MBP - Turn On, No Sound, Black Screen - Help!

[Ochire]

I put my mbp into sleep last night.

Woke up this morning, went to turn it on and nothing happened. Turned it off. Then tried turning it back on, the fans and disks started up, but there wasn't a chime and the screen didn't turn on. I have done this a hundred times now and nothing has changed, although it did chime once but the screen didn't turn on and it didn't seem any different.

I've tried the pram reset and the smc reset and those are not working. I really don't know what to do. Can anyone help? I am not using insomniac x.

Thanks

 

[Ochire]

Interesting discovery..

If i take out the battery, disconnect the power supply, hold down the power button and plug in the power supply, then release the power button, then hold it down again, the laptop starts up as normal, without the screen. I have tried plugging in an external monitor and nothing registers on that.

Taking it to a genius bar tomorrow.

If they say it is gone, and offer me a new one, what will happen to my docs on the harddrive? I haven't backed up in a long time. Also, a lot of them are sensitive and covered by NDAs.. what is Apple's policy regarding privacy? Not that I'd imagine anyone would risk their job exposing secrets but that would also risk my job so I don't want to take any chances.

Cheers

 

[alphaod]

If they say it is gone, and offer me a new one, what will happen to my docs on the harddrive? I haven't backed up in a long time. Also, a lot of them are sensitive and covered by NDAs.. what is Apple's policy regarding privacy? Not that I'd imagine anyone would risk their job exposing secrets but that would also risk my job so I don't want to take any chances.

Cheers

I would get a friend and target boot on to your computer, get your important stuff out and delete them; then do a erase free space 7x pass and that should delete any traces. Apple can do a back up for you as well if you want for $50 I believe.

Apple says they do a wipe before sending it back, to be sure I think you should do it if it's NDA stuff.

 

[Ochire]

Cheers! This is a pretty new job so I want to be able to tell my employer with a straight face that no one would have been able to get the docs.. which leads me to my need for clarification..

If I can't access the mac from a different computer before I take it in (how do I do this by the way), and they exchange, what do they then with my one? Will they just wipe the hard drive etc or is it likely some employee (who, worst case scenario, has some questionable ethics) will have access to go through my docs all he pleases?

I would appreciate it if someone replies asap, as I have little time to get this issue sorted.

Thanks!

 

[citisin]

Read through these, http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=963645&tstart=330 and http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1478474&tstart=0 , and see if anything can help you if not you will most likely have to take to Apple and they will replace the logic board.

This just happened to me and they are replacing my logic board right now.

If it's still under warranty than, no problems two-five weeks it will be good as new. If you don't have warranty it's gonna cost as much as a new computer.

 

[Ochire]

Yeah I took it in on Sat and he said the firmware update (.3) must have friend the logic board. I don't know how plausible that is, considering i had been using it all day after the firmware update had been installed, for it to die in its sleep.. but he's the genius. He reckons I'll get it back this week, which would be nice.

 

[Chafka]

Can I ask what version of the MBP you had? Last night mine shut down for no reason - just off and gone... Just about fell off my chair... I held down the power button and nothing, then I just kept holding it down and got a loud beep sound and it started up ok. Then last night when I went to bed, I just left it go to sleep by itself and this morning when I got up I shook the mouse (external) and it just shut off. I tried pushing the power button and it would test the superdrive and then shut down. I unhooked the PS and then I couldn't get anything to happen. I could only get it to start up by taking the battery out and putting it back in. Then it started up on battery power.

I am just wondering, because it sounds like I am having the same problems as you. I have a 2.33 ghz MBP. Also when you bring it in to the Apple store do you have to make an appointment?

Thanks for your help (sorry, not trying to hijack the thread, just see some similarities).

 

[Ochire]

I have a 2.4.. I got it last August. It's worked perfectly up until this point, and then I installed the latest firmware and it died that day.. so I can only assume it had something to do with that, as the genius said.

I made an appointment through applecare, though you can make them in store. Sometimes you can just walk in, other times you'll have to make one and then come back later, ie another day. It depends where and when you go in. I think someone told me you can make them through the apple site, though I haven't seen this.

 

[Chafka]

Cool, thanks.