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]

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Hi, my MBP has done the same and I can only mount the HD through Firewire, I'm not sure what video card is installed, how can I find out as I can't see the About This Mac window? Thanks

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Andy,

I'm assuming that you are mounting it to another Mac as it is via Firewire. If you are, let your bricked Mac boot up normally (even though you can't see it) and wait until it sounds like the disk activity has stopped.

Then, with the other mac, look for it on your network and click it. On the top right of the Finder window you should see a Screen Share button, click it and enter your login details for the bricked Mac if challenged. You should then be able to see the screen in a virtual window.

Continue your login and once fully logged in, click the Apple at the top left of the screen and select 'About this Mac'. Then click the More Info button. On the left, under Hardware you should see Graphics/Displays, click this and you will see what chipset you have in there.

Hope it works for you...

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Hi Stewart, thanks for your reply. I can see the MBP when I Connect to Server and mount HD or Admin, however I can't see the Screen Share button at the top right of Finder, I'm linking to an old G4 so maybe that feature is newer than my Mac? Detect Display doesn't find the MBP either, any thought? Cheers, Andy

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