My Macbook Pro (specs in sig) is constantly failing to start properly. When i turn it on, 8 times out of 10 the apple spinner will spin for about 30 seconds and then stop spinning, and stay there until I shut the computer down. Strange thing about it is that the computer starts in the background, (i can hear my email program loading up and if i hit the power button then enter it will shut down normally) but the screen is frozen on the stuck spinner. I've tried resetting the smc, the pram, I've erased and reinstalled the OS twice, and the issue always seems to come back. I loaded the computer in Verbose mode and it seemed to get stuck on "local host mDNS responder 161.1." So I went into the system library and moved the "mdns responder.bundle" to the desktop. It worked for a day, but now its back to failing on start ups. I'm about to throw my computer out the window, please help!
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Won't start properly?
- Thread starter Brianjohn16
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Could be a ram issue. Try taking a stick out and booting it, then try it alone with the other stick. If its fine with one you have your answer. If its not fine with either you still don't have an answer. You might need to get another stick that is fresh and try it with that to be totally sure.
If you've reinstalled the OS twice and still get the same issue, there is a hardware problem there, people on the internet are not going to be able to help you too much without the machine.
Don't hold your breath for someone to come along with the answer to your problem.
Run the OS X Hardware test by holding d on boot.
Don't hold your breath for someone to come along with the answer to your problem.
Run the OS X Hardware test by holding d on boot.
Well I removed a ram stick, started it with only 1 in, it worked first try. I switched sticks, worked again first try. Put them both in, it has started 5/5 times. It's hard to tell if its fixed or just working for a while, because even before I removed the RAM it would work every once in a while. So, I suppose we shall see, but so far it looks like the RAM sticks may be the culprit. 
Fail. Turned it off, went to dinner, came back turned it on and it didn't start. I have noticed a new symptom though. On attempts to turn the computer on where it doesn't start, the backlight light is on the default setting (very bright.) On attempts that it starts up properly, the backlight setting is on what I normally have it on (very low.) This time when it didn't start up I immediately flipped her over, took a ram stick out, put it back in, and it started up on the next try. Mind boggling.
I'd say try it for a week with one stick and see what happens. What was said about the stick not seated right could be true. But maybe its the holding mechanism thats bad on the second slot... I don't know how to fix that other than a MoBo replacement.
I don't think it has to do with the seating, but something with the ram sticks do help it start up, but not consistently. Anyone else have any suggestions? The brightness thing may be a key point in figuring out whats wrong it with, it has something to do with the memory of the machine I'd say. Cause on attempts when it doesn't start the computer doesn't register that I've turned the brightness setting down. (edit: i also used Memtest, the ram tester for mac, and it passed all the tests...hmm)