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4th replacement 17" MBP faulty... what to do?

A

apersianboyCOM

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 28, 2008
328
0
London, UK
I've got the unibody 17" MBP and this is my fourth replacement which is faulty again. This is my first ever Mac.

I noticed it was beeping twice so I done the tech deluxe test and it came up that the video RAM is faulty.

I don't know what to do :(
I'm not happy at all... even though as this was my 4th replacement Apple are going to give me £130.

Will I be 5th time lucky? or should I just keep my 3rd one (I did the waiver form so I've still got and have to send it back in 5 days).

1st MBP: faulty GPU (lines came up on it)
2nd MBP: faulty RAM (2 beeps heard all the time)
3rd MBP: fan noise was really loud and gap between lid was quite big when closed
4th MBP: faulty video RAM


EDIT: I just did the test again and its coming up that the volume structure failed :(
 

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You're right that the 3rd is closest to 'right', but it's not right.

I'm not as picky like some in these forums who claim the left side is 2mm higher than the right, etc... but I still don't think this is right.

Can you go get one at a store, or somewhere you can check it out and deal with it there if it's an issue?
 
I'm not as picky like that either, but when it comes to hardware I'm picky because it can lead to failure and whatnot.

I can't get one at a store because I ordered using the online store as I pre-ordered it and also because I got the 7200RPM HD.
 
apersianboyCOM said:
I'm not as picky like that either, but when it comes to hardware I'm picky because it can lead to failure and whatnot.

I can't get one at a store because I ordered using the online store as I pre-ordered it and also because I got the 7200RPM HD.
Click to expand...

Hm, this is totally out of left field, but could they get you a new computer and swap the drive once it was found to be better at a store? (You'd have to talk with the online store folks I guess, but your case is pretty exceptional).

(I got the 7200 rpm drive too)
 
Keep trying until you get a machine that works correctly, don't give up because you paid a ton of money on this, and hardware issues shouldn't be acceptable (at least when you first buy something, later on is a different story)
 
It's weird because I done the techtool deluxe test again today and it said it passed! what do I believe? can it just fix itself?

edit: but I'm still hearing the beeps!
 
apersianboyCOM said:
It's weird because I done the techtool deluxe test again today and it said it passed! what do I believe? can it just fix itself?

edit: but I'm still hearing the beeps!
Click to expand...

If it passed but failed previously, then its still possible you have defective vram. I'd still take it too the apple genius or apple store and explain it. I'd also open up the new one and visually examine it before leaving the store. You may also want to run some tests on it as well just to be sure its works.

FWIW, I've been very lucky with apple quality in that (knocks on wood) I've not needed to exchange/return any hardware.
 
I can't really do without it right now because I'm a uni student and need it for my assignments.

Plus Apple take ages to do refunds! and I wont be able to get the 7200RPM HD in store.
 
I assume you ordered it from apple yes? In which case surely they won't mind you taking the faulty MBP in to the store to get it exchanged there? A genius could swap out the 7200 drive into a new one. Especially considering you're on your 4th one already. I'm sure they'll go the extra mile to make up for it.
Give the store a call and tell them your story...
 
Yeah I got it from the Apple online store.
I'll see what I can do... do you think I should send the 3rd MBP back then call up/go there?
 
If you don't need to run OS X, you could buy a proper 17-inch machine like an HP Elitebook (similar weight, heavier duty, better built in general and also better built for a transportable life), Dell Precision M6400 (heavier, significantly heavier duty, also better built) - or, at a pinch,even the Lenovo W700.

e.g.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF25b/321957-321957-64295-3955549-3955549-3784202.html

A 2.8Ghz DreamColor FU471ET is about the same as a 2.9 17MBP with Applecare (HP standard warranty is 3-year, battery 1-year).

I've seen a few of my old 17MBP's that have left my hands to go to friends and relatives - and the oldest of them look like crap after ~3 years, and have been in to the 'shop' at least once during and since my ownership, usually more. I also bought several HP 8000w-series machines just after the first of the 17MBP's in '06, and these have been far more roundly abused while passing through many more hands - and I don't believe we've had to make use of the warranty yet.
 
michael.lauden said:
you could cry. you know. let it out. that might help
Click to expand...

I'm just really annoyed that the machines I've had have been faulty :( :mad:

Sesshi said:
If you don't need to run OS X, you could buy a proper 17-inch machine like an HP Elitebook (similar weight, heavier duty, better built in general and also better built for a transportable life), Dell Precision M6400 (heavier, significantly heavier duty, also better built) - or, at a pinch,even the Lenovo W700.

e.g.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF25b/321957-321957-64295-3955549-3955549-3784202.html

A 2.8Ghz DreamColor FU471ET is about the same as a 2.9 17MBP with Applecare (HP standard warranty is 3-year, battery 1-year).

I've seen a few of my old 17MBP's that have left my hands to go to friends and relatives - and the oldest of them look like crap after ~3 years, and have been in to the 'shop' at least once during and since my ownership, usually more. I also bought several HP 8000w-series machines just after the first of the 17MBP's in '06, and these have been far more roundly abused while passing through many more hands - and I don't believe we've had to make use of the warranty yet.
Click to expand...

I was a windows user for 15 years, and the main reason I switched to Mac was to get away from windows! I love the design of the MBP and that it's got a long lasting battery and the screen is wicked and it weighs less than its windows counterparts.
I don't want to go back to the big brick-like windows machines!
 
Of such insufficiently informed comments are many choices made. Put up with inferior build, inferior stability and a futzier, less flexible OS for the pretty - your decision of course.

I choose both and I only use the MBP's for when I actually need OS X.
 
It's mainly because my MBP never froze or crashed/rebooted or anything! It's way more stable than any windows PC I've ever used. I've just not been very lucky!
 
I'm thinking of getting a refund and getting a 1.8GHz Re B MBA with SSD instead... what do you guys think? I will be using it as my primary machine... mainly for:
VMWare Fusion
Photoshop
Microsoft Word
Burning DVD's using Roxio Toast
Watching films


Do you think it would be capable for what I want it for?
Would I notice a really big decrease in speed from my current MBP?
Would it be hard to switch down to a smaller screen from 17"?
Does it have really noisy fans? or is the system completely silent?
Do you think I should get it now or is a Rev C near release?
 
return the computer and get a PC

On a more serious note, just buy a previous gen macbook or macbook pro. It'll give you less problems. Macbook air is just asking for it
 
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