Hello, i have a MacBook pro spring 2010 running 10.6.8 and the other day I performed and update after the update, my Mac will not reach the login screen it does the grey apple boot up page and then goes black. The keyboard backlights are on and I can play music, adjust volume, eject disks, and adjust keyboard brightness. I have tried to boot it in safe mode by holding shift, so i can run an fsck command and it didn't work, I've tried To reset my PRAM and SCM but the loading bar on the grey bootup Page loads half way and then dissapears, I have tried to run disk utility from the install disk by holding c during reboot but the computer just continually reboots itself, I then booted it and held option and selected to boot from the install disk and it again continually rebooted itself. I have tried to reach apple for support but am unable to as it is well past the 90 days free support period and the closest apple store is 6 hours away from my house so bringing it to an apple store isn't an option for at least 2-3 weeks. This is extremely inconvenient as I have a major assignment on this computer that is due thursday, if anyone has any ideas as to what is wrong please post some possible answers. Also I am sorry for the large block of text I am typing this on my iPhone
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MacBook Pro spring 2010 won't boot
- Thread starter conorgamelin
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I've got one potential solution for the dreaded Mac grey screen and a timecruch in which to fix the problem ASAP: Firewire Target Disk Mode
If you are in a real jam, I suggest using Firewire Target Disk Mode to reinstall OSX on your Macbook. You will need another Mac with a firewire port and your OSX install disk. You will run the install utility on the "host" machine and install on the "target" disk, namely your Macbook's harddrive. It works really great with healthy Macs.
Yes, this will wipe your current computer, but I've rescued several Macs from the grey screen of death using Target Disc Mode. Also, before you do the install, if you are able to boot into Target Disc Mode, you can try to access the Macbook's hard drive and transfer any papers -- or any other files or data -- you need and transfer to the host machine. Very, very useful, Target Disc Mode is a great feature all Apple users should learn about.
Finally, if you are able to boot your laptop into Target Disc Mode, and able to do a fresh OSX install, but your Macbook still will not boot, you've got a faulty machine, probably a logic board issue, and a problem that is highly likely going to need a trip to the Apple store, and a repair that is going to take a couple days at least. (We own lots of macs and run our office on them, so been there, done that many times.)
If you are in a real jam, I suggest using Firewire Target Disk Mode to reinstall OSX on your Macbook. You will need another Mac with a firewire port and your OSX install disk. You will run the install utility on the "host" machine and install on the "target" disk, namely your Macbook's harddrive. It works really great with healthy Macs.
Yes, this will wipe your current computer, but I've rescued several Macs from the grey screen of death using Target Disc Mode. Also, before you do the install, if you are able to boot into Target Disc Mode, you can try to access the Macbook's hard drive and transfer any papers -- or any other files or data -- you need and transfer to the host machine. Very, very useful, Target Disc Mode is a great feature all Apple users should learn about.
Finally, if you are able to boot your laptop into Target Disc Mode, and able to do a fresh OSX install, but your Macbook still will not boot, you've got a faulty machine, probably a logic board issue, and a problem that is highly likely going to need a trip to the Apple store, and a repair that is going to take a couple days at least. (We own lots of macs and run our office on them, so been there, done that many times.)
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The grey screen I was referring too is the standard one that occurs everytime you boot you're Mac, with the apple symbol, pin wheel and chime noise afterwards the screen is completely blank (black) not grey
If you can't do a clean install using the Mac Pro's hard drive, do as I suggested. Save your data and do a remote OSX fresh install using TDM. Because your problem arose only after a software update, this may resurrect your machine.
And if it doesn't, you've got something more serious than a mere OS X issue/error.
And if it doesn't, you've got something more serious than a mere OS X issue/error.
I had exactly the same issue and the same results that you had trying to reboot. Sometimes I got further than other but in the end I was stuck on the apple. It was the logic board. My Macbook pro was about 5 years old so I thought Apple wouldnt fix it. I brought a new, lovely shinny one (I actually needed an excuse to do this) and gave mine to my sister to try and fix.She took it to the Apple Store and they did dome tests. They told her there was a batch of MBP that had faulty logic boards and ran a test. They told me it would be £980 to fix but as mine was one of the faulty ones they fixed it for free!!! My sister was very happy 
If yours is not faulty they will still diagnose it for you!
If yours is not faulty they will still diagnose it for you!