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PLEASE HELP ME - MY MBP FROZE ON STARTUP

yani2k8

yani2k8

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 13, 2008
101
1
UK
Hi guys

I'm freaking out! I was in the middle of doing my assignment when my MBP suddenly restarted itself and now it's stuck on the start up screen with the Apple logo and a progress bar, which hasn't moved in hours.

And the whole thing is badly pixelated for some reason. I have no idea what to do and I'm scared I'll lose my data as it's not backed up (stupid, I know).

Please help me, any advice would be highly appreciated!

Thank you.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1453135937.785035.jpg
 
Looks to me like a hardware issue....graphic card, logic board....:(...had a similar issue last year...but I was very lucky...it was MBP early 2011.....got a new logic board, free of charge.
 
yani2k8 said:
Hi guys

I'm freaking out! I was in the middle of doing my assignment when my MBP suddenly restarted itself and now it's stuck on the start up screen with the Apple logo and a progress bar, which hasn't moved in hours.

And the whole thing is badly pixelated for some reason. I have no idea what to do and I'm scared I'll lose my data as it's not backed up (stupid, I know).

Please help me, any advice would be highly appreciated!

Thank you.
View attachment 611249
Click to expand...

Agreed with poster above, looks like Logic Board. If you have the 15 or 17" 2011 MacBook Pro, or the 2012-Early 2013 15" Retina MacBook Pro, Apple will cover the repair free-of-charge. Just do it quickly because the repair program terminates at the end of this month.
 
Thanks for the quick responses! Can't remember if mine's 2010 or 2011. How can I check this with no access to the OS? Also will my data be lost?
 
STOP!!!

BEFORE shutting down your MBP, take some MORE good pictures!Using your Smartphone for example.. but the one here will be already sufficient to proof the failure.

Since this is a hardware-problem your HDD and data will be safe. BUT: Don´t remove it yet because there are some files on it that make prove that your GPU is failing.
So:
1) Make some more photos of the screen.
2) Shut down the mac and do NOT start it again before your appointment with genius bar or an apple-certified enterprise for service.
3) They will read out the informations and do a special test.
Show them the picture proving the GPU-failure.
4) Now you can make them take out your HDD/SSD
5) They will replace the main board for free.

Good luck! (and be happy that this happened before expiration of the so-called "Extended warranty") .So hurry up-

For further information look at apple.com for "Extended warranty" and "MacBookPro 2011"
[doublepost=1453137492][/doublepost]
yani2k8 said:
Thanks for the quick responses! Can't remember if mine's 2010 or 2011. How can I check this with no access to the OS? Also will my data be lost?
Click to expand...

No Problem:

at the backside there you find your serial no.

enter the serial no (= Identifier) here:
http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=W88401231AX

and the system will tell you everything about your machine.
 
Last edited:
Good stuff, thanks so much. Just checked, luckily it's the 2011 model so I'm covered (phew)!

I'll book a genius appointment right away! But it normally takes weeks to be seen here in London.

So I was thinking to install Ubuntu so that I can copy my coursework onto an external hard drive because my deadline is fast approaching. Would that be a bad idea? And is it even possible given that the logic board has failed?

Thanks
 
No need for that. As already stated, HDD stays intact. You will not lose anything of your saved data.
 
yani2k8 said:
Good stuff, thanks so much. Just checked, luckily it's the 2011 model so I'm covered (phew)!

I'll book a genius appointment right away! But it normally takes weeks to be seen here in London.

So I was thinking to install Ubuntu so that I can copy my coursework onto an external hard drive because my deadline is fast approaching. Would that be a bad idea? And is it even possible given that the logic board has failed?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Tell them that you have the infamous failure of the GPU and you have needs to IMMEDIATLY solve the problem, especially because the program is terminating soon. MAke some pressure and you will get an as fast as possible appointment.
 
Honestly you guys are awesome! I must admit I was close to having a panic attack but things aren't as bad as I initially thought.

I've managed to get an appointment for Wednesday which is great. In the mean time I'll use the target disk method to transfer some files over so I can continue with my assignment.

Just one last question - once apple replaces the logic board, will everything go back to how it was or will the operating system have to be reinstalled?
 
yani2k8 said:
Honestly you guys are awesome! I must admit I was close to having a panic attack but things aren't as bad as I initially thought.
I've managed to get an appointment for Wednesday which is great. In the mean time I'll use the target disk method to transfer some files over so I can continue with my assignment.
Just one last question - once apple replaces the logic board, will everything go back to how it was or will the operating system have to be reinstalled?
Click to expand...
I just had my dGPU fail recently (see sig) so this process is fresh in my mind. It will be exactly like it was, UNLESS they also find a problem with your internal drive and/or your current OS installation. If you have nothing wrong except for a failed dGPU then they will replace the logic board. I had a 3rd party SSD installed and 16 Gb RAM and Apple had no problem with that since they are user replaceable items.
 
yani2k8 said:
Honestly you guys are awesome! I must admit I was close to having a panic attack but things aren't as bad as I initially thought.

I've managed to get an appointment for Wednesday which is great. In the mean time I'll use the target disk method to transfer some files over so I can continue with my assignment.

Just one last question - once apple replaces the logic board, will everything go back to how it was or will the operating system have to be reinstalled?
Click to expand...
I can only confirm...everything was back as before.
 
Amazing!

Yeah, I've got a third party samsung SSD also, was functioning perfectly fine prior to this issue so I should be ok :)

Thanks again for the speedy resolve guys - mad respect for this forum!!
 
yani2k8 said:
Honestly you guys are awesome! I must admit I was close to having a panic attack but things aren't as bad as I initially thought.

I've managed to get an appointment for Wednesday which is great. In the mean time I'll use the target disk method to transfer some files over so I can continue with my assignment.

Just one last question - once apple replaces the logic board, will everything go back to how it was or will the operating system have to be reinstalled?
Click to expand...

EVERYTHING including the Operation system is on the HDD/SSD.
After they confessed that this is a case for their program - let them put out and handover the HDD/SSD and let them put it in when you get back your repaired MBP.

In the meanwhile you should read some very good threads about that here at macrumors, such as this (completely) :

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/radeongate-iii-2011-mbp-a-third-graphics-failure.1935768/

Good luck for wednesday!
AND:
If they say this is not a case for their program - DO NOT LEAVE the apple store before they fall on their knees and beg for their lifes ! :D

And: Give feedback to us - me and shurely also the other ones are interested to hear about you!
 
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Oh maaan, I'm doomed! Well it's not quite so bad but I'm left with no laptop for the next 7 to 10 days!

And as I stupidly assumed that it would be a quick, same-day turnaround procedure, I never bothered to back up and of my stuff (couldn't find my firewire cable). Actually considering calling them to take it back so I can transfer my stuff and then take it back again.

Anyway, aside from that, I had no issues with having it fixed free of charge as part of their program. All he did was check eligibility by entering the serial number on his tablet.

I briefly explained the issue to the guy and the second he turned on the laptop he said that it's immediately evident that this is in fact the problem. He ran some diagnostics to confirm and then checked it in for repair. Oh btw, during the diagnostics an exclamation mark came up next to the hard drive and I almost had a heart attack but he explained it's cause I've replaced the original drive with an SSD
 
P.S. I only got a chance to read your reply after the apple appointment (bummer). About asking them to let me keep the HD, that would've been ideal.
 
There is no problem at all with your exchanged HDD/SSD since this is exchangeable by DESIGN.
I´d NEVER EVER let a SSD/HDD go anywhere with all my data on it (which will be "normal" for Owners of soldered SSDs of modern and future Macs and a good reason to NEVER BUY these machines).
 
Last edited:
OP:

Once you get the MacBook back into your hands, I suggest you try learning something about the concept of "backing up".

At the very least, get an external drive and download CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.
Either will create a BOOTABLE cloned backup of your internal drive.
Just connect the backup, and you can boot and run from it, same as from the internal drive.
 
Fishrrman said:
OP:

Once you get the MacBook back into your hands, I suggest you try learning something about the concept of "backing up".

At the very least, get an external drive and download CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.
Either will create a BOOTABLE cloned backup of your internal drive.
Just connect the backup, and you can boot and run from it, same as from the internal drive.
Click to expand...

totally agree.

And carbon copy cloner is such a good application that its creator deserves that you purchase it.
It is not at all expensive.

(maybe SuperDuper also, but I don´t know this SW and use CCC)
 
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