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dzp111 · May 1, 2010, 10:49 AM

My MacBook (2007) started crashing (shutting down on itself) last night. I'm able to login but no more than 2 minutes after which I get the dialogue 'Are You Sure You Want To Restart You Computer?' Regardless what I click (if I have time to do so), it simply shuts down.

I've tried the following:

-log in as Guest
-disconnected all USB peripherals/cables
-safe boot
-disconnect router
-zapping pram
-re-seated ram sticks (2x1Gb) (also tried one stick at a time and switching them)
-and the big one: Booting from Install Disc!!! (10.6)

All of the above didn't help. The computer simply crashes within 2 minutes of booting up.

It also doesn't recognize my external hard drive with bootable backup.

Am I in trouble? Is there something else I haven't tried?

note: while booting from Install disc I only go as far as being able to go to Disk Utility before the crash. I'm almost tempted to try and continue with the install process.

Thanks much.

AKcrab · May 1, 2010, 01:44 PM

How strange.

The fact that it does the same thing even booted from a CD means this is most certainly a hardware problem.

The only thing I can think of trying is removing the battery; see if the behavior is the same on AC power as it is on battery.

dzp111 · May 1, 2010, 03:50 PM

Thanks AKcrab.

I just did what you recommended, but to no avail.

Since my last post I booted in Target mode (which I knew was going to be useless, however it didn't crash while in Target mode).

I also replaced my RAM with the originals that came with it. (I upgraded 2 yrs ago)

I did notice one thing; the little white light in front of the keyboard (on the front edge) turns off immediately after the chimes.

Now I'm thinking that it's a hard drive failure. I don't mind replacing it but I'm concerned that I'd purchase and replace with a new one and it still wouldn't solve the problem.

What are the symptoms of a failed internal hard drive?

I'm at a complete loss.

Thanks again.

reader50 · May 1, 2010, 04:15 PM

Symptoms of a failing hard drive:

Slow boot, slow app opening. Lots of error dialogs. Random freezing. Kernel panics. Failure to boot, often with a blinking error icon. Chattering / scraping noises from the HD. Smoke coming out of the case (rare).

Your problem doesn't sound quite like a HD problem, but you can simulate a HD change. Remove the internal drive, and boot from the Install disc. You'll get a message that OS X cannot be installed on that computer (nowhere to put it). But you can let the installer sit on that dialog, see if it shuts down.

If it shuts down anyway, then the HD isn't the problem. If it does not shut down ... then I'd go for a new drive.

ps - have you tried Apple Hardware Test? Put in the original install disc (not a retail copy) and hold down Option while booting. Select the diagnostics partition, and continue the boot.

seanc · May 1, 2010, 05:20 PM

Personally, this sounds to me like a fault with the power button.

Are you capable of taking it apart? I would do that. Power it on, then unplug the top case.

dzp111 · May 1, 2010, 06:52 PM

Well, I can honestly say thatI've tried everything under the sun today.

Reader50, I followed your suggestions to the tee, more than once. And it's not the hard drive that's failed and nothing else worked. It seems that I'm able to re-install from the original disks but as soon as I let go the Option key, it crashes -which is very weird. I can't be holding that key for an hour or so, so I tried some gimmickey thing to hold it down but it didn't work. Next step will include duct tape.

Seanc, that was my very first thought when this whole thing happened. I did play with the switch for a bit but it didn't help. And no, the top case won't come off. It's looking pretty ugly right now, but all remains the same.

I think it's time for a new laptop. In all my 22 years using Apple, never has anything like this happen to me. But I suppose that things like this do happen every now and then.

seanc · May 1, 2010, 06:59 PM

The top case *will* come off, if you follow the iFixit guide.
I actually broke the cable on mine accidentally - ended up buying a new top case + cable. They're cheap enough to buy from eBay.

dzp111 · May 2, 2010, 09:55 AM

Well, I was able to re-install from the original disks last night and am now in the process of installing Snow Leopard. I'll be attempting to recover by backup later on.

But!!!

The Option/Alt key has to be held down. If that key is let go, the computer crashes.

So I suppose I wasn't kidding about using duct tape. I now have a chess piece (pawn) sitting on the Option key, held down by a strip of masking tape stretching across the keyboard. Very inconvenient.

So I suppose that the bottom line is that I have a keyboard issue?

sudowork · May 2, 2010, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by dzp111

Well, I was able to re-install from the original disks last night and am now in the process of installing Snow Leopard. I'll be attempting to recover by backup later on.

But!!!

The Option/Alt key has to be held down. If that key is let go, the computer crashes.

So I suppose I wasn't kidding about using duct tape. I now have a chess piece (pawn) sitting on the Option key, held down by a strip of masking tape stretching across the keyboard. Very inconvenient.

So I suppose that the bottom line is that I have a keyboard issue?

Sounds like the keyboard could be the issue. Like someone else suggested, can you run it without the keyboard plugged in (requires removing the top case)?

seanc · May 2, 2010, 11:02 AM

I think you're just managing to over-ride the power button, perhaps blocking the signal - everything on the top case is connected by one cable. I'm pretty sure a new top case will solve the problem.

Apple Macbook 13.3" A1181 Top Case/Keyboard/Trackpad US - eBay (item 180501017460 end time May-29-10 21:00:04 PDT)

$32.99, free shipping and a few hours of your time - do ask the seller if it comes with the cable.

dzp111 · May 2, 2010, 11:55 AM

Wow! Thanks seanc. I was just looking at ifixit and they're asking $165.95 !!

dzp111 · May 4, 2010, 04:39 PM

Thanks everyone.

Fixed!

But instead of buying the part from eBay, I decided to order from our local Apple retailer. (I don't fully trust eBay for things like this).

So the part was ordered and promised for the following day. Then I began taking my laptop apart. All went well until I came about one single screw that was so tight.. 'There's no way I'm stripping this..'

So I took it to the shop. After some struggle the tech guy got it loose, and handed me the laptop back. I asked 'how much will it cost me for you to take care of replacing the top case?' He says $24.00.

'Go for it' I replied, 'while you're at it, could you give the inside a clean up'?

About 24 hrs later the tech calls me telling me that the comp's ready.

Apparently, my MacBook was on the verge of over-heating, in fact there were already signs of this happening.

After all said and done, it cost me $200.01, but he rounded it up to minus the penny.

Was it worth it? Absolutely!

The MacBook is now running like new.

Just want to thank you all for your insights and for your eventual diagnostic. The machine's running 10 degrees Celsius lower and I'm rocking.

Thanks again all.

: )

sudowork · May 6, 2010, 02:48 AM

Glad everything worked out for ya.

One thing though:

Originally Posted by dzp111

Apparently, my MacBook was on the verge of over-heating, in fact there were already signs of this happening.

Did you yourself notice these signs of overheating? Or did the tech inform you. I know it may be bad of me as a person to say this, but perhaps there were none or minimal symptoms? Also, how did you measure the 10 degree change? Did you have an initial value? What is it at now? Just looking out for ya.