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macgirl811

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 26, 2007
1
0
This may seem like a silly question...but i'm not up on this type of stuff...my boyfriend just got one of those magnetic mattresses for his back(he has problems) It's full of magnets....is this bad to use the laptop on now? I used to always use it in bed and now i'm wondering if this is a bad idea? Or is that something of the past?? Thanks for your help, Nicole
 
I'm sure its fine, HDs are shielded, and the MacBooks have magnets all over: MagSafe, speakers, the lid, etc.
 
Yea exept that she(I assume due to the macgirl811 and "my boyfriend") has an iBook, not a macbook. Regardless, it should be fine. How strong are the magnets anyway? Unless you start hearing weird noises or experience weird behavior, I'd say don't worry about it.
 
This may seem like a silly question...but i'm not up on this type of stuff...my boyfriend just got one of those magnetic mattresses for his back(he has problems) It's full of magnets....is this bad to use the laptop on now? I used to always use it in bed and now i'm wondering if this is a bad idea? Or is that something of the past?? Thanks for your help, Nicole

It can't harm the computer, but it could cause the computer to randomly go to sleep. This is because the iBook G4 used a magnet (on the right side of the screen bezel and the corresponding spot on the body (to the right of the keyboard) to tell the computer when to go to sleep. When there is a magnet near the one next to the keyboard, it will fall asleep.

Just try it out, if it doesn't sleep, you're golden...if it does, you'll figure something out.
 
I would take exception to the comments being made, mainly due to a personal experience I had with an iBook and magnets...

At one time I provided support at a college in a major university. The students in this particular college are required to have an Apple notebook, either an iBook or PowerBook (at that time - now it's MacBooks and MBPs.)

I was working in the lounge one day and I saw a student place the magnetic base for their iSight on the left palm rest of their iBook. it just so happens that the hard drive is below that left palm rest in an iBook.

Long story short, the magnet messed up their hard drive so badly that the machine wouldn't even boot from it. Had I not seen this take place myself I wouldn't have believed it. Maybe it was due to the precise spot they put it, who knows? All I can say is that I have always made sure I keep anything magnetic well away from computers and storage devices.

MD
 
Having serious magnet problems!

Just last night, my 2 yr old son rested one of his magnet toys on the left side of our iBook next to the touch pad. It immediately began making bad, bad noises and froze. I shut it down and attempted to re-boot but it now does not even do this. Any thoughts? It's still under warranty, but not sure if this type of thing is covered!
 
Just last night, my 2 yr old son rested one of his magnet toys on the left side of our iBook next to the touch pad. It immediately began making bad, bad noises and froze. I shut it down and attempted to re-boot but it now does not even do this. Any thoughts? It's still under warranty, but not sure if this type of thing is covered!

FYI, magnets and any type of electronic gear are not a good combination.
 
Just last night, my 2 yr old son rested one of his magnet toys on the left side of our iBook next to the touch pad. It immediately began making bad, bad noises and froze. I shut it down and attempted to re-boot but it now does not even do this. Any thoughts? It's still under warranty, but not sure if this type of thing is covered!

Is your kid playing with those rare earth magnets that'll pick up a car? Seriously, how strong was the magnet in that toy?

BTW-if it is under warranty and you didn't open the thing up or drop it, you shouldn't have a problem getting it covered. I'm not sure I'd tell them you son picked up the ibook with a junkyard electro magnet though...
 
The magnet isn't exceptionally strong. I mean it'll hold the toy on the refrigerator, but it won't pull the refrigerator around the house or anything!
 
Just last night, my 2 yr old son rested one of his magnet toys on the left side of our iBook next to the touch pad. It immediately began making bad, bad noises and froze. I shut it down and attempted to re-boot but it now does not even do this. Any thoughts? It's still under warranty, but not sure if this type of thing is covered!

Not to sound sneaky, but I would leave it closed up, take it to the closest Apple Store with your proof of purchase and feign ignorance.

That's what I had the student that nuked their iBook do and Apple replaced the drive (see my previous post in the thread.)

MD
 
I think that's probably what I'm going to do. Thanks everyone. I'll post up the outcome!
 
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