Why does MacBook 2006 restart spontaneously?

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Level 1

59 points

Why does MacBook 2006 restart spontaneously?

Does anyone have an explanation for spontaneous, apparently unprompted restarts or know how to prevent them?

My old 13" Macbook (early 2006) restarted spontaneously twice in one evening. Conditions were: It was not asleep but not being actively used (the first time I was on the phone and the second time I was out of the room). Firefox and Entourage were running, and since Firefox has been very slowly lately and I've had to force quit several times to keep it going, maybe Firefox is causing these spontaneous restarts. The computer also sometimes spontaneously starts making a grinding noise, usually on starting up but sometimes out of nowhere. Thanks!

MacBook

Posted on Jun 9, 2016 8:34 PM

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Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Jun 9, 2016 8:40 PM in response to Turtlewiz

Turtlewiz wrote:

Does anyone have an explanation for spontaneous, apparently unprompted restarts or know how to prevent them?

The computer also sometimes spontaneously starts making a grinding noise

That's the most troubling part. It may indicate a problem with your hard drive. Depending on the OS you are running, either start up from your OEM install DVDs and choose Disk Utility > Repair Disk, or boot into your recovery volume holding the command + shift + r keys and choose Disk Utility > First Aid.

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Answer 2

Turtlewiz Author

Level 1

59 points

Jun 10, 2016 7:25 AM in response to macjack

Thanks, macjack. I'm sure you're right about the hard drive: I'd already run Disk Utility internally and know that the disk needs to be repaired. Unfortunately, when I tried the install DVD option (OS 10.6.8), the optical drive kept spitting it out. Actually, at the moment I don't even have access to an install DVD any more: I tried to boot up an identical MacBook that had already died to see if I could at least recover the files for migration to the computer I wanted to buy, but the dead computer ate the install DVD and I can't find a way to get it to spit it out. I'm hoping the computer I'm working on will hold off dying for a few days more until I can have a new MacBook set up!

Since I'm pretty much a technodunce--as you can probably tell from this sad story--could you clarify what you mean by a "recovery volume"? Would that be a backup disk like Kingston or Passport? I don't have a separate retrieval program, other than the unavailable install DVD that this optical drive refuses to accept anyway. Thanks again for any thoughts!

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Answer 3

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Jun 10, 2016 3:08 PM in response to Turtlewiz

OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support

Some Macs that came with OS X Snow Leopard can use Internet Recovery after installing OS X Lion or later and a software update.

I think you may be right about Firefox, uninstall it and see if the problem persists.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/uninstall-firefox-from-your-computer

You can purchase new install discs here, if you can get the old disc out.

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

http://guides.macrumors.com/Force_Eject_a_Stuck_CD_or_DVD

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