MacBook random shutdown

[pianojoe]

Et tu.

The RSS catched me three weeks ago. For three weeks my MB has been sitting with Apple's Authorized Repair Center. They want to pop in a new LB, but Apple can't deliver. Appearantly, Apple can't even tell when the (revised?) LBs might be shipping.

 

[joebells]

People have been told that if its been 3 weeks since you gave them your computer you can get a refund. I would go down that route.

 

[marjet]

macbook random shut downs

There are a lot of people with the same problem. My macbook is doing it now more and more. I read that if you take the mac book in it may take a month before you get it back. Someone suggested it is a logicboard problem and needs a new one.

 

[aristobrat]

There are a lot of people with the same problem. My macbook is doing it now more and more. I read that if you take the mac book in it may take a month before you get it back. Someone suggested it is a logicboard problem and needs a new one.

My MacBook hit the Apple Depot last Friday to be repaired for the RSD issue and the case discoloration.

I called today because it said (Parts on order), and they said that the RSD repair was done and that they were waiting on parts for the discoloration issue, so I'm guess I would have had my MacBook back today if it was only getting the RSD repair? If so, that'd be 3 days for the repair.

 

[alec]

is there any end in sight? Have ANY of you had positive experiences in getting this issue addressed/fixed??

 

[joebells]

I certainly haven't after a super fast turn around the first time now they are taking their sweet time. The apple guy promised me it would be back monday and here it is tuesday and its still not here. When I called they didn't have any additional information.

 

[aristobrat]

is there any end in sight? Have ANY of you had positive experiences in getting this issue addressed/fixed??

There's a few folks on Apple's MacBook support forum that have gotten theirs back. Most say it runs a LOT cooler after the repair, too.

 

[pjarvi]

Mine only sat on hold for 6 days, and has since changed to Product Return Pending for the last 3 days. According to the website, PRP means the repair is taking place.

Oh well, at least I finally managed to get my PPC Mini to sleep.

 

[joebells]

Are you sure about that? On my status its at stage 2 and it says repair in progress. My first repair I didn't check the website until I got the email saying it had been shipped and at that point it was at step 3 and it said product return or something like that. Maybe it depends on where it goes too(It probably shouldn't but you never know)

 

[Torbocto]

Update #7

MACBOOK RANDOM SHUTDOWN SYNDROME

Some interesting news:

MacOSG: MacBook complaints and investigation
Posted by Dennis Sellers Sep 18, 2006 at 2:28pm

By Dave Merten
It appears the law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP may be gearing up a class action law suit against Apple concerning defective MacBooks.

more info at:
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/macosg_macbook_complains_and_investigation/

and for the update:

As previously stated, I bought two macbook recently and both of them have been randomly shutting down. I am very disappointed. Apple won't replace or reimbourse me. I understand from this thread that I am not the only one dealing with this problem.
How many are we ?
If you have this problem with your macbook or macbookpro , can you please send me an email at macbookproblem@mac.com with the complete serial number of your computer, model , date of purchase,outcome and as much information as you want. Let me know if you want me to publish your email in the list.

I plan on publishing weekly stats about number of computer affected. I may contact you by email if there is any info to pass on.

any suggestions welcome.

I had a powerbook 12' before and never had so much problem with a mac before.

NUMBER OF MACBOOK with SHUTDOWN PROBLEM : 123
serial numbers / model / purchase date / email available

4h61017uu9c / 2GHZ white / may 20
4H6180X0VMM / Black MacBook / Day of release / 2G ram
4H61815 EVMM/2Ghz, Black/May 21st /email
4H6181FBVMM / 2.0 GHz Black / 5-22 / email
4h6182 / 2ghz white / june 30
4h619/ white 2ghz/ 2gig 3rd party ram /email
4H619 / Black MacBook 2.0 / late May / email
4H619 / ? / ?
4H619 /White 1.83 GHz /June 15 / email
4H6190 /*1.8 white / june 07
4H6191 / 1.8 white / may
4H6192YBVMM / 2.0GHZ/512MB/80GB/SUPER/BT/AP / June/ email
4H6193VMVMM / black macbook/ may 25th / email available
4h61932 / 2Ghz white / may 24
4H6193N4U9B / /June 22 São Paulo, Brazil/ email
4H6195MWVMM / Black/late May or early June/ABaggLady@comcast.net
4H6195 / 2Ghz white / june 8 /REPLACED
4H6195XHU9B / 1.83GHz 512MB RAM (2*256) / 24-05 /email
4H61959ZVMM / 2Ghz Black / may
4H6196 / 2Ghz black / may
4H6196 / 2Ghz white / may 20
4h6199n2u / ? / ?
4H6199X8U9C / 2.0 White / 20-05 / dane_peterson@mac.com
4H619ASPU9B /1.83 ghz, white /10-06 / email

4H620 / white, 1.83 GHz / 31-05 in SF/ email
4H620 / white, 2GHz, 1GB / ?
4H620 / Blackbook 2.0, 1.25GB RAM / May 24 / mikacooper@mac.com
4H6200UPU9D / 1.8 White / may
4H62002KVMN / Black added a gig of crucial ram / email
4h620025u9c / 2Ghz white / may 23
4H620033VMN /black macbook 2.0ghz / 19-05 /email
4H6201 / white, 2GB / ?
4h6201up / white 2.0 ghz 1gb ram / 5/16 /email
4H62016 White MacBook 2.0 GHz, 1 GB, 120 GB HD / May 18th, 2006 / dahowe@mac.com
4h6202S0VMN / 2ghz black / may 18
4H6202 / 2Ghz black / may 30
4H6203XSU9C/ white 2ghz/ 2gig 3rd party ram - Purchased mid-June
4H6203BW*** /White, 2.0ghz, 2.0gb ram from OWC, 60gb/ email
4H6203YNVMM / 2ghz black / may 25
4H6204CDVMM / ??? / email
4H6204KKU9E / 2.0 1 GB fact / ?
4H62043EUxx / 2GHZ white / may 25
4h6204kku9e / 2ghz white / may 22
4H62045LU9C /* 2 GHz /*may 2006 email
4H6208TGVMM / Black 2.0, 1.25GB / May24 /mikacooper@mac.com
4H621BQSVMM / black / email
4H621 / ? / ?
4H621 / black / case#65194196
4H6210MZU9 / 1.83GHz white 1GB ram / May2006 USA /email
4H6210PEVMN / black 2Ghz / june 28
4H6210UZU / 1.8 white / june 6
4H6211 / ? / europe
4H6211RHU9C / 2 white / june 3
4H6211NGU9E / 2Ghz white / may
4H6212MVU9E / ? / ? / email
4H621276VMM / black / 10-6 in Germany case#67490518 /email
4H62128KVMN / black, 2 GHz, 1GB ram / 26-5 Canada /selkouri@mac.com
4H6212C4 / White 2Ghz / Italy / email
4H6212 / 2ghz white*/*july 4th
4H6212G9VMN - Black; 2Ghz; 1GB Ram-purchased May 2006, Canada
4H6213M / white / end of May
4H6213***** / MacBook 1.83Ghz white / 512MB RAM / 60GB HDD / 06-03-2006, Hong Kong / email
4H6214V6U9B / 1.83 white / email
4h6215ueu9e / ? / ? /email
4H6216UYU9B / 1.8GHZ/512MB/60GB/Combo / 13-06 Perth, Australia /email
4H6217 / 2Ghz black / june 26
4H6218U4G8M / 2 GHZ white / July06
4H6219HFU9C / White / may / email

4H622 / ? / 13-06 / email
4H622EY7VMM /black / Purchased on 6/10/06*/ email
4H622C7YVMN / 2black / june16
4H6220xxxxx / 2ghz white/ 1gb/ 80gb hd/ july /email
4H6220KWVMN / 2Ghz black / june
4H622016U9E / White 2 GHz / 1 GB RAM / 80 GB HD / 31.05 / UK / email
4H6221XXXXX / 2.0Ghz MacBook White / USA / email
4H6221NFVMM / 2GHZ black / june 9
4H62211xxxx / 2ghz White, 1GB fact / 2-June australia / email
4H6223QVU9E/ 2.0 GHz/ june/ Europe / email
4H6228STU9C / white, 2 GHz, 2GB ram / 13-06 in Belgium /email
4h6228 / 1.8 white / june 29
4H62286RVMM /white / July 27 2006 / email / REPLACED
4H6229 / black 2Ghz / june 14

4H623 / ? / ?
4H6232TAVMM / black / 6/14 / email
4H6233 / 1.8 white / june 24
4H6233*/ 1.8 white / June 24
4H6233*/ 2Gz black / ?
4H6232ESU9B / 1,83GHz, White. / 18-06 / email
4H6235 / 2Gz black / june 29
4H6235LGU9B /1.8 white/ ?

4H624 / white 2.0 GHz / 2 GB Crucial Tech RAM / 100 GB HD / July/email
4H62413RVMM / Black, 2GB / July*/ email
4H6242DPU9D / white, 1.83 GHz / 14-06 in France / selkouri@mac.com
4H624264VMN / black/May/juliannetheartist@mac.com
4H6243 / 2ghz white / june
4H6244LXVMM / black 2GHz / july-10
4H6248CDU9C / 2.0GHz White / June 3 / newman814@yahoo.com.tw
4H6249CQU9C / White 2.0, 2G ram /Purchase date: 26 June 2006/email

4H625 / 1.8 white / july 10
4H625 / 2 GHz, 2GB ram / USA
4H625 / white, 2 GHz, 2GB ram / USA
4h6257xxxxx / white 2.0 /Houston / email

4H626 / White 2Ghz / France / purchase : 06/2006 / email
4H626/White 2.0GHz/July 1/tgruben@gmail.com
4H6260FQU9C / email
4H626B1AU9C / white 2 GHz/ 07 2006 in Germany / richmilde@web.de
4H6264T9U9D / 1.83 Ghz - 80 Gb - 1 Gb / June 11 /email

4H6283UJVMM / (black) 2.0GHZ/512MB/80GB /Late July /email

4H6290 / 2GHz white / july
4H6290J4U9C /White Powerbook/2ghz/2mb/120gb / 7/21
4h629151u9d / Whit 1,8 / 15th July / perwennstrom@hotmail.com
4H62918BVMN /Black 2Ghz / 10-06 Antwerp, Belgium / email
4H6291D4VMN /Black 2GHz 1 GB RAM 120 GB / midjuly /email

4H630767U9E / 2.0 / 2x512 / 100gb / email
4H6307VSU9B / 1.8 white / aug-25

4H631F / 2Ghz white / aug 14
4H631HD8U9B / 1.83 / 31st, Aug,2006 Australia / email
4H631KXTU9B / 1.83Ghz / 19-8 / email
4h631026u9e / poland / email
4H6314LNU9E / 2GHZ white / sept 1st
4h6316 / 2ghz white / aug 15
4H6317RR / 2 GHz, 100G HD, 1 GB / 4-8 / email
4H6333 / 2Ghz white / may 24
4H6331WLVMM / Aug 25 2006 / email
4H6334EHU9C/1.83 ghz white/ 8/24 / email
4H635276VMM / 1.8 white / july 6

some example of the problem:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cWsPzS5eK...book problem
or
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vThy5yF-3...book problem

A lot of users are reporting problems even after repair.

ONE ADVICE: CALL APPLE AND REPORT THE PROBLEM AS SOON AS RANDOM SHUTDOWN ARE NOTED.

Time for action or class-action ?

Thanks
SE, Montreal
Last edited by Torbocto : Today at 07:58 PM.

 

[pjarvi]

Got mine back, VERY happy!

Even though the Apple site didn't show anything about it shipping, my MacBook came back today.

Serial: 4H6283UJVMM

I only sent mine in for the RSS problem, and they replaced the following:
-APP-603-8071 ASSY
-HEATSINK
-M42 APP-630-7871 PCB
-MLB
-2.0 GHZ DC
-SMS/KIONI

As soon as I got it home (had to pick it up from Fedex), I looked it over. Not a single scratch or scuff anywhere. In fact, they cleaned my greasy fingerprints off (blackbook). The entire case still lines up perfectly, as well. I'm extremely happy with the condition it was returned in.

I've had it on non-stop for over 3 hours now (running down the battery to calibrate it), and haven't had a single shutdown. When I ran Software Update, it had to install the latest SMC firmware, and it installed without a hitch. It's performing flawlessly!

Of course, it's only been a little over 3 hours so I'll post again if anything bad happens.

 

[joebells]

being from california did your macbook go back to apple themselves to be repaired or was it sent to the texas place?

 

[7on]

being from california did your macbook go back to apple themselves to be repaired or was it sent to the texas place?

Mine went to Tennessee the 2nd time (texas the first).

 

[aristobrat]

Of course, it's only been a little over 3 hours so I'll post again if anything bad happens.

A lot of the folks w/ repaired MBs on Apple's support forum are saying that it runs a lot cooler than before (even after the SMC update). How's yours (temp-wise)?

 

[7on]

*crosses fingers*

 

[awraisch]

mine had been in the shop earlier this month for this problem and i got it back about a week and a half ago.

i have run many stress tests on the processors and so far so good. it runs cooler and somewhat quieter.

hope others have the same experience shortly!

 

[joebells]

7on my first repair was fast and moved off of repair in progress the same day they recieved it so it can happen but my second repair has been on repair in progress since monday so I don't know what they are doing over there. I guess its the they are going to set it aside and work on it specially care that the guy said they were goign to do.

Good luck with yours, you could have it as soon as tomorrow.

 

[georgi0]

i could tell you stories about my not so random all Windows OS Blue screens of death !

at least i can always brutaly restart my PC computer !!

 

[Julianne86]

For the Love of God

I'm having this same problem too. I call Apple Care, after waiting 30 min on hold... which isn't too bad, from what I hear. Only thing is, the entire time, I feared a random shutdown.. which would place me at the back of the call line. I was lucky though...

Anyways, they told me to reset the RAM.. did that. Didn't work. In fact, it shut down 15 min after I did that.

Either way, I was told that this was a temporary fix... just so you all know. So it is NOT the Ram. If it does anything at all, it is only temporary... and for me, it did nothing at all.

I've also heard that you could take out the battery and just use the power adapter... and that it would help... but that didn't work either.

So, before I shoot myself (or my computer)... someone tell me something good about this whole problem.

And here's what makes it suck even more.. I'm in a foreign country, where there aren't any Mac stores. Luckily, I will be going back to Los Angeles in a couple weeks just for a few days... so I'm going to make sure I either get a refund or a new, working Mac Book.

This is all very depressing. I'm losing money with this stupid machine (I work on it).

 

[pjarvi]

I believe mine was shipped to the Tennessee center, I'll have to double-check. It definitely went out of state to one of the repair centers.

I don't know what my temps were before sending it out for repair, but I plan on downloading that temperature app when I get home from work tonight. I didn't notice the fans running other than during the firmware update when the system runs them at full speed. Previously my system was always quiet and didn't have any of the problems with fans that others had (mooing). After the update that was supposed to fix those problems, my fans were running more often they used to and making more noise. That was prior to sending it for repair. Since I've gotten it back I haven't payed much attention to the fans, but as I use it more in the next few days I'll listen for them.

I'll also be stressing the USB ports with my EyeTV, and transferring a couple gigs of data from an external drive. Some people reported their USB ports failing after getting theirs back, so I'm gonna give mine a work out.

 

[aristobrat]

So, before I shoot myself (or my computer)... someone tell me something good about this whole problem.

It seems that Apple understands what root cause is and has a solution.

People sending their machines in now are getting them back quicker than ever (no multi-week delays), and so far the recently repaired machines seem to be fixed. Although it took months for the problem to show up in the first place in some machines, so I don't know how long of a period one needs to go before they declare their returned MacBoko is "for sure" fixed.

People WERE getting repaired ones back that were failing right away though. That doesn't seem to be happening now.

 

[stuuke]

I have had the same issues with the genius bar as everyone else. I understand these things happen but there are a couple areas that I think Apple could have done better.

1. Admit the problem earlier and offer more support than just call applecare
2. Repair in a timely manner. When I called Applecare they told me their goal was to have every repair done in two weeks time. That is way to long for working professionals depending on a relatively new machine. The 4-6 weeks some people have waited is also well below the industry standard.
3. Don't accept repairs if the parts are not in stock or at least let the customers know if the parts are in. Now that the issue has been identified they know what parts need repaired. Even if my macbook shuts down at least I can still work. If I send it in and wait weeks for parts my business experiences random shut down.
4. Make help more accessible. I called the local Apple Store and was told that the genius bar employees were not allowed to speak on the phone. I asked the salesman if he could find out if the parts were in stock and was told that only the genius bar could help. I have to make an appointment to find out if parts are in stock? Applecare representatives that I spoke with had no knowledge of the RSS problems.
5. I know the money is in iPods but don't lose focus on providing quality computers.

 

[7on]

Still in the process of being repaired. I really wished they'd send out "loan" machines until we got our books back. Even 500Mhz G3 iBooks would be fine. This Win98/Ubuntu box is giving me a headache... No OpenOffice for Win98 (I don't have second edition) and no print drivers for Ubuntu. So I have to type my papers in Ubuntu and then print them off in Windows. Aggravating to say the least.

 

[stuuke]

Honestly how long could it take to repair a logic board? It says my computer is being repaired and I'm told that they assign one person to it. If repairs are taking that long just throw my memory and hard drive into a new computer and call it a day. Fix the old machine on your own time and sell it as a refurb.

 

[joebells]

Yeah I'm getting very peturbed, my initial repair was sent off on a tuesday and back on a thursday but now the repair for their messup is a week so far, I mailed it off on friday last week. I called twice this week and they can't tell me anything except that its in the repair step. Tuesday the girl said she was sending off a request for it to be expidited and for info and that it would take 24-48 hours to get a response(which I think is outrageous to begin with) so I called back tonight 48 hours later and they have no more info to give me. The guy just said do you want to cancel the repair? I said of course not but I would really appreciate my laptop back. Last thursday when I called to get it refixed the guy promised it would be back to me on monday and here it is going on friday and I still won't have it back.

It is freaking bullcrap.