can't reset PRAM??!@#

Question

can't reset PRAM??!@#

I've tried multiple times and can NOT reset the PRAM(opt-cmd-P-R) on my old MacBook (13", 2 GhZ Intel Core Duo, early 2007, System 10.6.8 Snow Leapard). It keeps just coming up to desktop as if nothing is being pressed. huh? This is a first. The reason I'm trying is it sometimes(more often than NOT) refuses to shut down or restart-- just sits there with a blue screen after finder is off. It performed same yesterday also before I upgraded to Snow Leapard.

By the way, battery is mostly GONE. any effect there?

Suggestions, for EITHER problem? thanks! Brian

MacBook Intel 2 core Duo 2GH, Work:G4 FW800, Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on Apr 23, 2015 8:03 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

Apr 23, 2015 8:25 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

Make sure you're doing it correctly:

Resetting NVRAM

Shut down your Mac.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R.
Turn on your Mac.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys immediately after you hear the startup sound.
Hold these keys until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for a second time.
Release the keys.

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 23, 2015 8:36 AM in response to Lanny

Lanny, my point of the post was:

I Have ALREADY done EXACTLY THAT. THAT(!) IS THE PROBLEM.

It is NOT working-- period. No bong sound, the PRAM reset protocol does NOT work.

Reply

Answer 3

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

Apr 23, 2015 8:58 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

Try this method: http://guides.macrumors.com/Resetting_The_NVRAM

While booting your Mac, hold down the keys Command + Option + O + F. This will boot the computer into Open Firmware.

At the Open Firmware 0 > prompt, type each of these lines followed by the return key:

reset-nvram

reset-all

Your computer will restart with NVRAM reset.

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 23, 2015 10:34 AM in response to Lanny

I'll try it but, I thought my Mac has PRAM not NVRAM ?? . . . we'll see, I guess. thanks.

Reply

Answer 5

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

Apr 23, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

They are the same thing.

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 23, 2015 10:51 AM in response to Lanny

NO JOY. THis did not cause the boot into open firmware. Same thing occurred. AM I missing something. This is pretty simple, done it many times on many Macs. . . I don't think so?!@$%

Reply

Answer 7

dalstott

Level 4

2,639 points

Apr 24, 2015 3:16 PM in response to Brian Schreiber

The reason I'm trying is it sometimes(more often than NOT) refuses to shut down or restart-- just sits there with a blue screen after finder is off.

By the way, battery is mostly GONE. any effect there?

Could be the SMC needs to be reset. Easy to do and worth a try.

Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 8

spudnuty

Level 5

7,116 points

Apr 25, 2015 12:20 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

"THis did not cause the boot into open firmware."

Wow! Open Firmware. Haven't heard that in quite a while:

http://diveintoosx.org/OpenFirmware.html
So to get there the old command was:

" Hold down command-option-O-F at the boot chime."

To reset NVRAM:

" Issue the following commands at the OpenFirmware prompt (note capitalization):

reset-NVRAM
set-defaults
reset-all"

However the problem is:

There is no Open Firmware in the new Macs:

Help: Can't Boot into Open Firmware

Where kappy says:

"There is no Open Firmware on Intel Macs. COMMAND-OPTION-O-F does not work. Intel Macs use EFI not Open Firmware. If you need to access single-user mode then boot using COMMAND-S.

Here's what we can do now:

Startup key combinations for Mac - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 9

Apr 26, 2015 2:51 AM in response to spudnuty

Thanks for the reply. However, as noted I have tried both PRAM reset and NVRAM reset(irrelevant of course) and neither actually do anything. I assume this because neither are capable of making my Mac Bong and then restart. The real question I should have asked is WHY? and how can I effectively get it to reset the PRAM as desired? This MacBook does have an aftermarket (bigger) hard drive installed. Could I have done something wrong during this install a couple years ago that is just haunting me now?

Reply

Answer 10

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Apr 26, 2015 4:32 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

Did you try dalstott's advice to reset the SMC?

Reply

Answer 11

Apr 26, 2015 10:26 AM in response to SeaPapp

I'm Trying Mike but NOW I can't remove the battery. I turned the lock and expected it to fall out. NOPE. I put it in the freezer for a half hour and still not coming out. I must be missing something. . . ?? Ha! I really feel dumb. It is an aftermarket battery and, as noted, my hard drive is aftermarket also. . . not sure if any of this is useful. Please let me know what else I need to do to get that battery out if you can! thanks folks.

Reply

Answer 12

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Apr 26, 2015 1:29 PM in response to Brian Schreiber

I'd bet that battery is swollen to the point that it is affecting the keyboard. Bad situation. If it leaks it could do some real damage.

Reply

Answer 13

Apr 26, 2015 3:49 PM in response to SeaPapp

Hey Mike, thanks for the input. I got the battery out but still did not solve the PRAM reset problem and the SMC reset did not seem to help. . .

I got the battery out by using a screwdriver and letter opener. It appears that what prevented it from coming out is the spring that normally pops out the battery was positioned behind the pin it is normally pressed against. So, the pin acted like a trap holding the spring and the battery. I pried on that end and was lucky enough to push the battery away from the pin so it could fall out.

That being said, I did a SMC reset (as advised in another thread to reset my PRAM, my original problem. . .) and the SMC reset protocol failed to allow PRAM reset also. Likewise, I found that using S and trying to reboot in safe mode does not work. SOMETHING is stopping these normal startup protocols from saving this Mac.

Can you suggest a way to dump my system information so you knowledgeable folks can analyze and have better data to judge the problem?

Reply

Answer 14

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Apr 26, 2015 5:22 PM in response to Brian Schreiber

Poat an EtreCheck report http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

Reply

Answer 15

Apr 26, 2015 6:21 PM in response to SeaPapp

thanks Mike! Here it is:

Problem description:

My MacBook often will not shut down.. . . get spinning wheel and it never stops. . . forced to hold down the power button. Attempts to use both PRAM reset protocol and Safe boot protocol do not result in them being performed. SO, PRAM reset cannot be done. I have reset the SMC to no avail. This MacBook has a partitioned, after market 300 GB Hard drive and is on its second battery since new in 2007. There are no other symptoms. It runs Vectorworks CAD software mostly. Well, ONE other symptom, the screen is growing dim. I just missed a “recall” by a few months that Apple had offered a couple years ago that would have “fixed” that. . .

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 4/26/15 8:16 PM

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook with Intel Core Duo processor available in black or white.

MacBook - model: MacBook1,1

1 2 GHz Intel Core Duo CPU: 2-core

2 GB RAM

BANK 0/DIMM0

1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 667 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM1

1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 667 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g

Battery: Health = Replace Soon - Cycle count = 507 - SN = (null)

Video Information: ℹ️

GMA 950 - VRAM: spdisplays_integrated_vram

Color LCD 1280 x 800

spdisplays_display_connector

System Software: ℹ️

Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549) - Time since boot: 0:13:55

Disk Information: ℹ️

WDC WD3200BEKT-60V5T1 disk0 : (298.09 GB)

- (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Mac Hard Drive 200 GB (disk0s2) / : 214.00 GB (129.43 GB free)

Mac Hard Drive 100 GB (disk0s3) /Volumes/Mac Hard Drive 100 GB : 105.60 GB (26.80 GB free)

USB Information: ℹ️

Micron Built-in iSight

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.diaginc.iokit.SpotPCI (2.1) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.kaspersky.kext.klif (2.2.0d16) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.palm.ClassicNotSeizeDriver (3.2) [Click for support]

/Volumes/Mac Hard Drive 100 GB/Applications/Roxio Toast Lite 6.1/Toast 6 Lite.app

[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (1.4) [Click for support]

Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[not loaded] org.samba.winbindd.plist [Click for support]

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] .SM.gul.com.google.keystone.agent.plist (hidden) [Click for support]

/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resou rces/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resou rces/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent -runMode ifneeded

[loaded] .SM.gul.com.kaspersky.kav.gui.plist (hidden) [Click for support]

open open -a Kaspersky Anti-Virus For Mac.app

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.kaspersky.kav.gui.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] .SM.gul.com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (hidden) [Click for support]

/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Flash Player Install Manager/fpsaud /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Flash Player Install Manager/fpsaud

[loaded] .SM.gul.com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (hidden) [Click for support]

/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/MacOS /GoogleSoftwareUpdateDaemon /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/MacOS /GoogleSoftwareUpdateDaemon

[loaded] .SM.gul.com.google.keystone.daemon4.plist (hidden) [Click for support]

/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/MacOS /GoogleSoftwareUpdateDaemon /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/MacOS /GoogleSoftwareUpdateDaemon

[not loaded] .SM.gul.com.kaspersky.kav.plist (hidden) [Click for support]

/Library/Application Support/Kaspersky Lab/KAV/Binaries/kav /Library/Application Support/Kaspersky Lab/KAV/Binaries/kav -r -bl

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper UNKNOWN Hidden (missing value)

System Events Application Hidden (/System/Library/CoreServices/System Events.app)

AirPort Base Station Agent Application (/System/Library/CoreServices/AirPort Base Station Agent.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

OpenDNS Updater Application Hidden (/Applications/OpenDNS Updater.app)

Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX Application Hidden (/Applications/Canon Utilities/IJ Network Scanner Selector EX/Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 8.1.0 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 13.9.8 - SDK 10.6 Check version

o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.38.6.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 6.0

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.6.6

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

DirectorShockwave: Version: 11.5.1r601 [Click for support]

googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.38.6.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.4.4.2 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.10411.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

DivXBrowserPlugin: Version: 1.4 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

1-ClickWeather

WOT

Awesome Screenshot

AdBlock

Duplicate Tab Button

Audio Plug-ins: ℹ️

iSightAudio: Version: 7.6.6

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

DivX [Click for support]

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Perian [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine information requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or later.

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

7% Dropbox

2% WindowServer

1% SoftwareUpdateCheck

1% fontd

0% blued

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

96 MB Dropbox

70 MB SoftwareUpdateCheck

57 MB mds

25 MB WindowServer

25 MB mdworker(2)

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

1.06 GB Free RAM

965 MB Used RAM

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Apr 26, 2015, 08:00:37 PM Self test - passed

Reply