Mackbook Troubleshooting and Repair

Mac Platform, Computing
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What to Do if Something Goes Wrong

There are fewer things more frustrating than having your expensive laptop rendered unusable. You paid good money for that thing, why isn’t it working right or even turning on at all? There are a lot of things that can go wrong just like on any other computer. Troubleshooting startup or OS problems is ultimately the same as any other Apple computer product running OS X (which they all come installed with) so there is some overlap with other Apple products. This also holds true for peripheral devices. Hardware, on the other hand, is different. Macbook Pros aren’t a build-it-yourself desktop computer, each broken part must be replaced with another of the same model if it is in fact broken. There isn’t much room in there, after all. Using this guide and it’s linked articles you’ll be able to identify most problems with your Mac laptop, as well as learn about preventative maintenance.

Startup

If your Macbook Pro doesn’t even start-up, you’re not going to get very far at diagnosing other problems. On the other hand, the only problem you might be having with your laptop is that it doesn’t boot properly. If that’s the case, you should check out one of these guides.

Software Problems

If the computer is acting strange but there is no obvious damage, it may very well just be a software issue. Some of these articles are not specifically for MacBook Pros, but they apply to any Apple machine running OS X, which every Macbook Pro has installed out of the box. More often than not, if it’s a software problem it can be fixed relatively quickly and painlessly. Regularly maintaining your software can prevent many problems down the line, and it’s pretty quick and easy.

This is kind of silly, but simply turning the MacBook Pro off then on again fixes the problem more often than you’d think. This doesn’t mean that it will fix everything, but it’s certainly worth a shot. If that doesn’t work, then check these articles on diagnosing OS X software problems.

Problems with Your Macbook’s Hardware

If you’re sure it’s not a software problem by trying the steps listed in the above guides, then it’s probably a hardware issue. Macbook Pros are susceptible to hardware failure and damage just like any other computer. It’s not the end of the world, however, as it’s quite possible to identify and, in many cases, repair hardware problems on your Macbook Pro. There are several commands hard-wired into it by default you may activate while it’s starting up that may clear up some issues. Check the guides below out for more information on hardware issues with your MacBook Pro and how to diagnose and fix them.

Problems with Peripherals

MacBook Pros are just as powerful (if not more so) as many desktop computers on the market, including recent iMacs. It makes sense to use one as a desktop computer, and get peripherals like USB hubs, wireless keyboards and bigger displays for home use. Some people prefer using a mouse to a trackpad, though with Lion Apple seems to be nudging people away from mice. Whether or not you have any of these other peripheral, the odds are great that you’ll have to print something, or that you’ll run out of storage space and need an external hard drive. Check these out if you’re having problems with any of your peripherals. This information is useful for anyone running Mac OS X, not just with Macbook Pros.

References

  • All information is from linked articles.