Macbook won't start up - has also eaten CD! What's up?

Hi all.
Purchased a 1.83 GHz white MB today - and it was fine up till about an hour ago. We purchased a La Cie firewire drive with it for backup etc.
All we've done today is reinstall the OS and Apps, to get rid of the extra langs and drivers we don't need, and we've installed Firefox, and moved over all of our iTunes and pictures from our PC (which I'm having to type this on!)
I wanted to install the software for the external drive, so popped in the CD that came with it. I should mention that at this point, the firmware update had just downloaded - and had a green tick by it - not sure if that means installed or not, but I'd had no prompts to restart or anything.
Anyhow, in goes the disc, and the MB doesn't recognise that there is a CD in the drive - I try ejecting it, and it won't spit it out. To see if restarting would solve the issue, I ask the MB to restart, but all that happens is the dock disappears, and menu bar goes, and all I was left with was the background. It didn't shut down - it just froze.
After leaving the screen like this for nearly 10 minutes, I held down power to switch it off. And now it won't reboot. I get the initial chime, and I see the grey screen with the apple logo, but it won't go any further than that.
I've tried resetting the PRAM (the whole remove battery jobby described by Apple) and just want to get it working again!
Ironically I only downloaded the Firmware update as I was hearing a soft mooning - and wanted to clone my harddisk before I installed it, just in case something went wrong!
Aaargh! Please help guys

Azzy Wazzy, from your original post it sounds like you downloaded and installed the SMC firmware update before having the disk problem. If so, I believe you will have it even after restoring the OS. Firmware is installed in ROM, not on the hard drive.
You can check by selecting About My Mac, then More Info in the dialog, then look near the bottom of the System Profiler's Hardware page that comes up. The new firmware is 1.4f10.

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MacBook won't start on battery/shuts down when power adapter is removed

Help & advice needed please.
My MacBook won't start without external power, it gives a whir then a click then nothing. Once started up, if I remove the external power it just shuts off.
The battery shows at 98% & charging. Coconut Battery shows the following:
Current battery charge 4126 (& increasing as I type)
Maximum battery charge 4200
Current battery capacity 4200
Original battery capacity 5200
80%
Battery loadcycles 111
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Charger connected yes
Battery is charging yes
Does anyone have a clue why the Mac won't power itself on the battery when everything else seems like it works?
Cheers!

As of today, my MacBook and I have been together for 40 days. Yesterday, while I was happily surfing (on battery), it powered down with no warning. Okay, these things happen. I plugged it in, restarted, and all seemed to be fine. Battery was about 70%. I did other things on my other machines and when it was about 90%, unplugged it and everything was good. This morning after using it unplugged for 1.5 hours it did the same thing, but decided to only work with the power adapter, not on battery alone. When trying to boot without AC, it would try to spin the CD and then fall back into off. When on AC, if I pulled the adapter, it would last two seconds and go blank. I made an appt. with the Apple store (Fashion Show Mall, Las Vegas) for 3:20pm. I got there right at 3:20pm and the monitors showed I was 5th in line. Store was fairly packed, at least one patron at every display item. Monitors also said the next MacGenius appt. was "approx. 8:30pm." Glad I made an appt! I was served about 15 min. later, during which time the monitors had changed to "No more MacGenius appts. available today, please try tomorrow." However, one guy came by without an appt. and was told he would be put on standby and to come back in 30 min.
Once I explained my issue with my MacBook battery, my Genius tried one of his batteries. "I just want to make sure it's your battery and not your motherboard." My machine worked fine, so he said "No problem, I'll have you out of here in 10 minutes." He got me a brand new battery, tested it, and put my old one in a box on the rear counter with four others. He pulled the serial number from the "About this Mac" area, didn't need my receipt for purchase date or anything. I had even printed this page: http://www.apple.com/support/macbook_macbookpro/batteryupdate/ to use as ammunition, but didn't need it. He did approve highly of my dashboard widget "iStat pro", available here: http://islayer.com/.
So the battery issue is a very common problem, and one that Apple has tried to deal with as painlessly as possible for the consumer. My Genius did ask if the battery showed an "X" in the icon bar, and I said no. Just wouldn't run on battery. On the way out of the store, one of the 3 MacBooks, in fact the one closest to the door, had an "X" on the battery icon. When I unplugged the power, it shut down immediately! The moral of the story is to contact Apple immediately with problems and give them a chance to fix them. Hope this helps others.

Macbook won't start

Macbook won't start up. Sounds like disc drive is spinning but screen remains dark as though startup file is not booting.

Did you also try reset of NVRAM/PRAM?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
When you tried the Command + Opt + P + R keys on restart, held almost
immediately and through the time period it should chime on startup, did
you keep holding those keys down, so as to force it to repeat the chime?
You should do this (if possible to tell) through Three chimes, before you
let those keys go; that would be indicative of a NVRAM/PRAM reset.
Aside from the details and troubleshooting processes in the SMC reset
article from Apple Support, that could shed some light on the issue, if
these were done in their subscribed order before finally trying the SMC.
Have you tried System Management Controller (SMC) reset more than once?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964 {and those other troubleshooting bits}
Depending on which MacBook you have, the details may vary; with some
you could try several items not possible with a later model, such as a hard
reset of the computer (remove battery, hold power button, etc) and other
details I am not going into now... Here's something that worked for this one:
•My MacBook won't boot, no start chime, just DVD spinning sound:
http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/6271/My+MacBook+won%27t+boot,+no+start+chime, +just+the+DVD+spinning+sound.
There are some ideas there which may help. At least as far as trouble-
shooting. If you have access to an Apple Store with Genius Bar in the
USA or Canada, you could call ahead for an appointment to have one
of their staff genius tech persons diagnose and troubleshoot this issue.
In other locations, there may be fees charged to accommodate services.
Anyway, I an not certain what to suggest next.
Did you try booting from the Snow Leopard DVD?
Good luck & happy computing!

Macbook won't start - apple icon turns to circle with diagonal line/slash

My Macbook won't start. When I turn on the power, the apple icon appears but then after a while it changes to a circle with a diagonal line/slash, then it just shows a gray screen.
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Thanks for any help/advice.

Yup, i encountered the same experience after a strange failed USB-loading, and a sudden shutdown of my macbook.
Luckily i manage to "safe-boot" (pressing "Shift" key once starting up the mac) my macbook so that i can save the necessary files before will lose them all.
After that i popped-in my SL Installation DVD, and did the reinstallation process. Fortunately, everything works as charm and everything is back to normal after Spotlight has done it's hard work.
Happy Apple user once again.

After installing latest update Macbook won't start up.

After installing the latest update my macbook won't start up. Instead of the login screen I get a flashing map icon with a question mark. My uncle says that means it can't find the startup disk and I had to startup from the install disk holding C but it didn't work. I'm quite desperate because I need my macbook for school (writing & producing music). I type this on a friend's computer... How can I fix this? Or do I really have to go to a mac store and part from my macbook for an unknown time...? :'(
I don't exactly know what version I have (can't check it now either) but it's at least 10.6.something and I always install the updates...

Hi
Anything unusual happen during the 10.5.3 update installation phase?
What type of iMac are you using? Your tag says G5 but also Intel core processors - it can't be both.
Try this:
-First unplug your computer and wait 10 minutes
-Next, simultaneously reinsert the power cord while pressing the power button for 5 seconds then release
-Press the power button again to start the computer - this resets the computer's system management unit (SMU) which controls your machines power functions.
-Next, press/hold down the P/R/option/command keys for 3 Apple chimes. This clears the machine's PRAM. After the 3rd chime release those keys and immediately hold down the Shift key to put the machine into Safe User Mode
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If no go, I suggest taking the machine to a certified Apple tech, or if you live near an Apple store to the Genius Bar.
Post back
Message was edited by: Hawaiian_Starman

How do I backup all my files if my Macbook won't start up?

So a few days ago, my dad and I got into a fight - he reacted by pouring coffee all over my macbook, then continuously slammed it on the floor. There wasn't really much I could do for my macbook then, except the basic procedure of powering it off, turning it upside down, then waiting for a couple of days to use it. Luckily enough, my macbook was able to turn on, but it got stuck on the logo screen and couldn't go any further than that.
I had already planned to diagnose my macbook after an earlier water spill, and spent over $500 on tools/replacements. I bought an external hard drive to backup my computer files with before diagnosing it - but now I can't really do that since my macbook won't start up. Is there any way I can boot it up just to back up my files before they get lost forever?

yes, the HD contains all you data, SEE PIC BELOW of macbook
Do you have 2 HD in your macbook? Some macbooks are modified and have removed DVD/Superdrives and contain a second hard drive (if you didnt do that, it isnt in there)
The HD itself is sealed, however the internal armature and heads are fragile, these are like records and needle.
obviously torturing these HD heads is like shaking an old record player with its needle and arm (bad idea)
The HD is like a metal sealed box (in simple explanation)....which is GOOD.....since liquid doesnt get in there...
what is BAD is what is inside that box is fragile
also what is bad is that the underside of that "BOX" contains a control board which CAN get ruined by nasty liquids.
if this was also possible to do with the hard drive.
No, dont think of putting any liquid ON / IN the HD, ..as said the HD is sealed, but it does have a circuit board on it (controller board) you cant see in this pic above,.....nasty liquid on it can of course fry the ability to access the data ON the HD platters inside......data recovery experts can get around this,....so can I, but its costly and very "painful" to do.
see picture of that control board here> http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/Toshiba-Portege-R500/small/remove-hard-dri ve-10sm.jpg
inside of a HD:

MacBook won't start up (mainboard)

Hi to everybody!
My MacBook won't start up anymore.
I know since several week that the mainboard has problems: when I pressed on the bottem around the battery, it restarted randomly.
I didn't send it in yet because I needed it and could live with this flaw.
But now it doesn't start again. I just hear one single click from the disc-drive and then nothing happens. I'd just need to reboot it ONCE to backuo my data before sending it in.
Do you have any ideas how I could make it work?
Thanks,
Bensch

You will need another mac to do this, but if you follow this article it will show you how to mount your drive as an external harddrive on another computer.
Or else you could just remove your harddrive.
but give this a try first.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

If my MacBook won't start, is there a way to access my data without replacing the battery? Someone mentioned removing the hard drive?

I'm assuming that my MacBook won't start because it's been spilled on... It's happened once before and when I brought it in, all that was needed was a battery replacement. I have a brand new MacBook Pro and all I really want is my pictures, videos, music & other documents from my old MacBook.. Is there a way of getting all of that without buying a new battery, and then using Mavericks to switch over everything? A friend suggested that I just get all of it from the hard drive, but I don't really know much about that. Help?

If you can take the computer to somewhere or someone who has a known-good battery, and if the MacBook is dry, you could tell in quick order if a replacement battery would be worth it. Likely, you won't have been as fortunate more than once; electricity and water don't mix well, and short circuited or fried electronics result.
{There used to be a way to access one Mac from another if you could get the bad one to boot into Target Disk mode, but Intel-based macs didn't always work; they both needed FireWire ports & correct cable. If In an enclosure, you may be able to use a migration assistant utility.}
An authorized service tech with Apple certification in portable computers should be able to remove the internal hard disk drive, install it into an external enclosure, & test it, for a fee; once in an enclosure it may be accessed to see if the hard drive's data files on the drive, or at least sees them. Labor + parts?
Once the hard disk drive is removed, your user files would still have whatever account password protection needed to access them, but there are ways to migrate data from drives into another computer; in some cases the information on this may be tilted toward using a device you don't have, such as a Time Machine. If the data had been backed up on a Time Machine, it may have been possible to get it from that device using a method available in a Support article and put directly into another Mac.
If the computer has failed due to contact with moisture or a drink pouring over it, more than once, it may require more than a new battery to see if it'd work well enough to run and get data from its hard disk drive. You may pay quite a bit of money to have someone do anything at all.
How long ago did the MacBook get wet again? If several weeks ago, it may be dry inside. But may be damaged and the main logic board short-circuited or toast. So, it may not work even with the MagSafe attached due to other damages beyond a new battery. That could be a waste of money to buy one.
There are repair guides at http://ifixit.com which may help you determine if you can extract the HDD from the failed MacBook, but even then you'd have to install it into a suitable USB enclosure to gain access to data. Some drive enclosures already have a hard disk drive inside, so try and get one that would work with the MacBook's SATA hard disk drive, and with no HDD installed. One less thing to do.
So I know only enough about it to be dangerous.
And to troubleshoot the old MacBook may not
be worth the cost, if logicboard now is toasted.
Maybe someone else can say it direct w/ less words? LOL
Good luck & happy computing!

While updating the firmware Update, i disrubted the download and now my macbook won't start up! Any suggestions on how to fix it? i only see a black screen

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Try:
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How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings
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Hi,
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