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MacBook random shutdown

My MacBook is now doing this regular shutdown rubbish. I need to get it repaired but my question is this...

Can I just walk in to my nearest Apple Store (where I bought it) and collar somebody, or do I need to make a reservation for that genius thing?
 
So my MacBook starts doing the random shutdown thing last week. A couple of times one day, one the next. So I put the original RAM back in preparation for sending it in and now no matter how much I tax the processor or how many applications I have open there's no more random shutdowns. Could bad RAM cause a random shutdown??
 
jblock said:
So my MacBook starts doing the random shutdown thing last week. A couple of times one day, one the next. So I put the original RAM back in preparation for sending it in and now no matter how much I tax the processor or how many applications I have open there's no more random shutdowns. Could bad RAM cause a random shutdown??
Click to expand...

This is what happened to me. However, a few weeks later the stock ram started doing RSD as well.
 
Got my RSD Macbook back yesterday. It only tok 4 business days. The thing works like a charm now. However, they put in an ugly screw in the middle of my macbook in order to repair it. :eek:
 
WillMak said:
This is what happened to me. However, a few weeks later the stock ram started doing RSD as well.
Click to expand...

Good to know; thanks! I just did the new firmware update so hopefully that will solve everything;) I'm going to put the other RAM back in.
 
update#9

MACBOOK RANDOM SHUTDOWN SYNDROME

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 , 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 : 145
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
4h6200xeu9b / may the 20th 2006/ San Diego apple store 4505 La Joya
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
4H6207KCVMM / email
4H6208TGVMM / Black 2.0, 1.25GB / May24 /mikacooper@mac.com
4H621B3AU9B /1.83 GHz 512 MB/ A1181/ June 2006/email
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
4H6212FHU9D / Macbook 13 White Portugal / email
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 / May 2006, Canada
4H6213M / white / end of May
4H6213 / 1.83Ghz white / 512MB/60GB/ 06-03-2006,Hong Kong / email
4H6214V6U9B / 1.83 white / email
4h6215ueu9e / ? / ? /email
4H6216SQVMM/ 2GHz Black / mid june, 2006/ email
4H6216UYU9B / 1.8GHZ/60GB/Combo / 13-06 Perth, Australia /email
4H62168SU9E / 2 GHz w/ 2GB RAM / 5/26/06 / dbhaskell@cox.net
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
4H62209HU9E / email
4H62201NU9C /white, 2.GHz 512 MB 667 MHz / 07--2-06 / email
4H6221XXXXX / 2.0Ghz MacBook White / USA / email
4H6221NFVMM / 2GHZ black / june 9
4H62211xxxx / 2ghz White, 1GB fact / 2-June australia / email
4H6223M9VMM / 1st week may 2006
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
4H624BYHU9Cwhite / 2Ghz 07/10/2006 / guiraud.michelle@wanadoo.fr
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
4H625B9U9C /WHITE / 2GHZ/512MB/ JUNE/michelleroditti@gmail.com
4h6257xxxxx / white 2.0 /Houston / email

4h6626 2Ghz Intel, black, 512MB, 60GB HDD/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
4H62615UU9D /white/1.83 GHz/1 Gb/80 GB/30 june 2006
4H6264T9U9D / 1.83 Ghz - 80 Gb - 1 Gb / June 11 /email
4H6264J9U9C / 2 GHz/ email

4H627/2ghz/black/bought in august / email

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

4H629JCQU9C / 2.0/2*256/60/SD:WHITE-CHN /A1181/ email
4H6290 / 2GHz white / july
4H629001WBW/ 2 Ghz Black 1gb RAM / July 27. 2006
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

4H631HRJU9B / 1.83Ghz / white / 28 Aug
4H631F / 2Ghz white / aug 14
4H631HD8U9B / 1.83 / 31st, Aug,2006 Australia / email
4H631KXTU9B / 1.83Ghz / 19-8 / email
4h631026u9e / poland / email
4H63107PVMN / Black MacBook 2.0GHz 1GB late july / email
4H6314LNU9E / 2GHZ white / sept 1st
4h6316 / 2ghz white / aug 15
4H6317RR / 2 GHz, 100G HD, 1 GB / 4-8 / email
4H63296WV9E / 2.0GHz / 2GB / 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.
 
Random

I have a 2gHz, 2gb RAM white macbook, and I've been experiencing the random shutdowns. I have just updated the firmware, and haven't had the problem return, but before the firware update I took it into an apple store where they've ordered a new heat sink for me.
I am under the assumption that the internal thermometer is too close to the heatsink, so the shutdowns are being caused by temerature related issues, but quirky ones.

The replacement parts are smaller a heat sink, and a logic board with the thermometer moved a little further from the heat sink.

Here's a question though... the firmware update, is it just running the CPU fan harder, or is it tricking the machine into thinking it is cooler than what it actually is?
 
My personal guess is that it's having the firmware ignore any bogus readings that were causing it to shutdown, or simply reading the temperature from another sensor that doesn't use those wires. I've seen nothing that really explains the update in detail.

I haven't heard my fans run any harder post update than they did pre update, nor have I noticed any decrease in performance of my MacBook.
 
I just did the update and my unit was running around 30 degrees F more than normal so I shut it down removed the battery. A friend suggested that static charge can build up during a firmware update and that is the best thing to "discharge" it.:confused:
Is this a possible? Could this be the problem on your unit? I am not going to turn mine on until the AM.
I will report back if all is well tomorrow.:D

Later
 
I installed the latest firmware and it solved all of my random shutdown problems. It's been running smoothly since yesterday morning. I've tried shutting it down and restarting several times without any issues. I don't have any bad side effects from it. Temp seems to have gone down a bit as well. I'm a happy camper, this is finally the notebook I was hoping for. :)
 
All appears to be well with mine now too. Then again I hadn't had any problems since Apple replaced the Heatsink with the "bad" sensor.

I'll keep you posted:D
 
random shutdown resolved

Hi,

I just installed the latest Macbook firmware from Software Update at 1pm today, and it has remained on since then (now 10:30pm). Before this update, average times before random shutdown was as low a 5mins, maxing out at 30mins. Update 1.1 addresses these issues, and meant I no longer have to take my Macbook for repair!

Please note that Macbooks that were repaired are also advised to install this update (as some cases reported repeat faults after repair).

To confirm that the issue is resolved in this update, my girlfriend has the lower spec Macbook and had the same issues. These are now resolved also.

If it wasn't for the determination of the customer base to get this recognised as an issue, I'm sure such an update would not have been so forthcoming.

Good work people!

Justin.
 
I don't want to piss on your parade, but I think the issues are more varied and complicated. My friend's Macbook, which was purchased in July, randomly shuts down. It continues to do so after the recent update. Wait a few weeks and see if you or other people see the problem continue. My friend also thought it was fixed, but fried hardware is fried hardware, and no firmware can fix that.

onlydj said:
Hi,

I just installed the latest Macbook firmware from Software Update at 1pm today, and it has remained on since then (now 10:30pm). Before this update, average times before random shutdown was as low a 5mins, maxing out at 30mins. Update 1.1 addresses these issues, and meant I no longer have to take my Macbook for repair!


Justin.
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

Unfortunately this will always be the case. For my sucess story there will always be another one with more issues. It is probable that some may be 'fixed' with this firmware update, but a bad sensor will not simply go away because of it.

I just hope that it gives a glimmer of hope to some people, that their own issues with random shutdowns may be resolved in the same way my own was.

Justin.
 
Yoyodyne said:
I don't want to piss on your parade, but I think the issues are more varied and complicated. My friend's Macbook, which was purchased in July, randomly shuts down. It continues to do so after the recent update. Wait a few weeks and see if you or other people see the problem continue. My friend also thought it was fixed, but fried hardware is fried hardware, and no firmware can fix that.
Click to expand...
That depends. If fried hardware is a faulty sensor that isn't really needed, ignoring that sensor's faulty readings through software isn't going to hurt a thing. In this case, it appears as if there are plenty of temperature sensors (one for each CPU, one for the HDD) already in the Macbooks.

If fried hardware is a faulty sensor that sparks and smokes or is essential in the operation of the laptop, that's a different story.

There's no point in physically replacing a sensor that isn't needed and can safely be disabled through software.

I'm not sure we have enough information from Apple to know exactly what this is but so far so good. What I was told by Applecare is that if the firmware fixes the reboots, there's no need to send it in. The first thing the techs will do at the repair center is to install the new firmware and if that fixes the reboots, it gets shipped back to the customer with no hardware replaced. Why send your laptop away for a week for something you can install yourself? Now if you install the firmware and you STILL have random reboots, then it's time to send it in.
 
I started having the random shutdowns on my MacBook last week, so I took it into the Apple Store at the Bullring in Birmingham. I booked a slot to see a genius on Wednesday evening, they took it in for repair, to replace the heatsink. They phoned on Friday as it was done, and I havn't had an RSD since *touches wood*! All in all, I'm really pleased with Apple's service, and hope that I don't have any more problems. Just though I'd post to give hope to those who have had to have them sent in.
 
My 1.83 Ghz. stock machine returned a few days ago from my local CompUSA store after having its logicboard replaced. As soon as I got it back I applied the SMC update.

My machine is still shutting down randomly again. :mad: And seems it has a video processor-related issue as it shows a kernel panic and the screen shows some weird lines each time I try to use PhotoBooth.


Seems like it will be two more frustrating months waiting for a proper and final fix of this problem... :(
 
My macbook just started doing the same thing, i'm here thinkin that i'm the only one going thru this, so i told my hubby who just took out the battery and reset the computer but that just worked for a few mins and turned off.

He logged me in to the website now i know that i'm not the only one, so as i was reading my only option is to take it in to an apple store.:(
 
remartin said:
He logged me in to the website now i know that i'm not the only one, so as i was reading my only option is to take it in to an apple store.:(
Click to expand...
Or you can have AppleCare overnight you a box, you overnight your MacBook back, they fix it and overnight it back to you.

There's also a Software Update that helps stop this on some MacBooks.
 
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