Macbook pro A1286 stuck white screen after apple logo

Question

Level 1

8 points

Macbook pro A1286 stuck white screen after apple logo

Hi,

I have a friend's laptop MacBook Pro A1286 that I'm trying to install El Capitan or High Sierra, which are compatible according to my search, but I'm facing an issue. After I select to boot from the USB installer, the laptops shows the Apple logo and the progress bar which goes all the way up, and after that comes a white screen, but nothing happens after.

I replaced the memory, hard drive works, I took it and formatted on another Mac. I Reseted the PRAM or NVRAM (Command + Option + P + R), I also tried the internet recovery options (Command + Option + R), and after I select my WiFi, I put the password, the world logo shows and a progress bar also, and after that it goes to a white screen and nothing happens.

Obviously I cannot use recovery modes from the OS because the hard drive ha been wiped out.

In both cases described above, I left the laptop for hours to see if something comes up, either an error or message, nor the repair options, nor the installer appears, nothing.

Anything else I can try to finally install the OS?

Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

MacBook

Posted on Nov 27, 2020 9:11 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

134,635 points

Nov 27, 2020 10:36 AM in response to arthurbas

The 15-in MacBook Pro sometimes encounter a failure of their Discrete Graphics chip. If you do not need to support external displays, this can be worked around to some extent.

See it allowing the MacBook Pro to get completely cooled off, then performing an SMC reset will allow you to then do the Install you want:

How to reset the SMC of your Mac – Apple Support

.

Reply

Answer 2

Nov 27, 2020 9:32 AM in response to arthurbas

arthurbas wrote:

Hi,

I have a friend's laptop MacBook Pro A1286 that I'm trying to install El Capitan or High Sierra, which are compatible according to my search, but I'm facing an issue. After I select to boot from the USB installer, the laptops shows the Apple logo and the progress bar which goes all the way up, and after that comes a white screen, but nothing happens after.

I replaced the memory, hard drive works, I took it and formatted on another Mac. I Reseted the PRAM or NVRAM (Command + Option + P + R), I also tried the internet recovery options (Command + Option + R), and after I select my WiFi, I put the password, the world logo shows and a progress bar also, and after that it goes to a white screen and nothing happens.

Obviously I cannot use recovery modes from the OS because the hard drive ha been wiped out.

In both cases described above, I left the laptop for hours to see if something comes up, either an error or message, nor the repair options, nor the installer appears, nothing.

Anything else I can try to finally install the OS?

Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

there are 22 MacBook Pro models that match the A1286

If your Mac starts up to a blank screen

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210905

Try putting your old memory back in as a test.

Reply

Answer 3

arthurbas Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 27, 2020 9:59 AM in response to leroydouglas

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, you're right, there are a lot of MacBook Pro with this Model number, I do not have the system running, so I cannot tell which exactly is this one, other than see the model number at the bottom of the laptop.

I already I tried the recovery mode (Command +R), the world logo appears and I put my Wifi credentials, a progress bar appears and the white screen comes and stay there, nothing happens after.

I put the original memory back anyway since I did not see any changes after I tried with other memory.

According to the link provided, the only option left is to take it to contact apple support, but this laptop is not under warranty nor have any support. I'm trying to repair for a friend of mine, if possible.

Thanks again!

Reply

Answer 4

arthurbas Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 27, 2020 10:10 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi, it does not matter which, the result is the same. I started with El Capitan, but I thought that maybe the installer could be the problem, then I create another USB installer with Sierra, but the situation is the same.

Reply

Answer 5

arthurbas Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 27, 2020 12:28 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the link provided, the reset of the SMC did the trick, I was able to start the Sierra USB installer, but for some reason it gave me an error when I select to install, it says that the copy of the installation was invalid or something like that, so I took the El Capitan installer.

I started the installation, and after it reset the computer, then the progress bar of the installer with the Apple logo and the time remaining, until it finishes was oj the screen. Then it restarted again, but kept into the Apple logo almost finishing.

I turned off the computer. I turned back on, but I went to verbose mode to see if there was an error, the installer finished and showed me the the steps to finish the installation (country selection, keyboard, etc). But when I created the username the laptop froze creating the username. I had to turn off the laptop again. I turned it back on, and it shows the login screen, but after entering the password, the wheel keeps spinning, and nothing happens next.

I turned off the laptop, and turned it back on and is stuck in the Apple logo in 50% more or less. and this is where I am right now.

Reply

Answer 6

Nov 27, 2020 2:59 PM in response to arthurbas

Mid 2012 was a long time ago. If that MacBook Pro still has the original drive, it could be failing.

If this were a Mac you cherished, it might be worth installing a new SSD drive, which will make it MUCH faster. You still may have failing graphics with the blank white screen -- so there could be a long road ahead to get this working.

You could test with a "found" external drive, if you wished. MacOS is perfectly happy to install on and run from any appropriate drive.

Reply

Answer 7

arthurbas Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 29, 2020 7:28 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks again for the Reset SMC link Grant Bennet-Alder, I was able to install El Capitan, and then upgrade to High Sierra, but clearly this MacBook has a hardware problem, most likely the Discrete Graphics chip/GPU like you said. It sometimes freezes when it's turning off, it freezes less with High Sierra, with El Capitan the The Finder and Safari freeze and I had to Force Quit both. I'm not sure the use my friend will give to this laptop, but if he wants to use it regularly, then he will have to buy the logic board.

Reply

Answer 8

Nov 29, 2020 8:08 AM in response to arthurbas

It may also have a failing Hard drive, but those re-installs could put off the drive replacement for a while, because when new data are supplied, the drive can substitute a few "spare" blocks (kept in reserve for exactly this purpose) for ones on its "bad" list.

There is a work-around (hobbyist hack) for the 15-in Models with failed Discrete graphics processor, that disables the discrete graphics processor and allows it to use only the Integrated graphic processor (like its cousin, the 13-in model). It has two major caveats:

• NO external displays can be supported.

• The computer will CRASH on waking up from sleep, so you must not let it sleep. Just leave it running, or shutdown when done.

Reply

Answer 9

arthurbas Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 29, 2020 9:38 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the information provided, I found the link below on how to disable the discrete the graphics processor.

https://dhavaldalal.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/how-to-disable-failed-discrete-gpu-nvidia-geforce-gt-650m-for-macbook-pro-101-mid-2012-on-high-sierra-10-13-4/

Regarding the hard drive, I put a hard drive that was replaced on another MacBook Pro that was upgraded to 1tb. I'm not saying that this hard drive is good, but it was before the upgrade.

Reply

Answer 10

Nov 29, 2020 10:13 AM in response to arthurbas

That one he used is for NVidia GPUs. There is a comparable one for AMD GPUs.

I have been scolded by the moderators for offering hobbyist hacks unless you ASK (basically, because innocents might use them and hurt themselves). If you want to USE AT OWN RISK, just ask. The caveats for either are the same -- no external displays, and no waking from sleep.

Reply

Answer 11

Nov 27, 2020 9:33 AM in response to arthurbas

Identify your MacBook Pro model - Apple Support

.

Reply

Answer 12

Nov 27, 2020 9:53 AM in response to arthurbas

You also said you were considering installing High Sierra OR El Capitan, and did not elaborate WHICH bootable USB-stick Installer you were attempting to use.

Reply