MAMA's Techno-Geek Thread

[Aqualung]

Quote: Originally Posted by benzamg (original)

Thanks for that link..... My random shutdowns just started this week.... if they continue I may have to try that... It only seems to happen when the cpu is very busy so that makes sense...

So far.. I've had 2 repairs done on my Macbook... about 2 weeks ago, my hard drive suddenly died (went all clicky -- could not access it via external SATA->firewire adapter) ... got a new hard drive put in on the spot at the genius bar, but still a nasty inconvenience not to mention losing everything on the drive... good thing I have been keeping the important stuff backed up..

......because a month or so ago.......
I had a not-able-to-sleep on close issue which sounds like what bethandlouis is experiencing.... which within a few days turned into internal keyboard/trackpad not working (but external USB keyboard/mouse did)... not long after that, I had to bring into the genius bar and send away to apple for a week because the screen was coming up with the vertical colored bars instead of booting... (aka "The rainbow lines of doom")and with no internal keyboard, could not zap the pram.....

other than these problems I still love my Macbok .... I guess I should wait for Rev 2 next time

Wow, you're a champ to put up w/ so much BS! Or, wait for the Core Duo 2's rumored to be coming soon...

[Aqualung]

, this issue just won't die....see the article on how it's possible to open the back of a Diebold voting machine w/ a common key, like those you use to open your hotel minibar...scary!

Click here

[GadgetGav]

If anyone cares, my RAID issues are solved. It was the card. Although it's software RAID from Mac OS's Disk Utility, it's somehow dependent on the interface card. The ExpressCard is different to the PCI card, so I had to get all the data off, reformat the RAID via the PCI card and then copy all the data back again.
Works now though.

[benzamg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aqualung (original)

Wow, you're a champ to put up w/ so much BS! Or, wait for the Core Duo 2's rumored to be coming soon...

Yeah.. lets see how reliable it is as I get closer to that 1yr milestone with this Laptop.. never had any sort of problems like this with any laptop I've owned.. and I've owned a number of powerbooks and toshiba laptops over the years...

Are the Macbook Pro's issues any better, worse, or about the same, I wonder...?

[GadgetGav]

The drive problem sounds like just 'one of those things' - bad luck that could happen any time to anyone. The other problems all sound like some serious problem on the motherboard to me. IT seems odd that you would get the random shutdowns after it went away for repair. If they replaced the mobo, it should be the latest rev...
I had no problems with my MBP. I wish I still had it... Maybe I'll contact my old employer and see if I can buy it from them - I bet none od them dares to venture into OS X..!

[jwardell]

Quote: Originally Posted by benzamg (original)

Thanks for that link..... My random shutdowns just started this week.... if they continue I may have to try that... It only seems to happen when the cpu is very busy so that makes sense...

You will definitely need to send it in again.

Another important note on the MacBooks is the keyboard. Be extra careful not to have any liquids nearby. While older laptops' keyboards are their own part and consist of several layers that would deflect spilled liquids to the edges, the macbook's keys go right though and you would basically be pouring your drink right onto the motherboard. If you do while it is running, you might as well just go out and buy a whole new one. Abuse is not covered by warranty. This has already happened to my cousin!

Remember the MacBookPros has their share of issues as well, but they were mor annoyances like wierd sounds than functional issues.

This is what happens when to meet demand and pricing, you have 3 manufacturers making the same product, multiple suppliers for each of its parts, decreasing cost, and always trying to cram things into a smaller box. If you think these problems are bad, buy a dell. You'll come back screaming.

[Sheenabea]

Man, it makes me kinda glad that I actually got the iBook G4 instead of waiting for the MacBook

[benzamg]

bah...... I think on my repair invoice from the dead keyboard/vertical lines it said they replaced the "top case"... which is keyboard/trackpad and the plastic it sits in I suppose.. So I'm not sure if the logic board was replaced... No random shutdowns last night and I had the system pretty busy.. The night before it happened twice during a few hours of use..

[jwardell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sheenabea (original)

Man, it makes me kinda glad that I actually got the iBook G4 instead of waiting for the MacBook

Don't even get me started on ibooks..

Quote: Originally Posted by benzamg (original)

bah...... I think on my repair invoice from the dead keyboard/vertical lines it said they replaced the "top case"... which is keyboard/trackpad and the plastic it sits in I suppose.. So I'm not sure if the logic board was replaced... No random shutdowns last night and I had the system pretty busy.. The night before it happened twice during a few hours of use..

Right. The "random shutdown" fix is a new motherboard and heat sink.

[bethandlouis]

According to the apple boards most people with the RSD problem has been corrected by replacing the heat sink. There are a lot of people that think it should be recalled but seems that is is effecting early week MacBooks.

While I was at the genius bar there was a gentleman there with the vertical line problem. Thery were sending it away to be repaired but he said that he couldn't wait so they did a swap out. Apparently this is against the rules but they made the exception.

I like the Rainbow Bars of death much better than the blue screen of death (which I get on my computer at work weekly).

[Aqualung]

as mentioned the other day, looks like Apple's readying a fix for iTunes 7. I tried it on my other PC last night as my daughter's Nano 2 arrived and won't work on anything earlier than v7.

Still bombed on startup....I'm suspecting it's because I haven't upgraded my XP to SP2...guess I have to do that this weekend <sigh>.

Article here

[GadgetGav]

I didn't think XP worked with anything much unless it had SP2..!
The pro-Apple press like to say that Apple has release so many more major OS upgrades than Microsoft but I don't get it. Firstly, who says major upgrades are a good thing and secondly, Microsoft must have released so many patches and service packs that it must constitute a complete re-write by now..!
Having said that, I can't believe that they're upgrading Office to 2007 from *2003*. That's a slow development cycle, but I suppose there's no incentive for them to upgrade it.

[Sheenabea]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwardell (original)

Don't even get me started on ibooks..

What's wrong with iBooks??

[GadgetGav]

I think he means from a service point of view...

[LePew]

Better get your XP upgraded to SP2 soon. Support for SP1 ends Oct. 12 -- which I take to mean the "free upgrade" download site will go off-air.