A fix for the MacBook Pro black screen / screens not working after installing Apple OS X Leopard 10.5.7 update... MackBook Pro 3,1 with NVidia 8600M GT graphics...

 10.5.7 Update - Has it bricked your MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 3,1 ?

       

[UPDATE]  4 days later and the problem has returned - Dropped it in to the Apple store and they did a free logic board replacement. Looks like the fix below was just a temporary reprieve from the blackness. Still, they fixed it the same day and it works great - can't argue with that. Plus the service (West Quay store, Southampton) was amazing, friendly and very welcomed.

Just a note of caution, this worked for me. I hope it works for you but obviously I can't guarantee that. I just thought I would share it in case, like me, you now probably need a wig to cover up the excess loss of hair over the last few days. There are without a doubt a lot more steps below than is necessary. Given that I'm no techie, I'm simply putting down what has worked to me. If you know more about the OS X. platform, you can obviously take or leave as you wish.

 

Read more if this has affected you - Click below....

    

    

Here are some details about my machine:

It's a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro;  4 GB or 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM;  with the Boot ROM version of 3.10070.B07;  SMC version 1.6f8;  with a MacBook Pro identifier of 3,1. But most importantly I believe in the case of this issue specifically for this model is the graphics GForce 8600M GT 256MB.

From what I can tell, with this specific issue that I have had with this specific machine, these model details are important, especially the graphics element.

Okay, so here is what I did that seemed to work, eventually, in trying to correct the black screen issue on my MacBook Pro after the 10.5.7 update. just a quick note, this was after a huge amount of effort and are trying out with numerous recommendations found on various forums none of which worked. This may not be a permanent fix, but for now, as far as my machine is concerned, it is a fix. And given the pain and worry I have been through as this machine is business critical to me, I thought the least I could do is share it in the absence of anything official from Apple.

All of the following was carried out through Screen Share via Mobile Me. 

Whilst your screen is black with no obvious activity, everything bar your screen is actually running as normal. You just can't see it because on power up your machine thinks that it has got an X3100 built-in graphics, when of course it hasn't, in my case has got an 8600M GT. as a result of the boot up process cannot find the graphics hardware it needs. Which is why you see bugger all, but can see it through a virtual interface.

There are, as I understand it, numerous ways to share the screen of your MacBook Pro other than via screen share via mobile me. Not being a techie, I've got no idea what these methods are, but I am pretty sure that a quick Google will give you some answers. If you know, feel free to add to the thread.

Anyway, here's what I did, and for me it worked.

Having also tried multiple  PRAM resets with no luck. I took the drastic decision of opening up the case and followed the instructions from ifix.com and unplugged the PRAM  battery. Left it about 10 minutes. [To be honest, I'd imagine you can probably miss out this bit as the end result after reconnecting battery was no different than simply carrying out a PRAM  reset using Option, Command, P and R held at the same time as powering up the machine, until I heard at least three 'bongs'.]

Having already downloaded the 10.5.7 Combo update to my machine, I fired up the Disk Utility, verified the disc permissions, then ran the repair disk permissions.

I then reinstalled the 10.5.7 combo update.

After it had gone through its reboot cycles and I was once again able to log in using screen share (I also found you could use the screen share without being on a network if connected via a FireWire cable). and then once again repaired any disc permissions via disk utility.

Once it had done its thing, I shut the machine down, removed the battery, unplugged the power cable and when made a cup of coffee [approx 5 mins]. When I came back, I held down the power button, and with the battery still removed, attached the power cable. I then held it like this for about 10 seconds. I don't know if this is necessary, it's just what I did. After this, I tapped the power button and machine booted as normal with my lovely backlit display blasting out in all its glory. One thing to note, is your fan will go crazy and stay that way. This, apparently is resetting the SMU (click to read more from Apple).

Once the boot had completed, I fired up disk utility again and hit the verify permissions button on my main drive. Interestingly, this took a hell of a lot longer than it had previously, and found the same and a few more issues than had previously. The verify permissions took about 30 minutes.

After the verify disc permissions are completed, I obviously hit the repair disk permission button and left it to do its thing whilst I took a very short stroll to help keep the blood pressure down ;-) Having said it was a short walk - It still took quite some time to complete.

I then did a standard reboot via the system menu, still with the battery out, to see what happened. As so far, on the few occasions where the screen had worked previously, after any reboot or period of sleep it simply went back to the black screen on the next wake-up/power up attempt and returned to being an expensive paperweight with a hard disk in it.

After this had worked and it booted up as normal and I had left it to settle down after firing up everything that it wanted to fire up, I popped the battery in, removed the power cable, waited 30 seconds, then did a restart just on battery.

Again, it booted just fine but still with the fans roaring and the battery icon said that there was no battery in the machine, even though it it was just the battery powering it.

What I'd actually done in the first SMU reset, was follow the procedure through G5 rather than a MacBook Pro and interestingly the reset simply assumed that there was no battery because obviously being a desktop it hasn't got one.

Realising my mistake, but then looked up on the Apple website and the procedure MacBook Pro SMU reset. by removing the battery and the power cable, holding the power button down from more than five seconds, replacing the battery only and then firing up a notebook, the fan noise was gone, the battery indicator was operational and everything seemed okay. Including, a lot more battery life in the indicator than I would have thought.

Then came the final test, can I put this thing to sleep by closing the lid, return and not be confronted with the same crap that I had been two days ago?

The simple answer, is yes...

Whether the process was I had accidentally stumble on above, worked. Their least, it works for now!

If anything changes will be sure to post here. So if you are in the same boat and whether you do or do not try the above procedure, or a slimline version of, if you subscribe to the feed you will get updates from me if things change and of course comments from people more knowledgeable than myself as, and if, they feel like tailoring the above.

If nothing else, I hope this has helped someone. 

[UPDATE: 30 hours later and after a lot of use / sleeps etc - All is running beautifully - Even VM Ware Fusion seems to run a hell of a lot better than it did booting from Boot Camp - So far it does actually seem to be a genuine fix - Fingers crossed]

Comments

[suicico]

Yeah .. no software can fix your problem ... you have to take the machine to an apple authorized service provider so they replace the logic board for free (if it is Nvidia issue)

[Ginkgo]

Please don't take this the wrong way... But did you read the full article?

I 'have' fixed it and it still working just fine after giving it a damn good hammering.

The article above covers how I did this. Not saying it will work for everyone, but it 'worked' for me. Which is why I shared it.

[kumar]

hello!
how can I use/enable screensharing via firewire. do I have to be in target disk mode?
best regards

[Stewart]

Hi there,

All I did was to plug the firewire cable in to both machines, left it for a moment, then opened Finder and in the shared devices was my MacBook Pro. I then clicked on the device and clicked on the screen share button on the top right of the finder window.

That was about it really.

[MacTeo]

Same machine MBP 3,1, same problem: black screen on startup. Tomorrow i will bring it to assistance.

But can Apple destroy MBPs with a software update?

I'm not sure it's 10.5.7 update causing that, maybe is the SMC update 1.3...

[Ginkgo]

As I understand it, it wasn't the update that broke the machine. But it brought out an issue with the Nvidia chips that was already there. Seems Dell and Sony are having the same issue with the same chip. It was 10.5.7 that brought the issue to light for me and it was before the SMC update.

Apple were great about fixing it - and for me did it the same day! Considering it was a complete logic board replacement, that's pretty impressive.

One thing to be aware of though, is tat you will lose your keychain and any software that relies on the hardware for licence control. e.g. Aperture, Final Cut - Not had n issue with Adobe though. And all your email accounts will require the passwords re-entered.

Thankfully it is easily fixed and at no cost.

[Steve]

It looks like this just happened to my MBP. Was your's under warranty when they fixed the logic board for free?

[Ginkgo]

No, it wasn't under warranty. They have extended the warranty period for the MBP's affected.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377?viewlocale=en_US

But to be honest, they couldn't have been better in their service. Quick confirmation of diagnosis and it was ready for me to pick up the very same day. Which for such a major repair was amazing!

Only thing to bare in mind is that you will have to re-apply all of your keychain data, Apple serials etc.

But it will work a treat after your repair.

Anything else you want to know, feel free to drop me a line.

[Jiri]

Hi, having the same problem exactly, managed to do all you describe except the under the hood unpluging of pram (without reinstall of anything since I already have 10.5.8) still with black screen. What should I do now? I can see my computer via screen share fine.. Thanks

[Ginkgo]

Hi there,

As I mentioned in the update at the top of the page... The only way to actually fix it is to either take it in to an Apple store or get it sent off for repair as it is actually a hardware issue (nVidia chip failure) that has caused the issue - It just got expressed by the update.

My advice is given you can at least see the machine via screen share, is to do a backup (however you choose) and make sure you have all your serial numbers to hand as many will be required when you get it back as they basically replace the whole board.

Sorry I don't have any other ideas, but this is what I ended up having to do. But at least it is free for affected machines even if you are outside of your warranty period.

Good luck!

[Rory Bourdon]

I have the same problem only Apple refuses to fix it because I spilled a little soda on it about a month before this happened (the machine was fine). Any suggestions? Have you heard of anyone with a similar problem?

[Ginkgo]

I am amazed that they won't sort it for you due to a little bit of soda spilt on it. If the liquid didn't get through to the logic board, then it is unrelated so they really should sort it for you. Try calling the support line - out of hours in your country - and give it a shot via them.

Failing that, if they are adamant that it was soda damage, then you have a clear cut home contents claim and you can pop out and get yourself a nice shiny brand new unibody ;-)

[Camera Accessories]

It is quite interesting to know how you solved the problem to your Mac book or rather I would that it worked for you. It was good to read and also provided an outlook to solve the problem if it occurs in the future.

[Girl Dresses]

This may not be a permanent fix, but for now, as far as my machine is concerned, it is a fix. And given the pain and worry I have been through as this machine is business critical to me, I thought the least I could do is share it in the absence of anything official from Apple.

[Prom Dresses]

I am just going to wait until this problem gets sorted out. thanks everyone for your help.

[Wholesale Clothing]

i think it booted just fine but still with the fans roaring and the battery icon said that there was no battery in the machine, even though it it was just the battery powering it.

[Urlaub in Germany auf Sylt]

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