I've got a used 2006/2007 A1181 Core 2 Duo 2.0 ghz Macbook.

On start up i get a blank white/grey screen with start up tone. As far as I know (what I was told) the HD was wiped clean.

None of the start-up commands that I've heard of make any difference, including holding "C" while booting from the brand new set of restore discs I got from Apple. I've reset the P-ram, I've removed the ram chip and tried it in both slots while ensuring that it was properly seated. Ive attempted connecting an external display with a "mini-dvi to HDMI" connector to my TV, TV said no support. (don't know if there is a setting in the mac to use an external display or if it should automatically adapt?) I just tried booting in TDM to a Windows XP based PC running MacDrive 8. Macdrive shows the Macbook HD as being empty with 148gb free (in accordance with what I was told by the previous owner) and upon running repair option it finds no errors.

Not sure where to go from here, logic would suggest that the display and or display cable is kaput. But I've read some things that suggest the logic board may be the problem or the HD (I don't totally trust what MacDrive said 100%) and at $200 bucks for the display and cable I don't want to buy them only to find out that it needs another $200+ in parts.

Is there another way of testing the HD and/or more importantly the Logic Board? Short of taking to the Apple store, which is roughly a 2 hour drive. I'm not even sure they would touch it being that its long since out of warranty.