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Why Laptop not start?
#10487 06/10/10 11:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
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I've only had a laptop a couple of years. Every few months, even fully charged it wont start. I hold down on power button, go away try again. Finally starts. What is this about? thanks!

I know that's vague, but that's the pattern.

Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10493 06/11/10 04:59 AM
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Have you ever tried resetting your PMU or, as the case may be, SMC?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Why Laptop not start?
artie505 #10505 06/12/10 12:17 AM
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Artie, thanks, what are abbreviations.

First pram?
I've never seen it fix anything.

Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10506 06/12/10 05:58 AM
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> First pram?
I've never seen it fix anything.


You've just never run into an issue for which it was the appropriate troubleshooting technique.

PMU = Power Management Unit

SMC = System Management Controller

SMU = System Management Unit

(Sorry... I forgot about SMU in my first post.)


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10509 06/12/10 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
what are abbreviations.

First pram?
I've never seen it fix anything.
PRAM is Parameter Random Access Memory. As Artie knows from personal experience, it can sometimes fix an issue. To see some other possibilities, read Mac OS X: What's stored in PRAM.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Why Laptop not start?
jchuzi #10539 06/14/10 11:03 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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I tried re-setting Pram twice on the laptop. It did not work, just restarted as normal -- why could that be?

Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10541 06/15/10 09:20 AM
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Did you try Artie's other suggestions?


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Why Laptop not start?
jchuzi #10543 06/15/10 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Did you try Artie's other suggestions?

WRONG!

I did not mention zapping PRAM let alone suggest it. My "other suggestions" are the only suggestions I made.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Why Laptop not start?
artie505 #10544 06/15/10 03:25 PM
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so don't bother with Pram?

SMC = System Management Controller
is this 2nd suggestion?
don't know what it is.

Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10545 06/15/10 03:36 PM
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Troubleshooting: My computer won't turn on has links for resetting SMC or PMU with various models. You didn't say which kind of laptop you had so that article should give you a link for your specific type of computer. For a summary of SMC, read Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC).


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10548 06/15/10 05:54 PM
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I don't think you've mentioned what you have for a laptop. Is it an intel (macbook/mbp) or something older?


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Why Laptop not start?
Virtual1 #10550 06/15/10 06:34 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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2 year old Intel.

Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10635 06/19/10 10:59 PM
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SMC,
says do as very last resort. But that point would be when the laptop wont start, so can do anything at that point.
This is too intermittent to even know anything definitive.

Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10644 06/20/10 06:00 AM
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> "But that point would be when the laptop wont start...."

Is that a quote from an Apple or other document or your own inference?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Why Laptop not start?
kevs #10649 06/20/10 05:25 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
I've only had a laptop a couple of years. Every few months, even fully charged it wont start. I hold down on power button, go away try again. Finally starts. What is this about? thanks!

I know that's vague, but that's the pattern.

Push harder, hold longer... wait for chime.

Simple.

Re: Why Laptop not start?
artie505 #10650 06/20/10 08:15 PM
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To clarify, are these the same systems/units, just different names for different configurations/hardware?


Alex
3.1 GHz 13" MacBook Pro 2015, 8 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, TimeWarner Cable
2.8 GHz Xeon Mac Pro 2010, 16 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, LAN
Re: Why Laptop not start?
macnerd10 #10651 06/20/10 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted By: macnerd10
To clarify, are these the same systems/units, just different names for different configurations/hardware?

I can't answer that with specifics, Alex, but I think I can safely say that they're more or less equivalent in functionality, with PMU, I believe, being applicable to PPC Macs and SMU and SMC being applicable to various Intel Macs.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Why Laptop not start?
Hal Itosis #10652 06/20/10 10:17 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Hal, you may have the answer there! (I hope)


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