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MacBook Pro not working, logic board help testing and fixing.

MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229...

Hi

All

I have a Macbook Pro (A1229, 17")

The Macbook pro was working fine untill recently, but now I have some very weird problems.

When I go and turn on the Macbook pro It takes a few presses on the power button to turn on. Everytime I press the power button I see the fans react. The blades twitch but will not turn on after the third press .

When it does turn on I get black screen, no back light, no chime and the white light in the front on the latch is steady white. no flashes nothing. I hear the hard drive spin up.

Before this happened If I had no RAM the front white light would blink now it does not. I have tried everything but nothing seems to work to get video. I

I assumed it was a SMC, PRAM issue so tried I doing a SMC rest and PRAM reset but did not work.

I started reading the forums and the answers on Ifixit. I decided to do a reflow but it did not work. I plugged it in and tried using the PWR ON pads ti turn it on but same symptoms but then I tried jumping using the SYS RST pads to restart but there was no reaction from jumping these pads as before there used to be.

As this is an obselete model, Apple will not repair it and a replacement logic board is something I dont want to think about yet but am more than confident I can fix this myself with the help from the comunity.

I have got the schematic from a google search in a PDF and started testing the logic board for voltages. I get the correct input and have tested the voltage rails that seem all correct but I am just not sure on what more to test.

I have test power on the SMC chip and there is.

I will really appreciate if some one can help me bring My Macbook pro back to life please

What do I have to test and what components do i have to replace.

Please help me

Many Thanks in advance.

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What happens when you press the battery test button?

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Hi

Thanks for the reply

When I press the battery test button indicates the battery is fully charged

What points can I start measuring on the logic board

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How was this reflow ? done?

by

I used the guide on here

Heated the whole board using a reflow station hot air

then reflowed the gpu

used flux

No luck though

by

Hi

Any ideas please

I will really appreciate everyones help please

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Shot in the dark (no pun intended in regards to your display)...

Since you said that your SIL (Sleep Indicator Light) remains on, this is really only one of two things.. your GPU, which you've attempted to re-roll....or the display itself.

From Apple Support, regarding the SIL behavior...

"

Startup

When you press the power button to turn on the computer, the SIL will also turn on. As the computer starts up, the SIL stays on until the processor (GPU) has initialized and the display turns on. When the GPU initializes properly, the display will turn on and the SIL will turn off simultaneously.

Running and display sleep

While the computer is started and running, the SIL remains off. If the computer enters Display Sleep while running (the display turns off but the computer remains running), the SIL turns on and does not blink. It remains like this until the display turns back on, at which time the SIL turns off again.

You can enable Display Sleep via Apple menu > System Preferences > Energy Saver, or by pressing Control-Shift-Eject.

"

It is possible that you've either damaged the GPU, or there is some fault with the display, display wiring, or plugs.

Make sure that the wire running from the display to the board is firmly in place on your logic board.

ONE more thing that comes to mind... on the under side of the top of your macbook pro (key board assembly, etc) ... Ensure that you have all the ribbons firmly seated back into their connectors.

ALSO... I believe it's on the left side of your board, in the area of your I/O board... ensure that all of those connections are secured.

Honestly, I would suggest a full logic board removal... carefully and slowly putting everything back in place, making double and triple sure that all wires and ribbons are firmly in place as they should be and making proper connection.

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Hi

As it stands the MacBook Pro will now not even turn on

Press the power button or jump the pwr on pads no reaction.

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The SIL isn't even coming on any more?

If you're not even getting that, again, I would suggest a full logic board removal... ensuring that everything is firmly and properly connected. Even the best and most experienced of us miss a connection or leave one a little loose from time to time.

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Mr Fz will be eternally grateful.
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