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MacBook random shutdown

Shut down instead of sleep

Hi

Did you ever find a solution to this problem

I have a powerbook G4 that has suddenly started shutting down instead of sleeping

Alex
 
This is not really related to RSD issue but my 2ghz Macbook has had a logic board and heat sink replaced for RSD so these two issues may be correlated.

1. Ever since the heat sink replacement, my machine has been experiencing random 'spinning wheel of death' episodes for anywhere from 10 seconds to a few minutes a time in random applications. This still occured after a reinstallation of the OS using 'Erase and zero all data'. It is in no way as repeatable as the RSD issue.

The thing that makes me think its a hardware issue is that this occurs even DURING the installation of Mac OS.

2. Secondly, sometimes when booting my machine i get a 'grey circle with a line through it' or a 'folder with a question mark' after the grey apple logo. If this happens, the machine will not boot any further until a PRAM reset.

3. Also my iSight has been playing up and sometimes showing a green box instead of my ugly face, or even saying that some other application is using it even when the green led next to the isight is not on.

I have sent it in for repair (this is 3rd time now) to hopefully figure out whats going on. Anybody else with similar issues??
 
I've just started getting random shutdown problems on my white 1,83Ghz Macbook. It has 2 gigs of 3rd party RAM (Kingston), everything else is standard.

I've never had a problem with it until a few days ago, when it suddenly shut itself off and couldn't be turned on again. I took out the battery for a few minutes, and then managed to turn it back on again.

Today it got worse - it's turned itself off about 3 times. The last two times it was on only for a couple of minutes before it gave in. The second time I got a flickering screen right after the screen went black, and the third time I got a similar flicker when I tried to turn it back on. I have pictures of both of these incidents if needed.

I'm pretty sure I've got all the firmware updates. Is there anything I can do besides let Apple fix it? I've got thousands of words to write and papers to deliver in a few weeks time - I really don't wanna send it off for repair.

Edit: I forgot to mention: The CD-rom goes absolutely ballistics on me when the macbook turns off. You know that sound you get when you push the eject button but there's no CD in it? It does that repeatedly until I hold down the power button long enough for the machine to turn off. So I guess this isn't really a proper shutdown problem? I have no idea. Help!
 
sorry, i can't think of anything else other than sending it back to apple for repair
 
Anyone's C2D Macbook doing this randon shutdown? Mine just shutdown out of the blue and it's a C2D 2ghz White :-(
 
iMac PPC randomly shutting down!

Me too,

tonight my {2ghz ppc imac 20} shut down - screen went black - for no apparent reason. i wasn't even doing anything intensive (no reason for overheating).

also, at work the {1.83ghz intel imac 17} shut down today while running itunes and microsoft word.

this is the first time i have experienced this, both computers shutting down randomly. I just did a firmware update on the intel at work, and they are running 10.4.8.

what a coincidence that both computers, intel and ppc are doing this, and on the same day!!!
 
OK, I'm pretty sure this happened to me a couple days ago and I had no idea this was a known issue. Today, I closed the lid for a few minutes and when I opened it back up, nothing happened. I pressed the power button and the computer started up again (it had full battery before I closed the lid). After a quick Google search, I found the SMC update but right now I am using 1.17f0 and it says "this computer does not need this update".

I just bought this machine on Friday so I'm not too sure what's going on. Any insight would be awesome otherwise I'll just have to call Apple tomorrow.
 
Me too!

2.16GHz white MacBook, purchased only 2 weeks ago - just had a random shutdown tonight. In the console, the shutdown error code is listed as -60. Have any other new MacBook owners encountered this?
 
petercockroach said:
OK, I'm pretty sure this happened to me a couple days ago and I had no idea this was a known issue. Today, I closed the lid for a few minutes and when I opened it back up, nothing happened.
Click to expand...
FWIW, that's not a typical symptom of the random shutdown issue.

It's more like what doowrehs experienced, where you're working on your computer and it just suddenly turns off.
 
the apple store was going to replace the mobo (2-5 days). they called back the next day and said the firmware update had fixed it. haven't had time to mess with it yet to see if it's stable, but it stayed on for 10 minutes before i had to shut it down and head out...
 
doowrehs said:
2.16GHz white MacBook, purchased only 2 weeks ago - just had a random shutdown tonight. In the console, the shutdown error code is listed as -60. Have any other new MacBook owners encountered this?
Click to expand...

Yes! I purchased the 2.16GHz Macbook about three weeks ago and it has experienced several random shutdowns within the past week.

I'm getting really worried - I don't want to have to send it in. :(
 
MacBook Pro shutting down

Just purchased a new MacBook Pro. First the dvd drive started making clicking noises. Apple wants it overnighted back to them. But now, it is randomly shutting down. First time when I was on the internet - just went black. Now, cannot restart without it shutting down. Luckily the whole machine is going to be replaced with a new one, but this shouldn't be happening to a very expensive new Mac.


Just installed Norton Confidential a day or two before this happened. Although it may not be related, I had also installed this program a couple of days before on my old PowerBook G4 and the hard drive crashed. (That's why I ordered this new MacBook Pro!!) Anyone else seeing problems with Norton??
 
Intermitten Shutdowns

I also purchased a MAC Book Pro, and began experiencing shut down problems. The MAC was purchased in Late june ANd by the end of July I began having intermitten shutdown problems
According to some of the other forums, There has been several problems with MAC's Shutting down. When customers support was contacted,( of course the put you through a bunch of task that are not needed.) They want me to send it in to be repaired. This is not a problem but whn its less than two months old at a cost of about 3,000 is a problem. I just hope and pray MAC is not following in microsoft footsteps putting out product in which they know is defective, then charge customers to repair the problem. I spoke with a tech and ask how long have they has customers complained about this issue. Apparently MACS have had this problem for some time.

The first concern of the tech was not the problem but that i had not yet signed up for apple care( really made me feel confiden) and that my days left on free support are almost done, and they will charge me the next time i call. WOW, on a problem that they know exists.
 
wtf

So my macbook was running fine for a while. All of a sudden itll just randomly shutdown without warning. It wont turn back on again when i hit the powerbutton until i plug it into the adapter. Once its plugged in, it will turn on. Howeevr during the turn on process if i remove the adapter it will shutdown again. I sent it in for repairs to apple and it is still doing the same goddamn thing. What the hell am i suppose to do, im about to chuck this out of the window and buy a dell.
 
seemingly random shutdown

Hello all,

I've read a couple of the posts and would like to provide the experience my wife and I have. Late July we purchased the Macbook 2.16 GHz with 2 GB RAM. I can recall at least three instances of random shutdowns.

- Once was at the dinner table when I was adjusting the laptop closer to me. I had a total of four fingers on it, my thumb and forefinger on the corners and had moved it about two inches.
- The second time was briefly after removing the MagSafe. I attempted to plug in our external HD via a USB port and it powered down again.
- The third, which has happened on at least two occasions, is when reconnecting the MagSafe power adapter.

My wife has also complained about shutdowns. The one she was able to actually show me was when she was handling the laptop and had the keyboard vertical and the monitor horizontal to the ground, again it was running off of battery power.

I plan on taking it in to the Apple store his weekend. Any thoughts?
 
Update

8/25 - Took the MACBOOK in Saturday 8/18. Problem was with a faulty LOGIC Board. Explained to me that it serves as a sound card, video card, etc. A new part was ordered and wasn't to be in for another 3 days. I asked if I should bring it in on Tuesday and got "yes" as a reply. Brought in on Tuesday and found out that the part wasnt in. I was supposed to be waiting for a phone call although I was never told. Spoke to a manager the same day and asked if it was possible to make an exchange. I was told yes although I would have to return because I did not have the packaging and all the items that came with it. I asked about all the information on the current Macbook and was told that someone would help me transfer it during the exchange. Returned the following day with all the materials and was granted the exchange even though the box was cut for the rebate. Asked about the file transfers and told that it was a 24 hr turnaround. Another thing that I was not told. Asked for it to be expedited and the files were transferred in roughly 1 and 1/2 hours. I didn't have too much on the macbook, some files in iTunes, pictures and some open source programs.

A couple of lessons learned:
- Symptoms of logic board failure: random shutdowns & shutdown when connecting/disconnecting magsafe power.
- Apple store in Annapolis, MD has excellent customer service but often failed to provide all of the information.
- Although a return was probably out of the question, an equal exchange was authorized for a MacBook purchased 3 weeks prior.

Still need to investigate the Applecare portion.:)
 
Okay. Nothing new in here in a while and nothing in the past 11 pages seems to help.

Mine started doing this a bit ago (month or so). I didn't think too much of it as we have some power outages around here, but, since the clocks weren't blinking and it seemed to be happening overnight, I thought something with the Mac.

Doing the troubleshooting 101, I did find the setting in power management was to put the computer to sleep even when running off wall power. Changed that to never, but, it's still happening now and again - not every day.

So the question is, what now? I checked the system log and there isn't anything in there. In fact, it appears the system log is brand new from the last restart. Any way to change this so that it isn't reset?

Running 2GHz MacBook w/ 2GB RAM (Apple installed) and OSX 10.4.11. I'm wondering if there wasn't a system update that may be causing it (remember the USB problems with 10.4.8 I think it was?).

I did a battery recondition just to make sure at the beginning of January as well, but, am reluctant to do the SMC reset based on warning I've read.

Don't really want to take it to the Apple store as it would probably be there for a few days before they could duplicate the error and then who knows how long before they figure out how to fix it (if they can).

BTW, I'm running iStat widget so I can check the power and temps if anyone has an idea what they should be.

Ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!!!!
 
ShosMeister said:
BTW, I'm running iStat widget so I can check the power and temps if anyone has an idea what they should be.
Click to expand...
For me the random shutdown problems were solved by the smc firmware update, never had the MacBook repaired.
iStat reports exceptionally high temps from time to time for Heatsink B (like 126°C) which is probably an erroneous readout. Heatsink A indicates about 60°C. Look for a value that sticks out.
When the random shutdown strikes, you'll hear a little click from a relay in the right-hand front of the MacBook and everything goes black within a second.
 
Unfortunately Makkie, it never seems to shutdown when I'm actually using it so I can't hear anything. I usually see that it's down when I get up in the morning or home from work - I leave it on all the time normally.

I couldn't find a link for the SMC update, but, the bit of reading I did find indicates I probably already have it running 10.4.11. Do you think I still need it? Do you have a link?

Thanks!!!!
 
ShosMeister said:
Unfortunately Makkie, it never seems to shutdown when I'm actually using it so I can't hear anything. I usually see that it's down when I get up in the morning or home from work - I leave it on all the time normally.

I couldn't find a link for the SMC update, but, the bit of reading I did find indicates I probably already have it running 10.4.11. Do you think I still need it? Do you have a link?

Thanks!!!!
Click to expand...

You do most likely have it if you're running 10.4.11.

However if you want to give it a shot anyway, here's the link. :)

If it doesn't sort it, you're best off taking into a store for repair.
 
Thanks for the reply. I did manage to find that I am NOT running that version:

Code: 
Hardware Overview:

  Model Name:	MacBook
  Model Identifier:	MacBook2,1
  Processor Name:	Intel Core 2 Duo
  Processor Speed:	2 GHz
  Number Of Processors:	1
  Total Number Of Cores:	2
  L2 Cache (per processor):	4 MB
  Memory:	2 GB
  Bus Speed:	667 MHz
  Boot ROM Version:	MB21.00A5.B07
  SMC Version:	1.13f3
  Serial Number:	W87070B8WGM
  Sudden Motion Sensor:
  State:	Enabled

So here goes. I'll post back after the update hopefully :)
 
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