Macbook retina screen does not turn on. MacBook won't boot (freezes on boot) - what to do


In one of the previous articles, I wrote about what steps should be taken. I think it would be fair if a similar article appeared about the MacBook.

After all, what could be worse than the situation, when your MacBook won't boot, and you clearly realize that all your information remains on it, the accumulation of which was spent hundreds of working hours.

In this article, I will outline an emergency action plan when your MAC flatly refuses to start. It is not at all necessary to perform absolutely all of the above steps. But we still need to act.

If your MacBook won't boot or freezes on boot, it could be due to:

  • problem with hardware (HDD, memory, controller, processor, etc.);
  • problem with OS X (for example, upgrading to El Capitan)
  • newly installed hardware (disconnect all USB devices)

As in the case of an iPhone that won’t turn on, the first thing to do is make sure that the MacBook’s battery is not simply discharged or the charger has not failed.

If something is still displayed on the screen or even the boot process begins (which ends up stuck on a spinning disk or even breaks down), you should try following the steps described below in the order they appear.

  • If your MacBook is completely frozen and requires a reboot -
  • Need to create a bootable USB flash drive with OS X?
  • MAC stuck on white screen after updating OS X -
  • Read more about different boot modes -
  • You don’t know what the screen that appears when you boot your MAC means -

STEP 1: Boot into Safe Mode

First, you should try booting your MacBook into Safe Mode, which limits the scans and downloadable functionality your Mac performs at startup. I don’t guarantee that after starting in this mode, your MAC will suddenly start working as before, but it’s still worth a try.

Turn off your MacBook and then turn it on while holding down the shift button. Booting into Safe Mode may take a long time (if your computer boots at all), so be patient.

If you want to know what exactly happens when you boot into Safe Mode, you can boot your MacBook by holding down the shift + Command + V buttons, which in turn will launch Safe Mode + verbose mode on your MAC.

Verbose mode is an optional operating system boot mode (including OS X, Windows, Linux), in which detailed information about loaded drivers, software and processes that occur when the computer boots is displayed on the screen.

Be patient and careful while booting your MacBook. If your computer does boot into Safe Mode, try simply restarting it from the Apple top menu.

If the MacBook now boots up in the usual way, we will assume that the situation has been corrected and now everything is fine. If the MacBook does not boot, proceed to the next step.

STEP 2: Download Disk Utility

There can be a lot of reasons why a MacBook freezes when loading. But let us check now and then discard or try to fix the reason related to your MAC hard drive problems. The easiest way to check your hard drive is to run Disk Utility(Disk Utility).

The first step is to turn off your MAC. If MacBook stuck on gray (white, blue, pink...) screen with a spinning disk, you need to force it (the computer) to turn off. To do this, press and hold the power button for 5-8 seconds.

To launch Disk Utility, you need to get into OS X recovery mode. To do this, hold down Command + R when you turn on the computer.

If everything went well, you will be taken to a screen with a title MAC OS X Utilities(see picture below). On this screen you need to click on “ Disk Utility» (Disk Utility).

Then click on the name of the built-in hard drive on the left side of Disk Utility and start the verification process by clicking on Verify Disk on the lower right side of the screen. Wait for the verification to complete.


If any problems are found, you will be prompted to correct them. Confirm your intentions by clicking on Repair Disk. After that, try restarting your MacBook again.

STEP 3: Target Disk Mode

As the saying goes, “it’s better to have a bird in your hands than a pie in the sky.” How are you doing with data backups? Well, the data that was stored on your MacBook... And now it won’t start... Sadness!

If data loss on your MacBook doesn’t particularly worry you, skip straight to the next step. But if you are now in a cold sweat trying to remember whether you copied anything valuable to other disks or flash drives, then here is another gift from Apple for you - EXTERNAL DRIVE MODE.

Target Disc Mode is a special boot mode unique to MAC computers that allows you to access your computer's hard drive without booting into OS X.

Using this mode, you can save data when your MacBook does not boot for any reason.

To launch external drive mode and gain access to the contents of the MacBook hard drive, do this:

  1. We find another MAC computer. If you don't have one personally, ask your friends
  2. Connect both Macs using a Thunderbolt cable
  3. Turn off your MAC. If necessary, hold down the POWER button for more than 5 seconds
  4. Hold down the T button immediately after turning on the MacBook and hold it until the Thunderbolt icon appears on the blue screen.

You just launched External Disk Mode. This mode, roughly speaking, turns your MAC into an external hard drive. If everything went smoothly, your friend's MAC will show an additional external hard drive in Finder. Now copy and save everything you need.

When you're done with the drive, you'll need to eject it into the Finder like any other device. After that, disconnect the Thunderbolt cable and turn off your MAC computer (by holding down the power button for more than 5 seconds).

STEP 4: Reinstall OS X

If none of the previous steps brought “relief,” all that remains is to reinstall the OS X operating system. To do this, you need to boot the computer again in recovery mode, well, remember as in step 2. To do this, turn on the computer while holding Command + R.

Wait for OS X Utilities to load and select from the list Reinstall OS X. Follow the onscreen instructions until you completely reinstall the operating system.

If your MAC has not mastered the installation of OS X or has been running on a fresh operating system for a short time, most likely there are some more serious problems with your MAC.

Such problems may occur due to recently installed new hardware (memory, hard drive, etc.). Check your new hardware for compatibility with your computer.

If you have not installed anything on your MAC, you need to check the existing modules (hard drive controller, memory modules, etc.). But it is better to entrust such checks to service center specialists.

Apple computers are highly reliable, but their owners sometimes run into trouble. Let's figure out what needs to be done when the MacBook does not turn on. If you didn’t manage to flood your laptop and didn’t drop it on the floor, the problem can most likely be solved without going to a service center.

First, you should perform an external test to ensure that the monitor and power adapter are working properly. The first applies more to owners of Mac Mini and iMac all-in-one PCs. Laptops manufactured before 2016 use a MagSafe magnetic port for charging. Its power cord is equipped with an indicator light.

When connected correctly, it should glow orange or green. The L-shaped magnetic latch can operate even if the contacts have not yet connected. In this case, the power cord is externally connected, but due to slight misalignment, power is not supplied. The latest generation of T-latches do not have this drawback. Make sure MagSafe is connected correctly.

All 12-inch models, and after 2016 – the MacBook Pro, use a power supply with a USB-C connector, which does not have a light indication. MagSafe remains only in Air. The cord of the new adapters has two identical connectors at the ends and connects to the laptop and power supply through a port.

Unplug it on both sides and plug it back in. The adapter can automatically interrupt the power supply if there is a disturbance in the electrical network. To reset the triggered protection, unplug it from the socket for one minute. Once turned back on, the computer should begin charging normally.

Reset NVRAM/PRAM

When the adapter is working properly, power is supplied and the apple on the lid lights up, but the screen is still black, you will need to reset the NVRAM/PRAM.

  1. Completely turn off the computer using the power button. Turn it on and immediately press the combination shown in the screenshot.
  1. Hold down all the keys until the laptop starts up, emitting the boot beep again. After the startup went smoothly and we are logged in, we need to check for updates. Click on the apple logo in the menu bar located in the left corner. Select the marked item.
  1. On the main page, click the indicated button to open the App Store.

The system will automatically check for updates. We install all available ones and, if necessary, update the OS to the latest version of High Sierra.

Resetting the SMC

The SMC controller is responsible for the power supply functions. These include battery management, response to closing and opening the lid, the operation of some system sensors and interaction with peripheral devices. In any case, if you feel like your Mac isn't working properly, forcefully restarting the controller may resolve the issues.

For Aimak monoblocks and all Mini versions, it is enough to disconnect the power cord for 15 seconds. You must wait at least five more seconds before turning it back on. For laptop computers, which include all versions of Air, Pro and 12-inch Retina, we perform the following steps.

  1. Turn off the device completely using the menu item shown.
  1. Disconnect the power cord. Press the three keys shown in the screenshot in the left corner simultaneously with the power button and hold for ten seconds. Reconnect the power adapter and turn on the laptop.

As in the previous case, we check and install available OS updates.

Consequences of the upgrade

Apple has made it almost impossible to upgrade in recent years. In previously released MacBooks, the user could independently replace the memory sticks. The operation is, in principle, simple, but requires the correct selection of modules. If, after an upgrade, the laptop starts beeping while turning it on, this indicates problems with the new memory.

In this case, signals are given with a pause of five seconds. Depending on the model, this may be one repeating beep or a series of three consecutive beeps. The only way out of this situation is to reinstall old modules or purchase suitable ones.

Finally

If resetting the NVRAM and SMC didn't help you, then your Mac has serious problems. The best solution would be to contact a certified service for professional diagnostics. Don't forget that your MacBook is covered by Apple's limited warranty for one year from activation and some repairs are free.

Video instruction

In the video below you can see firsthand how the described operations are performed by a professional.

Unfortunately, any computer user may encounter a problem when the operating system Mac won't boot and seems to freeze during the loading process. As a rule, it looks like this: the computer starts to boot, the Apple logo appears on the screen as usual, but then nothing happens - the system does not boot, and the computer does not respond to anything other than a forced shutdown with the power button. In other cases, a loading indicator may appear under the Apple logo (similar to the one shown in the image above), but then nothing happens. Why does this happen and how can you fight it? Is it required in such cases? Let's figure it out in order.

Why Mac won't boot and freezes at the Apple logo

The reasons why the Mac stopped booting can be different:

  • An operating system failure associated with damage to important system files (for example, in the event of an incorrect installation of a system component update, or the installation of a new OS).
  • Damage to system files due to malware.
  • Lack of free space on the computer boot volume.
  • Inability to detect the boot volume due to a software error or damage to the hard drive cable (a clear symptom of this is).
  • Malfunction of hardware components (damage to the hard drive or SSD, defective video chip, etc.).

Mac won't boot and freezes. What to do?

Depending on the reasons for the problem, there are different variations of its solution. Some you can try to implement yourself, while others can only be implemented by a specialist at a service center. Below we will give some recommendations on what you can do if your Mac stops booting and is stuck at the Apple logo or loading indicator. Let's start with something simple.

Boot in Safe Mode

Few people know that the MacOS operating system allows you to boot into Safe mode, which allows you to identify various software errors in the system. In Safe mode, only the system kernel with the main important functions is loaded, and when the computer boots in safe mode, the file system is checked for errors and, if possible, eliminated. Therefore, in most mild cases, booting your Mac into Safe Mode followed by a graceful soft reboot may solve the problem if your Mac won't boot and freezes.

In order to boot your Mac (it doesn't matter whether it's a MacBook, iMac or Mac Mini) in safe mode, you need to When you turn on the computer, hold down the "Shift" key on the keyboard and hold until the loading indicator bar appears. Please note that the boot time for MacOS in Safe Mode takes significantly longer than the standard boot time for the operating system, so we recommend being patient.

Correcting Errors Using Disk Utility

Disk Utility is a specialized application for working with the boot volume and the MacOS file system, which, in addition to the standard functions of formatting or partitioning a disk, allows you to check the disk and boot partition for errors and the correctness of access rights to system files.

To run Disk Utility if your computer won't boot normally, you need to boot from the built-in MacOS recovery partition. For this it is necessary When you turn on the computer, press the Alt/Option (⌥) button and hold it until the boot partition selection screen appears, then select the Recovery partition. Force booting from MacOS recovery partition can be done by pressing a keyboard shortcut Command (⌘)-R when you start the computer.

When the recovery partition is launched, you need to select "Disk Utility":

In Disk Utility, select the "First Aid" section and click "Run" (available for MacOS versions El Capitan and Sierra), or manually select "Check Disk" and "Check Permissions" (available for OS X Yosemite and older). If, at the end of the process, the disk utility reports that the disk is good or restored, then try restarting the computer and check the loading of the operating system again. If the errors found are successfully corrected, MacOS should boot correctly in normal mode.

If, during the verification process, the disk utility displays an error message that cannot be corrected, you should think about how to save important files and documents, and then reinstall the operating system.

Reinstalling the MacOS operating system

If the Mac does not boot and hangs on the loading indicator, and restoring using standard means does not give any results, then, most likely, it will hardly be possible to do without reinstalling the operating system. At the same time, given the fact that the computer does not boot, retrieving the user’s files and documents can be very problematic.

In order to extract files from a boot volume that cannot be started, you will either need to connect your computer to another Mac in external drive mode (the method is not very simple and requires a second Mac computer, a FireWire or Thunderbolth cable, and strict compliance with the Mac OS versions on both computers), or connect to the computer from external media with an installed operating system, or special software for extracting and transferring data.

Unfortunately, not every Mac user has the opportunity to carry out such manipulations and, when faced with a situation where their computer stops loading correctly and freezes, and simple ways to solve the problem do not help, they simply do not know what to do. If your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air or iMac does not boot or the operating system freezes when loading, you can always contact our service center specialists for help. will be done as quickly as possible, taking into account all your wishes about saving important data and the desired settings that our employees will make for your computer, so that it will delight you with its stable operation for a very long time.

If your macbook freezes on the apple, we can fix it quickly - in 30 minutes. Contact us!


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11 comments to the article "What to do if your Mac does not boot and freezes at the Apple logo"

    I have exactly the same problem - my Mac won't boot and freezes at the Apple logo
    It hangs on the apple for a long time, then a chamomile appears, starts spinning, and so on ad infinitum.
    I have important data there and I'm afraid of losing it. Can you restore both the data and the functionality of my MacBook?

    • Hello Alexander!
      Sometimes, such problems are associated with the physical death of the hard drive on your Macbook. Unfortunately, hard drives on MacBooks fail, and not as rarely as we would like. If this is your situation, then we will need to separately remove the data that can be saved. After that, buy a new hard drive, install it, and return all the saved data back, after installing the system.
      The cost of such a service is agreed upon with the client, after a thorough diagnosis of hard drive damage.

If your Macbook won't turn on, there's no reason to worry. According to specialists from the Macrepublic service center, every second Apple laptop that suddenly turns off and does not want to turn on can be easily revived 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

The most common reason why Pro, Air, Retina, Macbook does not turn on is a 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

    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.

    • 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.

  1. 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.


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