Problem starting my MacBook Pro

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Hello guys,

I have a problem starting up my MacBook Pro but first let me explain what happened.

I opened my laptop from sleep mode and pressed on Google Chrome to surf on the internet. The whole Mac froze with the icon looking like it was clicked. I could still move my mouse but it was not turned into the turning ball and nothing else than the mouse would work.

So I pressed the on/off button until it switched off. Now when I try to turn it on, it gets stuck. In goes on, does the Apple sound, then switches to the grey screen with the loader and then after that screen when usually your wallpaper and the box in the middle for your password appears, nothing happens.

Basically after the grey screen is over, it moves to a dark blue and a light blue screen. First its dark blue and it shows me the mouse but nothing else loads, then the mouse disappears, it switches to light blue and then a loader sign appears at the bottom center and then goes away and then it switches to another blue screen. Its like the login page does not want to load.

I tried to start it connected to the power adapter and without (since once this was the solution to it not starting up) but it did not help this time. I am currently letting the whole battery unload (as I was told by someone I should let the whole battery unload and then try again) but if that doesnt work is there any solution ?

I could try to reinstall the whole system with the Applications CD but I have no backup of it (yeah my fault) so I would only like to do this if there is no other way. Any other options ?

Any help would be kindly appreciated.

Regards,
DGV
 

rez


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Hey DGV

If you have the Install Disks, you should be able to use the Disk Utility. I guess there is no harm in trying a verify and repair of your hard-drive and permissions. Have you tried to boot holding the SHIFT key?

How old is your MBP? Still in warranty?

rez
 
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My MBP is either two or three years old. I dont really remember when I bought it and I have moved countries since them so I wont have guarantee over other coutnries.

I tried booting it holding the alt key which allows me to choose from which disk to boot (since I had Windows installed a long time ago) but that didnt work either. Right now I can only find the Applications Disk for my MBP. I am guessting that is not the right one ?
 

rez


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Ah I see.

Sorry, I mis-read that you had the application disk, not the install disk. However, the application disk should have the apple hardware test on it (depending on which version of OS X your MBP came with). If you hold down D during boot with the disk in the machine, it should bring up a menu to run the test. I'm sorry I cant give you any more instructions on this as I've never done it myself, you can find some more information here Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test.

This should tell you if you have any hardware problems on your machine.

As you mentioned before it may be worth letting the battery run out completely, then trying to boot.

Let me know how you get on.

rez
 
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Thank you. I will try the Hardware Test later today when I am out of work. Hope I get this to work somehow.
 

rez


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It seems as though the start up files have been damaged by the abnormal shutdown. If you can, get your hands on an install disk for your OS version and run the verify/repair hard drive tool. Let me know how the hardware test goes.

I had a look around and found this:
Mac OS X 10.6 Help: If you see a blue screen at startup
Try the safe mode boot (start while holding the SHIFT key) too.

rez
 
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Thanks ill try that too but I have 10.5. Hope it also works with that.
 
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Well Safety Mode doesnt work and the Hardware Test said that everything is fine.

Quick question is there any other way to boot from my install CD other than by pressing C right during startup ?

I am trying to press C before the grey screen appears but then it always brings me to the grey screen and then not even the Apple logo appears anymore. If I let it boot without pressing anything then it just does the normal booting which gets stuck in the blue screen after the apple logo.
 

rez


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With the disk in the drive, start your machine while holding down the option (alt) key.

Your machine should display the Startup Manager, and a list of icons that represent all of the bootable devices available to your Mac.

This is with the Install disk however, not the Application disk. I do know that with 10.6 if you try a fresh install (which would solve the issue), it copies all your files over to the fresh install, but I cant be sure with 10.5 Leopard, someone else will have to confirm this process. Next step will be to verify/ repair the hardrive and permissions in my opinion.

Get your hands on that install disk!
 
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Well I found the install disc (Mac OS X Install DVD) and I was trying it with that one. I tried pressing the Alt key but it only shows me the Macintosh HD, not the Disc. I tried pressing C to boot with it but neither does that work.

At some point the grey screen passes it sends me to the blue screen again and the CD gets ejected.
 

rez


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Did the reset and everything worked as expained (black screen, laptop doing the startup sound) yet again when I hold down the option key at the restart it only gives me the option to start from the Macintosh HD. Might this be because it doesnt recognize the CD ?
 

rez


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It sounds like that is the case. Is it the CD that came with your machine?

I've run out of ideas for now! Don't forget to try and unload the battery.

rez
 
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Yeah the CD is the same that came with the PC. But I am downloading Lion from my other Mac right now and will try to burn it to a CD or to put it on an external hard drive and try to run the installer here.

Do you know how to make a bootable CD out of the file ?
 
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Oh and yes next problem ... the Install DVD is now stuck ... neither the holding down the mousepad after restart nor holding the eject button.

I am contemplating to throw this thing out of the window ...
 

rez


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Does it make a load of noise when trying to eject? If so, try:

Inserting a train ticket or a business card into the slot. Make sure you push the it upwards gently. Press eject, see if that gets it out.
 
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It doesnt make a sound at all ... only when it boots ... but I guess that is the drive ?
 
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Worse comes to worse if I buy myself an external hard drive, give it a GUID partition, run the installer on my other Mac and then select the external hard drive as the destination for the installer I should be able to boot this "broken" Mac from my external hard drive no ?
 

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