For years and years, I’ve lugged a backup laptop to my gigs and recently stopped doing so because my MacBook Pro has been running flawlessly since I purchased it in 2012.
During an event not too long ago, I was set up and ready to go. Then I went to turn on my Mac and soon discovered it wasn’t loading past the start up screen. I tried re-starting the Mac, and the same thing happened. My heart pounded faster. Remaining calm, I tried looking for a solution on Google. To my discovery, I found out the problem I had was the ‘white screen of death’ (see photo), usually caused by problems with the system’s hardware or software.
The first thing I did was try a safe boot. To do this, turn on your computer while holding down the Shift key,then release the Shift key when you see the Apple logo. Apparently, this can remedy some simple issues with a Mac getting stuck on a white screen during boot.
Failing that, I then proceeded with a ‘run disk utility’ to see if it was possible to repair the drive. To do this, turn on the Mac and hold down the Command and R keys until you see the Apple logo. Once in recovery mode Select ‘Disk Utility’, then ‘First Aid’ and repair drive.
Failing all attempts to recover my Mac. . . I finally, made the call back to base and arranged for someone to deliver the backup laptop to me! Thankfully I had arrived at the venue nice and early, so I had an hour to spare before guests were to arrive. So, I plugged my phone in and had Spotify Premium playing some background music in case any of the guests arrived early. My laptop arrived ten minutes before start time and I got through the night with no hitches.
Final recommendation . . . always carry a spare laptop (if you’re a laptop user!) and get to the venue nice and early for set up. You might just run into other issues such as an unexpected traffic jam, car problem, or another equipment failure on the day. So, remember, always have a ‘Plan B’ and should anything go pear shape, do not panic!
This post was contributed by Shawn Simmons. Shawn is an Accredited Member of the Alliance and is based on Queensland’s Gold Coast. He currently holds a position on the DJAA Committee and runs Ace DJ Hire. Ace DJ Hire provides Professional mobile DJs, Photo Booth hire , Special Effects , Flower Wall Hire and Karaoke for a range of events including Weddings, Engagements, Corporate Functions, School Formals, Bars, Clubs & Birthday parties in the Gold Coast & Brisbane regions.