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Grey Screen of DEATH?

4

4S FED

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 21, 2009
4
0
Macbook Pro won't boot. (17", 2.6GHz Core Duo, 1GB Ram, ATI Radeon x1600, blah, blah)

I hit the power button, it makes the "start-up chime", then just sits there. It won't let me do anything... I've tried to safe boot, and it wont do that either. I get no apple or pin wheel, or question mark, or anything... it just sits there.... all grey and sh*t. :( Any suggestions? :eek:
 
Pop in your most recent install dvd, hit the option key when booting, boot into the dvd and run disk utility. If it can repair it it will, if not there are some other options too.

Also I'm noticing a lot of hard drive failures (mine being one of them) recently. Is there some conspiracy I am missing?
 
You can always go pick up a $29 copy of snow leopard if you have an intel-based mac... thats what I had to wind up doing after my big crash.
 
BinfordsTool said:
You can always go pick up a $29 copy of snow leopard if you have an intel-based mac... thats what I had to wind up doing after my big crash.
Click to expand...


So, that's what we think is going on then? It's still running OS X Tiger (10.4.x), so I'm guessing its due for a change. :eek: If I install Snow Leopard, will I have to wipe my HD and loose all of my files? :confused: It's the family's only MAC, and I have never messed with Macs before.

Where do you suggest I get a DVD of the new OS from? They have a Apple Store in Orlando, but that's a pretty good clip from here....
 
Just making sure, are you running an intel based mac? snow leopard doesn't support powerpc.

Try best buy for a retail copy of snow leopard if so.

Otherwise, ebay yourself a copy of leopard or tiger. Upgrading doesn't do a complete wipe of what you have, it'll migrate most of your files and such... however you won't be running this as an upgrade first, you'll be utilizing the disk utility found at the setup screen (if memory serves me right, you click on the bar at the top and select disk utility)
 
BinfordsTool said:
Just making sure, are you running an intel based mac? snow leopard doesn't support powerpc.

Try best buy for a retail copy of snow leopard if so.

Otherwise, ebay yourself a copy of leopard or tiger. Upgrading doesn't do a complete wipe of what you have, it'll migrate most of your files and such... however you won't be running this as an upgrade first, you'll be utilizing the disk utility found at the setup screen (if memory serves me right, you click on the bar at the top and select disk utility)
Click to expand...

Yes, Sir... Macbook Pro is Intel based... as stated in my first post ("(17", 2.6GHz Core Duo, 1GB Ram, ATI Radeon x1600, blah, blah) ")

I just took it to my local Authorized Apple service center. They said the hard drive is toast. They attempted to boot it from their server and got the "file with a question mark" thingy. :confused: They wanted to charge me $180 to "look at it" and tell me for sure what the problem was... and then another $180-200 for a new hard drive. :rolleyes:
 
4S FED said:
Yes, Sir... Macbook Pro is Intel based... as stated in my first post ("(17", 2.6GHz Core Duo, 1GB Ram, ATI Radeon x1600, blah, blah) ")

I just took it to my local Authorized Apple service center. They said the hard drive is toast. They attempted to boot it from their server and got the "file with a question mark" thingy. :confused: They wanted to charge me $180 to "look at it" and tell me for sure what the problem was... and then another $180-200 for a new hard drive. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Sorry, missed that, you can probably save money and just buy yourself a new hard drive (and the snow leopard disk also, lol). Pop it in, install a fresh copy, and try saving as much data as you can off the old hard drive by making it into an external drive using an enclosure. I doubt you'll get much if anything from it, but its worth a shot.
 
2.6Ghz with x1600 gfx and core duo?
I thought the Core Duo had max 2.16GHz.

Hds tend to die, atleast 2.5" drives since they are installed in devices that ppl then to lug around. I have a 120GB and 160GB 2.5" drive die on me the last year, those drives was about two years old.

My 3.5" doesn't die at all tho, i have several drives upto 20 years old, still kicking :p
 
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