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How to troubleshoot Mac hardware (and software)

Published: 25th of January, 2023

If your MacBook, iMac, or any type of Mac won't boot and gets stuck either at the Apple logo or just after that, this article is for you.

Today, I'll show you some ways to try and narrow down the cause of the issue and determine whether it is a hardware or software problem.

Apple Diagnostics to the rescue!

Apple Diagnostics is a tool that can be used to check for any potential hardware issues on your Mac. If you suspect that there may be an issue with your Mac's hardware, running Apple Diagnostics can help identify which component may be causing the problem. Additionally, the tool will provide suggestions for resolving the issue and provide options for contacting Apple Support for additional assistance.

The great thing about Apple Diagnostics is that it's built right-in to every Mac.

 

Preparing your Mac for Diagnosis

Shut down your Mac and disconnect all peripherals except power (and keyboard, mouse, monitor if it's a mini). Make sure it is in a well ventilated area and someplace stable like your desk if it's a laptop.

 

Running Diagnostics

The procedure to run diagnostics is slightly different for Apple Silicon Macs vs ones with Intel processors. If you are unsure which type of processor just try both of these ways, one of them will surely work! 😀

 

Apple Silicon

Turn on your Mac and keep pressing the power button as it starts up. Release the button when the startup options window appears, which should include an icon labeled "Options" with a gear icon. At this point press Command-D on your keyboard.

 

Intel Processor

Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the D button as it starts up. Release the D button when you see a progress bar.

 

Evaluating Results

The hardware test will usually take a few minutes, do not be alarmed if your Mac's fan seems to be going into overdrive at some points!

Once you get your test results you can determine if there is a hardware issue. A result of ADP000 means there is no issue with your Mac's hardware so proceed to the next steps outlined in this artcile.

A result not showing ADP000 means there is some issue with your Mac, please see this Apple reference to determine whether you need to take your Mac into an Apple store.

 

Reset NVRAM, SMC

If your hardware is ok, on an Intel Mac your next step should be to reset NVRAM and the System Management Controller. These steps are unneccessary on Apple Silicon Macs because NVRAM is not applicable and the SMC gets reset when you restart your computer, which you've just done for the hardware test.

 

Does your Mac boot now?

If your Mac still isn't booting then we need to try and start it up in safe mode.

 

Safe Mode

Booting up your Mac in safe mode can be a useful way to determine whether any problems you are experiencing are due to software that runs when your Mac starts up. This can help you identify the source of the problem and take appropriate steps to fix it.

When you start your Mac in safe mode, certain software such as startup items are prevented from loading. Additionally, a check of the startup disk is performed which may cause the start up process to take longer. This can aid in identifying issues caused by the loading of software during start up.

Apple Silicon Safe Mode

To start up an Apple Silicon Mac in safe mode, press and hold the power button until "Loading startup options" appears. Then, choose a volume and press and hold the Shift key while clicking "Continue in Safe Mode." The computer will automatically restart and upon reaching the login window, "Safe Boot" will be displayed in the menu bar.

Intel Mac Safe Mode

To start up your Intel Mac in safe mode, turn on or restart the device and press and hold the Shift key while it starts up until the login window appears. Enter your login information and if prompted, repeat the process. You will know you are in safe mode if you see "Safe Boot" in the menu bar either on the first or second login window.

Success?

If your Mac successfully started in safe mode, then congrats!
Now, you should probably systematically work through by removing and uninstalling (see our blog post on how) any potentially problematic app, usually those with kernel extensions, run a malware scan and then restart normally.

Another alternative might be to just download the latest macOS and do a fresh install of that.

Hope this helped save you some time and a trip to the genius bar!

  ✌ Charlie

 

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