Macbook Hard Drive Failure Epidemic

[winwintoo]

My MacBook was a Christmas gift. I thought it was a bit off from the start, it was slow compared to my old PowerBook, but I thought it might just be all the gunk I had hosed over from the old PB.

I saw the beachball a lot and typing was a pain. I wondered if the keyboard wasn't connected properly.

Then one day, the beachball appeared and nothing I did would make it stop. The finder was frozen too, so I hit the power button and the machine turned off. I tried to restart it, but all I got was a blank white screen. Not even the flashing question mark.

So I took it to the shop and they replaced the hard drive, but told me they couldn't recover anything from the old one. I don't know if that was the truth or if they were just lazy, but I've lost years of writing, all my pictures, important emails, everything.

Then this morning, I read this post where the guy took the drive out of the computer and when he put it back in, it worked again.

I suspect that my old drive with all my stuff is gone into the recycle bin and no amount of pleading will convince the shop to return it to me, but this information might help someone else.

Take care, Margaret

 

[mkrishnan]

I suspect that my old drive with all my stuff is gone into the recycle bin and no amount of pleading will convince the shop to return it to me, but this information might help someone else.

Have you at least started making backups on a regular basis as a result of this experience?

 

[winwintoo]

Have you at least started making backups on a regular basis as a result of this experience?

I just got the MacBook back yesterday and as we speak, I'm deciding on the best backup strategy. Most of what I need to backup will fit on a thumb drive - so why didn't I use one?

After using various Macs without any problems for many years, I got complacent - thought it couldn't happen.

Am I sorry? U betcha.

Take care, Margaret

 

[AlexanderTgreat]

Not buying Applecare for a mobile Mac is asking for trouble. It's a freaking MOBILE Mac. Stuff goes wrong way more often in mobile Macs. It's a RULE to always buy Applecare with Mobile Macs.

That deminishes and semblance of value that the macbook might have had. Besides with the quality of service coming from mac these days you're better to just sell your laptop each year and buy a new one (doesn't cost much more)

 

[mkrishnan]

After using various Macs without any problems for many years, I got complacent - thought it couldn't happen.

Awww, that's understandable. But Hard Drives are hard drives, and they can fail in any kind of computer. So can those USB sticks, in principal. I'm glad that you're backing up now. It's good for your emotional health!

USB sticks are a great option to keep all your docs on. Please don't assume they never fail either, though, and start just using your USB copy! One of my friends in my doctoral program almost lost her masters' thesis that way!

At some point, you may wish to consider getting an external drive for Time Machine or SuperDuper also. That way, if you ever do (god forbid) have a drive failure, particularly with SuperDuper, you don't even have to stop working. You reboot on your backup clone and can use it immediately! I'm not 100% consistent, but I have my iMac set up so that there are two partitions for it to back up onto on my backup disk (my iMac has a 160GB drive and I have a 500GB backup drive), and I alternate them, and try to run one of them each week (I'm still on Tiger).

 

[wyoungs]

This happen to me to just the other day. I got the panic kernel, then I called Apple support and they tried to repair my disc. From there, it went to a gray screen with the blinking question mark. My Hard Drive died and with it all of my data.

 

[aristobrat]

This happen to me to just the other day. I got the panic kernel, then I called Apple support and they tried to repair my disc. From there, it went to a gray screen with the blinking question mark. My Hard Drive died and with it all of my data.

Restore from your Time Machine backup.

 

[Drumjim85]

This happen to me to just the other day. I got the panic kernel, then I called Apple support and they tried to repair my disc. From there, it went to a gray screen with the blinking question mark. My Hard Drive died and with it all of my data.

wow, a newbie who searched!!! (well done)

 

[mosx]

When the same part fails in the same computer repeatedly, it's systemic... it has to be one of a few limited issues:

- You have (excessively) dirty power in your home
- There is a central flaw (probably power delivery) in your Mac
- Something that's being done, whether physically to the computer or software wise or whatever, is abusing the part in question

The odds of receiving three bad "lemon" hard drives in a row, even from the worst HD manufacturer, are pretty slim.

Just to comment on the school's "10/12"... the experiences here on MR don't seem to be anywhere near that high.

Why is it the users fault? Why is it always the users fault when something goes wrong with a Mac?

Back in the day bad IDE controllers would cause HDD failure. Why not a bad SATA controller? Why not a bad connector within the MacBook? Why not something else within the MacBook?

It's not just physical abuse that can cause the problem. The power argument you gave is nil, considering the A/C adapter in the path and the regulators inside of the MacBook.

There is obviously something wrong with this MacBook and it existed before the warranty was up. It might be time for him to consider some sort of legal recourse to try to get Apple to replace it out of warranty, considering its obvious that the problem existed within warranty.

 

[alphaod]

I have HDDs from 15 years ago still working, not that I use them.

 

[wyoungs]

Restore from your Time Machine backup.

Yes, I should have. I learned the lesson the hard way.

 

[wyoungs]

Restore from your Time Machine backup.

I don't have time machine. I don't have anything at this point.

 

[wyoungs]

wow, a newbie who searched!!! (well done)

Merci. Look what I found:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-9823370-37.html


http://www.appleinsider.com/article...e_macbooks_contain_flawed_seagate_drives.html

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ed_for_ignoring_two_mac_data_loss_issues.html

 

[Krusjer]

I've a MacBook, and my third (3rd) HD just died today, the exact same way the other two dies.

I was downloading some P2P files, so I left it running on the table. Had FireFox open with a film I hadn't finished.

Next day, the Mac was sluggish. Then I heard those dreaded noises from the HD. Clicking, ticking and scraping.

There was recently a riot in my home town - a once in a lifetime photo-op - and I was just about to take a backup... I would have done it sooner, weren't it for a DJ-friend borrowing my external for a concert. So I lost all 800 pictures.

Can I curse now?

So, how does this happen? Well, here's how I use my MacBook.

I seldom turn it off. Usually I just close the lid (i.e. the screen).
Second, I do some file sharing, which of course puts strain on the HD.
And then, being a musician and a media-person, I use it for making music (mostly composing in Garage Band) and editing and reviewing film on FCP.

I handle it with a lot of care, although I carry it in a PC-bag to work every other day. I never throw the bag around (who would do such a thing with expensive equipment in it anyway?) and usually I don't open the MacBook while travelling.

And that's it, really!

I consider this normal use. If the MacBook's HD can't take normal use like that, I not only want my money back - I want compensation for the loss of all those priceless music pieces, photos and films that I've lost on the three HD deaths.

Man, I'm so pissed off right now!

 

[applgeek]

This would be a good time to throw up an ad for drivesavers.

My best backup is an SD or CF card. I put my most important stuff as well as my music on it. You can instantly back up stuff that isnt on a superduper or time machine backup. Sd cards go up to 32gb, which is usually enough for some important files. You can keep it plugged in 24x7 and tape a small card reader to the lid, or you can simply get a card with an integrated reader (sandisk makes them) and throw the SD card in your wallet. I personally use a dell, so I just keep it in the SD reader at all times. If my cheap hard drive dies in either computer, I can easily move critical data to my restore backup. If you dont have much data, you could even use this instead of a restore backup.

 

[CalmEnvy]

I have HDDs from 15 years ago still working, not that I use them.

Same here, maybe not as old but still 10 years old. I think it's like a 2GB Seagate drive lol.

 

[pgkool]

Solution

Here is the best answer i found after much googling.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/914688.html

My 13in MBP was making a clicking sound every now and then from the first day i bought it. Like someone in the above form said, ur drive should not click NO MATTER WHAT! I have never had a laptop drive click unless the drive it dying.

anyways, the clicking from my drive was like ever 30 min or so, so it wasnt like the constant clicking you get when the drive dies.

I used the HDAPM app and set it to like 200 and i never heard a click since. My friend has a macbook and his HD has died on him 3 times in 2 years.

I think this is more of a *nix issue rather then just OSX or mac.

Apple is known for putting slightly diff software configurations on there different line of laptops, this may be one that is apparent in some and not others.

 

[l.a.rossmann]

My parents are getting so pissed that they even suggested buying a Thinkpad!!!

This is not a bad idea. Thinkpads are considerably more durable.

If you don't believe me, spill beer in your macbook and try to turn it on.

 

[spirochete]

I repair Macs for a living...... while it has slowed down now, I went through a period with literally swarms of Macbooks coming in with HD failure.......

Almost always the same, OK the previous evening, owner fires it up the next day and all they get is a :- 'tick, tick, tick, brrrr' from the drive...... death rattle!

Drives are almost always unreadable and its not any one particular brand.

Given the waaayyyy higher than normal /expected failure rate, I started watching the owners when they brought the machines in - and in 85% of cases the Mac was in sleep mode. When questioned the owners admitted they never actually shut the machine down, (just close the lid when finished). Macbook then goes into its nice snug trendy sleeve and then in the bag or brief case until the next day.........

Was it hot? (I ask)....... 'Oh yes' is the usual reply, 'Amazingly hot'.

Conclusion?...... these little plastic Macbooks still kick out a lot of heat in sleep mode ( the plastic case doesn't help dump the heat)..... stick it in its nice little tailor-made Macbook-Duvet......... and you cook the drive overnite!

Advice?........ when you've finished using it..... shut it down, particularly before 'bagging' it.

Food for thought........

JH

 

[BarryMcaukiner]

Not buying Applecare for a laptop is extremely bad judgment imo.

I have not known one person with a HD failure on an Apple less than
3-4 years old.

I'm new here, but I'd like to chime in with my experience. I have had 7, yes SEVEN hard drive failures on 3 different MacBook Pro's since July of 2010. Yes folks that's about one a month. All were replaced on warranty. I requested a new machine twice and was given a replacement machine both times. It is now Feb. 2011 and my 6 week old brand new replacement MBP is in for ANOTHER hard drive replacement. Geniuses at the store have no idea what is causing this. They have replaced the cable and the logic board along with the hard drive twice only to have it fail again. I'm losing faith.
I also have 2 other MacBooks (older) and an iMac that work perfectly

 

[redballoon]

I've had 11 hard drives fail

I'm new too. I support 400 macbook pros, all less than 1 year old. I've had 11 fail. I think that's still a huge number even despite the large number I support. I've seen no outward sign of abuse and have even witnessed it fail first-hand. I have noticed that this seems to happen most often when the mac is trying to wake from sleep or the battery ran out because the user did not properly shut down. This is all within the past 3 weeks since school started and everyone started using their macs again. It's very frustrating and I've been on the phone with apple constantly. They can't really offer any advice on how to prevent these failures. We have applecare, but it's very different for organizations. I literally have to try every possible option before they'll take it back.

 

[BarryMcaukiner]

I gave up after 10 drives in less than a year and paid for the upgrade to a solid state hard drive. Have not had any problems since. Apple never figured out why I had such a problem.