MacBook Pro mid-2010 (6,2) keeps freezing (or not booting)

[HotMrmt]

Hi everyone,
I have a macbook pro mid 2010 6.2 with oclp 1.5 and sonoma 14.5, 8gb ram, 750gb ssd, 15” screen, Intel i7.
Everything worked pretty well, except for a few rare random reboots, until the other night.
I'm used to leaving the laptop closed (sleep mode) and charging, I know it's not the best way but I've done it for 14 years and I've never had problems. The other night I took the laptop, opened it and the screen remained black. I forced it to turn it off, turned it back on and it doesn't start, it doesn't make the classic start-up noise, nor the "gong", the frontal LED remained on. I tried again and again, reset the SMC and nothing, it doesn't turn on.
The next day I tried again and nothing, completely dead, the fans start but it doesn't boot. I tried removing and inverting the ram, the ssd, the battery, nothing.
A friend advises me to try changing the hard disk cable, I change it (about this: I couldn't reattach the front LED) and osx started!! It started and after a while... freezes.
I turned it off and on again: same.
I ordered 2 new ram banks, same problem.
It basically doesn't turn on, or when it turns on after a while it freezes.
In safe mode it doesn't freeze!!!!
I tried to launch live ubuntu from usb, a few times it launched it, then the last time it froze and now it doesn't start anymore, it stays stuck on boot.
I don't know what else to try, I just would like to understand where the problem comes from.
Sorry for the very long post and thanks in advance!

 

[1BadManVan]

Sorry I dont have any advice, but this is a 14 year old laptop now, perhaps some internals have degraded to the point of no return? Hardware only lasts so long

 

[Fishrrman]

Discrete GPU has failed.
Not worth fixing.
Take the internal drive out and use an external USB enclosure to get the data off of it.
Then retire "the remains"...

 

[HotMrmt]

Discrete GPU has failed.
Not worth fixing.
Take the internal drive out and use an external USB enclosure to get the data off of it.
Then retire "the remains"...

Oh, ok thanks. Do you think I could try this fix or it’s a waste of time? Of course, eventually only osx will work.

https://github.com/fabioiop/MBP-2010-GPU-Panic-fix

 

[Fishrrman]

Oh, ok thanks. Do you think I could try this fix or it’s a waste of time? Of course, eventually only osx will work.

https://github.com/fabioiop/MBP-2010-GPU-Panic-fix

If you want to give that a try, then try it.
Let us know if it works.

 

[cheese1234]

Mine is on the verge of failing, might just disable it that way is still somewhat useable. I found that if you put it back on Monterey and don't fill the bottom ram slot the machine Will boot. Just don't pick it up or the whole thing freezes and then reboots.

 

[specialstyle]

If it's failed graphics there is a program which lets you force internal GPU only so it never jumps to the high performance. Worth a shot if you want to save $$ in the near-term. Think its this https://codyschrank.github.io/gSwitch/

 

[HotMrmt]

If it's failed graphics there is a program which lets you force internal GPU only so it never jumps to the high performance. Worth a shot if you want to save $$ in the near-term. Think its this https://codyschrank.github.io/gSwitch/

Thanks, I’ve already tried this before posting here, but nothing changes.. it freezes also when forced on internal GPU..

 

[specialstyle]

Then my guess is you've got a failing logic board or a bad hard drive. Likely the logic board is giving up, that could absolutely cause freezing like you've described. I had a similar issue on a 2012 machine where they actually did a repair program for them because there was a defect in how they manufactured the boards at the factory -- basically a lot of heat over time would cause the GPU chip to lift off the board, disconnecting it and causing all kinds of problems. I believe there was a program for an earlier model as well, not sure about your year but you might be able to look that up.

 

[HotMrmt]

If you want to give that a try, then try it.
Let us know if it works.

Ok, I tried and doesn’t work. The freeze comes after few minutes after the login and it seems not related to temperatures because it comes when they are decreased to 60/70C (I mean CPU temp). The strange thing is that I am unable to run live ubuntu, it stucks on the minus sign before the ubuntu screen, but I can run perfecly OSX in safe mode. Ok probabily there’s something faulty in the logic board.. I would like only to know what!

 

[specialstyle]

Run a diagnostic and see if it comes back clean -- but keep in mind if it's a problem that only sometimes shows up, there is a good chance you'll get a false negative from the test. https://support.apple.com/en-us/102550

 

[HotMrmt]

Run a diagnostic and see if it comes back clean -- but keep in mind if it's a problem that only sometimes shows up, there is a good chance you'll get a false negative from the test. https://support.apple.com/en-us/102550

Thanks. When I try to run Apple Diagnostics I got error 5101D and it doesn’t go. So I tried with the Apple Hardware Test specified for my Mac and it works but after an extended test it says “No problem detected”. The freeze shows every time, not only sometimes. Ah, it also freezes after few seconds launching OSX installer. The only way to use this Mac is in safe mode..

 

[specialstyle]

Thanks. When I try to run Apple Diagnostics I got error 5101D and it doesn’t go. So I tried with the Apple Hardware Test specified for my Mac and it works but after an extended test it says “No problem detected”. The freeze shows every time, not only sometimes. Ah, it also freezes after few seconds launching OSX installer. The only way to use this Mac is in safe mode..

I'd bring it to apple and see what they say, it's gonna be less time on your end if they can just tell you what's up. But be prepared for them telling you it'll be expensive or not possible to fix ;-(


Good luck!

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"The only way to use this Mac is in safe mode.."

Discrete graphics are broken. Safe mode doesn't use the discrete GPU. That's why it works.

Your options at this point really break down to:
Replace the motherboard
or
Replace the laptop.