Major MBP Problems! Only 5 weeks old! [Archive]

bc008

Jul 1, 2008, 08:25 PM

earlier today i noticed their was some striping on my screen.. i tried a reset but that seemed to make it all worse. my apps are always quitting, and i am always reporting it to apple.

i thought installing the new update for leopard would help, but the update actually failed, and i got a popup saying "update cannot be installed, contact software creator"

help!

edit: the striping isnt fixed on the screen, it only appears on a couple images etc.

edit: Read post #7 for updated info

bc008

Jul 2, 2008, 08:39 AM

anyone? i have to use the downstairs computer because no apps will stay open long enough without quitting...

edit: here is the message i get when trying to install osx

merl1n

Jul 2, 2008, 10:48 AM

bc008

Jul 2, 2008, 12:40 PM

I would do the following. You may have some corrupted caches, disk file system corruption, etc.

1. SMC reset
2. PRAM reset
3. Safe Boot

I would also download the combo updater (10.5.4) instead of using the delta updater that Software Update downloads.

When it comes to OS updates, always do it in Safe Boot mode and use the combo updaters. This will resolve a lot of issues.

THANK YOU! a simple pram reset stopped the screen striping and the applications quitting, and the combo installer from apple.com did the trick!

for future software updates how to i get into safe boot mode?

merl1n

Jul 3, 2008, 07:51 AM

THANK YOU! a simple pram reset stopped the screen striping and the applications quitting, and the combo installer from apple.com did the trick!

for future software updates how to i get into safe boot mode?

Safe Boot...

Upon restart or startup, as soon as you here the bong, hold down the shift key until you see the spinning gear on the grey screen, then let go of the key. Safe boot takes much longer than a regular boot since the OS is doing a lot behind the scenes (removing hardware cache files, file system check/repair (fsck), etc). It could take up to 10 minutes or so, just be patient. Eventually you will get to the Login screen with the words "Safe Boot" in red.

bc008

Jul 5, 2008, 04:32 PM

i am posting this because i feel this is related to the same overall issue..

whenever i try to combine an event in iphoto, iphoto quits unexpectedly...

is my HD failing?

bc008

Jul 6, 2008, 11:42 AM

update: Well, My HD is indeed failing.
was upgraded to 250 GB's by apple and it is already starting to fail..
my entire computer was messing up, so i tried to do an erase and install version of leopard.

anyways i ended up having to download about 3 different times, all getting different warnings, some talking about the disks were damaged, others saying files couldnt be written on the HD itself..

after all this I called applecare. They told be that they would be sending me some new disks (supposed to be here thursday) and if those dont work, I have to get a new HD.

I really wish I could just return it and get another MBP or even something else in the apple line.. I know I got a lemmon because the HD failed less than 2 months into ownership! who knows what would go wrong next!?!

alphaod

Jul 6, 2008, 12:59 PM

who knows what would go wrong next!?!

The entire case could warp.... but let's not looks for more problems... :rolleyes:

bc008

Jul 6, 2008, 02:13 PM

The entire case could warp.... but let's not looks for more problems... :rolleyes:

you mean the screen bent up on the sides? yea it already is..

edit:

i now officially know it isnt just a scratched dvd causing this..

i ran apple hardware test, and guess what? an error within 27 seconds of testing? cmon! why didnt apple suggest this when i was on the phone.

alphaod

Jul 6, 2008, 07:16 PM

you mean the screen bent up on the sides? yea it already is..

No more like the entire computer chassis bent up on the sides.

pranavss11

Jul 6, 2008, 07:21 PM

Take it to an apple store genius. Calmly explain the situation to them...remind them you are a loyal apple customer and aren't impressed. Ask them to issue a replacement. Works like a charm.

bc008

Jul 6, 2008, 08:33 PM

Take it to an apple store genius. Calmly explain the situation to them...remind them you are a loyal apple customer and aren't impressed. Ask them to issue a replacement. Works like a charm.

i really dont do well on the phone, im either a pushover, or start to get really mad ;) my mom is really nice, but firm so she said she would call for me (she funded half of the computer so she is concerned as well) and she is going to ask for an exchange (we live about 3 hours from an apple store)

markgamber

Jul 6, 2008, 09:17 PM

On the plus side, hard drives go bad relatively quickly because there are moving parts. The rest of the computer will most likely be fine for a long time. It does make me wonder, tho. I've had Windows laptops for many, many years and I've never once had an HD fail on me. But I scan this site and it seems like they're failing all the time. If and when the time comes to get mine replaced, I think I'd be more inclined to show up with a drive and say "Here, put this in there" than rely on Apple for the hardware. I'm not even sure I wouldn't risk doing it myself, those "geniuses" don't really fill me with confidence, either.

Anyway, if you can't get a laptop replacement and have to settle for another hard drive, I'd keep an eye on it, but I wouldn't go actively hunting for problems elsewhere. If something jumps out at you, get it fixed, but you can find all kinds of things if you look hard enough, whether they actually exist or not.

bc008

Jul 6, 2008, 10:54 PM

you can find all kinds of things if you look hard enough, whether they actually exist or not.

i think this is the best advice i have gotten, it would make sense on a lot of other devices i had.. (does the screen look "grainy"?, is that a dead pixel?) etc. ;)

bc008

Jul 10, 2008, 05:21 PM

well.. surprise surprise the disks didnt work!

i called applecare today saying a 5 week old computer shouldnt have any problems at all, this is throwing up way to many red flags for me, ive spent over $7,000 at apple over the years, yada yada..

they said they would return it and give me my money back if sales support said i could.. they did! the guy i talked to a couple days a go (chad) isnt here right now, so i have to wait til tomorrow or saturday for him to call me back and give the final go-ahead!

well, i dont know if im going to get another MBP, another apple computer, or something else entirely..

zioxide

Jul 10, 2008, 08:26 PM

I really wish I could just return it and get another MBP or even something else in the apple line.. I know I got a lemmon because the HD failed less than 2 months into ownership! who knows what would go wrong next!?!

Hard drives fail all the time. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the rest of your MBP, it just means the hard drive failed. Since the thing is only 2 months old, it's definitely under warranty so Apple will just swap the hard drive out and you'll be all set.

You definitely do NOT need to return the whole computer just because of a hard drive failure.

Bubba Satori

Jul 10, 2008, 08:32 PM

bc008

Jul 10, 2008, 08:38 PM

Hard drives fail all the time. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the rest of your MBP, it just means the hard drive failed. Since the thing is only 2 months old, it's definitely under warranty so Apple will just swap the hard drive out and you'll be all set.

You definitely do NOT need to return the whole computer just because of a hard drive failure.

might not need to, but i want to.

you can obviously see why though.. no matter what it is nothing should go wrong withing the first year+ of owning a computer, especially within 5 weeks!

if the hd fails within 5 weeks, who is to say the logic bard isnt going to a month after applecare expires?

kevo0822

Jul 11, 2008, 02:33 AM

might not need to, but i want to.

you can obviously see why though.. no matter what it is nothing should go wrong withing the first year+ of owning a computer, especially within 5 weeks!

if the hd fails within 5 weeks, who is to say the logic bard isnt going to a month after applecare expires?

Your logic actually made me laugh out a loud a little bit. So because the hard drive, made by Hitachi or Toshiba, etc., failed... the logic board, made by Intel , Nvidia, and Apple (I assume), is also destined to fail? Yeah... not so much.

e12a

Jul 11, 2008, 02:50 AM

apple doesnt manufacture their own hardware. It's all sourced to OEM manufacturers like Quanta and Foxconn. Apple just designs it.

so yes, there can be problems with computers right off the factory floor. Its the nature of mass assembly.

i work at a service center and believe me, I see macbook hard drives going left and right. Some within the first year, some outside. Is it Apple's fault? Or Seagates?

alexlovesmacs

Jul 11, 2008, 03:14 AM

ask for a 17' inch mbp:p for all the trouble that mbp caused lol

bc008

Jul 11, 2008, 09:56 AM

Your logic actually made me laugh out a loud a little bit. So because the hard drive, made by Hitachi or Toshiba, etc., failed... the logic board, made by Intel , Nvidia, and Apple (I assume), is also destined to fail? Yeah... not so much.

the thing is, we really dont know what is wrong with it for sure, could be the logic board, probably is the hard drive, etc.

no matter what it is i dont want the came computer back, because apple should pick better components to be inside their computers.

Is it Apple's fault? Or Seagates?

sorry to say, it is apples fault..

if apple is putting in components that fail within 5 weeks, it is their fault no matter what. i wouldnt say this, but look at all the problems in new MBP's..

e12a

Jul 11, 2008, 10:08 AM

bc008

Jul 11, 2008, 10:43 AM

LOL like they purposely put parts they knew were defective in the MBPs for kicks. just like the Nvidia GPUs. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry but that deserves the "rolleyes"

at least apple is doing something about it. certain macbooks i mentioned above were bumped from 60 to 80GB hard drives (apple substituted a different HD model) , because they shipped with a faulty batch of HDs that failed early. Stuff like that you can't test for until its in the user's hands.

the thing is, apple isnt doing anything about it.
i have been on the phone with then an average hour a day for the past week, and they just have been transferring me between people..

i thought we were getting somewhere yesterday, but they said they would call me back later last night, but they never did.

i then called back today, and they said they would transfer me to someone else. that was about 50 minutes ago, and im stil on hold.

edit: phone line just went dead..

zackkmac

Jul 11, 2008, 11:28 AM

so yes, there can be problems with computers right off the factory floor. Its the nature of mass assembly.

I agree. When my aunt got her 17" MBP in, it didn't have an OS installed. :confused:

bc008

Jul 11, 2008, 08:04 PM

some good news..

apple is sending me a box for a repair, after 8 days of phone calls, and apple telling me it was just a faulty pair of disks..

yay!

should get the box on monday, and hopefully have my computer a week from now!

bc008

Jul 14, 2008, 11:40 AM

okay i know this is a double post and all but..

on my applecare send in box, do i check one of the boxes on the bottom?

they are labeled CIP, unopened box, defective, etc..

merl1n

Jul 14, 2008, 11:50 AM

okay i know this is a double post and all but..

on my applecare send in box, do i check one of the boxes on the bottom?

they are labeled CIP, unopened box, defective, etc..

No, you don't need to. The first time I sent one in for repair, I was confused as well. The two other times, I left them unchecked (these were all different computers). They have all the information they need in the case notes. Leave the boxes unchecked.

bc008

Jul 14, 2008, 12:07 PM

No, you don't need to. The first time I sent one in for repair, I was confused as well. The two other times, I left them unchecked (these were all different computers). They have all the information they need in the case notes. Leave the boxes unchecked.

mk thanks.
good thing i scheduled a pick up for later this afternoon, i wasnt going to til tomorrow!

bc008

Jul 17, 2008, 10:10 AM

how long does something say "pending product return" it has said it since tuesday morning?

edit: no need to do a triple post..

just got off the phone..

guess what was wrong with my computer?

-bum HD
-bum memory module
-bum optical drive

omg lol at least its fixed now

bc008

Aug 7, 2008, 11:01 AM

well, something is seriously wrong with my MBP again..

graphics:

expose makes windows flash white squares
scrolling causes text to bundle/white squares
youtube videos cause white squares
screensavers leave a trail and "ghost"
screensavers sometimes freeze
automatically changing desktops sometimes goes slow and jerks

the hard part is these things sometimes only happen when the computer has been on for a couple hours, and i cant pinpoint what is causing them. the computer is usable, but this computer shouldnt be having these distractions. i sent an email to sjobs@apple.com and now i am waiting for another call back from Ken Bell.

Time Machine/Capsule Problems: with all thats been going wrong with my computer i thought i should get a time capsule for backups.. guess what! the thing isnt even working right now, probably at the cause of the MBP, but the time capsule itself may be bad as well..

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=5993264#post5993264

EDIT:

just got off the phone with Ken Bell from apple, and i am getting a free replacement! it is a 2.8 GHz 24" aluminum iMac with 4GB of RAM, i didnt have to pay the $200 price tag obviously