Why won't my MacBook turn on? What to do if your MacBook beeps? We do a forced reboot
Many of you have probably heard that Apple's operating system is famous for its reliability and the low number of errors and failures that occur during operation. However, Mac OS, unfortunately, is not perfect and one day it may simply not boot for no reason at all.
Without a doubt, this behavior of your Mac can be caused by a number of different errors, which need to be eliminated in different ways, but the author of this article has recently increasingly encountered a situation where MacBook won't boot after operating system update(Mac OS Sierra in this particular case) and makes three loud squeaks, repeated with a certain frequency.
Unfortunately, this can happen to any of us, and contacting a service center is often not timely and, of course, not cheap. Luckily, there's an easy method worth trying before you take your Mac anywhere. Judging by the reviews on foreign forums, it helped many people save money on using the service, and such a “hint” has helped the author of this article more than once. About him and we'll talk. So, what to do if your MacBook won't turn on?
Error appearing when booting Mac
As mentioned above, a computer can behave in a similar way due to a number of different errors (at least 4, judging by the help on the Apple website).
However, in our case, the sequence of actions and the patient’s symptoms look like this:
- you have installed an update to the Mac OS operating system (or the computer installed it itself if you have auto-update enabled);
- when you turned on (rebooted) your MacBook, instead of the expected operating system loading bar, you saw only a black (well, slightly gray, the side backlight of the monitor still turns on) screen;
- Looking at this “light black” screen, you heard three long sounds like “beep-beep-beep”, repeated at intervals of 5 seconds.
Having carefully studied the official Apple website, we find the symptoms and description of our error:
"Three consecutive signals, repeated with a five-second pause: RAM failed data integrity check."
Okay, I see, it's a RAM error on our MacBook. But the officials somehow forgot to offer any solution. But we found it, and it turned out to be as simple as shelling pears. Of course, it’s not a fact that this method will help you 100%, but it’s worth a try, because... for many it is works.
By the way, judging by discussions on foreign forums, the following MacBook models most often produce this error and do not turn on: MacBook Air a1466, MacBook Pro a1278 and a1260. It is from the first that we are writing this article.
Solving the problem - resetting SMC parameters
So if your MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini or Mac Pro won't turn on and beeps- This indicates a random access memory (RAM) error, which can most often be resolved by resetting the System Management Controller (SMC).
Depending on what device you have, follow one of the algorithms below.
If you have a MacBook with a non-removable battery
And most modern models are like this, then the algorithm of actions for you is as follows:
If you have a MacBook with a removable battery
Although, in my opinion, these have not been produced for a long time, but just in case, we proceed as follows:
If you have an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro
That is, one of Apple’s desktop computers, then resetting the system management controller (SMC) parameters is even easier:
Using the method appropriate for your Mac, you will most likely see the usual Mac OS loading window - this means that the problem is solved.
What does resetting SMC affect?
If you are not very knowledgeable about computers or are simply encountering such a procedure for the first time, then before performing the steps described above, a completely reasonable question may arise: “Will I lose important data or settings on my MacBook as a result of resetting, because this procedure is somewhat similar to "hard reset" on some gadgets?"
We hasten to reassure you - no, you will not lose anything important. If you are really interested, then take a look at the list of functions for which the system management controller (SMC) is responsible, the parameters of which we reset:
- response to pressing the power button;
- response to opening and closing the display lid on Mac laptops;
- battery resource management;
- temperature control;
- sudden motion sensor;
- ambient light sensor;
- keyboard backlight;
- status indicator control;
- battery status indicators;
- Select an external (rather than internal) video source for select iMac displays.
Alternative option - rearrange the RAM
If the above option didn’t help and your MacBook still won’t start, then it’s worth a try alternative way. However, it is not suitable for everyone Mac computer, but only for those whose RAM can be replaced, and not soldered on the motherboard (as is done in most modern Mac models).
If you have one of these computers, then this option may well help you, you just need to know how to get to the RAM slot. The algorithm of actions is very simple:
That's all. Now you know what you can try first if your Mac won’t start and beeps with a nasty signal. We hope that one of the options suggested above will help you solve this problem and save a significant amount of money on contacting a service center.
None of us will doubt the reliability of the MacBook from Apple, because even the 2008 models still provide good competition to some modern laptops. Therefore, we can confidently say that the Apple Macbook works without freezing and practically does not break down, however, this does not mean that in some cases the laptop will always work like a clock. I would like to reflect the answer options for why the MacBook won’t turn on and their solutions in this article for our readers.
Firstly, a signal that the Macbook will not boot may be the appearance on the computer screen of an icon in the form of a gray folder with a question mark. But for now there should be no reason to panic, since the reliability of the technology allows you to save your data before the computer is turned off. Assuming that no system failure has occurred, then, no matter what, internal memory device, all information must be saved.
How to reset Macbook Pro and Macbook Air?
If your MacBook has a slight freeze and you want to quickly recover all data without loss, then you need to reset the EFI memory settings. To do this, turn off the computer, and then, while holding down the Command P R Option buttons, press the power key, while continuing to hold all keys until the next time the system greeting appears on the computer screen. This maneuver will help avoid system freezes and save data stored on the computer, as well as completely restore work on the Macbook. In the future, it is better to back up your computer data to cloud storage in case of an unexpected failure.
If after the operation your MacBook Air does not boot on its own again, check state of hard disk, as well as the moment of attaching the HDD and connecting the cable to the motherboard.
Saving data when your MacBook freezes is one of the main tasks, so you need to know the procedure to follow, after which your computer will be restored again along with all the data. But first we need to find out why this freeze happened? Firstly, there could be a problem with the computer, namely: memory failure, processor error, controller failure and other reasons. Secondly, a breakdown can also occur with the operating system, for example, when updating it to EI Capitan. Thirdly, the reason for the freeze may be the emergence of new connections that are not always compatible with the computer. In the latter case, you just need to disable everything additional connections devices from USB ports.
To correctly determine the cause of the failure, you need to check the battery and make sure that it is not discharged or has not stopped working, because if the battery runs out while updating the OS program on a MacBook, the entire system will probably freeze. So, it’s worth considering several ways to fix the computer freezing problem.
Method 1. Safe Boot - safe boot mode
First of all, use a security mode in which the MacBook will only load verified content when it starts. To do this, deactivate the MacBook and then turn it on while holding down the “SHIFT” button. Starting a MacBook this way takes a lot of time, however, there is no need to rush, because it is more important to boot with the least loss.
If you have to carry out a more detailed download to fully determine the cause of the failure, then you need to boot the MacBook by holding down several buttons: Command + Shift + V. This will give you the opportunity to launch Safe Mode on your Macbook and view the details of launching Verbose Mode, including the causes of problems.
What does verbose mode mean? Loading Verbose Mode is a method of loading an operating system in which the display appears specific information about downloaded driver files, programs, and displays in detail all the processes occurring in the system during the MacBook boot process.
If after the above-described download your computer can be fully restored, then perform a standard reboot of the operating system. If this method did not help you solve the Macbook freezing problem, then in the future we recommend that you turn to the next method to solve the problem.
Method 2: Download via Disk Utility
It is clear that the MacBook may not turn on and may freeze. various reasons. Assuming that this is not a problem with the hardware, but that everything is to blame HDD, then it won’t be difficult to check the reason if you run Disk Utility or Disk Utility on your MAC.
First you need to turn off your computer. If your MacBook displays a blue, gray or other color screen with a spinning boot button, then, unfortunately, you will have to forcefully turn off your MAC by holding down the computer start button for 5-8 seconds.
Next, to activate Disk Utility, you need to open the recovery mode in your operating system. You can do this in the following way. Hold two buttons simultaneously Command and R and press the power key. Upon successful login, a screen named MAC OS X Utilities will open in front of you. Now look for the Disk Utility icon on the open screen to activate it. Next click the name hard drive your MAC, which is located on the screen to the left of Disk Utility. Next, start the verification by activating the Verify Disk line and wait until it finishes. Finally, activate the verification process by clicking on the Repair Disk line. Next, all that remains is to start your computer again.
Method 3: Launch an external drive
Sometimes it’s better to play it safe, so you end up in a situation where there is not a single backup copy of your data, and your computer is inappropriately frozen. Even if you have saved repeatedly backups data, but how to get to it now? This problem is easily solved by your Apple Macbook as you can use a special mode external drive- Target Disk Mode.
The sequence of actions to start an external drive consists of the following order. It won't take long to get started additional computer MAS. When the second computer is found, connect them using certified cable Thunderbolt The next step is to turn off your MacBook, and if necessary, hold down the Power button for a few seconds until the laptop can boot. After your computer starts to boot, immediately press the “T” key and hold it down until the Thunderbolt entry appears as an icon on your frozen color screen.
This starts external disk mode. Essentially, the laptop plays the role of an external drive, and not the usual computer. If everything went well, you should soon see the Finder display. external device- new hard drive. Using this unusual convenience, you can copy and save all your necessary data before the computer is restored.
After everything is saved to the external hard drive, you will have to move it to the Finder, just like you would with a real drive. Then disconnect the Thunderbolt cable and start the laptop by holding the Power button again.
Method 4: Restart the operating system
When none of the methods worked positive results, and your MAC is still hanging, the last option is to reinstall OS X. To do everything according to the rules, you need to turn on the laptop in recovery mode and exactly repeat all the steps specified in option 2. In particular, we launch the MacBook with the using the R+Command buttons.
After the operating system starts, find the Reinstall OS X line and, following the instructions that appear on the display, follow all the steps to restart the operating system.
If, after all the work done, your MAC does not start again, then, alas, perhaps the problem lies in the hardware and you need to contact a service center, since some parts have failed or the cable is broken. However, such a failure could also occur due to replacing old and connecting new equipment that is not compatible with your OS X. For example, if you install someone else’s memory module on your MAC. Therefore, carry out repairs of your devices only in certified service centers and do not be fooled by the cheapness.
There are many possible breakdowns, we will divide them into mechanical and software. We will try to consider them in as much detail as possible and tell you how and what to do to solve them as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Let's make a reservation that you can try to fix software failures yourself, but in case of mechanical damage, it is better to contact the service, because for repairs, you will need complete disassembly and professional tools.
To know what to look for, you need to know what happened before the breakdown. Lights out or strange smell while the MacBook is running. Depending on the situation and signs of breakdown, specialists use different methods repair.
- MacBook screen does not turn on.
First of all, let's check the display. The laptop may function properly, but the display may not work and show a black screen. If, after turning on, you hear the noise of the fan, the sound of entering the OS, the power or sleep indicators are on, when you press Caps Lock The indicator also lights up, you need to pay close attention to the display. You can't fix this on your own. It will be much faster to take the MacBook to a service center for diagnostics.
- Problems with the charger.
The main share of malfunctions is due to power supply, or, more precisely, its lack. Check if your MacBook is plugged into the outlet and if it is working properly. Disconnect the tees, adapters, uninterruptible power supplies and connect directly.
People are forgetful. Make sure the power cord is connected to the adapter and that everything is ok. The cord breaks or breaks. If you have another charger, connect it. Disconnect phones and other devices from your MacBook and try turning it on. If, after checking, you are convinced that everything is connected and there is power in the outlet, you will have to look more closely at why the MacBook does not turn on.
- Problems with the MagSafe connector.
The reason is hidden in a dirty connector, oxidized over time, or simply clogged with dust and dirt. Due to the voltage drop, the elements become charred and blackened. Also check the charging cord for bends and kinks, where it connects to the MacBook and at the plug itself. If everything is fine with the charger cord and connector, contact PlanetiPhone.
-Battery wear.
If it is more than two years old, the MacBook will not turn on due to high battery consumption. If the battery fails, there must be prerequisites and notifications from the OS that the battery needs to be replaced.
There are also obvious symptoms. The MacBook turns off when the charge percentage is low, works only on mains power, and quickly discharges or charges. In these cases, you can fix your MacBook by replacing the battery.
- Liquid gets into the MacBook.
The MacBook was drowned and won't turn on. What to do in this situation? The main thing is not to panic! If the MacBook turns off after water penetrates, it means there is a short circuit. Turn off the power immediately. Wipe the keyboard with a dry cloth or tissue.
That's all. Next, you are simply powerless. Only an experienced service specialist will help. Any water that gets in will not dry out. It leaves oxides on the cables, preventing contact. The Macbook needs to be completely disassembled and cleaned with special tools and tools. It is simply impossible to do this with your own hands, without knowledge and experience.
- Overheating of the cooling system.
Have you been using your laptop for over a year and never cleaned it? Don't be surprised that your MacBook Air won't turn on. Dust is the main enemy of portable equipment. It clogs up the CO radiator and blocks the air flow needed for cooling.
Do not try to cool it with cold objects or in the freezer, a sudden change in temperature will cause cracks in the chips and board! Because To clean dust, you will have to disassemble the MacBook and change the thermal paste. Bring it to the PlanetiPhone service for preventative cleaning. The procedure is inexpensive and can be completed in 10 minutes.
Overheating, bridges are damaged. South and North bridges are controllers located on the motherboard. If they are damaged, you cannot do without contacting a service center. Diagnostics at the service center and subsequent soldering will help.
- MacBook Pro does not turn on after Upgrade.
Before installing new components such as: RAM, hard drive and ssd, did it work fine? It is likely that they were not inserted tightly into the connector or do not fit properly. technical specifications. Review them again, replace the new module and try again. If this does not help, return the old part to its place.
Reset SMC and PRAM/NVRAM parameters.
Errors are stored in special areas of controller memory that prevent the MacBook from turning on. They are erased using a special button combination and reboot.
Reset SMC.
To reset all OS failures recorded in the controller log, for which the SMC is responsible, simultaneously press: Shift+Control+Option+Power. Press and release the keys at the same time. After rebooting, the MacBook should turn on.
Reset PRAM/NVRAM.
Special memory blocks PRam and NvRam store errors. They are stored, signaling the laptop about the problem and therefore the MacBook Pro does not turn on. Just erase them with a combination of buttons. Press Command+Option+P+R until a gray screen appears and the MacBook reboots.
Power Manager (Old models).
During operation, did an emergency shutdown or short circuit occur? Power Manager will also not allow you to turn on your MacBook. Rebooting it is done using the following method:
- - Remove the removable battery.
- - Press and hold the Power key for a few seconds.
- - Install the battery and turn it on.
MacBook Air won't turn on after updating MacOS.
This usually happens if the laptop has not been updated for a long period. To the old one MacOS version new drivers and updates are installed, and after resuming operation, the MacBook Air does not turn on or goes into an eternal reboot. Make a download to safe mode, turning it on while holding down the Shift key. If this does not help, you will have to do a complete formatting of the data.
Forced restart.
You can try to perform an emergency restart of your computer by holding down the combination: Control+Shift+Alt (Option)+Power. Most likely, a simple failure occurred and the MacBook simply needs a Reboot.
Other reasons.
There are many reasons why the MacBook pro won't turn on. From damage to power circuits and moisture flooding, to simple clogging with dirt. Even improper shutdown of the operating system has an impact. If you have a lot of different peripherals connected to your MacBook, such as a phone, printer, webcam, flash drive, etc., remove them. All of them take electricity from the battery and prevent the MacBook from turning on.
How are repairs carried out at the service?
If you were unable to solve the problem yourself, you need to contact the service center for help. The repair will be carried out in the following stages:
- - You come to the service center and explain in detail what the problem is with the laptop or call a specialist to your home. (In Moscow, travel is free)
- - Employees accept MacBooks and conduct free testing to identify all breakdowns.
- - We’ll explain why the MacBook Air won’t turn on. The final cost of repairs and the time required for repairs. (The price already includes all original components and labor! No overpayments in total)
- - Restoration and full performance testing are performed. You are given a MacBook, a guarantee for services from 3 to 6 months and a 7% discount card.
Advantages of the PlanetiPhone SC.
We have been working for over 9 years and have seen Macs in different states. We have extensive experience in repairing Apple gadgets. We offer the lowest prices in Moscow, free equipment checks and a technician visiting the address. If your MacBook Pro won't turn on, we'll quickly repair it.
If your Macbook won't turn on, there's no reason to worry. According to Macrepublic service center specialists, every second Apple laptop, which suddenly turned off and does not want to turn on, can be easily reanimated at home.
Our advantages
Let's take a closer look at how this happens.
Check monitor
First of all, you need to rule out a display malfunction. Perhaps the Macbook Pro screen does not turn on, but the rest of the system devices are working properly. If during startup you hear the noise of the fan, the display works and the melody of loading the OS is heard, but the screen remains black, it means there is something wrong with it. The problem can only be fixed at a service center.
Check power
Most common cause The fact that Pro, Air, Retina, Macbook does not turn on is the lack of power. Therefore, if such problems arise, perform the following actions:
Check the connections between the power cord and the adapter and outlet.
Make sure the outlet is working.
Recheck the cord and adapter on other devices.
Check the integrity of the charging plug. Clean it from dust and debris.
Eliminate the possibility of battery failure
Other ways to turn on Macbook
- disconnect the gadget from the network;
- remove the battery;
- press the “Power” key and hold for 5-10 seconds;
- insert the battery back;
- try turning on the laptop again.
When the MacBook overheats, a shutdown is also observed. You can turn on the device only after it has completely cooled down.
If Pro, Air, Retina, Macbook does not turn on after the update, boot in safe mode by holding down the “Shift” button during startup.
A malfunctioning controller or memory modules can also cause your Macbook to not turn on. Rebooting and completely turning off the power for 10 seconds will help resolve the failure.
If Pro, Air, Retina, Macbook does not turn on, you can try resetting the system management controller parameters. The reset is performed by synchronously pressing the “Option”, “Control”, “Shift” and “Power” keys. In this case, the power cord must be connected to the laptop, and the buttons must be released simultaneously. After that, you can try to turn on the MacBook again.
Another way to proceed if the Macbook Pro screen does not turn on is to restart the PRAM/NVRAM. Restarting is done by pressing and holding the Power, Option, R and P buttons until the black screen turns gray and the reboot occurs.
A power surge or power failure can also cause your MacBook not to turn on. Power control is carried out by “Power Manager”, which blocks the laptop from turning on. The following actions will help you disable the manager's action: When the MacBook overheats, a shutdown is also observed. You can turn on the device only after it has completely cooled down.
How I lost my main working tool during a trip.
About a month ago I went to Moscow for a couple of weeks to stay with relatives. And this should not have affected all areas of my activity, because they are tied only to high-quality access to the network and loved ones MacBook Pro 13''. There could be problems with the Internet, but the laptop has never let me down on a single trip. I didn’t even worry about him, and in vain.
Already on the second day in the capital I was left without my main means of production.
My advice is to beware of summer beaches and protect Mac from soft drinks.
Can you guess what happened to him? The guys from MacPlus, who were recommended by a local colleague, took this laptop for diagnostics, and at the same time shared information about the 5 most “popular” Mac defects. Next, based on our conversation, I’ll tell you what problems summer (and not only) can bring with it.
1. Cooling system malfunction
Overheating is often feared, but what exactly happens to your laptop when this occurs:
Despite the fact that the cooling system of any MacBook significantly superior to most competitors PC-solutions, it still needs to be cleaned at least once a year. Otherwise, it gradually becomes clogged with dirt and dust, which is why its performance significantly decreases over time.
The result will not be long in coming - serious overheating and failure of elements motherboard inevitable.
Nowadays you can often hear that preventative work - cleaning the cooling system and replacing thermal paste - needs to be done at a minimum once a year.
Of course, this indicator is actually individual and depends on where and how long you work at your job. Mac. If, for example, a laptop has been left switched off for 5-7 months (although this is hard to imagine), there will most likely be much less dust in it than in the same one, but actively used.
The fact is that dust gets into the cooling system through its own “fault”. The fan, removing hot air from the case, at the same time sucks dust from the environment inside.
Let us note once again that the indicators are individual - they depend on the working conditions, its duration and on the laptop model too. For example, a 15” MacBook Pro will get dusty much faster than the same MacBook Air.
It is worth mentioning separately about as thermal paste. Some of its types can easily withstand up to 140 degrees, while others have rather low threshold values at which they cannot cope with the load. In this case, the entire required amount of heat is not transferred to the cooling system; some remains “on the chips”. This increases the load, the temperature goes beyond safe limits, and the resource in this mode is used up much faster.
In some cases, the dust itself not only contributes to heating, but can also become a conductor of current (of course, this does not happen often, but it is still possible).
With thermal paste, everything is also not so simple: it does not always dry out within a year. It all depends on what you do: permanent work in Final Cut or a game of Call of Duty will significantly speed up the process, and gentle use, on the contrary, will delay the problem.
But you still shouldn’t deviate from the rule: at least once a year you need to show your Mac to a specialist. If it is clean, they will tell you so directly. If cleaning is necessary, at first the laptop will simply turn off during operation or slow down, but you definitely shouldn’t wait until it refuses to turn on even after cooling down.
You can remove the cover and look at the condition of the device in a few minutes, but repairing devices that are already out of order is much more difficult. And more expensive.
2. Troubles with charging or power supply
It's not that simple; there are several options.
The battery has died
Here we need to highlight two equal options. Either the battery has exhausted its life and is not suitable for further use, or it was simply blocked by charge controller. Of course, the MacBook will not turn on.
There are many publications on this issue. We'll just reiterate the obvious: Mac batteries are very reliable, but they don't last forever, and sooner or later they have to be replaced.
Practice shows that this always happens unexpectedly. Of course, various utilities can now monitor the condition of the battery, and the system itself does this. But there is always a chance that the battery will fail without visible reasons: long-standing and already forgotten contact with moisture, unnoticed overheating or voltage drop, “fault” of poor quality charger.
In some cases, an unsuccessful attempt to charge the Mac may be recognized by the battery controller as physical problem. In this case, part of the circuit is specifically disabled - this is a protective mechanism. The battery cells themselves may be fine, but the battery controller considers it “dead” or dangerous for the MacBook.
By and large, in such cases repair is possible, but it involves transferring the board with the controller from the donor battery to the one being repaired and “coordinating” them using a programmer. This is not possible for all battery models, but in cases where it is possible, the repair process is comparable in cost to replacing the entire battery. And the latter, of course, is much more reliable.
There are problems with the power connector
When using a laptop in a particularly hardcore mode MagSafe may fail for several reasons - the connector contacts are oxidized, covered with dirt or worn out. As a result, the MacBook battery is discharged to zero and the laptop does not turn on without recharging.
The situation with a faulty MagSafe is not uncommon. It can occur in almost any model, but most often it happens with Unibody models from 2008-2012. Now such Macs are no longer produced, but they are used quite actively. Considering the age of even the “freshest” 2012 model, during preventive maintenance it is necessary to clean not only the cooling system, but also the surface of the connectors.
The MagSafe connector is always open and the contact pad dust settles. It degrades the quality somewhat electrical connection, and frequent connections wear out the pins. Tenths of a millimeter are often enough to lose contact.
If contact is lost frequently, the MagSafe board begins to heat up, the battery may fail (the system perceives this as frequent connection/disconnection of the charger), and then the motherboard itself.
So, of course, you need to use high-quality power supplies. And keep the Mac itself clean.
The power supply is “covered”
Another reason for the inability to charge a MacBook is a non-working power supply, which could fail for a number of different reasons: from the same voltage drops to simple wear and tear.
At the same time, a “working” Mac may well recognize such a block. Over time, charging performance degrades. They are quite enough for the system to “see” the power supply and show the “battery is charging” status, but it will no longer be possible to charge a turned off and completely dead laptop with such a unit.
The situation is the same as when charging MacBook Pro 15″ block from Air. The process goes on, but much more slowly, and if the battery is completely dead or “went into protection”, a current of sufficient power is needed.
The block must be selected carefully. The point is not only in the quality of execution (the original or a factory copy has very good protection against various emergency situations), but also in compliance with the parameters - the power and current of the power supply must meet the requirements of the laptop.
You can use a more powerful charger - it is safe, but a weak charger (as mentioned above) is not recommended. In most cases, the Mac will simply charge slowly (for example, if it is turned off and not drawing power itself).
If you are working on a laptop connected to such a low-power unit, then the system thinks that it is charging, although in fact it is discharging, because during charging the battery receives less from the power supply than it consumes, and the indication on the battery icon will not tell you about this. The result is battery wear and failure.
3. Serious voltage drop
Motherboard components burned out
The worst thing that can happen during a power surge is failure of the motherboard elements. It involves a complete replacement or expensive repair of the MacBook.
Such cases are always the most difficult. The whole circuit or just one single element “burns out.” And the result is known - Mac shows no signs of life. With devices that have experienced a voltage surge, you need to be especially careful - the problems may be ambiguous and may not appear immediately.
For example, you have a completely working Mac, but discrete graphics does not work or does not turn on WiFi, although both the module and antennas are working.
The answer is not always on the surface, but recovery is just as real as, for example, when replacing a hard drive or other basic repairs. Such problems, as a rule, do not affect the durability of devices. And if they were eliminated, then Mac will work without problems.
Most often, “duty circuits” suffer - this is the name given to areas that are always under voltage, even if only slightly. “Power” elements operating under high currents are also at risk.
The battery is “covered”
Due to the large voltage drop, the MacBook battery usually goes into protection mode, but it can also “die” completely. This has already been discussed above.
The power supply died
A voltage drop very often causes the “death” of a power supply that fails completely or partially.
It is safer to replace such a block, because if it saved Mac- it's worth it.
4. Heavy and prolonged load
Chipset or video chip burned out
MacBook can cope with a very large and prolonged load, but only with a working cooling system that is regularly cleaned. Otherwise, it will overheat greatly, which will cause its “death”.
To be more precise, not only the chips themselves can fail, but also the “piping” - auxiliary elements that distribute power to the chips.
Video chip (aka GPU) is the main element, the “heart” of the video card. In modern Mac this chip is located on the motherboard.
The chipset is also part of the motherboard, and in some models it also includes a graphics processor. Plus the chip performs many other important functions. But even if all the chips “survived,” the problem may still appear.
Overheating may cause contact failure BGA- leads of the crystal itself and landing spots on the chip substrate (mirror square and PCB square with elements soldered onto it).
Even more often, and even in the overwhelming majority of cases, the crystal lattice itself fails. Temperature changes its structure, and the chip must be replaced. In this case, the problem can be temporarily solved by heat shrinking the chip, which allows you to partially restore the structure of the crystal lattice or return the crystal-substrate contact.
But, as a rule, when the graphics fail, the chip needs to be replaced with a new one, and the technique itself serves more for diagnostic purposes.
The chip almost always fails under overloads, especially long-term ones. There are many options here: you can “burn” your Mac in exciting gameplay, leave it overnight to edit a video, or render a large project.
A clean cooling system will help here, but it is also not all-powerful. Particularly difficult Mac cope with overloads Windows, at least previous versions(maybe also because there are no demanding games for this operating system much more than under OS X).
5. The device was filled with liquid
Keyboard failed
The keyboard is the first thing that suffers when it hits MacBook liquids. In this case, it may fail completely or partially. If the power button fails, the laptop simply cannot be turned on. Interestingly, this may not happen immediately, but rather a long time after the incident.
Therefore, it is cheaper and more reliable to strictly follow the rule: Fill up your MacBook - go to the service center, even if everything is fine, especially since diagnostics can be done for free in any case.
The keyboard is one of the most vulnerable places in Mac. The easiest way to fill it is. Often it dries up and works, but even then it is at risk and may someday suddenly fail.
The fact is that the keyboard itself has a flexible transparent substrate on which tracks are laid out for each key. They are the ones that oxidize. Technically, the keyboard can be repaired, but given the labor costs, such work will cost almost the same as replacing it with a new one.
Often the keyboard backlight “saves” everything else - a small amount of moisture penetrating through the keyboard is retained by the backlight (it is glued to the keyboard quite tightly and with reverse side equipped with a thick film). This is exactly what happened with my Mac.
Short circuit on the motherboard
If liquid gets on the motherboard, a short circuit may occur immediately or over time. It's all due to oxidation of contacts.
Approximately 40-50% of devices that are repaired are flooded or have ever been flooded. Let us once again draw attention to what has already become a well-known fact: contact with moisture will not pass without a trace for almost any device, no matter Mac This, iPad or iPhone.
Oxidation almost always occurs very quickly, especially if you do not physically disconnect the battery from the motherboard. It is simply necessary to do this, but most owners of modern equipment are unlikely to have a screwdriver with such a favorite Pentalobe, which is now used in almost all new Mac.
Simply turning off the laptop is not enough; power is still supplied to the board, and the liquid that gets on it acts as an electrolyte. The result is a homemade battery - the electrolysis reaction is started, its products appear on conductive elements and tracks, and especially small components can be completely destroyed in the process.
Therefore, if you have a suspicion, or you know for sure that water has got inside, you should not delay MacBook repair. At least you need to check the condition. Again, it’s better to play it safe and contact us as soon as possible, when the damage is still small, because the further you go, the more difficult it is to bring your Mac back to life.
Sometimes the tracks themselves have to be restored. Particularly difficult is moisture under the microcircuits. They are not sealed to the board, but the microscopic gap is enough for water to get in.
Cleaning in an ultrasonic bath in technical alcohol solves two problems at once - moisture is removed from hard-to-reach places (water is heavier than pure alcohol), and ultrasound allows you to remove oxides from the surface.
It is also worth noting here that water itself is not so dangerous for electronics, but from experience, almost everything that gets into Mac– aggressive environments – soda, coffee, sweet tea, alcohol and so on. If the board is disconnected from the battery and the unit, electrolysis proceeds much more slowly, but in practice the battery is almost always connected.
And let's repeat it again. Even if everything is fine with your computer immediately after the incident (at first glance), the equipment is still worth inspecting, because the problem may appear much later, when you have already forgotten about what happened. And, as practice shows, restoring such laptops is much more difficult (and not always possible).
All's well that ends well - that's for sure
As it turned out, without my knowledge MacBook Pro filled with something like "Mojito" summer on the beach almost a year ago. The liquid was hastily wiped off the case, but it got inside. In the end, the keyboard contacts oxidized, and the power button simply did not work. The keyboard was completely replaced and the laptop came back to life. It's good that the cocktail did not reach the motherboard.
While I was drinking coffee and talking with MacPlus specialists, they managed to check the laptop for other problems that were not identified. He escaped with little blood.
How has your Mac ever let you down?
P.S.: For those who are experiencing problems, we offer battery replacement ( 3.71 out of 5, rated: 7 )
