My MacBook pro wont wake up from sleep. The screen is blank at all times, but I can hear the fan for 5 sec then everything stops. Please help! I don't kno what to do.

Question

My MacBook pro is about 3 yrs old. It is a 2008 model right before the new design came out. Recently I closed it up which puts it to sleep and a couple minutes later when I opened it up the screen stayed blank but could hear the fan running but then the power clicked like it was shutting down and I could hear nothing more. My power supply is working and I have already tried resetting it. Can anyone help me? I don't live exactly near a Mac store to get help.

Answer 1

Before resorting to an LB change-out, try this, as it has fixed many of the "silver-key" Macbook Pros with wake-from-sleep issues:
1) To get the computer running, do an SMC reset. Instructions here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Your MBP model uses the first option under the subhead, "Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)"
2) If you get it running, go to System Preferences > Network and select your Airport connection
3) In the result main pane, click the "Advanced..." button.
4) You should be looking at a window with multiple tabs at the top; the "Airport" tab (far left) should be active---if not, make it so.
5) There is a panel showing "Prefered Networks." Use the "minus" button below that window to eliminate any networks that you don't need to access on more than a weekly basis. I'm down to two: the home Airport Extreme Base Station and the network for a museum at which I volunteer once a week.
5) Click "OK" and close System Preferences.
Now try letting it sleep and see it if wakes up.
When this happened to my Late 2007 MBP, I used Console to read system.log and found that, on waking, the compuer was looking for the wireless network at a lodge where I'd stayed weeks earlier and miles away. Clear the morass of old networks and keeping the list short has completely cured my wake-from-sleep issues.
The steps I listed take less time to do than to read, and are within the ability even of novice Mac users.
If that doesn't work, you may need to seek professional help. If you take it to an Apple Store and they recommend a logic board replacement, ask about a "Depot Repair." Instead of replacing the logic board on-site (which will whack you to the tune of US$700-1100), they send the computer to a central Apple refurb facility that fixes whatever they find wrong for a flat fee of about US$315 (last time someone reported using the service here). Turnaround is about one working week, and people who have taken of this service have reported being very pleased with the outcome.
You don't show a geographic location. This service may not be available if you are outside North America.