Sometimes, when you troubleshoot a MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook
Air laptop problem you need to turn it on without using the power
button. Is it possible? Yes, it is!
In these laptops (unibody style) the power button is permanently attached to the keyboard. Basically, it’s a part of the keyboard as you can see on the following picture.
If the keyboard failed (let’s say you spilled liquid on it) and the power button stopped working there is a workaround to turn on the laptop.
You cannot use this method to turn on your MacBook Pro on a daily basis but it is a good troubleshooting technique. It might help to figure our if the laptop motherboard still works even though the laptop doesn’t turn on when you push on the power button.
You can turn the laptop on by shorting the power-on pads with a small flathead screwdriver for a couple of seconds. The power-on pads located on the motherboard. In order to access them you’ll have to remove the bottom cover from the laptop but it’s very easy.
NOTE: shorting the power-on pads might not work if the keyboard still connected to the motherboard. If it doesn’t work, unplug the keyboard cable from the motherboard and try again. Sometimes it takes a few attempts to make it work.
In this post I’ll show you how to locate the power-on pads on different MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air laptops. The location depends on the model (year) of your laptop.
You can find the laptop model by the serial number. Locate the serial number printed on the bottom of the laptop and enter it in the search tech specs box (click on Browse by Product button first).
I’ll be adding more pictures as I get access to other laptop models.
In this model the power-on pads look like two solder terminals and located right above the touchpad cable.
Also read Laptop does not start. Is it bad power jack or motherboard?
How to replace screen on HP ENVY 15-3033cl Yourself.
In this model the power-on pads located above the left side of the keyboard connector.
The power-on pads located right above the left side of the keyboard connector on the motherboard.
Two square terminals positioned vertically.
In this MacBook Air the power-on pads located right above the keyboard connector.
In this MacBook Air the power-on pads located just above the right side of the keyboard connector.
In this MacBook Air 13-inch laptop the power-on pads located right above the keyboard connector.
In this MacBook Pro the power-on pads located between the trackpad connector and hard drive connector.
On the following picture I disconnected the hard drive cable so you can see the power-on pads better.
You still should be able to short them with a small flathead screwdriver even without disconnecting the cable.
In this model the power-on pads look like two silver squares and located above the keyboard connector on the left side from the square chip.
In this model the power-on pads located on the upper side of the motherboard, on the right side from the screw mounting hole.
This MacBook Pro has power-on pads located on the left side of the motherboard, right above the optical drive cable connector.
They look like two square solder terminals positioned vertically.
This motherboard DOESN’T HAVE the power-on pads.
In order to turn on the laptop you’ll have to short the 5th pin from the left side of the keyboard connector to the ground (a metal stud on the motherboard).
Be careful! Do not short other pins.
In this model the power-on pads located on the lower part of the motherboard.
In this model the power-on pads located right above the keyboard/trackpad connector shield.
Here’s a close-up picture with the keyboard/trackpad connector shield removed.
The power-on pads look like two solder terminals and located above the trackpad connector.
In this model the power-on pads also located right above the keyboard/trackpad connector shield but positioned vertically.
The pads look like two square solder terminals and located above the keyboard connector.
In this model the power-on pads located on the left side from the memory slot and marked R5015.
RELATED POST:
If your keyboard failed you’ll have to replace it with a new one. Here’s how to replace keyboard on a MacBook Pro 13″, 15″ and 17″ unibody laptops.
In these laptops (unibody style) the power button is permanently attached to the keyboard. Basically, it’s a part of the keyboard as you can see on the following picture.
If the keyboard failed (let’s say you spilled liquid on it) and the power button stopped working there is a workaround to turn on the laptop.
You cannot use this method to turn on your MacBook Pro on a daily basis but it is a good troubleshooting technique. It might help to figure our if the laptop motherboard still works even though the laptop doesn’t turn on when you push on the power button.
You can turn the laptop on by shorting the power-on pads with a small flathead screwdriver for a couple of seconds. The power-on pads located on the motherboard. In order to access them you’ll have to remove the bottom cover from the laptop but it’s very easy.
NOTE: shorting the power-on pads might not work if the keyboard still connected to the motherboard. If it doesn’t work, unplug the keyboard cable from the motherboard and try again. Sometimes it takes a few attempts to make it work.
In this post I’ll show you how to locate the power-on pads on different MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air laptops. The location depends on the model (year) of your laptop.
You can find the laptop model by the serial number. Locate the serial number printed on the bottom of the laptop and enter it in the search tech specs box (click on Browse by Product button first).
I’ll be adding more pictures as I get access to other laptop models.
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)
Also read Laptop does not start. Is it bad power jack or motherboard?
How to replace screen on HP ENVY 15-3033cl Yourself.
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009)
In this model the power-on pads located above the left side of the keyboard connector.
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010)
The power-on pads located right above the left side of the keyboard connector on the motherboard.
Two square terminals positioned vertically.
MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)
In this MacBook Air the power-on pads located right above the keyboard connector.
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011)
In this MacBook Air the power-on pads located just above the right side of the keyboard connector.
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)
In this MacBook Air 13-inch laptop the power-on pads located right above the keyboard connector.
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
In this MacBook Pro the power-on pads located between the trackpad connector and hard drive connector.
On the following picture I disconnected the hard drive cable so you can see the power-on pads better.
You still should be able to short them with a small flathead screwdriver even without disconnecting the cable.
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010)
In this model the power-on pads look like two silver squares and located above the keyboard connector on the left side from the square chip.
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early-Late 2011)
In this model the power-on pads located on the upper side of the motherboard, on the right side from the screw mounting hole.
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)
This MacBook Pro has power-on pads located on the left side of the motherboard, right above the optical drive cable connector.
They look like two square solder terminals positioned vertically.
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
This motherboard DOESN’T HAVE the power-on pads.
In order to turn on the laptop you’ll have to short the 5th pin from the left side of the keyboard connector to the ground (a metal stud on the motherboard).
Be careful! Do not short other pins.
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2,53GHZ, Mid 2009)
In this model the power-on pads located on the lower part of the motherboard.
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)
In this model the power-on pads located right above the keyboard/trackpad connector shield.
Here’s a close-up picture with the keyboard/trackpad connector shield removed.
The power-on pads look like two solder terminals and located above the trackpad connector.
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early-Late 2011)
In this model the power-on pads also located right above the keyboard/trackpad connector shield but positioned vertically.
The pads look like two square solder terminals and located above the keyboard connector.
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early-Mid 2009)
In this model the power-on pads located on the left side from the memory slot and marked R5015.
RELATED POST:
If your keyboard failed you’ll have to replace it with a new one. Here’s how to replace keyboard on a MacBook Pro 13″, 15″ and 17″ unibody laptops.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon