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Firmware Updates Address Charging Issues With 2007-2008 MacBooks and MacBook Pros

Actually, the 2.5 GHz MBP...

gatearray said:
Actually, I believe the MBA is 45w, it's 60w for the MB and MBP 13", and the 15’s and 17’s are 85w each... :)

EDIT: Oops, omahajim beat me to it!
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Actually the 15" 2.53 GHz C2D MBP has a 65 W charger too. the 2.66 GHz & up have 85w. I was pretty pissed to find that I got a 65w.:(
 
rosh325 said:
Will this show up via software update or do we pull it manually off the site (if we have an affected model)?
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It's on Software Update. Just installed it. But seeing as I'm still using the adapter that came with my early '08 MBP, this doesn't really do much for me. :D
 
Personally, I've got a 2010 MBP (which came with the L adapter), and my company laptop, a 2008 MBP, which is one of the ones this firmware update applies to. Before the update, the L adapter did not work on the 2008 MBP, but it does now.

Glad it's not my new adapter.
 
I've been having this problem with the L shaped charger on my ACD on my 08 unibody MacBook lately. Good to know this is being addressed!
 
vicky123 said:
Actually this sounds like the beginning of the end of your adapter. The straight on adapters do not last long, they begin to fray inside the plastic casing and eventually they short and melt the plastic casing usually at the end that plugs into the laptop, but I also had one fray at the power brick end. Do not leave it plugged in to your laptop when you are not home or are sleeping, it can start a fire. I have not had any of the straight on adapters last more than 18 months before this started to happen, and I have "babied" the adapter to try to prevent this. If you look around online you will see this is a common problem with these adapters.
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This is completely unfounded. If the power adapter were really a fire risk, Apple would have recalled them and replaced them with the new ones. You are just fear mongering.
 
Simgar988 said:
Really vicky? I've used old MagSafe chargers and never had a problem. Even if they fray and I'm lucky, which I probably am, unsafe to leave a laptop plugged in overnight or while you're away? I don't see this being accurate.
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I have had my MagSafe for two years now (the late 2008 Aluminum MacBook), and have no issue with fraying or overheating. My wife has the same exact MagSafe with her mid-2009 15" MBP, and no issues with fraying or overheating either.
 
I like the new(er) MagSafe design. I like how you can plug in that other cable to extend the reach of it, if you know what I mean :p
 
Wish they would have thought of this earlier... Like when the MacBook Air came out, they should have moved all computers to the new MagSafe. Then I would have one of those now! Although I'm not having problems at all, I just like the design more.
 
vicky123 said:
Actually this sounds like the beginning of the end of your adapter. The straight on adapters do not last long, they begin to fray inside the plastic casing and eventually they short and melt the plastic casing usually at the end that plugs into the laptop, but I also had one fray at the power brick end. Do not leave it plugged in to your laptop when you are not home or are sleeping, it can start a fire. I have not had any of the straight on adapters last more than 18 months before this started to happen, and I have "babied" the adapter to try to prevent this. If you look around online you will see this is a common problem with these adapters.
Click to expand...

No problems here and my MB has been round the world getting plugged and unplugged countless times. Its as good today as its always been and I have many times accidently pulled it out too. Ive no doubt that it is a problem and typical of Apple.

What it does prove though is that Apple quality control and hardware production processes are not uniform and thorough. And thats just their magsafe adaptors. No wonder we end up with DOA machines and phones that you have to hold another way.
 
vicky123 said:
Actually this sounds like the beginning of the end of your adapter. The straight on adapters do not last long, they begin to fray inside the plastic casing and eventually they short and melt the plastic casing usually at the end that plugs into the laptop, but I also had one fray at the power brick end. Do not leave it plugged in to your laptop when you are not home or are sleeping, it can start a fire. I have not had any of the straight on adapters last more than 18 months before this started to happen, and I have "babied" the adapter to try to prevent this. If you look around online you will see this is a common problem with these adapters.
Click to expand...

This doesn't match my experience -- the magsafe adapters have been great for me despite years of abuse -- but I know it's a problem. I do have a question though: Before your adapter caight fire, did the cable outer-casing physically break to expose the metal shield, or was the damage completely internal and undetectable in your case?

Obviously, if anyone spots that the wire at either end of their power adapter is damaged they should immediately stop using it and get a replacement or have it repaired by a competent professional. Of course, if the damage isn't visible, that's not any help.
 
Ca$hflow said:
I've always preferred this style over the classic magsafe connectors.
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Mine (old style) just broke down yesterday. Had to buy a new one (new style connector). It feels much more sturdier and the cable itself is way thicker. Let's see how long it will last!
 
Simgar988 said:
Really vicky? I've used old MagSafe chargers and never had a problem. Even if they fray and I'm lucky, which I probably am, unsafe to leave a laptop plugged in overnight or while you're away? I don't see this being accurate.
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It is dangerous, I've had magsafe power adapters dangerously overheat as a result of freying to the point of making sparks and melting the surrounding plastic.
 
Need to fix how the cable exits the charger

Wish Apple would route the small cable out of the charger to run parallel instead of jutting out perpendicular to remove the stress on the cable. My MBP charger failed there, at least I had the extended warranty and Apple replaced it no problem.
 
Good to see this. I went through 2 of the newer style cables for my MacBook, the second one lasting less than 24 hours. I thought it seemed strange at the time. The Genius said they still had a few of the older-style white cables in stock, so he gave me one of those and it's been working fine.
 
Awesome, thanks so much Apple!! NOT!!! What about all the other MacBooks affected? The issue exists for ALL non-unibody MacBooks. They come into my shop all the time with this problem when the customer buys a new power adapter. Also, you need Leopard or higher. People are still running Tiger ya know, especially on the original MacBooks. So you need to upgrade your software to use a power cord? AWESOME!!!!! The other issue is the L shaped end does not pop out of the machine when it is pulled, it just yanks the computer with it.
 
It's just amazing to me now that you need a firmware update to figure out if your mac is plugged in or not. An electrical circuit used to be enough...
 
mattwolfmatt said:
Lately with my Aug 08 MBP, I have to really make sure the amber light is on when it's plugged in. It's almost like it's not being seated correctly, although usually just a wiggle turns the light on. When the light's off, it isn't charging.

I have the "straight on" magsafe charger. Not sure if I get the update, or if this will even help. I hope so.
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My 2009 13 inch MBP does the same thing, but it is harder to make it turn on.
 
bizzle said:
Also, you need Leopard or higher. People are still running Tiger ya know, especially on the original MacBooks. So you need to upgrade your software to use a power cord? AWESOME!!!!!
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What, your shop doesn't have any tester hard drives running Snow Leopard that you can pop into a machine or plug into the machine via USB/FireWire in order to run this update for them?
 
Scott6666 said:
It's just amazing to me now that you need a firmware update to figure out if your mac is plugged in or not. An electrical circuit used to be enough...
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Or an SMC reset. The firmware update is supposed to make it so you don't have to do an SMC reset.
 
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