As a Mac user, you know how it makes life more enjoyable and easier. But even if you have owned a Mac for years now, you still don’t have the expertise to troubleshoot your device when something goes wrong.
It can be very frustrating when you run into issues. Although your Mac will run for years without experiencing any problems, there might be times when an issue surfaces that will significantly impact the performance of your Mac. To help you out, here are some ways to fix hardware issues.
Reboot your Mac, reset NVRAM and PRAM, and boot in safe mode
Before you inspect your Mac’s hardware, it’s important to perform basic troubleshooting first. Rebooting your device is the simplest fix although this will depend on the issue. This solution usually works when one of the applications isn’t working properly. Since rebooting the Mac is both easy and quick, this should be the first step you take.
Mac stores specific settings in a special memory space that the device retains even if you turn it off. If you have an Intel-based Mac, the settings get stored in NVRAM but if you have a PowerPC-based Mac, the storage space is PRAM.
To perform a PRAM or NVRAM reset, turn your computer off first. Press the Command-Option-P-R keys and hold them before the startup sound comes. Keep holding down the keys until your computer restarts, and the startup sound comes again. Only then should you release the keys.
It’s best to use the Safe Mode while troubleshooting. Restart your Mac and press the shift key right away, and hold the key until the screen’s progress bar appears. When your Mac is in Safe Mode, you can reboot it the normal way.
While using the safe mode, you should use S3 clients to help you avoid any other issues. This will also allow you to backup and store your data safely. Backing up is essential, especially if you think your Mac has any hardware issues.
Run Apple diagnostics
Another important troubleshooting step is to use Mac’s Apple Diagnostics. This important tool checks if your device has any internal hardware problems like the memory, wireless components, or logic board. You can start your Mac with this tool, even if it doesn’t start when you use MacOS.
However, Apple Diagnostics won’t check the external hardware components like non-Apple or USB devices like PCI cards that aren’t made by Apple. Also, it won’t check the operating system or software-related issues like extension or app conflicts.
If Apple Diagnostics doesn’t detect any hardware issue, this means that the problem might be with the macOS version you’re using and you might have to reinstall it.
Check for other possible hardware issues
If you still can’t identify the hardware issue, you can contact Apple Support. You can either arrange an appointment or go to an Authorized Apple Service provider to have the necessary repairs on your device. Just make sure to note any reference codes you receive.
Most Mac error codes suggest either of two things. First, a failure of the referenced component or there is a related component causing an issue with the hardware. Such issues are best handled by an Apple technician or specialist.
There are other fixes you can try at home before finally sending your malfunctioning Mac to the repair shop. Try resetting the SMC. This might fix some of the most common errors like issues with the fan or logic board.
Check the activity monitor
This is a simple check that will show if there is something hogging your Mac’s CPU or memory. To do this, click on Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. You can also press cmd+space, then type “Activity Monitor.”
Click on Memory to check if there is anything consuming too much memory. Next, click on the CPU to see if something is slowing down the CPU. The Activity Monitor will give you a more detailed look at memory hog issues so you can determine how to repair them.
Update your Mac
If your Mac screen has turned gray with the Apple logo in the middle, this is an indication that important software has begun to fail. Try to restart your Mac manually and open in Safe Mode.
If there are any updates that you can apply to MacOS, try to perform the updates and see if this fixes the problem. If the problem persists, stay in Safe Mode. Run the Disk Utility tool to find and repair the issue on your device.
Conclusion
One of the main reasons why we use Macs is that most of the time, they work well. But even the best of the best will encounter problems. We have discussed in this article the best ways to fix hardware issues along with some other common problems you might encounter with your device. If you can’t seem to fix your Mac on your own, it’s best to have a licensed Apple technician fix it for you.
