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Why does my MacBook Pro turn on and then off again?

HI, I was currently trying to ask this in another persons question "how to troubleshoot my logic board" Ok here's the details, first my mac has ran fine for almost 3yrs (A1260), no previous repairs, no spills or neglect. I woke up a couple of weeks ago and tryied to turn it on and all I get is the - led light, no chime,no video. Harddrive, fans, & dvd drive all start up, solid green light on power supply (or amber when battery needs charged) seems like it charges it fine though. Then within a second or two turns off likes it's not getting power. I thought it was the battery when it happen so i bought a new one because my old one was shot, power supply is 85w & about 6mo. old. Apple of course says it's the logic board, I do not agree. I've tryied resetting PRAM, SMS, holding C, reinstall disc (I have Leopard 10.5.6) removed the battery tried w/ magport only & vise versa. When I take out the Ram the computer will stay on and just beep indicating No Ram so it past that. I've disconnected everything from the logic board except the left i/o cable or it will not even attempt to start w/o it. But same problem. If I hold down the power button it will stay on for a few seconds longer, but with the same result except the led at the end will flash fast several times and then shut down. I have not taken the logic board completely out yet or tryied to clean it, I am waiting for my tool kit I just ordered from here. I think it has something to do with the left logic board or a bad cable, but I can't be sure. I have look and scrolled through this site and have found a number of people having the same issue or extremely close to it, but can't seem to figure out the exact point of promblem - some peoples have just started up again, other when it's cold, or hot. I love my mac and refuse to buy a new one when I know theres a solution. I hope this is enough information, please any help would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance.

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Hi Zack - I'm having the exact same problem as you with my MBP A1260. Any luck determing the cause? I'm scheduled right now to take it to the Apple Store on Friday (I have a lot of PC hardware/software knowledge, but not so much Mac) and I'm hoping to avoid the dreaded "bad logic board" answer. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

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I have also exactly the same problem/symptoms!

Do you find a solution for that symptoms?

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Im having the same problem now. i know its late but I tihnk it might be your macbook pro ran out of thermal paste. the thermal paste is what keeps the macbook at a certain temperature. and when it runs out the computer can reach a certain temperature and when it reaches this temperate it has sensors telling it to turn off before it frys your logic board or anything else.

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Did you ever figure this out?

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Hey Zack, did you figured this issue out as now i am having this problem with my macbook pro 17 inch. "Exactly same issue" any luck of getting it resolved without replacing logic board.

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You've done a good job running diagnostics. Just a couple of things I might try. Pull both RAM sticks and reseat them just one at a time in each of the slots to both test the RAM and the slots.

I would also replace the PRAM battery: [linked product missing or disabled: IF185-047]

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Thanks Mayer, I have also tried the seating of both RAM sticks, and tested them both by themselves and in different slots, but no luck. I was thinking the PRAM battery might be the problem as well, I will try that. I did unplug it for a little while and then reconnected it to the l/b, hoping it would reset it manually, but that didn't do the trick. I'll have to get that ordered. Thanks and if you think of anything else let me know.

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I found a fix for my new Macbook pro that had these symptoms.

If I booted the laptop while holding down the shift key OSX started and worked normally. If I let go of the shift key the laptop would perform a forced reboot.

I opened up the laptop and disconnected the internal keyboard from the motherboard and everything worked normally. I now use my laptop with an external blue-tooth keyboard as Apple say it will cost £850 to replace the keyboard membrane as a permanent fit.

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This resolve a lot. Thumbs UP!

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I did this before I read the thread and have narrowed it down to this being the issue, glad I'm not the only one.

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I've replaced the PRAM battery, it didn't work for me.

Zack, after the some more research, I believe the problem you're describing ( I have exactly the same symptoms, including the beeping when removing the memory chips) is related to the NVIDIA 8600GT graphics processor overheating and popping 1 or more of it's solder connections.

Jordan, the problem you're describing is almost certainly the famous NVIDIA 8600GT issue.

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Nice, this works for me! Thanks!

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Mac goes on and stays on/ on and off / white screen with power on but nothing ealse -

I have experienced them all and : gpu reballing did not helped so :

Between cpu and gpu there is an intel chip ( sla5t ) well i tought i will give it a go and it worked :)

In 3 out of 5 it was 100% fix but in other 2 not really so i replaced them completly with new ones and all fine till now .

Good luck with fixing and you can always go to : www01tech.co.uk

Dont take it as 100% solution, motherboards are very complicated, symptomps can be same but different solutions.

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Its the hard drive. just put a new hard drive in

Update (09/26/2015)

Take the HDD out and start up the machine. Let it go to the flashing folder and you are now confirming it stays on. The folder will stay flashing as long as you leave it telling you there is no OS X present. At least now you know it´s not the logic board. On Mac Book Pros if the hard Drive is failing it will constantly shut down. Take the drive out and test it with Hard Disk Sentinel. More than likely it will be in the red. Just put a new HDD and you´re golden. Don´t &&^& with the RAM. Don´t bother resetting VRAM PRAM.

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I have had the logic board replaced, and graphics card, and the screen and that has fixed it.

Good luck.

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Nothing you do to fix this problem will work, it may go for a week then bang gone again.

Ring Apple, talk very nicely to them and you'll get all this done totally free.

Now check out our website if you can, www.dripfedwasteoilheating.com

Let me know how you get on.

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You said you tried mayer's advice in the other thread suggesting to check the pins on the power adapter for being loose? Have you tried another power supply? I know when I brought mine into the Apple store they used theirs so that threw me off. I still don't understand how my issue appeared to be power related when, like you, I was still able to get a solid green light and charge my battery. When I started to test each piece connected to the logic board I started getting funny responses from the adapter. It would be feint green at times, when I'd trip the power pads, it would blink orange, sometimes it was solid green. I would disconnect the whole I/O board and then reconnect it to make sure all the connections are good. I feel like mine might have been loose somewhere. Hold the adapter to the port physically to make sure its connecting properly. It seems like its getting power initially but theres a weak connection somewhere.

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Hi Mark, I haven't tested it with a meter but I did take a look, I tried cleaning the port though. I haven't tried another one either but I will see if I can get ahold of one. I also haven't got the funny colors like you, sometimes I will not get any light at all though, but the battery still seems to be charging (blinking underneath) when I get my tool kit in I will take all of the connecters and left i/o board out to see if they're all tight and make sure theres no visable damage. Thanks and let me know if you can think of anything else in the mean time.

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This sounds exactly like the symptoms of a dead PRAM battery. That is a $39.95 fix.

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Anyone test the PRAM battery solution?

My MBP has the same symptoms. Any results from anyone?

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It's the answer here, I've replaced many and it does wonders!

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i had same problem macbook pro 2007replace the PRAM battery and no joy

sorry

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I had the same problem, but with two different Macs. One was the Macbook White 2011 and the other is a Macbook Pro 2010. Macbook white turned on and turned off a few seconds later. Could charging system in verbose mode, but not in normal mode. After some tests, I concluded that the problem was in the topcase, in specific the on / off button. I Replace the topcase and the white macbook returned to work perfectly.

Now, the macbook pro, the problem seems to be the same as the Macbook White, but with some differences, It turn on, started the system, but turn off after a few seconds and started the process again. If I force to turning off and try to turn on, the frontal led turn on and turn off. The same issues with the fan and HD, turn on then turn off. I open it, disconnect and reconnect de battery and try to turn on, but without success. I try start the mac and then immediately disconnect the keyboard cable to see if it was the topcase power buttom, but still turn off. I think the problem is on the logic board.

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If your MacBook Pro is over 6yrs. It's time to replace the Ribbon Cable and this should stop the computer from turning itself off and getting the Black screen. This worked for me. Good luck.

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I have had the same type of issues as aforementioned. I did all required repairs, new hard drive, installed new RAM, took the LB out, cleaned it all up had the board reballed and installed new ribbon cables. None of these fixes did nothing except to empty my wallet of hard earned $$ !! I put the board back in again, loose, and it fired right up and continued running. GREAT! I added new heatsink compound, replaced all screws and followed the MFR tightening sequence, I pressed the power button with no no avail! So next I started loosening screws, one at a time. Finally after all screws were loosened, it started up. I then started to retighten the screws until I found where it turned off. I then retightened that same screw and it turned back out, the laptop started up again, once the problem area was discovered I found that the by looking closely at the board I could see the board was warped! Now all I have to do is replace the screws with washers between the board and the frame to hold the wrapped board in place and keeping the warp as is, So far it is working like new!

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BY the way, I have another MacBook Pro with the same identical issues. I'm sure it also has a warped logic board.

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yes i having the same .my mac book turn then off instantly.

I'm try unplug the track pad cable. and used blue tooth key. and mouse it work

it should work.

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I turn my MAC book pro 2011 17 inch on then when I sign in it goes straight to a black screen what do I do?

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Zack will be eternally grateful.
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