MacBook Core Duo

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Mid 2006 / Model Number: A1181 / black or white case / 1.83 or 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor

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Tod Booth @todbooth

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Posted: Sep 2, 2011

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MacBook Core Duo - only fan turns on.

I've got a A1181 1.83. I was having some kernel panic shutdowns for a week or so, and now when I push the power button, only the fan powers up (at least, that's the only noise I hear). There's a faint, very brief flash on the screen, a bzzt bzzt sound (I'm not sure where this sound originates), then the fan comes on. Battery charges, green light on charger is on.

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Sorry I can't offer a solution, but I am experiencing this exact same thing. The sound your hearing is the cd rom drive turning on, and then after that just the fan hums and the sleep light stays on. I've reset the pram and SMC, swapped out ram and hard drives to no avail. Love to hear if you find anything out

Sep 6, 2011 by Marc Tanis

I just bought a MacBook with exactly the same symtomps from ebay. I bought it for parts but - naturally - i try to revive it first.

I'll report on my findings ;-)

Sep 6, 2011 by remacberlin

I figured it was the CD drive I was hearing, but I wasn't sure. I've reset everything that can be reset. I'm about ready to sell this on eBay for parts myself.

Sep 7, 2011 by Tod Booth

Well, whaddaya know -- one of the RAM slots is bad. It booted up fine with the right one empty. Thanks! Now what?

Sep 8, 2011 by Tod Booth

Just a follow-up: I just installed a 2gb RAM chip in my one remaining good RAM slot (purchased from NewEgg) and it works just fine!

Sep 14, 2011 by Tod Booth

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rdklinc @rdklinc

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Posted: Sep 7, 2011

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Make sure to test the RAM slots. These old MacBook boards constantly develop bad slots over time, and if a bad slot is occupied, a machine will behave similarly to what you describe. Take one module out and test the machine, then if that does not fix it, fill the empty slot and take the other out.

Resetting the PMU/SMC is good, and also, if testing the RAM slots doesn't help, take off the topcase and disconnect everything that is unnecessary -- optical, hard drive, battery, sound, Airport, etc. If everything is disconnected and it still behaves the same, you know it's the board.

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Sorry I can't offer a solution, but I am experiencing this exact same thing. The sound your hearing is the cd rom drive turning on, and then after that just the fan hums and the sleep light stays on. I've reset the pram and SMC, swapped out ram and hard drives to no avail. Love to hear if you find anything out — Marc Tanis
I just bought a MacBook with exactly the same symtomps from ebay. I bought it for parts but - naturally - i try to revive it first.

I'll report on my findings ;-) — remacberlin
I figured it was the CD drive I was hearing, but I wasn't sure. I've reset everything that can be reset. I'm about ready to sell this on eBay for parts myself. — Tod Booth
Well, whaddaya know -- one of the RAM slots is bad. It booted up fine with the right one empty. Thanks! Now what? — Tod Booth
Just a follow-up: I just installed a 2gb RAM chip in my one remaining good RAM slot (purchased from NewEgg) and it works just fine! — Tod Booth