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3 year old Macbook is it fixable and how much?

M

MissKreeps

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 6, 2012
28
0
Well seeing as im on hear i might a swell ask about this too
my old macbook which i got about 3 year ago for my birthday running mac os x 10.5, 2 GHz processor with 2 gig of ram dual core etc etc....\recently the back light on it has gone it lights up for about 2-3 mins then the light shuts off and the only way to get it back up is close the lid and reopen the lid and again the light only lasts about 3-4 mins, i know its still working as when it first happened i was on photoes and could just make out the photo moving as i tried scrolling so my question is is this light a fixable break? and how much do you think itll cost me to get it repaired?
 
More likely to be the cabe running from the inverter to the logic board...

Not too expensive - are you anywhere near an Apple Store ?
 
logana said:
More likely to be the cabe running from the inverter to the logic board...

Not too expensive - are you anywhere near an Apple Store ?
Click to expand...
Oh well if its that then that doesn't sound to bad at all
The top plate on the keyboards face has cracks in it from prolongued use apparently that was a common problem on my model of mac book so would that have anything to do with it? as its also caused the tracker pad to go funny if I press on the face plate anywhere around the tracker pad it clicks on stuff and higlights stuff
We don't really have one close closest one is about an hour train journey away and I'm going through this weekend as I have to take my new mac mini in for fan repairs (thankfully that's still in warranty only had it 2 months)
 
If your MacBook has the normal cracking along the front edge then the Apple Store will replace the top case/keyboard free of charge - and that will solve all your clicker problems too. Get them to check that the battery is not swollen because that too can cause similar problems with the clicker.

Ask them nicely to change the cable from the inverter to the logic board - since they will have the MacBook apart anyway it is only about 10 mins extra to swap the cable from there.....

3 years is fine - Apple normally extend the warranty to 5 years from date of purchase for the MacBook cracking so make another Genius Bar appointment for the MacBook and take it with you when you take the Mini. 2 machines = 2 appointments normally.

It is unlikely to be a backlight fault since normally the backlights either work or they don't. If raising and lowering the screen causes the backlight to go off and on then almost certainly it will be the short cable which is damaged and needs replacing......
 
MissKreeps said:
Oh well if its that then that doesn't sound to bad at all
The top plate on the keyboards face has cracks in it from prolongued use apparently that was a common problem on my model of mac book so would that have anything to do with it? as its also caused the tracker pad to go funny if I press on the face plate anywhere around the tracker pad it clicks on stuff and higlights stuff
We don't really have one close closest one is about an hour train journey away and I'm going through this weekend as I have to take my new mac mini in for fan repairs (thankfully that's still in warranty only had it 2 months)
Click to expand...

Last I heard, Apple was still replacing the cracked keyboard faces for free.
If it's already opened up, it may be very easy for them to replace the cable.
I'd take it with you and see what they can do.
 
Yea I knew about the faceplates I googled that when it first started happening to me and read that they extended it just never had the time to go but now with both my macs gone one in warranty and this one that's not I need to go in

And if it is that simple that's very good news indeed fingers crossed it won't cost me to much then :) dead happy to hear that and battery swollen? They swell? Oh boy that's not gonna be cheap to replace if it is "/
 
so my macbook i have a bit more about whats happening to it and i didnt spot it till today when turning it on to get its serial number i decided to drop the back light brightness from its usual full all the way to nothing then i upped it one notch and the back light has come on and stayed on so far, and i can raise it to full again slowly and it stays on, but if i move the lid it just comes off again and wont come back on unless i lower its brightness back to 0 and notch it back up again,
i also noticed if i dont get the brightness down to 0 before i notch it up again the backlight quickly flashes on then off again
also if i move the screen when its on the lowest brightness the light stays on but you can see it flicker.
 
MissKreeps said:
so my macbook i have a bit more about whats happening to it and i didnt spot it till today when turning it on to get its serial number i decided to drop the back light brightness from its usual full all the way to nothing then i upped it one notch and the back light has come on and stayed on so far, and i can raise it to full again slowly and it stays on, but if i move the lid it just comes off again and wont come back on unless i lower its brightness back to 0 and notch it back up again,
i also noticed if i dont get the brightness down to 0 before i notch it up again the backlight quickly flashes on then off again
also if i move the screen when its on the lowest brightness the light stays on but you can see it flicker.
Click to expand...

That will be the cable then - it is wrapped around the left hinge and as you raise and lower the screen it it is making contact and then losing contact. The cables will be broken (probably internally).

Just demonstrate it to the Genius - I am sure someone on here said that Apple replaced the cable for $25-30 or so.
 
logana said:
That will be the cable then - it is wrapped around the left hinge and as you raise and lower the screen it it is making contact and then losing contact. The cables will be broken (probably internally).

Just demonstrate it to the Genius - I am sure someone on here said that Apple replaced the cable for $25-30 or so.
Click to expand...

i really do hope its that simple and cheap i really cant afford an expensive fix
 
MissKreeps said:
i really do hope its that simple and cheap i really cant afford an expensive fix
Click to expand...
Update: so my mac books LCD was the issue in the end and has now been repaired im due to pick it up end of march at a cost of 198 pounds
 
Macman45 said:
Ouch! but worth it. They didn't try the cable first?
Click to expand...
they tried both the inverter cable and inverter board first to make sure it wasnt either of them, very expensive but well worth it for me that laptop has done me well much better then any PC iv ever used and i love it to bits just gotta remember this time so not to wear it out quick keep my brightness settings lower then full
 
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