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Macbook Pro startup problem - black screen - so startup sound

G

greeny

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 20, 2008
5
0
Hi,

my macbook pro (2,16 GHz, OSX 10.4.11) doesn't boot anymore.
When I press the power button the fans start and the optical drive spins but the screen stays black and i don't hear the startup sound.

Already tried SMC, PRAM reset.

When I cool it down it boots like always but I can't restart it or turn it off and on again. I already ran apple hardware test and got the following errors:

4MEM/6/40000000: 6ee8b00c
4MEM/1/40000000: 6ee8b07c
4SNS/1/40000000: TBOT

I really don't know what to do. I can only hope it's not the logic board because afaik that's damn expensive to replace.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks
Timo
 
Hi There,

Me too! Same model, and same errors.
The warning is a RAM issue.

How much RAM does your Mac have? If it's 2 Dimms, then your in luck. Simply remove the Dimm from the Bottom slot (take the top one out first), and restart from the 1 DIMM.

If you've only got the 1 Dimm that came with it, you'll need to replace it. (About £50 per 1GB).

You'll need a mini jewelers screwdriver to get the RAM out/replaced...

That should fix your problems & pass the hardware test.

I wiped my HD and couldn't re-install the OS because of this... Back up and running now... (Wish I'd done Hardware test before all the 'Writing zero's etc. that it recommended in the other thread.) Hope this helps...
 
greeny said:
Hi,

my macbook pro (2,16 GHz, OSX 10.4.11) doesn't boot anymore.
When I press the power button the fans start and the optical drive spins but the screen stays black and i don't hear the startup sound.

Already tried SMC, PRAM reset.

When I cool it down it boots like always but I can't restart it or turn it off and on again. I already ran apple hardware test and got the following errors:

4MEM/6/40000000: 6ee8b00c
4MEM/1/40000000: 6ee8b07c
4SNS/1/40000000: TBOT

I really don't know what to do. I can only hope it's not the logic board because afaik that's damn expensive to replace.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks
Timo
Click to expand...

Troubleshooting 101:

You have a bad dimm as pointed out by ju5tin81 or you have a bad RAM Slot but you need to figure out which one is bad.

What you should do:

1. Remove both RAM dimms.

2. Install one of the dimms in the bottom slot.

3. Re-run the Apple Hardware Test. If it fails, then the one still installed is bad or the slot is bad. If it passes, both the dimm and slot are good.

4. Move the installed dimm from the bottom slot to the top slot.

5. Repeat step 3. If you have no failures, you have verified that both slots are good and the dimm is good and the other dimm is bad.

6. If you have had failures with the installed dimm in both slots, the installed dimm is bad.

Now take out that dimm and replace it with the other. Repeat steps 1-6. This is just to verify whether this dimm is good or bad and/or the slots are good.


Based on the addressing listed in the error message, I would suspect it is most likely a bad dimm and not the slot.
 
Thanks guys. I already tried this but without luck. I had 2 dimms installed removed both got a new one which was okay for about half a day and already replaced this one with another new 2 GB Kingston. Problem still persists. apple hardware test didn't report any errors on the new one but as mentioned before the macbook pro still won't boot. Checked the apple homepage and they write it might be something related to Post or Boot ROM,..... - Does anybody of you have a clue what that means or how to fix it?

Thanks
Timo
 
greeny said:
Thanks guys. I already tried this but without luck. I had 2 dimms installed removed both got a new one which was okay for about half a day and already replaced this one with another new 2 GB Kingston. Problem still persists. apple hardware test didn't report any errors on the new one but as mentioned before the macbook pro still won't boot. Checked the apple homepage and they write it might be something related to Post or Boot ROM,..... - Does anybody of you have a clue what that means or how to fix it?

Thanks
Timo
Click to expand...

With all of the changes it's possible that some cache file got corrupted. If you are now passing the Apple Hardware test, the next steps are these and in this order:

1. SMC reset
2. PRAM reset
3. Boot Safe Mode (if you can, resetting the others may have cleared some of the problem).
 
I already tried SMC and PRAM reset. No changes regarding the problem so far. :(
 
hmm it could be a logic board problem..

The symptoms for a bad logic board could be a black screen and constant sleep LED, no start up chime. take 'er in.

edit: hmm but if it was it would be consistent, as in the computer will not work at all no matter how long you wait.

have you tried EFI restore disks?
 
@e12a - Tried to reinstall EFI update but it keeps telling me that my computer doesn't need it. Is there a way to restore an old EFI? I thought the EFI restore discs only work it the update was interrupted.

It's really strange. Not only do I have to let it cool down. The magsafe adapter needs to be disconnected too.

I really hope it's not the logic board because that's a bit pricey. :(
 
are you trying to install an EFI update or an EFI restore...they are different. Look on apple's support site for the EFI restore disc image.

if this is a 1st gen mbp then it could be the heatsink "expanding" due to heat and shorting with something, or so the theory said.
 
greeny said:
Hi,

my macbook pro (2,16 GHz, OSX 10.4.11) doesn't boot anymore.
When I press the power button the fans start and the optical drive spins but the screen stays black and i don't hear the startup sound.

Already tried SMC, PRAM reset.

When I cool it down it boots like always but I can't restart it or turn it off and on again. I already ran apple hardware test and got the following errors:

4MEM/6/40000000: 6ee8b00c
4MEM/1/40000000: 6ee8b07c
4SNS/1/40000000: TBOT

I really don't know what to do. I can only hope it's not the logic board because afaik that's damn expensive to replace.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks
Timo
Click to expand...



Hi! i've got the same problem and computer!
Have you come any where further with this problem? as you say me neither wont to replace the logic board.

Would be real greatful if somebody sat on the solution!
//BR
Patrik
 
Does anyone have this same problem with the white macbook 2,1? I do. I only have one RAM dimm, and am not sure how to find out if it is the corrupted part.
 
well i think i know some thing here, MBP's early launched had faulty graphics card and even apple accepted it, the problem will be
1. you computer will start and make a chime and then the black screen of death
2. your mac will not wake up after sleep mode.
3. when u are using your mac with external display works fine when u unplug the display your mac's screen turn black

so apple said that they gonna fix all those MBP's logic board free of coast with in 2 years of purchase

i am not sure if u guys are facing the same problem , i had this problem once and i formatted my whole system i had this issue 3 times in same week, my book is 1 years old and last time i had this problem was 3 months ago, now it works fine , i am nto sure if my problem was nvidia or what.

here is the link you might wanna take a look at

http://theappleblog.com/2008/10/10/apple-officially-admits-to-faulty-nvidia-gpus/

chill
raj
 
The same issue happened to me and I found that by re-seating the interneal connectors for the DVD and the HD solved this issue! I spent several hours reading up about this issue and it was never mentioned anywhere. Based on what I had read I thought had to be my logic board but it WASN'T!

I read in several places that if the following conditions occur then it 'had' to be the logic board

(1) No startup sound
(2) Solid power light (not flashing)
(3) PRAM and SMC/PMU reset don't work
(4) RAM is compatable and correctly seated

If you can't get your system to work with the above you should check any internal connections to see if they are causing your issue, it was for me.
 
Internal connections

That's great you fixed it, jtreibick -- can I ask exactly how you fixed the internal connections? I have the same problem, it's killing me.
 
Same Problem

jtreibick said:
The same issue happened to me and I found that by re-seating the interneal connectors for the DVD and the HD solved this issue! I spent several hours reading up about this issue and it was never mentioned anywhere. Based on what I had read I thought had to be my logic board but it WASN'T!

I read in several places that if the following conditions occur then it 'had' to be the logic board

(1) No startup sound
(2) Solid power light (not flashing)
(3) PRAM and SMC/PMU reset don't work
(4) RAM is compatable and correctly seated

If you can't get your system to work with the above you should check any internal connections to see if they are causing your issue, it was for me.
Click to expand...

I have the exact same problem as you.

I took my old MacBook Pro to the apple store in India twice. The first time they told me the logic board is broken. They removed the hard drive, put it in an external case so i could back up my data. Since i didnt how good the quality of apple employees in india is, and if it really is the logic board that is broken, I mounted the hard dirve myself back into my laptop to try it out. Wondering myself, the laptop started with no issues and run for about 2 months.
Then i had the same problem as you described again. I tried removing the hard drive, putting it back in etc. but nothing helped. I took my laptop again to a different apple store, and they also concluded that the logic board is broken.

So can you please tell me how you fixed these cables for hard drive and dvd drive?

Thanks for your help
 
Back to the original issue

Back to Greeny's original issue:

• No startup Chime
• Black Screen
• HD/CD spin up
• Boots fine again after cooling down for 20min to 2 hours

I have the late 07' MBP, and early on I replaced the RAM and HD and had no problems for years until lately. Anytime I reboot it sticks at black screen with this issue. I sometimes impatiently reboot over and over again removing battery, removing power, connecting external display and sometimes holding the power button for 30sec. All and none of these solutions work, it's very inconsistent.

The solution that has worked the most for me so far, has been to let it sit off with the battery out (cooling off) for 15-20 min) then booting up holding the power for 30 sec until the long tone followed by the Chime.

I go weeks without rebooting because of this issue, still looking for a solution. The most logical explanation to me is something to do with the heat up from operating.

Can anybody confirm this is actually the same issue jtreibick notes a solution for? Has anybody else been successful using jtreibick's solution?

Cheers, good luck all.
 
I got my macbook pro 4 days ago, and now, it's broke!

I got the exact same problem, I already regulate the Apple Service, thank god warranty!

Man this sucks I love my new macbook pro why did it died so soon?
 
hi gys i have problem with my macbook pro 15-inch
the part number or model number :MC372LL/A
CPU :core i5 2010
8 GB RAM
HDD 500 GB
i have lost the OS X DVD installing the original CD and the other copy doesn't work on it what should i have 2 do which copy install on it
:apple:
 
hey guys, let me just apologize beforehand if this is the wrong place for this question, im new i just joined literally about 20min ago hoping to find a solution for my macbook's problem.

I was watching a movie, and out of no where the screen turned black.
my macbook charges, and when i try to turn it on you can heard it start up, and all thew only thing is that the screen stay's black. not even the apple on the top of the labtop turns on. im scared. Its kinda weird cause my keyboard lights up, and all. its just the screen. I WAS able to see something in the screen when i had tilted it back, i was able to see somewhat of it, was the guest login screen, i guess i was clicking around and it went there? Anyways, when i re-start it in safe mode now, or even just holding the power button, it turns on now without any sign of anything on the screen.
I just want my macbook to work again!!! someone help me out?
 
solution to your problem

Drinnn said:
hey guys, let me just apologize beforehand if this is the wrong place for this question, im new i just joined literally about 20min ago hoping to find a solution for my macbook's problem.

I was watching a movie, and out of no where the screen turned black.
my macbook charges, and when i try to turn it on you can heard it start up, and all thew only thing is that the screen stay's black. not even the apple on the top of the labtop turns on. im scared. Its kinda weird cause my keyboard lights up, and all. its just the screen. I WAS able to see something in the screen when i had tilted it back, i was able to see somewhat of it, was the guest login screen, i guess i was clicking around and it went there? Anyways, when i re-start it in safe mode now, or even just holding the power button, it turns on now without any sign of anything on the screen.
I just want my macbook to work again!!! someone help me out?
Click to expand...
OK drinnn : The solution to your problem is luckily a cheap and simple one you need to replace the inverter board and is unrelated to this issue that others are describing here.
 
Macbook Pro similar issues

Randomly on restart or switch on I get a black screen, sleep light on no chime sound, this at one point turned into a permanent state of affairs, I stripped the machine down put fresh thermal paste on the CPU and now the machine is booting 50% - 75% of the time though doesn't like restarts. I'm writing this message on the machine in question, Im determined to get to the bottom of this issue. so I shall try as many of the suggestions here as I can so as to avoid scrapping or landfilling this otherwise fine laptop, will report back (macbook pro intel core 2 duo 2.33ghz, running lion like a champ when working).

0 : Run AHT and see if errors are the same for memory issue ?
ACTION : test faulty ram theory by removing a sim though unlikely as the ram was never an issue before this point, unlikely but possible for sim or slot to have become damaged in some way ?
1 : going to investigate whether an EFI firmware update has caused this.
ACTION : EFI downgrade or update EFI if possible
2 : Whether a pram battery failure has caused it, sometimes a pram battery reset causes it to come alive ?
ACTION : replace PRAM battery cheap and relatively easy.
3 : replace Power management charging board maybe its a failure of the Power board ? As I have used a third party charger on this laptop prior to its failure in this matter ?
ACTION : replace PMU / charging board relatively cheap
4 : stripdown to logic board removal and rebuild, tightening heatsink to logic board more than normal in attempt to effect repair if its a graphics or cpu surface mount chip issue, As logic board repair or replacement is to expensive.
Action : described above

If the above steps do not work then its probably a strip down for working parts as a last resort to prevent the machine being fully landfilled.

As per usual in laptop modern manufacture methods, the tightness of enclosures lack of ventilation in mac products causes heat based component damage, surface mount technology and the reformulation of solder to lead free(military spec still has lead in there solder), and the underspecification of a few components (for cost saving) compared to their operating environment is often the cause of the short longevity of electronics today.

we need to find a way of contact fusing/welding a components metal contacts to boards without the use of solder to create longer lasting contact between board and component this would increase the lifespan of products. that and making sure that if anything all components used are over specified compared to their operating environment. after all people pay a premium for apple product, which is why apple is sitting on a $200 biliion cash pile ?
 
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