Dead Macbook Pro

Question

Level 1

9 points

Dead Macbook Pro

I have a unibody late 2008 macbook pro. It's been very good too me and I never had any kind of problems. I did finish 2 batteries with it and gave up buying a new battery and now use it as a desktop. I have never dropped the macbook or poured any liquid onto it.

Last week I travelled abroad and brought it in a hand carry and after arriving to my destination the macbook is stone dead.

WHen i turn it on there are no signs of life. No sound from fan or harddrive and nothing on the screen. The adapter shows the green light and I have also tried another magsafe and same thing, just stone dead. Also tried several different commands I googled and nothing seems to work.

What has happend to my macbook? What part is most likely broke? I dont have a apple store close to me. Is there anything else I could try by myself?

Any help much appreciated.

Mac OS 9.2.x

Posted on Dec 4, 2014 5:05 AM

Reply

Answer 1

chuck_3rd

Community Specialist

Dec 5, 2014 11:41 AM in response to skx007

Hello skx007,

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

The first thing I would do in this situation where a Mac is not powering on, is to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) by following the directions below.

Resetting the SMC on Mac portables with a battery you can remove

Note: Learn about removing the battery on MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Shut down the computer.

Disconnect the MagSafe power adapter from the computer, if it's connected.

Remove the battery.

Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.

Release the power button.

Reconnect the battery and MagSafe power adapter.

Press the power button to turn on the computer.

Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) - Apple Support

Take care,

Alex H.

Reply

Answer 2

skx007 Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 7, 2014 10:52 AM in response to chuck_3rd

Thank you Alex!

I tried this and still no signs of life, the macbook is stone dead. Something has obviously happend during my trip. What part is most likely broke? Anything else I could try?

Reply

Answer 3

chuck_3rd

Community Specialist

Dec 9, 2014 6:38 AM in response to skx007

Hi skx007,

Since the issue is still occuring after resetting your SMC, I would recommend next that you seek service for your Mac by follow the link below.

Apple - Support - Service Answer Center

Cheers,

Alex H.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 9, 2014 6:45 AM in response to skx007

It may have had a major hardware failure meaning it's toast. The same thing happened just a couple months ago to my uncle's macbook pro. He had it for 8 years and didn't have any problems except battery and charger. Keep trying to reset the SMC. Does the charger light on the cable change state at all when you release the keys?

Reply

Answer 5

skx007 Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 9, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Look-at-menow

Alex, thanks for the link!

menow, the light does not change, it stays green.

I am very curious to what part is toast. If harddrive is broke will the macbook make any sound or turn on at all? If logic board is toast would it match my symptoms?

Reply

Answer 6

Dec 9, 2014 7:22 AM in response to skx007

I'm guessing everything is toast. The hard drive, logic board, speakers, processor, ram, everything. If the hard drive or logic board or graphics card failed, you would have had some symptoms of failure.

Reply

Answer 7

spudnuty

Level 5

7,116 points

Dec 9, 2014 8:33 AM in response to skx007

I have a late 2008 MBP 15" here and it will not start without a good battery in place. In your case if the battery is bad maybe the same result. In fact if I try to start it without the battery it won't start but if I disconnect it and put a good battery in it starts up without my having to push the power button.

Reply

Answer 8

skx007 Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 9, 2014 9:58 AM in response to spudnuty

spudnuty wrote:

I have a late 2008 MBP 15" here and it will not start without a good battery in place. In your case if the battery is bad maybe the same result. In fact if I try to start it without the battery it won't start but if I disconnect it and put a good battery in it starts up without my having to push the power button.

Spudnuty, thanks for this. I already considered this and when you now tell me yours want start without the battery, it gives me some hope, but I still doubt it since Ive been using my mac without battery the last couple of years(but always connected to magsafe as a desktop).I don't have the battery with me but I will try this when I go back home. I guess this would be the best and cheapest solution I could hope for.

Reply

Answer 9

spudnuty

Level 5

7,116 points

Dec 9, 2014 12:10 PM in response to skx007

So is your's a 13, 15 or 17" MBP Late 2008?

Reply

Answer 10

skx007 Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 9, 2014 12:25 PM in response to spudnuty

spudnuty wrote:

So is your's a 13, 15 or 17" MBP Late 2008?

15" MBP Late 2008.

Reply

Answer 11

spudnuty

Level 5

7,116 points

Dec 9, 2014 12:36 PM in response to skx007

>15" MBP Late 200<

OK identical to the one I have here. That one is also acting weird. Sometimes it won't start but gives 3 beeps. Setting SMC and PRAM will correct the problem. My daughter was using it and never turned it off, just dimmed the backlight off. I replaced the top case/keyboard/trackpad and it doesn't have the sleep problem anymore but will do the beep thing when it's been off for a while.

You should also check the MagnaSafe port for smutz.

It's also possible that a connector came undone during your travels, especially the one to the keyboard.

It can also be that the connector to the power button or the power button itself is bad/stuck/discontinuous. There are two startup pads on the logic board if it comes to that and you want to test startup, email me.

> I still doubt it since Ive been using my mac without battery the last couple of years(b<

Probably the case but I've seen no start situations where swapping out batteries or putting in a battery enabled startup. Even though that's not supposed to be the case.

Reply

Answer 12

skx007 Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 9, 2014 3:48 PM in response to spudnuty

spudnuty wrote:

>15" MBP Late 200<

OK identical to the one I have here. That one is also acting weird. Sometimes it won't start but gives 3 beeps. Setting SMC and PRAM will correct the problem. My daughter was using it and never turned it off, just dimmed the backlight off. I replaced the top case/keyboard/trackpad and it doesn't have the sleep problem anymore but will do the beep thing when it's been off for a while.

You should also check the MagnaSafe port for smutz.

It's also possible that a connector came undone during your travels, especially the one to the keyboard.

It can also be that the connector to the power button or the power button itself is bad/stuck/discontinuous. There are two startup pads on the logic board if it comes to that and you want to test startup, email me.

> I still doubt it since Ive been using my mac without battery the last couple of years(b<

Probably the case but I've seen no start situations where swapping out batteries or putting in a battery enabled startup. Even though that's not supposed to be the case.

Thank you for this, very helpful. I will update here after I try the battery next week.

Reply