Brian Schreiber
Level 1 (39 points)
Apple Music

Q: 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

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Brian Schreiber

Q: can't reset PRAM??!@#

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  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Apr 23, 2015 8:25 AM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 5 (7,895 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 23, 2015 8:25 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

    Make sure you're doing it correctly:

    Resetting NVRAM

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

  • by Brian Schreiber,

    Brian Schreiber Brian Schreiber Apr 23, 2015 8:36 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Apple Music
    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.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Apr 23, 2015 8:58 AM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 5 (7,895 points)
    Desktops
    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.

  • by Brian Schreiber,

    Brian Schreiber Brian Schreiber Apr 23, 2015 10:34 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Apple Music
    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.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Apr 23, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 5 (7,895 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 23, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

    They are the same thing.

  • by Brian Schreiber,

    Brian Schreiber Brian Schreiber Apr 23, 2015 10:51 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Apple Music
    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?!@$%

  • by dalstott,

    dalstott dalstott Apr 24, 2015 3:16 PM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 4 (2,625 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

  • by spudnuty,

    spudnuty spudnuty Apr 25, 2015 12:20 AM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 5 (7,097 points)
    Mac OS X
    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):

    1. reset-NVRAM
    2. set-defaults
    3. 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

  • by Brian Schreiber,

    Brian Schreiber Brian Schreiber Apr 26, 2015 2:51 AM in response to spudnuty
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Apple Music
    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?

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Apr 26, 2015 4:32 AM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 6 (17,194 points)
    Apple Watch
    Apr 26, 2015 4:32 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

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

  • by Brian Schreiber,

    Brian Schreiber Brian Schreiber Apr 26, 2015 10:26 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Apple Music
    Apr 26, 2015 10:26 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    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.

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Apr 26, 2015 1:29 PM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 6 (17,194 points)
    Apple Watch
    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.

  • by Brian Schreiber,

    Brian Schreiber Brian Schreiber Apr 26, 2015 3:49 PM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Apple Music
    Apr 26, 2015 3:49 PM in response to Mike Sombrio

    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?

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Apr 26, 2015 5:22 PM in response to Brian Schreiber
    Level 6 (17,194 points)
    Apple Watch
    Apr 26, 2015 5:22 PM in response to Brian Schreiber

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

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