2013 MacBook Pro not turning on correctly.

[mremnant]

Hello All. Just before we all got sent home from work to WFH I was given a MacBook Pro with the comment "If you can fix it you can have it". The specs are below. At first I throught the battery was dead as it was displaying the plug it in logo. I popped it on charge and then nothing. Left it overnight but still nothing. If I listen closley I can hear the fans reving but thats it.

I tried a few different button combos and then I hit on one that worked. If I press and hold the power with it unplugged and then plug it in it powers on. The fans are on max and some features aren't working and if I unplug it it powers off. I had a look online and I couldn't find a name for this mode but I think it is a special Apple mode?

Does anyone have any ideas of other things I could try to get it working or is it terminal? From what I can gather it had a rather easy life and isnt damaged in anyway that I can see but I think it was in stroage for quite awhile.

I must add that sadly we are not allow back at the office until the current COVID-19 crisis dies down and I left my screwdrivers at work to get into it. I have ordered some more but I'm praying for a fix that does not require me to open it up.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013)
2.4 GHz Intel Core i7
16GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536MB

Running Catalina 10.15.3

 

[Honza1]

I had that model, now it is used by my son. Very useful MBP.
Did you try reset PRAM? Google it, but if I remember, it is cmd+opt+p+r immediately after making it start. Or hold those down and push start button. Yes, you may need help ;-)
This may - or may not - help. Especially if battery went completely dead for some time.
But it could not have been in storage too long - Catalina 10.15.3 is current release. So someone had to upgrade system within the last 1-2 months. Which suggests something broke recently.

 

[mremnant]

I had that model, now it is used by my son. Very useful MBP.
Did you try reset PRAM? Google it, but if I remember, it is cmd+opt+p+r immediately after making it start. Or hold those down and push start button. Yes, you may need help ;-)
This may - or may not - help. Especially if battery went completely dead for some time.
But it could not have been in storage too long - Catalina 10.15.3 is current release. So someone had to upgrade system within the last 1-2 months. Which suggests something broke recently.

Thanks I will give that a go. It was back to Mojave but I can power it up in that limp start and with that I managed to upgrade just incase that helped but sadly not.
[automerge]1584973333[/automerge]

I had that model, now it is used by my son. Very useful MBP.
Did you try reset PRAM? Google it, but if I remember, it is cmd+opt+p+r immediately after making it start. Or hold those down and push start button. Yes, you may need help ;-)
This may - or may not - help. Especially if battery went completely dead for some time.
But it could not have been in storage too long - Catalina 10.15.3 is current release. So someone had to upgrade system within the last 1-2 months. Which suggests something broke recently.

Sadly resetting the PRAM didnt work 🙁