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MacBook Mid 2007 with external SSD enclosure

H

HankBukowski

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 11, 2013
18
0
Hi all

My spec.

MacBook Mid 2007
Model A1181
64 GB Crucial SD fitted new March 2013
2 GB Crucial RAM fitted new March 2013
Apple fitted new screen and palm rest August 2011
Apple fitted new logic board August 2011

MacBook has never worked properly since Apple fitted a new palm rest in 2011. They damaged the logic board while doing this so fitted a new logic board free of charge.

Since then it's been OK but if I turn it off and carry it about I have to keep rebooting to get it to recognise the drive so I've just used it at home for sharing ATV, iTunes etc. It just sits on a shelf. Then it started playing up so I took it into Apple and they assured me it was a failing HD so I thought I'd fit and SSD, up the RAM and install Lion. So since March again it just sits on the shelf purely to run ATV through it and occasional web browsing.

Last week I started getting the flashing question mark so took it in Apple, they did the tests that said logic board OK SSD OK etc. and took my SSD drive and it booted up with a external enclosure on another machine. He then told me to buy one as it must be the connection between the drive and the logic board.

Ordered a middle of the road external enclosure from Amazon with good reviews from Mac users and 4 1/2 stars. It came this morning I fitted my SSD in the external housing plugged into USB 2, hold down option key and boot and nothing. I plug in with the cable supplied (with and without double USB for more power) Tried other cables, refitted SSD in the external enclosure. Still I get nothing no 'bong' from the MacBook, black screen' not even the question mark folder. I do get a green light for a second or two on the external drive. This is the limit of my tech knowledge. I thought about gong back to Mac and seeing if they can get it going with the external housing but they can be a little 'stuffy' with the 'vintage' Macs as they call them. This is a perfectly good computer and has NEVER been used for anything other than light browsing and iTunes/ATV and only started going wrong when Apple fitted the cracked palm rest and buggering up the original logic board. They won't fix it now cos it's vintage and the work was done 18 months or so ago.

Also I sold the original broken HD on eBay for £2.00 and the guy contacted me and said it was perfectly fine?????????

Phew. So, is it time for Apple heaven for my beloved MacBook? Or does it have one last hope? Any suggestions?
Regards
Raff
 
Given your history, if you can't get anything other than a black screen, it sounds like the logic board is bad. Even if your SSD or external enclosure was bad, you should still get the question mark screen.
 
Weaselboy said:
Given your history, if you can't get anything other than a black screen, it sounds like the logic board is bad. Even if your SSD or external enclosure was bad, you should still get the question mark screen.
Click to expand...

Cheers for that, I thought so. I'm going back into Apple shop today. See what they say.

Regards
Hank
 
OK so I went back to Apple store and they once again did the Apple Dianostic test and everything was OK. Logic Board etc. He booted up holding down option key for 9 minutes (apparently that's how long it takes to recognise it) and hey presto it recognised the drive.....then the screen froze. We tried again but nothing, just grey screen while holding option for 10-15 minutes.

He said it may be the cheap enclosure (probably just to get rid of me) so I bought an Icy Box enclosure and it still won't boot from the enclosure even holding option key till my finger goes numb.

I reinstalled SSD into the MacBook, booted up and just flashing question mark.

So if its not the logic board, it's not the SSD. What the hell could it be? Is there a cable that connects the drive holder and the logic board? Could this be changed as I'm convinced this is what Apple damaged when they fixed the palm rest? This was probably why it kept cutting out when it was moved. There's no way Apple will fix it now but after them telling (guessing) what is wrong with it they're no use anyway, each technician I've had fobs me off with an educated guess. Apple have gone **** since all the trendies got into it! I'm due a MacBook Pro soon but if I could buy another machine that worked for me I would, but Apple know I can't and that's the problem.

So, as its useless to me as it is, shall I open her up? If so what could I look at as I've limited ability. Browsed the web, iFixit and can't find anything similar.

Please help, anyone?
 
It should NOT take 9 minutes to detect the bootable drives. I have the exact same machine as you and it takes MAYBE 45 seconds for it to detect my internal drive, the optical drive, and USB drives as boot options.
Even if the external drives/cables/enclosures were spotty, you should at least get to the ? or the list with the internal drive in less than 9 minutes.

Well I think you've done everything I would do. You've been patient and polite.

I am afraid that it may be time to complain (I did not say scream and throw a hissy fit).
Go back to Apple. Tell the genius that you've been having the problem ever since THEY accidentally destroyed the logic board (and that you're happy the replaced it at the time). Tell them that you've bought new hard drives, new enclosures, new cables at your own expense because the Genius said it would solve the problem (The problem you never had until THEY broke your computer).

If that doesn't get you very far, ask to speak to the manager's manager.

Tell them that you're not asking them to do anything except to fix the problem they created.

If that doesn't get you very far (it works very well for some people) then you can contact Apple's Customer Relations people. Don't be mean, just explain what happened and tell them you just want your MacBook to work again.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!!!
 
Sounds to me like something is perhaps loose ...if you don't mind doing yourself (really pretty easy if you take your time )

Look at the "hard drive connector",and double check all connections...also look at the "usb connector" and double check connections...

just pull the upper case off and check all the connections

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Replacing+MacBook+Core+2+Duo+Upper+Case/515/1

after you replace top...might wanna do a "smc" reset (with battery and ac unplugged...hold down the power button for a good 10 seconds) replace battery and ac and try booting
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm going to go back to Apple Genius and follow your advice. If that fails I've ordered this cable for £10, it's coming from the US so will take a while to arrive in the UK.

http://www.amazon.com/13-MacBook-Hard-Drive-Cable/dp/B003CO0MN6


Thanks again all and I'll report back with results.
 
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tom vilsack said:
Sounds to me like something is perhaps loose ...if you don't mind doing yourself (really pretty easy if you take your time )

Look at the "hard drive connector",and double check all connections...also look at the "usb connector" and double check connections...

just pull the upper case off and check all the connections

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Replacing+MacBook+Core+2+Duo+Upper+Case/515/1

after you replace top...might wanna do a "smc" reset (with battery and ac unplugged...hold down the power button for a good 10 seconds) replace battery and ac and try booting
Click to expand...

HD cable arrived from US and the Macbook is in perfect working condition. Why do Apple do this? It's cost me £10 for a cable to fix. If it weren't for tom and minifridge the laptop would be in landfill by now.

I spend a fortune with Apple as I need their HW and SW to work/make a living and they know this!

The MacBook 2007 now boots faster than my Macbook Pro 2012 now. On the plus side i know a lot more about how hardware works and will never believe a so called Apple Genius again.

Don't know if i should complain to Apple. Don't think it will make any difference.

Thanks again guys.
 
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