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gboswellsac

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 3, 2010
49
0
San Antonio TX
My Niece has my old MacBookPro (pre i5 version dual core) and sent me this ..

"screen just goes black. I restarted it and have also tried holding down the command, option, O, F buttons.

When I turn it on basic turn on things happen- white apple screen, followed by the blue screen followed by the log in screen. sometimes i can get past putting in my password sometimes i can't. screen just goes straight black. it has a full charge and has been shut off and powered back on while being plugged in. "

I'm thinking hardware but before I have her send it to me thought I'd ask the experts.

Thanks Boz
 

KUguardgrl13

macrumors 68020
May 16, 2013
2,492
125
Kansas, USA
My Niece has my old MacBookPro (pre i5 version dual core) and sent me this ..

"screen just goes black. I restarted it and have also tried holding down the command, option, O, F buttons.

When I turn it on basic turn on things happen- white apple screen, followed by the blue screen followed by the log in screen. sometimes i can get past putting in my password sometimes i can't. screen just goes straight black. it has a full charge and has been shut off and powered back on while being plugged in. "

I'm thinking hardware but before I have her send it to me thought I'd ask the experts.

Thanks Boz

Depending on what year it is, you might check the hard drive cable that connects to the logic board. My 2009 has burned through a few of those. If it's a 2008, there might be something with the video card. Unfortunately I'm no expert. Hopefully someone here can enlighten you!
 

gboswellsac

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 3, 2010
49
0
San Antonio TX
Depending on what year it is, you might check the hard drive cable that connects to the logic board. My 2009 has burned through a few of those. If it's a 2008, there might be something with the video card. Unfortunately I'm no expert. Hopefully someone here can enlighten you!

I replaced hard drive cable on this one a year ago .... I would think it would last a year but damn good idea Thanks
 

gboswellsac

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 3, 2010
49
0
San Antonio TX
In the last two years I've had mine replaced probably 5 times. Hard restarts tend to burn them out :p

Wow, I would have never guessed that. Well her backups were with super duper so exchanging the drive would be an easy test, and if fails ... replace the disk drive cable again.

Thanks a definite place to start.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
I find it hard to nelieve it is the HD Cable, reason, if it was the HD cable it would still startup but shows a grey screen with a question mark, or when in the OS it just freezes.

I would recommend to reset the SMC first, this might help.
 

KUguardgrl13

macrumors 68020
May 16, 2013
2,492
125
Kansas, USA
I find it hard to nelieve it is the HD Cable, reason, if it was the HD cable it would still startup but shows a grey screen with a question mark, or when in the OS it just freezes.

I would recommend to reset the SMC first, this might help.

True I forgot about the "folder of death". You might run disk utility and see if the drive has any corruption. That's another issue I've had with screen problems.
 

gboswellsac

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 3, 2010
49
0
San Antonio TX
I find it hard to nelieve it is the HD Cable, reason, if it was the HD cable it would still startup but shows a grey screen with a question mark, or when in the OS it just freezes.

I would recommend to reset the SMC first, this might help.

I will google but in mean time ? SMC reset ?

Thanks
 

gboswellsac

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 3, 2010
49
0
San Antonio TX
Thanks to all the ideas....It now is working and she is doing a superduper as I write this and hopefully all is ok as she is in Alanta and I', in San Antonio. Appreciate the words of wisdom and as usual a way to solve the problem.

Boz
 
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