Just when you think your MacBook is running smoothly…suddenly…CRASH!
Picture this; a student is furiously typing away at their MacBook Pro late at night. They are working on a major essay that is worth a huge percentage of their grade. Despite having no issues with the device up to this point, they notice a problem…the MacBook is running a bit slower. And right as they are going to type the last punctuation mark on their essay, the MacBook Pro crashes! The essay was not saved and more than likely, lots of expletives are soon to follow.
A crash can be described as a sudden shutdown, random slowdown, freezing continuously, or a mix of all three. Whenever a computer crashes, it is troublesome and irritating, no doubt. But in rare instances, a crash can be fatal and possibly break the computer.
Why is my MacBook crashing? Here are a few reasons…
- Applications are incompatible with your current macOS.
- Hardware-related issues such as a malfunctioning battery or recently installed SSD.
- An overactive CPU where multiple apps are competing for disk access and system resources.
- A lack of system memory or RAM due to multiple applications and programs running at once.
- Outdated macOS.
- Viruses or malware that have been infiltrating your system.
Okay, now I know what is causing my MacBook to crash. What do I do next?
Use Apple Diagnostics to figure out if it is a hardware issue.
- Shut off the MacBook and disconnect/remove any and all external devices from it. A mouse, display cables, power adapters, headphones, etc.
- Next, lay the computer on a flat surface, preferably one with lots of ventilation.
- Third, turn on your MacBook and start holding down the D key. Keep holding the key down until a gray screen appears, asking “Choose Your Language.”
- Select your preferred language. The Apple Diagnostics feature will begin scanning your device for any issues.
- Apple Diagnostics will scan the computer between 2 and 3 minutes and will display the problems found on the computer. Each will list recommended solutions and/or reference code.
- In the last step, there are four options for the user:
- “Run the Test Again”
- By pressing the Command and R keys, the Apple Diagnostics process will start over again.
- “Get Started”
- Clicking on this link, or pressing the Command and G keys, will start up the macOS Recovery screen and display a web page asking the user to name their country or region.
- When selected, click on the “Agree to Send” option and send the serial number and reference codes directly to Apple.
- Next, follow the onscreen service and support instructions.
- Restart
- Shut Down
Reset the PRAM.
- Shut down your MacBook.
- Hold down the Option, Command, P, and R keys and turn the device back on.
- Keep pressing on the keys for about 20 seconds, until the startup chime sounds off or once the Apple logo appears and disappears a second time.
- In a final step, go into the System Preferences menu and restore any changes after resetting the PRAM or NVRAM, including the default time and volume settings.
Reset the SMC.
- Turn off the MacBook.
- Hold down the power button for at least 10 seconds and then release it.
- Please wait at least 5 seconds and then press the power button to turn it back on again.
If the MacBook is still crashing, a user can reset the SMC through another method:
- Power down the device.
- Press and hold the Control, Option, and Shift keys for at least 7 seconds. While holding those three keys, start pressing down on the power button.
- Continue holding down all four keys for an additional 7 seconds and then release.
- Wait another five seconds to turn the device back on again.
Reinstall macOS.
- Put your MacBook into macOS Recovery Mode:
- If you own a MacBook with a silicon processor, shut down your computer by clicking on the Apple icon and selecting Shut Down. After the device boots down, press and hold the power button until the phrase “Loading startup options” appears on the screen. Click on Options, then Continue, and proceed with the onscreen instructions.
- For those who own a MacBook with an Intel processor, restart the device. As the machine starts to boot up again, hold down Command and R when the spinning globe appears on the screen.
- While in the Recovery menu, click on Disk Utility and then on the Continue button.
- In the Disk Utility menu, click on View and then Show All Devices.
- On the left-hand menu, choose whichever startup disk you are currently using.
- After a disk is selected, click on the Erase tab on the bottom.
- Once the disk has finished erasing, click on the Quit Disk Utility tab to exit, which will bring you back to the Recovery window.
- Back at the Recovery window, select “Reinstall macOS” and follow the onscreen instructions to start the reinstall process.
Update your macOS.
- Click on the Apple icon and choose System Preferences.
- Next, click on the Software Updates option, and it will bring up a window that will display what macOS version the user currently has.
- If it is current, then it will tell the user that the Mac is up-to-date. On the other hand, if it is not, there will be a button that says Upgrade Now next to an icon of the latest macOS version.
- Select the Upgrade Now option to start updating the OS.
Operating Crash Flow.
Look, no one likes it when a computer crashes. Especially if you are a student that has spent a good amount of money on what is supposed to be a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro. That said, that does not mean a crash is the end of the machine’s life. By following one of the steps above, any user can recover when their MacBook crashes.
At MicroReplay, we know a thing or two about MacBooks and how to repair these devices. With over twenty plus years of experience, our company specializes in repairing liquid damaged MacBooks and other high-end laptops.
In need of a liquid spill or cracked screen repair? Book a repair with us today!
Other posts of interest: