MacBook Pro keeps trying to start but won't.

I have a fairly old (6 years?) MacBook Pro 17", Model A1212, that only starts up when left connected to the power adapter for several hours but then dies.  It has become gradually worse over the last 6 months to the point that it now just gets the desktop screen up, at best, then powers off.  Sometimes the apple screen comes up.  But usually it doesn't get beyond a black screen. I press the on button, fans started whirring, then after a few seconds there's a little wheeze and a beep and it turns off! It sometimes keeps trying to start up on its own but never does successfully.
The battery is fine.  The fans are fine.
I guess a visit to an apple shop is due but I'd appreciate any help anyone can offer before doing that.
Thank you in advance.

give the SMC a reset and see if that helps http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964. if not, try to get into hardware test http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509. after that, i think i can hear your friends at your local apple store calling your name.

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