Disclaimer: If you are reading this, chances are there is a hardware problem with your Mac. In my case it was a faulty logic board, which had to be replaced.
Use this guide to get your Mac up and running again and create a full backup of you system as soon as possible. If the problem repeats itself, I recommend you take your Mac back to Apple for a check-up.
Today I was happily working on some Java code, when I decided to relocate to a sunny spot in the backyard. I closed my MacBook Pro, walked outside and opened my MBP again to continue work: a black screen!
The screen of my Mac stayed black, although it did not indicate to be in a sleeping state. WTF? I restarted the Mac, removed the battery, reset PRAM/NVRAM and the PMU, but nothing worked! ARGH! Then, I found a solution that worked.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, do the following:
- Shutdown your Mac entirely by holding the power button for 5 seconds.
- Hook up your Mac to another one with a FireWire cable. (You have one, right?)
- Hold the T key on your mac’s internal keyboard and press the power button. When your MBP’s disk will shows up as an external firewire disk on your HelperMac, release the T button.
- Open finder and go to the
/private/var/vmfolder on your MacBook’s hard drive. You may need to use Command-Shift-G in Finder, because this folder is hidden by default. Once in/private/var/vmremove thesleepfileyou find there. - Next, go to
/System/Libraryon you MBP’s disk and removeExtensions.mkext. - Now, eject your MBP drive and shutdown your MBP by hitting its power button.
After these steps, you should be able to boot your MBP as normal again.
Although I’m not sure of the problem at hand, it appears that the sleepfile gets corrupted in some way.
Oh, didn’t have that FireWire cable ready? Here’s the one I used.
Update: There are some common questions in the comments I’d like to answer here. You cannot use an USB cable to connect your Mac to another one, only Firewire 400 and 800 are supported.
In my case, the MacBook Pro was returned to a Apple Dealer and repaired under warranty, because Apple apparently has acknowledged the problems with the video card on these machines. Your mileage may vary with your local Apple store.
This happened to me just today! It worked fine and then I reopen it and it wouldn’t wake up! I rebooted it miiilllions of times- took out the battery- put it back in- EVERYYTHING.
It works, the keyboard works and i can hear the volume ‘beeps’ when i hit the volume buttons. The little ‘error’ chime when i try to type. The keyboard back light works, I can hear the fan whirring–But the screen is dead black! The computer is running but nothing on the screen!
My friend had the same problem and he did this exactly and now it works fine! (even though the people and the genius bar said it was ‘dead’ and to replace the motherboard. Tsk.
Anyways. I hope this works for me – we’re trying it out tonight. Thanks for the help!
Well, my MBP died altogether. I tried the above trick a few times, but it just won’t boot up again. Hopefully this issue is repairable.
So, as an added note to everyone: make backups! You can still use your Mac in Target Disk Mode (booting while holding T) to copy your data, but better be safe than sorry!
Thanks for sharing this! My boyfriend’s MBP was having this problem tonight and were able to solve it using your tip. One small difference was that the sleep file was named “sleepimage” on his mac.
THANK YOU!!
I had this very problem. We followed your tips exactly and it worked! One small difference was that we had to change the permissions on the sleep file in order to actually delete it.
Thank you again!!!!!!
Thank you for posting this solution. I have a MBP, about two years old, and first experienced this problem when I replaced my battery a month or so ago. With a lot of patience, some luck, and help from an AppleCare rep, I was able to get everything working again and it’s been flawless since. Then, last night — not long after downloading and installing some kind of fan/cooling firmware update — I was unable to get the screen out of sleep mode, even after trying every SMC/PRAM/mystic-key-combo fix I could find and consulting with another (useless) AppleCare rep. This fix worked like a charm, though. Like Dusty above, the file in my private/var/vm folder was named “sleepimage.” No permissions issues to speak of. THANKS!!!
Aargh! This trick worked like a charm yesterday and I was able to use my computer for hours without problem. At the end of the day, I flipped the lid closed and went to bed. Wolke up this morning and was dismayed to find that my screen was stuck in sleep mode again. Tried the procedure again but this time with no results. Ideas? Thanks!
Yessss! I had the same trouble… actually after my son left a game running on the Macbook, and then closed the cover… It looks like the game did not respond to the system, and the computer never went to sleep properly.
After that, you know the story…
But thanks to this tip, it has just restarted with the screen on this time!
You made my day!
Thanks again!
When I updated to 10.5.7 which included the firmware updates, I immediately got the exact same problem as everyone with the previous update on firmware… Black screen, but volume works. I was able to access from target mode, deleted sleepimage, and then the screen worked. I changed the settings to never sleep, and set hibernate to 0, but when I closed the lid, and reopened, the black screen remained again! Perhaps I forgot to delete extensions.mkxt.
Next, I took it to an apple genius. The store is overwhelmingly packed with problems, and I could not get an appointment for 4 days! Fortunately, while I was there, a rep reset the PRAM and was able to get it started with screen. I closed the lid brought it home and opened it up again (still working!) and backed it up. Hours later, closed the lid and heard it go into hibernate… Oooo opened it up and screen remained black. Took it to genius, who ran the test to see if it is a specific graphics card fault… It wasn’t. He says logic board, but I have to ask… If I can operate it, share its screen, and the only thing is that neither screen nor external video are on, how can it be the logic board? And if it seems to be the standard fix for all issues, doesn’t that suggest faulty logic boards should be Apples burden of pay, for a machine barely 2 years old? Why are so many MBP users having issues with this latest update? I wish I had never updated.
hello
thanks a lot for this post! I had the back screen after upgrading my system last Thrusday (with iPhone 3.0).
Maybe usefull for other readers, I have a external video card connected through USB, and this one was working fine. So maybe a good tip to detect if the videocard is dead or not.
Thanks again.
Luc
Thanks a lot for this. I don’t have a second mac, so I managed to do this blindly via terminal – anyone else without a second mac, this is what I did (at your own risk):
1. hold the power button for 5 seconds to power off and then power back on
2. if you know that you have a login screen, type your password and hit enter
3. Apple Spacebar to bring up Spotlight
4. type in “terminal” and wait a few seconds
5. Hit ‘Enter’ (and wait a few seconds)
6. press the delete/backspace key and you should hear the error beep noise if you are in fact in terminal now
7. type “cd /private/var/vm” and hit Enter
8. type “sudo rm sleep” and then hit Tab to autocomplete the word in case it’s called something a bit different
9 Now hit Enter
10. type “cd /System/Library” and hit Enter
11. type “sudo rm Extensions.mkext” and hit Enter
12. Restart again
thanks again.
hello
what was working yesterday, isn’t no more today :(
The procedure explained above doesn’t work anymore.
I found a new one: start with you Mac OS X dvd, press the C key, let the Mac boots on the dvd and then restart normally. It has been working until now for me. I hope for a long time ;)
Luc
I just had my macbook pro, 10.4.11, around 2 years old, lose its backlight power for the second time within a week. I’m kinda freaking out right now, because I’d assumed it failed before due to heat (room temps ~86 degrees), but this time it wasn’t hot at all. The brightness came back after I shut down most of my applications, but for no apparent reason.
It’s not sleeping, the backlight just seems to be out. Is this the same problem others seem to be having?
Awesome, has done it twice more since that post. thinking this is the death throes of my baby.
Shit.
Ok, I have the 2009 summer MBP 17 and it just did this black screen of death for the first time, I just got this computer, also my first mac. I am pissed off, this is not what I expected from mac. 3k dollar computer for the same issues that my PCs had.
I let it sleep for about 1-2 hours and just a few min ago opened it and there it was….Black Screen. I could tell the computer was on because I could hear and feel the fans. I pushed the power button down and restarted, didnt work the first time, same black screen. I was about to through it through the window but I pushed the power button one more time. Thank God it worked this time, but I am setting up my meeting with Apple on this one. They better tell me what is going on.
This Sucks, the computer is only 2 weeks old.
Immediately on restart after updating my OS from 10.5 to 10.7, the screen would not come on. Just stayed black, even though the machine was on, keys worked.
Apple genius claims without any testing or diagnosing under the hood that it is a bad logic board.
I tried deleting the sleepimage as recommended on the forums. That brought back the screen. Then how is it a hardware problem? Only for some reason the black screen of death returned.
When I asked the Apple genius to explain this, he said that the update must have brought out the problem.
This contradicts Apple’s statement:
“About Mac OS X 10.5.7 Combo Update
The 10.5.7 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5 to 10.5.6, and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
My Macbook Pro is no longer stable as an immediate result of installing the update!
I asked the genius how could i be making screen shots of working software if the logic board had failed? He could only guess it was the GPU, at which point I realized he was willing to tell me a price to fix the machine when he did not actually know what was wrong. It seems the logic board replacement is a “catch all” fix at my expense, or else one should suspect the logic boards are defective, at the rate they are replaced. Yet there is a precedence noted in the apple forums of dozens of people getting their logic board fixed free, and a lot of problems eerily similar to mine regarding the Nvidia 8600 chipset which is the same as mine!
Still, the Apple genius claims that my specific Nvidia chip is not covered in the warranty extension! How can the chip manufacturer predict that my chip isn’t defective if it did not know there was problem with the specific range they are covering when they sold them???
This is a clear case of a defective product, and there is a precedence set for free replacement, and yet Apple is so set on profiting from my misfortune that they cannot see how they are shooting themselves in the foot. I will never buy Apple again because they do not stand behind the quality of their product, and I will make sure everyone I know will not make the same mistake. $300 saved prevents tens of thousands in future purchases. Good luck with your genius tactics Apple.
Hi to all..
From a couple of weeks I got the black screen on my MacBook Pro 2.4
SantaRosa model,following the ¨delete files! way only was working till
I make the mistake of updating the MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.3
from this on I can not take off the black screen any more.
So now I have to go to Apple Technical Support
I just write a quick note to say this to all of you people in special to
Scott, this is a known problem,the common thread here definitely seems to be the 8600M graphics chip not getting recognized correctly.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377
Update!
I DID INFORM THE APPLE GENIUS ONE MONTH AGO THAT MY MACBOOK PRO SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE 8600M NVIDIA CARD. HE REFUSED AND INSTEAD SUGGESTED REPLACING THE LOGIC BOARD FOR $330 AT MY EXPENSE!
However, last night while attempting to screenshare my MBP from my G5 (not as easy as it seems) I managed to wake the screen on my MBP! Again, if this is a hardware issue, would it return randomly? In 40 days the screen has only come to life 3 times. It’s possible for a light bulb to refuse its filament temporarily so the answer could be yes… the GPU may be resoldering itself. Is it a software issue? Booting from the CD and in safe mode had no effect. Apple “Genius” refused to reinstall firmware, and other MBP users have not experienced any resolution from such.
This is what I did to wake the computer from this black screen of death this morning.
Started MBP in target mode, connected to G5 which was already on. I opened the profiler on my MBP’s hard drive attempting to see the hardware profile on the MBP… no it only reads the G5. Whatever. Next I attempted to eject the MBP drive… but it tells me that this drive is in use. I had forgotten that the profiler is in use. (Side note: I searched the trash and noticed that the 4GB sleepimage was still there… previously I had emptied that trash, so I was curious about why it had returned)
I could not make the drive eject, so i simply turned off the MBP by pushing the power button.
I then see the usual warning/error messages associated with unplugging a drive that is in use. I don’t really care.
Next I restarted the MBP hoping to blindly browse the system preferences to find the IP address of the MBP enabling me to connect screensharing from the G5… and WTF the screen comes on.
I just watched a movie on my MBP. I can render in Carrara and photoshop to my heart’s content. BUT I DO NOT DARE CLOSE THE LID OR PUT IT BACK TO SLEEP!
Tomorrow I’m taking it to the “Genius” to ask him why I was asked to pay $330 to replace a logic board. This is only a catch all solution at my expense. It is still very likely a hardware issue associated with the faulty material set which ALL 8600M NVIDIA CHIPS ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH.
If he cannot find the problem through diagnosis without turning the machine off, I will demand some sort of guarantee that upon shutting it down he will wake it again. I did not pay $2000 for a high end product that gets worse with updates, contrary to Apple’s statement:
“About Mac OS X 10.5.7 Combo Update
The 10.5.7 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5 to 10.5.6, and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
This problem only started IMMEDIATELY AFTER UPDATING FROM 10.5.5 TO 10.5.7
I am selling all my Apple products and never coming back and I will personally preach to everyone I meet my story about how Apple refuses to back the quality of its product.
I’ve had my MBP for a little less than 2 years. Two months ago I started having grey screen issues. I could boot, reset the PRAM, etc. But finally it just stopped working. It was the NVidia error. Like many others, I paid 2K for the machine, but didn’t have another $400 for a service warranty. Apple replaced mother board without a fee, no questions asked.
However, three weeks(and a parking tix for having not enough money in the meter near the Apple store) later, I just experienced the above issue…first a white screen, then a black display with fan running in the background. It always seems to happen when I’m using Safari or watching a video. Since I’m not a natural troubleshooter and don’t have a 2nd machine, it’s another trip to the Genius Bar. Sigh.
Aaaaaaargghhh. I also tried all the other resetting procedures with no luck. Then I found this thread and thought it would save me, but once in target mode, I can´t see any sleep files in the above mentioned directory. only swapfile0-7. I also installed the latest firmware update yesterday and don’t have my OSX install disk to boot up from. It seems like the firmware update and MBPs aren’t enjoying one another. If anyone knows of another thread or other possible solutions please post them asap.
Thank you so much!
I really thought my laptop had kicked the proverbial bucket. I have a production deadline in three days and could not afford to send it off for repairs. This tutorial has saved me so much time, money and effort.
Thanks!
Thanks!
i thought the problem was video card and i was about to take it for repair.
worked perfectly… although it was a bit tricky, there was only swapfile0.
then i realized using Command-Shift-G in Finder was opening my host Macintosh HD rather than MBP, they were both Macintosh HD, so i changed the name to Macintosh HD1 temporarily and find the file “sleepimage” which happened to be 2GB and my already filled up HD was showing 1MB available space… deleted those files and cleaned up my HD… everything works so far… thanks!
I faced the same problem.
Interestingly, though, it was sufficient for me to start the MacBook in Firewire mode. When I held “T” during Power-On, the screen came back to life.
I was curious, so I immediately restarted the MacBook without deleting the files you mentioned and it booted up fine again.
I’ll keep you article bookmarked though, in case this happens again… ;)
Thanks a lot!
i tried it twice, no luck. and i am very frustrated because i just got my 2009 mbp two days ago. then the screen just went black while i was moving it, screen open and all. i don’t even know what to do. i just paid 2,700 dollars for a black screen.
@Claire: That sounds more like a hardware problem to me. If you just got you Mac, it’s still under warranty and I recommend you take it back to apple to get it fixed.
my mbp dropped in ground today, but after this happened i continued to use normally. 3 hours later the screen dont came up appear after i restarted. but the system are running normally. i will try do it with the firewire cabble.
My question is: if the videocard are broken, the MBP can run normally? (same broken?)
Hey does anyone know if when apple replaces my logic board if I will lose every file on my computer? I am freaking out about it, I have so many important files…..
@Sean:
a) No, you won’t lose files, because your files are on the harddisk, which is separate from the logic board.
b) Make backups!
Yes definitely will from now on, thanks! What a relief
I cannot find the sleep file I the command-shift g and it keeps opening the My host macintosh hd. I tried changing the name but still nothing can anybody help?
Thank you so much!
Macbook Pro died (I thought), took it to apple genius bar, twice, told both times it’s completely dead and logic board needed replacing at a cost of nearly £900, as I work in a school I couldn’t afford this….
This worked, Macbook now functional again!
My MacBook Pro is now with a blank screen; num lock, chime.The unprofessional ‘Genius’ at auth service center and I was told they tried running some damn GPT test and it didn’t work; which means the nvedia card is not faulty and the actual faulty piece is my MBP’s logic board.
My MBP is jus 1yr and 3months old and I had already changed the HDD 1s. Now this display issue. I paid a huge amount to get the MBP. I paid 1 lac 29K INR for this damn MBP and now this. I am majorly disappointed. I curse myself for choosing this damn MBP.
Hi,
yesterday my MBP gave me the black screen of death.
No updates or appz installed before the “bad thing”.
After many attempts i solved it (dunno how long it’ll work)booting it with “C” bootkey with inside an old OSX Tiger dvd.
Tiger didn’t boot but Leopard did.
Now i’m making a full backup and tomorrow i’ll try to restart my MBP.
That was a desperate attempt before taking my machine to the apple store 4 the sad sentence (“logic board failure, 500 euros plz”).
I’ll keep reading on the topic just in case, if i’ll find anything interesting i’ll post.
Thanks to everybody 4 sharnig your knowledge!
CarloB
I had the Black Screen of Death a few months back. The Apple store told me it was the logicboard and qouted £700 repair! I decided to leave it and pick up a second-hand board on eBay which I did last week. After fitting the board the same BSOD occurred after 3 days. I knew the machine was booting ok but I needed to switch to Windows through bootcamp to get some files via the network so I tried the following…
- Hold the Menu button of your Apple remote whilst booting up the machine.
This brings up your OS choice menu but it also had the added effect of bringing the screen back to life! After updating the mac firmware I haven’t had a problem since. I’m not sure if this will help people that aren’t using Bootcamp but it’s a very simple solution so give it a try. :)
I have a SantaRosa MacBook Pro (purchased November 2007 without extended warranty). And before my rant, I already had to replace the optical drive.
Anyway, last night, I temporarily closed the lid, then come to return with screen off. I rebooted. No screen. I inserted install CD, then rebooted. No screen. Tried hooking up to external monitor and rebooting. No screen. I just came across this thread and really can’t wait to get home to see if it works. The reason I am posting this message is that I want as many people as possible to know that I am having this issue, so there becomes a lot of awareness if this is a chronic problem.
Fingers crossed.
Thanks for the post mate!!
I really thought that my graphics card was fried, but this solved the problem :-)
Hi Chris,
any luck?
Me got the same issue, I think, but my keyboard is not working, there are no chimes, or any response, and I just can’t boot!, this was after installing bootcamp and not formating with the windows disk. First I got the “disk error” but after restart sometimes trying different things it just doesn’t boot, just a steadly light and nothing in the screen, nothing in the keyboard, anyone have fixed this issue? I’m really desesperated, I’m still paying for the MBP and it doens’t work!. It’s just terrible!
I am also experiencing this black screen problem – meanwhile, I can still screen share from another mac so I can still work off the troubled MBP until problem is fixed…..
Hello all
Instead of the firewire cable could I use a usb/usb cable?
Thanks
@Cristiano: No, USB will not work.
thank you for your topic :)
it helped :)
Hi,
I was feeling this would bring my MBP back to life. I just got a new external screen and plugged it. Then I closed the lid, making the MBP go to sleep, pressed a key to wake it, and just working normally.
Then I wanted to try it in Windows, so I opened the Preference panel and choose to reboot in the Windows partition. Well, the MBP screen never worked again, nor the new external one.
Of course I’ve tried the four-combo-key boot (reset NVRAM) and the battery/AC unplug (reset SMC) with no result. I’ve even tried the solution someone wrote somewhere, telling that unplugging the battery with the AC cable disconnected, will fix it. Apart from the expected behaviour (hard shutdown) nothing happened.
I’ve also tried the method on this page, but instead of Firewire boot I use a ssh connection. I’ve deleted the sleepimage and the Extensions.mkext with no result.
Do you see any ilumination in the screen? I don’t even see the grey boot image. Is as if I have pressed the Off button of the screen… Any ideas? I’d rather not go to a Genius (I don’t think there are any in Spain). Thanks for your time :)
More info: The white apple on the back of the screen does not bright anymore. Maybe this means I’ve killed the screen for good?
Also, the computer does not go to sleep when I close the lid. Maybe it’s the button that detects if the lid is closed what’s broken. Do anyone know where that button is, if there’s any?
Wow. I had never thought this problem would be so widely experienced.
I too have the issue of the screen being black.
I had left my MBP for about an hour while in photoshop – had returned to find the computer in sleep-mode as usual but this time i could not wake her.
All the sound and computer responds to my actions but the screen is black. I can insert a music cd and play music but no screen (external 22″ will not respond either – no signal). Have shut down, Rebooted a million times – no success. Tried the lid closed and pressed every-button no success………
I have no second mac, and will now have to see if the wizards can find any other problems with the logic board etc.
I too would just like to give my 10 cents in regards to this problem. It seems to be quite concerning that so many people have had the same issue.
Hope you all find the solution.
Thanks
It seems this is here from long ago. From April 9, 2008 (1) until almost today (2), and noone has found a way to solve it. I think I will have to loose my laptop for a month…
(1): http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1478474&start=0&tstart=0
(2): http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1727530&start=480&tstart=0
[...] y como indican aquí [...]
Bro,
i have the same case like u all, and i dont believe that my asp said to change my logicboard, and it must pay 886USD it is impossible to believe, because my mbp only blank screen, but the machine running well….
if we dont have fireware cable…is it possible to use usb 2.0 cable to follow your steps and edit terminal with another macbook pro or macbook??
thx a lot
@deon: No, an USB cable will not work.
Same problem, opened the lid last night and functioning speakers and keys but no screen!
I then plugged into an external monitor, rebooted and still nothing!
Brought into work this morning and tried the above fix, however I had no in the vm/ folder. I did have the , deleted it then rebooted and it worked.
Thanks so much, hope the problem doesn’t persist.
Sorry, just posting again cause it missed out some copy for some reason.
Same problem, opened the lid last night and functioning speakers and keys but no screen!
I then plugged into an external monitor, rebooted and still nothing!
Brought into work this morning and tried the above fix, however I had no sleepfile in the vm/ folder. I did have the extensions.mkext file though, deleted it then rebooted and it worked.
Thanks so much, hope the problem doesn’t persist.
Bro….thx a lot for your tips, and it works for my mbp,
but the problem appear because my foolish :( ooow….i’m very disapointed of it!!!…….when it back to normal, the screen back to normal again, and i check my private/var/vm, and the sleepfile is still there, then i delete all, and then i check Extensions.mkext, it same still there, so i remove it, but i don’t realease that i delete the Library folder in System, and then i check in Trash, and i trying to restore Library to System again….but it not work, it can’t be restore!!!!!
then….my mbp rather hang again, cause when i click system prefrence, it not work…there’s only icon function whatever it is jumping in the dock….and i try to shutdown…but it not work….then i force shutdown by press power button, but when i turn it on, it back to blankie screen again…..and i try to do the step to check my trash from other mac with firewire, but i can’t find the trash….hoppefuly if i can find the trash from my HDD is it possible to remove back my library to my system???
so….is it possible to back my library system with way i copy the library folder from folder System in different mbp with different spec?
or…..is it possible to back my mbp system by reinstall OS by using firewire? how the step to re-install and format at all my HDD by using firewire from other macbook or mbp?
so the lesson of this…for you all that have same issue don’t go to the genius, try this step….it works!!!! and it’s not your hardware problem at all….it just error scripting after we update from next version….and….don’t trust with your ASP….even though they said bla…bla…..but trust with your community to learn and to share for our experience good……..
i waiting the solution for restore my library……thx u guys