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Ohh God, the HORROR! New MacBook Pro drowning!!!

J

JonRC

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 22, 2009
8
0
Minneapolis
Hi. This totally sucks for a first time post, but here it goes....Monday night, after falling asleep on the couch, I kicked over a glass of water, spilling it DIRECTLY onto my new 15" Unibody Macbook Pro :eek:.

I don't know how long the water was sitting on/in the computer, but as soon as I woke up I picked up the computer, poured out the water, removed the battery and bottom panel, and set it in front of a fan to dry. I'm pretty sure that the computer was on (sleep mode) when the spill occurred and that it was off when I awoke, but I'm not sure about either.

After a day and a half of drying in front of the fan, I couldn't wait any longer decided to try to turn it on. I put the battery back in, pushed the power button......and.....

.... it beeped! It made the typical start-up noise and the fans started blowing! It all seemed good -- until the screen failed to come on. Everything else seems fine. The keyboard works (the backlights are on and it makes noise when I adjust the volume), but again, the screen is black as can be. Dead.

So my question is this:
What could be damaged for the screen not to work?
-- the logic board?
-- the logic board - screen connection?
-- the screen itself?
Any idea what the repair for such issues could be?

Given the nature of the spill, I'm pretty sure the LSI (liquid submersion indicators) have been triggered, and Apple won't repair it under warranty/ Plus, I'm a SUPER broke college student (like I worry about making rent broke) who certainly doesn't have the $ to fix it. My car broke down a few days before prior and I the same day the spill occured, I got a notice from the IRS saying that my tax refund had been reduced to $1. Yes, $1. Also, my senior thesis is on the hard drive and I need to get that thing done so I can graduate already (I know, I can remove the HD, but I don't even have money for a dock).

So, I really need to fix this as soon and for as little $ as possible.
I'm relatively handy and think I could manage some basic repairs, given a good guide and the parts. I just need to diagnose the problem more thoroughly.

Your thoughts, ideas, comments, and sympathies would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks,
Jon
 
have you tried connecting it to an external monitor? maybe you can use it that way while you either get the money to fix it, or for whatever important school stuff you have.
 
wesrk said:
have you tried connecting it to an external monitor? maybe you can use it that way while you either get the money to fix it, or for whatever important school stuff you have.
Click to expand...
Given your situation (I'm a fellow college student) an external monitor is definitely your best bet. Find a friend who has an external monitor and plug it in.

Alternatively, you can hold down the T (or maybe F?) key, and your mac will boot into target disk mode. If you plug it into another computer with a Firewire cable while it's in target disk mode, it will mount as an external drive on the other computer, and you can grab your files. (See: thesis)
 
jjahshik32 said:
I would have waited a week before turning on...
Click to expand...
Sounds like he needed the laptop though. I couldn't go a day without mine, especially if it had a senior thesis on it. A day and a half in front of a fan should have been plenty to evaporate any liquid still in there, can't blame him for that.
 
A day and a half should of been plenty of time I would think..

The best Bet I can think of is to try a external monitor like someone else mentioned. maybe just the cable is toast and the card will still output to it.

best of luck with it.
 
I would try the external monitor option. Next I would probably try to take it to Apple and let them tell you what is wrong, walk yourself home, get on eBay to get the parts you need - ifixit.com to get the guide and get cracking.
 
if i were you i rip the whole thing apart and make sure it's dry, then see if it work. not sure what else to tell you other then find a shop that does apple repair and obtain a quote.
 
When my wife spilled coffee in her four day old Macbook Air, it was toast. It required ~$800 in repair costs. I hope you come out more lucky!

Please don't try to lie to Applecare.

-Allen
 
Update

Let's keep it friendly, folks. For the record, I bought the computer months ago when I had a job and several thousand in the bank. Since then I've lost the job and have been windoing down the reserves.

...Anyway...

I took the computer completely apart, partly out of curiosity, but mainly to see if the LSIs had been triggered, voiding the warranty. After stripping a few screws and painstakingly removing all the wiring from
the logic board, I found that just one LSI had been triggered (suprising considering the computer was swimming in water). Oh well. I was tempted to replace it with a little white sticker, but couldn't do it - damn morality. I didn't notice any obviously blown circuits; no burn smells. So, I put it all back together (minus one screw) and gave her a go.

Just as before, the startup noise -and then a white screen. Then an Apple logo and spinning thing!

...Then a black screen again, except now it was silent when I tried to adjust the volume, and the keyboard didn't light up. The cap locks light came on when pressed, but no other signs of keyboard functionality.

So, I restarted several times, the same thing happening again and again. Then I busted out the OSX install disc and restarted it, holding down the "c" key. Same thing :( Out of either persistance or stubborness, I kept trying and on the 4th or so try I got the OSX install screen. The computer is currently "Checking Installation DVD", which is taking forever (about 3% a minute).

I'll update you all again (hopefully from the laptop) as soon as there are new developments.

Thanks again for all your advice and sympathy. They are appreciated.

- Jon
 
People need to resist the temptation to turn it on after only one day. It's not really your fault (of course it sort of is,) I would have the same tendencies as well...and probably very well if you waited the right amount of time that it would still be broken (sorry for being cynical, but I am being truthful.)

Either way I am VERY sorry for your loss. God/The Flying Spaghetti Monster/J.R. "Bob" Dobbs/Insert Belief or Lack There Of here, should have made electronics impervious to liquids.

On a related but obscure note, the other night I dreampt HAL (my MBP's name, yes I have voice on and use it's name to initiate as if I were talking to it, fml.)
(Also based on HAL 9000) got completely wrecked somehow, and I felt like puking everywhere. I <3 my Mac I really do and I admit I'm a secret nerd. THE WEIRDEST PART was that for most of the dream I was standing in an Apple Customer Service Line for hours. The line had hundreds of people in it, and it never seemed to move. Ever. I don't think such a line exists anywhere? lol in my dream it was like the global Customer Service desk so everyone was there.....I don't know.

Story goes I woke up legitly anxious that my computer was broken. And yes, this dream is the product of a VERY VERY drunken night. Just thought I'd share. :]
 
I know you needed it, but you really should have taken the whole thing apart and let it dry out that way. I am sure you dumped it upside down to get the water out, then waited but there is where you need to change strategy.

Take it all back apart. Do not turn it on. Use a hair dryer to dry the whole thing. Tear it down all the way. Use Ifixit.com. Take every part out and logic board out. Hair dryer over every part. Then, let air out for at least 72 hours. Then try it again. I did it with a Dell once, and it didn't work after two days and even tearing it down. I waited another week, and it fired right up. Never a problem again. Could just be small moisture providing the hang up, or it could be ruined. Nothing you can do to reverse what happend.

I feel your pain. I had three Macs and an ACD stolen from me two weeks ago and feel the same way. How and why me? I know it was an accident you spilled it, you know it, so don't blame yourself but go forward thinking what's best for the MBP and not that you need it now. Perhaps the rush could completely screw you.

Good luck. I hope it works for you.
 
If you can put it in a container with dried rice for a day or two or three, it should help. Or silica packets. The materials are good at soaking up the water, and aren't small enough to get under keys, etc.

Let that sucker sit in a window with the sun shining down upon it for at least a couple of days.
 
So you get to the white screen, and it goes dark after that... So the screen still works...

I think your graphics chip might be broken. Luckily the MBP has 2 graphics chips!

I think there is a possibility, if you can find a way to switch to the other chip, and maybe it will work?
 
My friends iPhone was drowned the other day. Wouldnt turn on. After waiting a day, it dried a bit and then kinda worked. after waiting 4 days, it worked a bit better.. etc

Basically wait as long as possible. Hopefully once it dries all the way out it will woerk!
 
JonRC said:
I took the computer completely apart, partly out of curiosity, but mainly to see if the LSIs had been triggered, voiding the warranty. After stripping a few screws and painstakingly removing all the wiring from
the logic board, I found that just one LSI had been triggered (surprising considering the computer was swimming in water). Oh well. I was tempted to replace it with a little white sticker, but couldn't do it - damn morality. I didn't notice any obviously blown circuits; no burn smells. So, I put it all back together (minus one screw) and gave her a go.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you have to ignore what's right and do what is best. I think you should either replace the triggered LSI with a white sticker, or try to use acetone or something to remove the red die. I know a lot of people say "Don't lie to apple care" but if you want your laptop working again, your going to have to. Without lying to applecare, you're going to have to pay at least $800 to get it fixed.
 
Warranty Voider said:
Sometimes you have to ignore what's right and do what is best. I think you should either replace the triggered LSI with a white sticker, or try to use acetone or something to remove the red die. I know a lot of people say "Don't lie to apple care" but if you want your laptop working again, your going to have to. Without lying to applecare, you're going to have to pay at least $800 to get it fixed.
Click to expand...

oh boy this is going to get controversial.
 
I'd connect it to a external monitor and see if it works then... then turn it off and wait a few more days to let it all dry off completely
 
Warranty Voider said:
Sometimes you have to ignore what's right and do what is best. I think you should either replace the triggered LSI with a white sticker, or try to use acetone or something to remove the red die. I know a lot of people say "Don't lie to apple care" but if you want your laptop working again, your going to have to. Without lying to applecare, you're going to have to pay at least $800 to get it fixed.
Click to expand...

All fine and good unless you yourself have EVER complained about the price of ANYTHING EVER in your life.

If you have, and you can't see how cheating any company makes us all pay more for someone's mistake, well, I don't know what to say. 'Honest mistake' or not, it's still not something Apple should cover. If someone fools Apple, we all pay.

And I say this after forking out over $3k for a brand new UMBP that I received from FedEx about 2 hours ago. I love my computer, but I'm wondering how much of the $3K I paid went to cover someone who "ignored what's right".

:/
 
JimmyDreams said:
All fine and good unless you yourself have EVER complained about the price of ANYTHING EVER in your life.

If you have, and you can't see how cheating any company makes us all pay more for someone's mistake, well, I don't know what to say. 'Honest mistake' or not, it's still not something Apple should cover. If someone fools Apple, we all pay.

And I say this after forking out over $3k for a brand new UMBP that I received from FedEx about 2 hours ago. I love my computer, but I'm wondering how much of the $3K I paid went to cover someone who "ignored what's right".

:/
Click to expand...

Exactly. If everyone was honest, and Apple did not have a need for LSI and wear indicators, and blah blah blah, consumer electronics would be more reasonably priced.
 
Aaleck said:
I'd connect it to a external monitor and see if it works then... then turn it off and wait a few more days to let it all dry off completely
Click to expand...

The MBP monitor works like he said, he is able to see the white screen. It goes dark after that. External monitor will acts the same way.

Like I said earlier I think it's a busted graphics chip. I think the best bet is to switch to the other graphics chip, it's unlikely they are both broken. This can be done with remote access, or putting the hard drive into a working MBP, and changing the settings.
 
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