Macbook Pro Mid 2012 boots into black screen

[Bolanders]

My wife's friend has a MacBook Pro. Apple walked her through putting Catalina on it the other day and it now only boots into black screen. I can boot into safe mode, but if I try anything else it goes to black screen. You can tell it is on but nothing on the screen.


I am trying to boot to USB so I can wipe it clean and install High Sierra but even when I can get to the USB (which is rare) once I select install High Sierra it goes to black screen.

What can I do?

I have tried resetting NVRAM and SMC with keyboard shortcuts. I have also tried all the tricks I have read about like pressing middle keypad and holding power for 30 seconds.

 

[Analias]

Is this a 13" or a 15"?

 

[Bolanders]

15"

 

[Analias]

It'll be the solder on the U8900. Common and well known problem with the mid 2012 15". It has nothing to do with the os you are running, as coincidental as it may seem. Catalina may have triggered it, but it was bound to happen anyway.

SolderFix - Microsoldering Repair Service

Expert microsoldering repair work on electronic equipment and components. Solder Fix offers component level repair on a wide range of computer and electronic equipment.

www.macupgrades.co.uk

 

[Bolanders]

It'll be the solder on the U8900. Common and well known problem with the mid 2012 15".

SolderFix - Microsoldering Repair Service

Expert microsoldering repair work on electronic equipment and components. Solder Fix offers component level repair on a wide range of computer and electronic equipment.

www.macupgrades.co.uk

Ok. Would that make sense that it could still boot safe mode but not normal mode?


She had not used it in years. It was her ex husbands

 

[Analias]

Yes, because in safe mode it is only utilising the integrated gpu. It is when it switches to the discreet gpu that the problem occurs. On a normal boot it switches to discreet just over halfway through the loading bar. This is where you'll notice the screen dim/brighten on a normal boot. On yours it'll just go black.

 

[Bolanders]

Yes, because in safe mode it is only utilising the integrated gpu. It is when it switches to the discreet gpu that the problem occurs. On a normal boot it switches to discreet just over halfway through the loading bar. This is where you'll notice the screen dim/brighten on a normal boot. On yours it'll just go black.

You are the best. Thank you so much. I will let her know.

 

[Analias]

It is a very simple repair for an experienced tech. Other then this fault the mid 2012 is very robust. Worthwhile getting it resoldered in my opinion.

 

[HelpMeHelpU]

Believe it or not, there may actually be a software fix for this issue, which is similar to an issue I was having on a late 2013 15" MBP.

See here for SW: https://realmacmods.com/product/macbook-pro-nocrash-utility/

I would not have believed it if I didn't try it myself (and paid the ten bucks), but it actually worked.

I found it in a discussion here: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-12471 (MBP random shutdown solution)

See also here for the HW fix (if it's the same issue).

Thank goodness for Google.

 

[Analias]

Believe it or not, there may actually be a software fix for this issue, which is similar to an issue I was having on a late 2013 15" MBP.

See here for SW: https://realmacmods.com/product/macbook-pro-nocrash-utility/

I would not have believed it if I didn't try it myself (and paid the ten bucks), but it actually worked.

I found it in a discussion here: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-12471 (MBP random shutdown solution)

See also here for the HW fix (if it's the same issue).

Thank goodness for Google.

That's not going to fix it. They specifically state it's for 2013-15 models. The problem here is well known and widespread and applies specifically to the 2012 15" retina.

 

[edubfromktown]

This happened to me on my mid-2012 when I installed Mojave the 1st time and I was totally baffled.

After letting it gather dust on the shelf for a few months, I booted up from an external USB drive and reinstalled. It has been working fine ever since.

Might be worth trying that (and I’d also recommend running Mojave).