Bought a beat up Macbook Pro at auction, needs HDD, Keyboard flickering

[theLemur]

So I picked up a beat up Macbook Pro at a police unclaimed items auction this week. It's a 15" silver model, not the unibody, and I think it's a penryn version.

It has a 2.4ghz cpu and 2gb of ram, which I have read that I can upgrade to 6gb (4gb + 2gb of 667mhz PC 5300), is this accurate?

The laptop didn't have the 200gb hard drive, so I am planning on buying either a 500gb 7200rpm HDD, or a solid state drive. However, there is no caddy or adaptor for any hard drive... instead just two tiny white plugs. What am I missing?

If I do a solid state drive, do I need any special adapters? Any particular specs on the drive? (aside from size)

Finally, the backlight on the keyboard is flickering like something is loose, and the right side doesnt light up when it lights up. Is there a particular connection that might cause this? I already have it apart on my desk.

Thanks!

 

[Young Spade]

So I picked up a beat up Macbook Pro at a police unclaimed items auction this week. It's a 15" silver model, not the unibody, and I think it's a penryn version.

It has a 2.4ghz cpu and 2gb of ram, which I have read that I can upgrade to 6gb (4gb + 2gb of 667mhz PC 5300), is this accurate?

The laptop didn't have the 200gb hard drive, so I am planning on buying either a 500gb 7200rpm HDD, or a solid state drive. However, there is no caddy or adaptor for any hard drive... instead just two tiny white plugs. What am I missing?

If I do a solid state drive, do I need any special adapters? Any particular specs on the drive? (aside from size)

Finally, the backlight on the keyboard is flickering like something is loose, and the right side doesnt light up when it lights up. Is there a particular connection that might cause this? I already have it apart on my desk.

Thanks!

Why don't you just stop, copy and paste these questions into a word document, and spend 5 minutes just searching for the answers?

They're all here, and all easily findable.

Good God.

 

[theLemur]

Why don't you just stop, copy and paste these questions into a word document, and spend 5 minutes just searching for the answers?

They're all here, and all easily findable.

Good God.

This is a discussion forum, not an encyclopedia, so it's reasonable to do some research and ask for confirmation on my findings, as I have done. I hadn't realized my posting was so offensive. Hopefully you can recover from the trauma.

 

[Young Spade]

This is a discussion forum, not an encyclopedia, so it's reasonable to do some research and ask for confirmation on my findings, as I have done. I hadn't realized my posting was so offensive. Hopefully you can recover from the trauma.

You're right, luckily I'm drinking some hot peppermint tea to calm my nerves.

Let me rephrase:

You can find all of the information you asked a lot faster if you just search for it yourself. Since it is already all here.

 

[theLemur]

Perhaps someone else will be kind enough to assist. In the time that you've spent expressing your frustration, you could have replied with the info I requested.

 

[jenzjen]

Perhaps someone else will be kind enough to assist. In the time that you've spent expressing your frustration, you could have replied with the info I requested.

I think what YS is trying to say is how hard is it to search yourself? Your logic about it being a discussion forum is flawed, because if everyone simply re-asked the same ?s over and over again, the forum would die quickly.

This will help http://www.ifixit.com/Browse/MacBook_Pro

 

[theLemur]

I think what YS is trying to say is how hard is it to search yourself? Your logic about it being a discussion forum is flawed, because if everyone simply re-asked the same ?s over and over again, the forum would die quickly.

And if everyone didn't ask the same questions the forum would fail because it survives on advertisements/pageviews for income.

Anyway, I've searched and searched, and I cannot find any info on the right half of the keyboard backlight being completely out. Not off due to the ambient light sensors, but completely out, while the left side flickers when you touch it.

As far as my ram question, I did some research and posted what I had learned, asking for confirmation. Just reading one persons post isn't enough to warrant purchasing hardware.

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I think what YS is trying to say is how hard is it to search yourself? Your logic about it being a discussion forum is flawed, because if everyone simply re-asked the same ?s over and over again, the forum would die quickly.

This will help http://www.ifixit.com/Browse/MacBook_Pro

I appreciate your link, but I've already disassembled the machine with that tutorial. I cannot find any information on why half of the keyboard would be out.

 

[jenzjen]

And if everyone didn't ask the same questions the forum would fail because it survives on advertisements/pageviews for income.

Still wrong, but I appreciate the effort. Just schedule a Genius Bar appointment and let them tell you what's wrong with the KB, maybe liquid, who knows.

 

[theLemur]

Still wrong, but I appreciate the effort. Just schedule a Genius Bar appointment and let them tell you what's wrong with the KB, maybe liquid, who knows.

I'm sure someone on here has dealt with this issue before.

 

[IllIllIll]

Anyway, I've searched and searched, and I cannot find any info on the right half of the keyboard backlight being completely out. Not off due to the ambient light sensors, but completely out, while the left side flickers when you touch it.

Funny, I just typed "macbook keyboard flickering" in Google and found over 4500 postings from the Apple Support discussion boards alone addressing this issue.

You're either lazy or just incompetent when it comes to searching.

 

[theLemur]

Funny, I just typed "macbook keyboard flickering" in Google and found over 4500 postings from the Apple Support discussion boards alone addressing this issue.

You're either lazy or just incompetent when it comes to searching.

And they are all about the ambient light sensor, which ive covered with my hand and it doesnt change anything.

Why does everyone on this board have an elitist egocentric attitude?

 

[IllIllIll]

And they are all about the ambient light sensor, which ive covered with my hand and it doesnt change anything.

Why does everyone on this board have an elitist egocentric attitude?

Not everyone. Some like you appear to have the attitude that you're entitled to have everyone else do your research for you.

Maybe if you did the exact same search I just told you about instead of asking, you could find out yourself whether any or all of them had anything to do with the ambient light sensor.

 

[416049]

And they are all about the ambient light sensor, which ive covered with my hand and it doesnt change anything.

Why does everyone on this board have an elitist egocentric attitude?

I guess you were just unlucky, btw here is a solution (for the flickering) it was posted on this forum a couple of years ago though:


Find the inverter and get a new one from ebay or your local tech shop

Mine used to do that. Drove me nuts. I sent it for repair (Bad Inverter). Really simple fix got it back in like 2 days and the problem went away.

Get it Repaired.

Can you put your serial number into here:

http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php

(you should find it somewhere within the case. And tell us the model, its easier to figure stuff out from there.)

Not everyone. Some like you appear to have the attitude that you're entitled to have everyone else do your research for you.

Maybe if you did the exact same search I just told you about instead of asking, you could find out yourself whether any or all of them had anything to do with the ambient light sensor.

Fair enough thats ur opinion but edit that post or it could get you some trouble with the admins... calling somebody lazy and incompetent is just plainly insulting another member

 

[thuglove]

Just out of curiosity, how much did you pay for the MBP at the auction?

 

[theLemur]

Not everyone. Some like you appear to have the attitude that you're entitled to have everyone else do your research for you.

Maybe if you did the exact same search I just told you about instead of asking, you could find out yourself whether any or all of them had anything to do with the ambient light sensor..

I've done the search, and the info I need isn't there. I don't expect that everyone do the research, but I expect to be able to ask a legitimate question without a condescending and accusing attitude. I've done the research, and I've hit a dead end. Back off and get your self fulfilling high from someone else.

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maril1111, thank you for your assistance, it is appreciated. The model number that it gave me is: "MacBook Pro (Early 2008)"

I will look for this inverter your speaking of and see if it can solve my issue.

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Just out of curiosity, how much did you pay for the MBP at the auction?

For this lot of 3 as-is laptops, unable to be powered up, I paid $425. I got the Macbook Pro with no hard drive and unable to boot (was the keyboard cable disconnected). I also got an Acer laptop worth about $225 that needs a harddrive and OS, and a Toshiba laptop worth about $500, that has no power cord, hard drive, and the power port has fallen inside the case. I'll be fixing the 2 windows laptops and putting on ebay, and keeping the macbook pro for myself to replace my macbook santa rosa.

 

[416049]

I've done the search, and the info I need isn't there. I don't expect that everyone do the research, but I expect to be able to ask a legitimate question without a condescending and accusing attitude. I've done the research, and I've hit a dead end. Back off and get your self fulfilling high from someone else.

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maril1111, thank you for your assistance, it is appreciated. The model number that it gave me is: "MacBook Pro (Early 2008)"

I will look for this inverter your speaking of and see if it can solve my issue.

hey your welcome, just report IllIllIll (for insulting you), the mods will deal with him


For information regarding your laptop this is a good site:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/stats/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-2.4-aluminum-15-late-2008-unibody-specs.html

You can put 8gb ram into your mbp not only 6.

And http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?model=301

This site for some good ram, crucial and kingston are good to

 

[theLemur]

hey your welcome, just report IllIllIll (for insulting you), the mods will deal with him


For information regarding your laptop this is a good site:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/stats/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-2.4-aluminum-15-late-2008-unibody-specs.html

You can put 8gb ram into your mbp not only 6.

And http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?model=301

This site for some good ram, crucial and kingston are good to

Awesome, thanks! Good thing I didn't buy the 6gb ram yet. I guess updating the boot rom will be worth it. I'm excited to get this thing together and start using it!

 

[416049]

This inverter, is it specific to the keyboard? I see some that look like they handle both the screen and keyboard. My screen doesnt appear to be having issues.

I am not sure but I think there is only one inverter, so yeah just exchange the whole thing better be safe than sorry

So is calling somebody elitist and egocentric, wouldn't you agree?

I agree and i don't want to get into this whole he/she started it but you did start it with:

You're either lazy or just incompetent when it comes to searching.

It only went downhill from there...

 

[maflynn]

This thread has strayed off the topic from people telling the OP to search without providing any additional help or links and people insulting other members.