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Is it bad to shake your computer when it is off?

J

jemmer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 28, 2011
5
0
Recently, my computer got bumped around in my duffle bag while I was not in my dorm room. When the computer was off, I shook the computer around to see if anything is loose. There were little noises, it seemed to be coming from the CD drive. When I put a CD in the drive and shake it, it does not make the noise any more. Is this noise just caused by the parts in the CD drive or should they be stationary while the computer is turned off? Also, is it bad to shake your computer while it is off?

Thanks
 
It is never a good idea to shake your computer. It won't hurt it if it gets bumped around a little, but avoid shaking it if possible.
 
In answer to your thread title, I would certainly try and refrain from shaking your computer. The hard drive is shock sensitive and could be damaged if your shaking is too vigorous.

In response to the bit about your optical drive, it has moving parts and these are not locked in place, so it will make some noise if you shake it and this is normal. If bits start falling out, or you hear a grinding noise when it is reading a disk, then there is a problem.
 
The noise you heard was probably the parts of the optical drive that are loose when the drive is empty.

Shaking roughly could cause components or connectors to come loose which isn't the end of the world as you would just have to open the case and reconnect them.
 
My MBP got shaken when asked by the airline to check it in at the gate because the very small airplane had no space for carry on...with a lot of fear I had no other choice, and thanks to the stupid people out there now flying is a privilege...
Besides the HDD the RAM can become loose and something will not properly work...and there it goes the circuit board.
When replacing the ram and doin some testing sometimes the small screws can fall inside the computer, and guess what the only way to get there is either doing a little shake or completely becoming an iFixit enrhusisast...or spend days without your beloved Mac because it will be in the Genius bar for a while.
Shaken only when needed, and learn how to shake, gently shake, smooth shake, fearless shake, and shake prevent, and no shake...no milk shake while using your Mac...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
McGiord said:
My MBP got shaken when asked by the airline to check it in at the gate because the very small airplane had no space for carry on...with a lot of fear I had no other choice, and thanks to the stupid people out there now flying is a privilege...
Besides the HDD the RAM can become loose and something will not properly work...and there it goes the circuit board.
When replacing the ram and doin some testing sometimes the small screws can fall inside the computer, and guess what the only way to get there is either doing a little shake or completely becoming an iFixit enrhusisast...or spend days without your beloved Mac because it will be in the Genius bar for a while.
Shaken only when needed, and learn how to shake, gently shake, smooth shake, fearless shake, and shake prevent, and no shake...no milk shake while using your Mac...
Click to expand...

i have taken my mac on a plane and theyv never asked me to shake exactly what will shaking it do? either your were dealing with a moron or being one for not asking their reason, they can scan the laptop to check for internal suspicious parts, unless you were going on ryan air .....

*you dont need to shake ur latop to hear if something is loose? i give up your logic makes no sense to me,..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
salacious said:
i have taken my mac on a plane and theyv never asked me to shake exactly what will shaking it do? either your were dealing with a moron or being one for not asking their reason, they can scan the laptop to check for internal suspicious parts, unless you were going on ryan air .....

*you dont need to shake ur latop to hear if something is loose? i give up your logic makes no sense to me,..
Click to expand...

Because you haven't read my lines. I will try again, me wrong messenger.

Airplane small
No space for carry on
Mac in bag
Bag out of cabin
Bag handled by airline personnel
Bag inside luggage compartment
Take off
Bag shaken due flight
Normal turbulence
Rough air
Landing
Airline and airport personnel handling bag
Bag again on my hands
MBP with kernel panics
MBP Genius bar
MBP new circuit board
No more shakes
Additional history:

Kid push MBP out of table
MBP fall to floor
Small dent on Aluminum
MBP still rocks
Survived
Kids push MBP out of
Now shake your head a little bit and please read my first post again, :)

Take o
 
McGiord said:
Because you haven't read my lines. I will try again, me wrong messenger.

Airplane small
No space for carry on
Mac in bag
Bag out of cabin
Bag handled by airline personnel
Bag inside luggage compartment
Take off
Bag shaken due flight
Normal turbulence
Rough air
Landing
Airline and airport personnel handling bag
Bag again on my hands
MBP with kernel panics
MBP Genius bar
MBP new circuit board
No more shakes
Additional history:

Kid push MBP out of table
MBP fall to floor
Small dent on Aluminum
MBP still rocks
Survived
Kids push MBP out of
Now shake your head a little bit and please read my first post again, :)

Take o
Click to expand...

lol what are you talking about, is this a poem?

airplane shakes kills logic board
kid pushes MBP off table and it rocks

what does any of this have to do with dont shake it for no reason
 
Jrv said:
Some people like having storage on their computer.
Click to expand...

And some people can buy bigger storage ssds. My point is ssd there is no moving parts to really worry about. Whos says you cant have storage with an ssd they make 500gb and 1tg drives. Sounds like enough storage to me
 
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