URGENT! MacBook Not Booting Screen Flashes then blank

[MrCheeto]

This MacBook suddenly does not boot. The screen will flash white for just a split second when the power button is pressed and then nothing at all.

The sleep indicator is solid and it gongs.

It was just updated to Snow Leopard.

It's the original A1181 model. 2007.

I checked. The video data cable is ok and connected fine.

 

[MrCheeto]

OK, i reseated the RAM. No effect.

When I Share Screen, I can change the resolution and brightness.

Here's something:

When I change the brightness, the backlight does change, but it's about only half the brightness it should be.

When I set it to certain resolutions, say 800x600 @60hz, it works but it flickers and pixelates VERY badly!

I need this fixed today.

 

[shifuimam]

Is it chiming normally or beeping?

Have you tried an external monitor?

Also try resetting the SMC - see this Apple KB article for instructions.

 

[MrCheeto]

Already reset SMC and it gongs every time.

 

[shifuimam]

Ok. If you get the flashing screen and then it goes to black, can you look very closely at the display (or shine a bright light on it) and see an image?

It's possible your inverter board and/or backlight are going out.

 

[MrCheeto]

No image. I know what you mean, though.

Again, when I set the resolution a certain way, images appear fine, but they're distorted and flickering...

 

[shifuimam]

Next thing to check - make *absolutely certain* the pins on the cable connecting the LCD to the logic board are not damaged, and make *absolutely certain* the connection on the logic board isn't damaged.

What happens when you hook up an external monitor or TV? We need to isolate the cause of the problem - it could be the LCD, the LVDS cable, or something on the logic board (GPU or LVDS header).

 

[MrCheeto]

So that whole deal about insanity being to repeat the same thing over and over but expect different results...

I took apart the cables around the optical drive and plugged them all in again for the 10th time.

Miraculous, everything is perfect again...

I don't even...

Thanks all.

 

[shifuimam]

I've had that happen before with the clamshell iBooks I used to work on (for fun...).

The cable was off by just a bit, I'd imagine.

Glad you fixed it!!