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Any hope of recovery from a deep coma?

My 15-inch Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro (model A1260) will power up but is otherwise comatose. Pressing the power button yields the usual noise from the optical drive, and the hard drive spins up, but then nothing further happens. In particular, there are no sounds from the hard drive suggesting any head movement. Screen is dark and blank (I've checked that it's not just a failed backlight); no response to mouse or keyboard (not even the caps lock light); the machine cannot be reached via wifi or Ethernet or Firewire; it does not mount external drives. Won't boot from the original Apple DVD.

My first thought was a power problem, but in fact that seems to be the one subsystem that's working normally. I can get green and orange lights on the magsafe connector; the battery charges and discharges.

I've replaced the hard drive with a formatted backup; no change. (The drive I removed works fine with another machine.) I've tried swapping RAM, again with no change.

Do these symptoms ring a bell for anyone else? I have a sinking feeling it's going to take a new logic board, and I'm not sure the machine is worth that investment.

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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This is just an update from the O.P. Since I had nothing to lose, I tried an old trick that revived a Powerbook 170, back in the early 90s. I put it in the freezer for a couple of hours (after first removing the battery and the hard drive). After thawing it out and putting it back together, it booted up as if nothing had ever been wrong. I don't really believe this is going to be a permanent cure, but it may get me through a few days while the replacement machine is in transit.

Thanks to Mayer and Dan for their wise counsel.

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Try Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM, here's how:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

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Thanks for the suggestion. I'd forgotten to mention that I'd tried that already. Also the SMC reset (remove battery, hold power button for 5 sec.).

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Sounds like you have a brain dead Mac on your hands.

Other than trying to build a frankenstein using a second like system for parts I think its time to move on.

Sorry ;-{

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Thanks for your sympathy. Looks like you're right.

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Brian will be eternally grateful.
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