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MacPro Harpertown Flaws - Leopard?? HELP!

darthraige

darthraige

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 8, 2007
1,612
2
Coruscant, but Boston will do.
Ok. I have a few issues to address with the new MacPro Harpertown 8-Core (Sorry for the long message, but any help would be great)...

I just need to know if anyone is suffering from the same problems as me before I call Apple.

1. I know most of you are having the sleep issue where you put the machine to sleep and when you bring it back it does a full restart.

2. When my MacPro is left overnight (not sleeping) and I come back to it in the morning, it's frozen. Have to power down and start back up...

3. When I try to start the machine back up, it hangs for a long long time. Sometimes I'll get a weird icon on the gray screen that is a "folder with a question mark" in it flashing... What does that mean? Death?

4. When I am actually in Leopard, and use Safari, sometimes it will lock up. Have to power down.

Overall, machine has been working fantastic, until this stuff has been happening...

Could all this be the result of Leopard bugs? Should I wait for 10.5.2 to see if this fixes the startup? Format and install for a 3rd time? This just doesn't make sense. Would like to know if anyone else is having these issues. Also, I have zapped the PRAM. Would a safe boot fix this and how is that done and what does it do?

Thanks,
Raige
:confused:
 
I am having the same issue with the sleep restart, but am not having any of the other issues. Knock on wood!!!
 
I haven't come across any of these problems so far with my new MP, but definately give Apple a call, that seems like more of a problem than others are having. You shouldn't have to throw down as much money as you did to have a mediocre experience. Haul it into the store and complain, even.

One of my friends actually had some HDD-based problems with his, taking 6 hours to install Logic Pro, and apple simply rolled out a new machine for him and took the old one, no troubles.

By the way, are you constantine's brother? haha.
 
I'm not sure, they gave my friend one because he didn't agree with spending nearly 4k on something (He bought an ACD with it) and then requiring them to rip it apart and throw in refurb parts.

Either way, they'll get you on your way easily, it really sounds like a hard drive problem to me though, have you tried like, pulling the HDD out and putting it back in?

It sounds like a bad drive IMO. If you can hold out for 10.5.2, try that, but if it were mine i'd be hauling it back to see what my options were to get it running the way it should be.


Oh, and yeah that's who I'm talking about. He was talking today about how your MP was having some issues and mentioned that you were a macrumors member, and I saw "Boston, MA" and figured you were the one.
 
fs454 said:
Either way, they'll get you on your way easily, it really sounds like a hard drive problem to me though, have you tried like, pulling the HDD out and putting it back in?

It sounds like a bad drive IMO. If you can hold out for 10.5.2, try that, but if it were mine i'd be hauling it back to see what my options were to get it running the way it should be.

Oh, and yeah that's who I'm talking about. He was talking today about how your MP was having some issues and mentioned that you were a macrumors member, and I saw "Boston, MA" and figured you were the one.
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Yea, I'm gonna call them later. Should I call the actual store I picked it up from or Tech Support first?

I did try poppin the drive out and putting it back in. I'm not gonna bother installing the OS on another drive cause I want the 320 as the main.

Yea, that Stos is a character. haha.
 
I'd personally do the store first, make an appointment and bring it in if that isn't too much of a hassle to do...It seems like more of an instant solution, but I've never actually dealt with over-the-phone tech support, though. The store's been good to me.

But if you're trying to avoid bringing it in, then definately give them a call.
 
fs454 said:
I'd personally do the store first, make an appointment and bring it in if that isn't too much of a hassle to do...It seems like more of an instant solution, but I've never actually dealt with over-the-phone tech support, though. The store's been good to me.

But if you're trying to avoid bringing it in, then definately give them a call.
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I'll see if I can bring it in tonight. So pissed at it right now. And with all the money I dropped I need it working.
 
darthraige said:
I'll see if I can bring it in tonight. So pissed at it right now. And with all the money I dropped I need it working.
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That sucks. And you were so excited about bringing 'baby' home too, now it has to go back to the shop.

Is it my imagination or (ever since the alu-iMacs) is Apple having some serious quality control issues?
 
yeroen said:
That sucks. And you were so excited about bringing 'baby' home too, now it has to go back to the shop.

Is it my imagination or (ever since the alu-iMacs) is Apple having some serious quality control issues?
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Yea, I'm bull about this. I don't even want them to look at it, I just want a new one off the line. If I just showed up to the Apple Store with it, would they exchange it right on the spot? I just called the Genius Bar at the Apple Store and they said to make an appointment. For what? I want a new one, not for them to diagnosis it.

Also, does anyone know if Phone Tech Support can authorize a new MacPro for me to exchange at an Apple Store, if it can't be fixed?
 
darthraige said:
Yea, I'm bull about this. I don't even want them to look at it, I just want a new one off the line. If I just showed up to the Apple Store with it, would they exchange it right on the spot? I just called the Genius Bar at the Apple Store and they said to make an appointment. For what? I want a new one, not for them to diagnosis it.
Click to expand...

Oh, you're gonna get real far with that attitude.

You wanted to be an early adopter. They don't call it bleeding edge because it's always comfy.

If you don't make an appointment, you may be told to go make an appointment at one of the computers. Or they may tell you that they have no available appointments left that evening. Or you might have to stand around with your 40lbs lump for a while.

Work with them, and they'll work with you. Be a bratty kid who's toy doesn't work, and that's how you'll get treated.
 
Sounds like hard drive or RAM problem - I never had those issues on mine (knock on wood :)), but with the folder errors and random freezes, sound like some sort of hardware failure. If they don't let you return it with restocking fee, I doubt they will give you a new system (otherwise, can just return and get a new one)
 
MikeL said:
Oh, you're gonna get real far with that attitude.

You wanted to be an early adopter. They don't call it bleeding edge because it's always comfy.

If you don't make an appointment, you may be told to go make an appointment at one of the computers. Or they may tell you that they have no available appointments left that evening. Or you might have to stand around with your 40lbs lump for a while.

Work with them, and they'll work with you. Be a bratty kid who's toy doesn't work, and that's how you'll get treated.
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I don't know about that. Outright rudeness is counterproductive sure, but being a pushover won't get you anywhere either.

In situations like this, I threaten to make a scene (or bring the gf along and have her do it) if my demands aren't met.
 
All I'm gonna do is when I get home I'm gonna be nice on the phone with Apple Tech Support and explain the problem that can't be fixed and ask if I could just exchange it for a new one. My brother went through the same thing with his G5 and got a new one by exchanging it. I'll let everyone know what happens later.
 
darthraige said:
All I'm gonna do is when I get home I'm gonna be nice on the phone with Apple Tech Support and explain the problem that can't be fixed and ask if I could just exchange it for a new one. My brother went through the same thing with his G5 and got a new one by exchanging it. I'll let everyone know what happens later.
Click to expand...

Pick a route, store or phone. They're different divisions.

Seeing as it's a week or so old, I'd pick the store. Push for an exchange. Know how to replicate your problem.

Many people talk tough about making a scene and what not, but few can actually pull it off with the results they want.
 
MikeL said:
Pick a route, store or phone. They're different divisions.

Seeing as it's a week or so old, I'd pick the store. Push for an exchange. Know how to replicate your problem.

Many people talk tough about making a scene and what not, but few can actually pull it off with the results they want.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I will probably call the store again when I get home and let them know what's up. I've waited so long for this computer for it not to work? Either way, I can guarantee everyone, that I will have a new MacPro. I should of complained when I first picked it up seeing how the box was pretty much ripped open at the bottom. With my luck, it probably slipped out somewhere along the way to the Store.
 
darthraige said:
Interesting. I will probably call the store again when I get home and let them know what's up. I've waited so long for this computer for it not to work? Either way, I can guarantee everyone, that I will have a new MacPro.
Click to expand...

Nobody who can fix your problem cares how much you spent--it's not that much. Nobody who can fix your problem cares how long you waited.

Look at how your tune has changed. You've turned from "hey, I've got some annoying problems" to the obnoxious (and silly) "I can guarantee everyone that I will have a new MacPro." You're working yourself into a tizzy, and doing it publicly.

It might just be bad memory. That happens. It might be a bad drive. That happens. It might be a lemon made from recycled Coke cans. That happens, too.

Relax. It's just a computer.
 
MikeL said:
Oh, you're gonna get real far with that attitude.

You wanted to be an early adopter. They don't call it bleeding edge because it's always comfy.

If you don't make an appointment, you may be told to go make an appointment at one of the computers. Or they may tell you that they have no available appointments left that evening. Or you might have to stand around with your 40lbs lump for a while.

Work with them, and they'll work with you. Be a bratty kid who's toy doesn't work, and that's how you'll get treated.
Click to expand...

Agree - it is their standard process to make an appointment when someone has to look at something. If you do not then you will be waiting a while in the store to get that appointment.
 
Doing a rights repair (found nothing wrong) and running FSCK -fy fixed my sleep->restart problem.

Bummer about the freezing.
 
If it is a harware failure I have had the same problems and I have heard of a handful more on these boards. Please remember that these boards only respresent a very small percentage of Mac Owners, but I would tend to say that this is more a problem than some think.
 
forget that ... if it happens with mine once it's delivered .. it will be going right back i have not spent £3000 on a machine that is flawed ....
 
3. When I try to start the machine back up, it hangs for a long long time. Sometimes I'll get a weird icon on the gray screen that is a "folder with a question mark" in it flashing... What does that mean? Death?

Back to (part of) the original question:

The question mark in a folder icon is your computer trying to find a boot drive. If you get this often I would suspect a faulty drive. If you have more than one drive installed try cloning the startup drive onto a second drive then make that your startup disk. See how you go with that.

I agree with a previous poster, bad RAM can give rise to problems that appear to be caused by other parts. If you bought 3rd party RAM, take it out and try again. Same goes for any peripherals, remove them then try again.

You'd be wise to try all these things before taking to an Apple store. Nothing worse than a problem you can't reproduce. Look at it from their perspective - they get lot's of people buying computers who don't even know the right end of the power lead from the other. They must get loads of people reporting "my computer don't work, gimme a new one"( probably less with the MacPro than e.g. iMac) so do as much as you can to know your fault well so you can discuss it - again "did you try this?" "Yep, tried that and something else" will probably go a long way towards getting a replacement.

I know all these things take time away from actually using your computer and, yes, you paid for a better experience but get it over with as soon as you can and way down the road it will seem no big deal (been there, done that - BUT planing to get a MacPro shortly, hence browsing this thread, and hoping for a good experience!) - hell, I want an ACD 30 as well, try reading the Apple discussions "disappointed" threads on those! - that's what keeps me awake at night ;-)
 
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