). After trying to launch System Preferences the laptop froze and I could do nothing again.

Force-rebooted again and me it to "About this Mac" window AND was able to click "More Info...". The new window poped out and I could read my laptop specs.

As I'm wrinting down this post, I tryed to see some other options of that laptop, just to see it freezing again but this time, things got harder.

No coloured spinning-cicle and mouse won't move (every other time it moved). Anyway, I'm able to press the dashboard key (on the keyboard), power key and a few other , and they work (every other time they worked too).

So now I'm with this Mac that can't see to be able to work without freezing.

I've already tryed to reset PRAM, SafeBoot, Disk Repair, System Repair, Repair Repair and any other things that I could imagine to do... The only thing that I haven't tryed yet was changing the hardware. maybe the RAM is gone. IDK.

Any ideas?

Cheers!

MacBook

Posted on Jun 8, 2014 8:09 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 9, 2014 3:42 AM in response to Human_AfterAll

You might want to try this:

- disable all sleeping settings in System Preferences -> Energy Saver:

Computer sleep -> Never

Display sleep -> Never

Untick "Put hard disks to sleep when possible "

etc

- Disconnect any external disks and devices.

- Reboot the machine, logon, and run for a few hours.

Any improvement?

- If so, reconfig the Display sleep and gradually reconnect external devices.

- If not, refer to http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964 for your partular portable model. ( Not sure off the top of my head whether your model has a removable battery )

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Answer 2

Jun 9, 2014 3:23 PM in response to dwbrecovery

Hi, dwbrecovery, thanks for your help!

I can't get to my System Preferences so I cannot try switching the Energy Saver options and I have no external devices to unplug, so I'll just jump for the refered url and try the SMC.

I'll post news soon! =D

Thanks again!

=======EDIT=======

No deal... booted the laptop, the finder window was open so I closed it (sucessfully). Next I've tried to open System Preference and it froze again.

Mouse was working but nothing else.

Ideas?

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Answer 3

Jun 10, 2014 6:47 AM in response to Human_AfterAll

Hi Human_AfterAll, I overlooked that a lockup would occur opening System Preferences.

Before going into a safe boot , can you check that the lockup only occurs after opening System Preferences? ie reboot, logon and check if a lockup occurs without accessing System Preferences.

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Answer 4

Jun 10, 2014 8:44 AM in response to dwbrecovery

Hi!

So, no... After I log into the system (actually I don't have to login becausa I haven't configured a pw for my user) I can freely move the mouse around and nothing happens. The lockup only occurs if I try to run anything (such as System Preferences, Photo Boot or anything else, for example).

But even after the lockup, some basic stuff still working for a time: the battery icon switches if I plug in the magsafe, the volume and brightness bars work and a few more basic things, but just for a while, after sometime they stop responding too...

Yesterday I've tryed to remove one memory RAM stick, and then the other. No deal yet...

Thanks for your help! =D

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Answer 5

Jun 10, 2014 9:13 PM in response to Human_AfterAll

From what I have gathered from your posts, you have tried nearly everything to get this machine stable. You could try some commands within Terminal.app or some diagnostic programs but from what you have observed, the machine will probably freeze before completion and we have no reports to go on.

At this stage, if you are up to it, you should try to install the OS from the original media which was supplied with this machine, ( Leopard ) and update to the current firmware for the machine.

Once all is stable, upgrade the installed OS to the purchased Snow Leopard.

Refer to:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1159#MacBook to check original OS supplied for your machine

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1237 for firmware versions

This will enable the original kernel extensions for the hardware of your machine to remain and /or be detected as you upgrade the OS. It will also be wise to check the firmware revision after and upgrade if necessary.

I recommend also, that you start to use external drives for backups and for an alternative boot disk to give you options in case there are further issues.

If you do not have the original OS disks, you could ask at an Apple Certified Service Centre or equivalent. ( ACSC is what they are called in this region. ) Not an Apple Store.

post us how it all goes.

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Answer 6

Jun 11, 2014 10:12 PM in response to dwbrecovery

Ok. This Macbook is listed as being late 2008, Aluminium, 13", and on it's System Info (yes, I did it before the lockup) says that it is a "MacBook5,1". Now, on the pages you've posted, the current EFI is MB51.007D.B03 (EFI 1.4) and the version installed on the Mac is the same as listed. The SMC is the same as well...

But anyway, would it be possible to install the firmware update before the laptop locks up?

Now I'm wondering (I don't understand much about Macs) if the is some sort of command interface available before booting the Mac. Just like there is on Windows.

Thanks again!!! =D

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Answer 7

Jun 12, 2014 12:08 AM in response to Human_AfterAll

I'm assuming there's no access to the original OSX disks.

The "command interface" that you refer to is \Applications\Utilities\Terminal.app It is based on unix and is sort of like cmd on that other OS you refer to.

- If you want you can give it a try and see whether Terminal.app functions before the lockup.

- I predict that it will freeze, but give it a go.

- In Terminal type: pmset -g the output will be the current status of the Energy Saver settings.

My opinion is if you can get most of these settings disabled, the machine might last long enough for further investigations.

- In Terminal type: man pmset to check how to use the pmset command.

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Answer 8

Jun 12, 2014 1:43 AM in response to dwbrecovery

Sorry man, I forgot to mention that I do have the original OSX disk. It is Mac OS X 10.5.5 (Leopard).

The disk came with the laptop after I bought it (it was used as display device on a store);

Am I able to access the Terminal from the disk, before the system boots up? Otherwise the lockup in inevitable...

Thanks again, mate! =D

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Answer 9

Jun 12, 2014 2:56 AM in response to Human_AfterAll

Your install discs ( Leopard and Snow Leopard ) also have some utiliies when you boot from them, including Terminal. Exit the install program which from memory is an auto start. and check what is under the menus.🙂

Refer to: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1492 for other boot options for troubleshooting.

Also take a look at: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570

See how you go

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Answer 10

Jun 14, 2014 2:22 PM in response to dwbrecovery

Ok. So I got to Terminal a typed down pmset -g and got a bunch of info.

This is a copy:

Active Profiles:

Battery Power 1*

AC Power 2

Currently in use:

sleep 10

sms 1

acwake 0

displaysleep 2

hibernatefile /var/vm/sleepimage

hibernatemode 3

halfdim 1

lidwake 1

ttyskeepawake 1

disksleep 10

Is it ok? How do I change the settings and to which value?

Thanks!

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Answer 11

Jun 15, 2014 12:42 AM in response to Human_AfterAll

Hi, these settings look ok, but I suggest to try disabling some of these settings to try to get the machine at least usable. These disabled settings are not meant to be a fix but it will allow for further investigations.

Currently,

Profile in use is Battery

display will sleep in 2 min

disk will spindown in 10 min

system will sleep in 10 min

wake on network enabled

hibernatemode is " store memory to disk, keep power to memory, if power loss, restore from disk image"

acwake - will not wake system if power source is changed.

Type this command into Terminal.app:

sudo pmset -a displaysleep 0 disksleep 0 sleep 0 womp 0 hibernatemode 0 acwake 1

a prompt will appear for a password, use your password of your current account

After this command, All profiles will have:

no display sleep, no disk spindown, no system sleep, no net wake, lose memory on power loss, wake on change of power source.

If you look at the output of command: man pmset and page towards the end. the last line states:

"pmset modifies the same file that System Preferences Energy Saver modifies"

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Answer 12

Jun 15, 2014 12:53 PM in response to dwbrecovery

Hey, man!

After I posted my last comment, I went after the opmset command syntax on this MBP that I'm using now. Turns out that the "man" command works here but not in the old Macbook.

So, IDK if the Terminal version on the disk is too old (it says its 2.0.1) or anything, but it doens't have the "man" command nor the "sudo" command. If I try to enter the sequence you wrote above, it returns me: " bash: sudo: command not found".

the "sudo" command is used to enable root, right? How will I do this now?

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Answer 13

Jun 15, 2014 4:06 PM in response to Human_AfterAll

Hi again,

If the sudo command is not found and the man command does not work, must have booted from the install DVD disk and not the internal disk.

The commands I posted are for when booted normally, started Terminal and quickly execute the commands before the freeze. Sorry if it wasn't clear.

btw, when booted to the install dvd, does the freezing stop? Does the machine sleep and wakeup without issue? If the machine is now stable, I suggest you install from this install dvd ( Leopard version ) and see whether the machine is stable.

Cheers

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Answer 14

Jun 15, 2014 6:15 PM in response to dwbrecovery

Dude... no success...

I tryed twice to change the settings... As soon as the mac booted I went to Terminal and typed down the commands. The first time I got lockup but the second I managed to insert the commands and it asked for the password. After I typed the pw down it accepted the settings and seemed to be runing smoothly!

I opened Safari and acessed a few pages. Then I closed the lid and opened it back again, just for getting the ole lockup back...

About the install DVD boot. No the machine won't lockup... The MB is running a Leopard from this same install DVD. So I don't believe that it would solve the problems.

The weirdest of all thing is that if I make a new partition and Bootcamp it with the other OS, things run smoothly as nothing has ever happened. Could it be something about the HDD? I can't think of any other possibility.

Thanks, man!

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Answer 15

Jun 15, 2014 9:55 PM in response to Human_AfterAll

Hi, what a trip !! 🙂

Before exploring whether a disk, battery or logic board issue, lets check the install DVD OS version.

In the first post:

"One or two weeks later, when I had time, I formatted the Macintosh partition and tried to install Mac OSX Snow Leopard (the laptop default OS is Leopard, but I had bought a copy of Snow Leopard) to see if it would be different."

My opinion is that an Install with the OS which shipped with the machine, OS X Leopard , not Snow Leopard , should still be tried to confirm whether the machine can stabilize, whether installed to the internal disk or to a external disk connected to the machine. Yes, you can boot from an OS install from an external drive.

Something that other OS will not let you do unless you have a current Enterpise version of it.

This install will confirm also that the OS is not the issue but there is a hardware issue.

Do consider, Cheers

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