My macbook won't start up.. help please!

i can't make my macbook start up.. i've been trying to hold the "C" key as said in the instruction. i want to reformat or reinstall the Mac OSx so i can delete all the files because i'm planning to sell my macbook... help.. thanks a lot...

Exactly what are you doing and exactly what happens? With Lion you would do this:
Install or Reinstall Lion from Scratch
If possible backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Install button.
Note: You can also re-download the Lion installer by opening the App Store application. Hold down the OPTION key and click on the Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should now see an active Install button to the right of your Lion purchase entry. There are situations in which this will not work. For example, if you are already booted into the Lion you originally purchased with your Apple ID or if an instance of the Lion installer is located anywhere on your computer.
If you are trying to boot from an installer DVD, then do this:
Booting From An OS X Installer Disc
1. Insert OS X Installer Disc into the optical drive.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the "C" key.
4. Release the key when the spinning gear below the dark gray Apple logo appears.
5. Wait for installer to finish loading.

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Macbook won't start. Help Please?

So recently my Macbook Pro 17 in w/retina display has technical difficulties. I just bought it on Black Sunday of 2013. It was working fine until December 31 where it started to work slower than usual. At first it would take a longer time to start up. On Jan 2. I had difficulties turning it off but some how I got to manage to turn off my macbook. Yesterday when I tried to turning it on the small loading bar appear with the apple logo but then in a few seconds it turned off. I've trying many methods but none of them seem to work. I feel like I just thrown a large amount of money in the drain. I bought my Macbook in a MicroCenter. Would they be able to repair without any costs? If not what are other methods to solve my problem?

Lesly,
You have a year of warranty with Apple. Just make a Genius Bar appointment. They should take care of it for you. You may also want to consider buying Applecare. That'll give you an additional 2 years of warrany.
Bring your receipt along with when you visit the Apple store.
By the way... you must mean 15" with Retina. They never made a 17" Retina.

Macbook doesn't start up - Help Please?

Hello,
I have a Macbook Intel Core 2 Duo that I bought back in January 2007, OS X 10.4.11. Yesterday I was starting up my computer, but got no response from the power button. The battery was fully charged. Nevertheless I plugged in the power cord, but yet again, my Macbook would not start up. I have tried everything, but pressing on the power button just makes the light by the camera flash rapidly in green. I got my Mac to start after several hours of trying, but I would like to know where this problem is coming from because it is constantly occuring. Have any of you experienced the same thing?

When you open System Profiler, do items in the "Overview" and "Hardware" section show as usual? Memory - all there? Diagnostics - passed? Serial-ATA's S.M.A.R.T. status - verified?
First, backup your important data immediately before trying anything further.
Your Mac does not need installed software to start up, also does not need an internal hard drive - therefore, have you tried inserting the original grey-labeled Install Disc 1 to see if/how it starts up to that disc when you hold down the "d" key to run the Apple Hardware Test?
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If your MacBook will not start up any better when trying with Install Disc 1, it probably has a hardware failure - perhaps the battery/power supply or a connector or cable...perhaps worse. The Apple Hardware Test may not recognize what the problem is, so don't rely on a no problem report if that's what it shows. If there is any error, write it down and pass that info along to the repair folks when you call them.

My old macbook won't power up - help please!

I have an ancient macbook, from around 2006, and it's been chugging along just fine. Suddenly, it just won't power up at all! Power adaptor shows a green light at plug in, so the cord is working, but no fan sounds, no lights, nothing when I try starting. I've tried that SMC reset, but still nothing.
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http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA161/en_US/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY .pdf
Apple's Do It Yourself instructions.

Mac Pro won't start up- HELP please.

I had a white screen a month ago .After buying a new harddisk and reistalling the whole system 10.6.5 and reistalling all programs from ground zero, I had the MPro working nearly for 2 weeks. But Suddenly today It got a frozen screem with a black curtain. I disconected all the external devices and after starting up I got a loading bar and then the spining wheel but it doesn't turn on.
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You may be experiencing a Kernel Panic as seen and described in Apple doc.#106227. If not, disregard.
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Try pulling any added RAM, especially if it's not OWC, Crucial or Kingston. Then run it with original RAM. Ground yourself while doing so. Keep in mind a bad stick of RAM can cause directory corruption, so Repair Disk after pulling the RAM. If it still does KP's, try removing the original RAM and running on two sticks of the added RAM.
Here's a great site for Resolving Kernel Panics. Please do all the steps in order, even if you don't think you need to do a certain step.
Here's a great MacFixIt article.
 Good Luck! DALE

Downloaded iTunes 7.7 - now macbook won't start. Help!

Hi,
I downloaded five or six updates from mac this morning - one of which was iTunes 7.7. I then got an error message saying that the download hadn't worked and the files had been sent to my trash. I then got a message asking me to restart the computer. Next, the computer wouldn't turn off to restart so I pressed the power button to turn it off. And now it won't turn on - the light comes on and the apple icon and that's it. I've tried starting it while pressing down the option and the safe key, and I've tried resetting PRAM but none of it works. What do I do now? Looking on other forums, I'm not the only person to have had this problem with Itunes 7.7

Try booting in Safe Mode.
Hold the shift key when you hear the chime on startup and don't let go until you see the spinning dial on the gray Apple screen.
If zapping the PRAM has been unsuccessful you might be looking at an Archive/Install.

Macbook won't start. Help!!!

Hi I have a white macbook and whe i turn on the mac the apple logo and the loading screen stays like that. it wont change if someone has an idea of what would it be that would be great.

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
First off, please don't crosspost your question unless instructed to, as it only wastes bandwidth and makes it harder to track who is asking what question.
Second, sleep it off a night, with your machine unplugged and no battery inserted to get rid of your franticness. It never really pays to be frantic in front of a computer because you don't know what you are doing, and you could be your own worst enemy.
When you are ready, depress the power button only for 2 seconds and let go.
If that doesn't work reset the power manager:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319
Also try zapping the PRAM if that doesn't work:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238
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My Macbook won't turn on (HELP please)

I got a new MacBook Pro recently, and through idiocy and excitement, I forgot to properly shut down my old MacBook whilst using my new macbook pro. I have had the new laptop for about two weeks, and I'd left the previous one on sleep.
I figured the battery had just died, so I left it on charge for a few hours, hoping it would charge enough to turn on.
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what do I do? I really hope I haven't broken my laptop.

Have you tried holding your power button down for at least 10 seconds and letting go?

I've moved itunes library onto new computer and now it won't sync. I did the back up and restore things and tried to sync, and although I've said yes to erasing and syncing, the sync won't start. Help please!

It just keeps telling me "The session failed to start"

It means the device is in recovery mode. You'll need to reconnect it to iTunes and restore it again.
You may need to connect it in recovery mode manually using the instructions in this Apple support document.
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My macbook won't start up i have used the option command p r while holding down power button but not done.. please help guys

my macbook won't start up i have used the option command p r while holding down power button but not done.. please help guys

It not polite to repost asking fro more help three minutes after initial post.
Recovery mode is Command & R keys after depressing and releasing the Power button for a normal startup.
OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support
That only works for Lion and later.
What exactly happens when your try to boot to Recovery?
Try starting in Safe Mode resetting the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM
OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
About NVRAM and PRAM
What model MacBook Pro and what OSX version was on the Mac?
Have you tried booting from an OSX install DVD?
When you try to start doe the Power light light?
This is the Mac Pro desktop forum. I requested your post be moved to the MacBook Pro laptop forum.

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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:
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Maximum battery charge 4200
Current battery capacity 4200
Original battery capacity 5200
80%
Battery loadcycles 111
Age of your Mac 6 months
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!

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White MacBook won't start up.

My MacBook won't start up at all. Before it completely went haywire, it would just freeze and the whole computer would be frozen and . It wouldn't even let you "force quit". Most of this happened when I opened iTunes. Now when I start it, the gray screen comes up, it shows the little apple sign, then goes gray with a circle with a line through it. I tried starting it up with the utility disk and holding down the "C" key, and instead of the circle it has a question mark inside a file sign and flashes. Now I have no idea how to get the disk out and my computer is useless. Please help me.

Hi,
*"question mark inside a file sign and flashes"*
A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
Flashing question mark can mean several things. One the drive is failing or failed. Two, it can mean that your Mac can't find a system folder to boot from. Try booting while holding down the Option key which prompts the Startup Manager window. If that doesn't work, it's time to replace the drive.
Carolyn

My Brand New MacBook Won't Start Up!!!!!

My new MacBook won't start up - from the first time I ever switched it on!!!
All I have is a black screen, the sleep light is on either permanently or flashing and now the install disc is stuck in the drive and I can't get it out!
Help please!

From my experience, resetting the PRAM and PMU do not work in this situation, at least with my MacBook. I have a feeling that 10.4.7 update didn't flash correctly or the firmware is buggy in some way.

MacBook Won't Start and Hard Drive Full

My daughter's MacBook won't start up completely. It tells me to power off and power on again. I tried restarting using my Snow Leopard DVD and it won't let me load, re-install or restore because it says her hard drive is 100% full. Not sure how it got full and not sure how to get computer working again with no room on hard drive. Help please.

With MacBooks it's only the Late 2008 model 5,1 Aluminum Unibody and the Late 2009 model 6,1 and Mid 2010 model 7,1 White Unibody that don't have FireWire. Which one is hers?
You can get a larger hard drive (sounds like she needs one) and an external case. Put the larger hard drive in the MacBook and do a fresh install of the Operating System and the old hard drive in the external case.
For a hard drive try Newegg.com. For larger drives go to the left hand side. http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=380&name=Laptop-Hard-Dr ives&Order=PRICE
Or OWC http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/
Here's a cheap SATA external hard drive case on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-2-5-SATA-HDD-HARD-DRIVE-EXTERNAL-ENCLOSURE-CASE-BOX-/120 636286623?pt=PCC_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item1c167ba69f
Here's video instructions on replacing the hard drive on the Aluminum Unibody http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbookpro_13_unibody_hd/
Here's video instructions on replacing the hard drive on the White Unibody http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_09_unibody_hd/

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.
The last time I used the computer I did several software updates. Could this be causing the problem? Any suggestions for getting my computer operating again?
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.

My macbook won't start up.. help please!

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