Macbook Pro does not boot. Frozen grey wheel

Hello All,

this is my first post. I'm a Systems Admin, and I'm to my wit's end with this one laptop we have from a user.

This is my final step before going to the Apple Store. The laptop is out of warranty, and taking it there is a last resort.

Once you turn it on, the computer attempts to boot. It shows the apple logo and then a grey open spinning wheel underneath it. After less than 30 seconds, it stops and freezes.

Steps taken:

1. Cleared PRAM/NVRAM
2. Changed RAM (3x using different sticks, slots, and sizes)
3. Ran fsck -fy in Single-user mode
4. Attempted to run Hardware Test (does not boot into hardware test)

For these next ones, they are able to get to the options menu

5. Attempted to boot from Recovery (freezes)
6. Attempted to boot from another hard drive via USB (freezes)
7. Attempted to boot from CD (Does not recognize CD in boot options)
8. Switched Hard drives (freezes)

So if anyone has any other ideas that make any remote sense.. I'll try it.

I would appreciate any feedback if possible.

Looks like you tried quite a bit. One thing that concerns me...is that it won't boot from an external USB drive or from a CD/DVD.

One thing I didn't see listed was an SMC reset. Give it a try...maybe you'll get lucky!:

Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

- Nick

We would sure like to help you but without any information regarding which Mac you're dealing with or what version of OS X it's running, it kind of leaves us in the dark....

Year and Model of your Mac?

Version of OS X it's running?

A guess (and only a guess based on what you posted) is that it's either a logic board failure of some sort like the GPU going bad, or possibly the hard drive controller.