Chosen Solution
I received a Macbook 2.1GHz, model A1181, from a friend who couldn’t get it to work, and I hoped I’d be able to do something with it. Well, it won’t power on at all. The battery was bulging out to the point that it no longer fit into the computer. When I put a known working Magsafe charger into it, it won’t even light up. I’ve taken it apart and don’t see any apparent damage. I also borrowed a working, charged battery from the friendly neighborhood Apple Store geniuses and it won’t boot from that either. I tried the suggestion of removing the battery, holding down the power button for 10 seconds, then plugging in the magsafe adapter, then holding another 10 seconds, then trying to power on, and nothing. So, does this rule out it just being a magsafe DC-in board away from being fixed? I know logic boards for this are probably going to cost a couple hundred bucks, which I’d like to avoid. Any other ideas on what to try to get it working again? I’d be willing to try a new magsafe part since they’re cheap, but if the experts here believe that’s a waste of my time, I’ll believe them!
Outside of the bad battery, which may have given keyboard and trackpad issues, see if you can get a history on the machine. Do you get any lights or sounds when trying to start up? Do you even get a sound from the DVD drive?
It’s odd that you have no light at all. Try turning off the lights (the lighting in the room you are in), or cupping your hand around the AC plug and looking closely at it so that you are viewing it in relative darkness – do you see a very faint green or amber glow? Sometimes it’s very dim, but it’s still there. If that’s the case, and you do see a very faint glow, it’s probably the board. DC-ins are very rarely bad on A1181s, unless there has been a liquid spill directly on them. I would try another DC-in before giving up, but in 90% of “faint glow” situations, it ends up being the board and not the DC-in. As for other ideas, I would try cleaning the power socket in the computer with a q-tip and 91% alcohol in case it’s dirty. I would flip the AC plug upside-down and rightside-up a couple times, since I’ve seen some that only get a light one way. I would apply a little pressure and try to press it into the machine, in case it’s not quite connecting. I would remove the topcase, disconnect the DC-in from the board, and re-connect it, to make sure it’s properly seated (and also check the board for corrosion while you’re at it). I would also test your RAM slots by trying to power on with one slot empty, seeing if that makes a difference, and then trying to power on with the other slot empty. I have seen RAM situations cause no light or a dim light on the AC plug, although it’s not so common. Also, do not put that battery in the computer! A bulging battery is dangerous and can only cause problems.
