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Too Many Problems with MacBook Pro

bli625

bli625

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 8, 2009
644
0
I have compiled a list of problems I have experienced with this computer since I got it. I'm out of school now so I finally have time to do something about it. Would you guys recommend going to an Apple Store with this list or calling them on the phone?

Display flickers rapidly at low brightness (1-2 bars).
Display flickers black intermittently. It happens on both graphics cards. Reinstall of Mac OS X 10.6 did not fix the problem.
Activity Monitor showed ~40% CPU usage constantly, but sum of CPU usage for all processes listed did not add up to 40%. Issue continued after a reboot and also after one reinstall of Max OS X 10.6 Issue stopped after the second reinstall.
Function keys have stopped functioning multiple times after coming back from sleep mode. A reboot is required for the function keys to respond.
Temperature has reached 105°C when rendering HD video.
Trackpad does not respond intermittently.
Strange click noise when tapping lower right of the trackpad. Tension screw is loose?
Keyboard is not recessed properly and imprints on the display when the laptop is closed.
Eternal spinning beachball on login. Disk utility gave a sibling link error. Had to reinstall Mac OS X 10.6 once again in order to use computer.
Battery cannot maintain a charge.
Status light on charger does not light up sometimes.
DVD drive is incapable of burning Dual-Layer DVDs (multiple brands were tested).
DVD drive is incapable of closing sessions when burning some DVDs. The computer was left to work for 3 hours and the burn process never finished.
DVD drive is incapable of reading some purchased DVDs. These were not home videos, these were DVDs purchased at Best Buy.
DVD drive refuses to eject DVDs it cannot read until reboot.
Wireless networking dropouts occur often. All other networking devices on the network function properly.

Permissions repair and SMC/PRAM reset were performed multiple times.
 
bli625 said:
Activity Monitor showed ~40% CPU usage constantly, but sum of CPU usage for all processes listed did not add up to 40%. Issue continued after a reboot and also after one reinstall of Max OS X 10.6 Issue stopped after the second reinstall.
Click to expand...
Not to say this isn't a legitimate problem, but did you change 'My Processes' to 'All Processes'? Otherwise there's no way it would display all the processes that are currently using CPU power.

If you're having this many problems (which seems absurd that you'd be having that many) I would take it in.
 
You have a dodgy MacBook Pro and you've never contacted Apple..? In school or not, I'd have them check it out if I was in your shoes.

I call troll.
 
Kilamite said:
You have a dodgy MacBook Pro and you've never contacted Apple..? In school or not, I'd have them check it out if I was in your shoes.

I call troll.
Click to expand...

I'm not a troll. I just recently purchased Applecare so I will be taking it in. I have been EXTREMELY busy this last month of high school. I'm graduating in a few days so now I do have time.
 
Mackilroy said:
Not to say this isn't a legitimate problem, but did you change 'My Processes' to 'All Processes'? Otherwise there's no way it would display all the processes that are currently using CPU power.

If you're having this many problems (which seems absurd that you'd be having that many) I would take it in.
Click to expand...

Yup I changed it to "All Processes".
 
You could call or you could go to an Apple store. Most likely the end-result will be the same, perhaps the store could get it repaired faster though. I personally would go to the store.
 
Sorry for the hijack, but what is a troll? Im not a native english speaker, but i see it everywhere on this forum and got curious.
 
Possible cause of the problems and possible solutions

1 & 2. The screen might be flickering because the display ribbon is not set in properly. Apple can check the cable and maybe adjust it to stop the flickering problem. I'm pretty sure if you're happy with your TN panel this would be the best was to go so you don't get a bad panel once you exchange.

3. You don't have time to contact apple, yet you have time to do complete system reinstalls? I don't think reinstalling the OS repeatedly is going to help. If it doesn't add up to 40%, what does it add up to? Is the number grossly different?

4.Reset PRAM etc, I'd say talk to apple before that tho. Seems like whoever was assembling your machine was having a bad day.

5. High temp is to be expected, use smc to remedy the problem.

6. Again seems like the assembly of your unit was ****ed up.

7. Tapping noise is normal according to some.

Frick i'm gonna stop reading cuz you seem to have either gotten a really ****** specimen or you're just trolling. I mean what is your definition of holding a charge? And finally what model MBP is it? it seems you just want a new MBP, hopefully apple is willing to oblige.
 
McMoronic said:
1 & 2. The screen might be flickering because the display ribbon is not set in properly. Apple can check the cable and maybe adjust it to stop the flickering problem. I'm pretty sure if you're happy with your TN panel this would be the best was to go so you don't get a bad panel once you exchange.

3. You don't have time to contact apple, yet you have time to do complete system reinstalls? I don't think reinstalling the OS repeatedly is going to help. If it doesn't add up to 40%, what does it add up to? Is the number grossly different?

4.Reset PRAM etc, I'd say talk to apple before that tho. Seems like whoever was assembling your machine was having a bad day.

5. High temp is to be expected, use smc to remedy the problem.

6. Again seems like the assembly of your unit was ****ed up.

7. Tapping noise is normal according to some.

Frick i'm gonna stop reading cuz you seem to have either gotten a really ****** specimen or you're just trolling. I mean what is your definition of holding a charge? And finally what model MBP is it? it seems you just want a new MBP, hopefully apple is willing to oblige.
Click to expand...

1. I've read about display ribbons and that's probably the problem.
3. OS reinstalls do not take long at all because I'm installing off a FW800 drive.
5. I was under the impression 105 was the temperature where the chips are supposed to just shut off.

I assure you I'm not trolling. I'm going to give a call to Apple today. It's a mid 2009 unibody MBP I believe.
 
bli625 said:
1. I've read about display ribbons and that's probably the problem.
3. OS reinstalls do not take long at all because I'm installing off a FW800 drive.
5. I was under the impression 105 was the temperature where the chips are supposed to just shut off.

I assure you I'm not trolling. I'm going to give a call to Apple today. It's a mid 2009 unibody MBP I believe.
Click to expand...

How are you reinstalling Snow Leopard from a FW800 drive, I always thought it required a bootable disc in order to install the OS? Also, I don't think you're trolling per say but you have to realize what you wrote in the first paragraph of your OP which was asking if you should call Apple or take it to an Apple store? I mean, with all of those problems you're experiencing did you really need for an online forum to tell you do try either avenue? Why not just either go to the Apple store or call them? What was the point in asking the forum, wouldn't it have been more logical just to try either one? Apple has the answers to multiple problems like yours, not this forum. It's Apple's product, you bought the Applecare, take it up with them.
 
HLdan said:
How are you reinstalling Snow Leopard from a FW800 drive, I always thought it required a bootable disc in order to install the OS? Also, I don't think you're trolling per say but you have to realize what you wrote in the first paragraph of your OP which was asking if you should call Apple or take it to an Apple store? I mean, with all of those problems you're experiencing did you really need for an online forum to tell you do try either avenue? Why not just either go to the Apple store or call them? What was the point in asking the forum, wouldn't it have been more logical just to try either one? Apple has the answers to multiple problems like yours, not this forum. It's Apple's product, you bought the Applecare, take it up with them.
Click to expand...

You can restore the SL image to an external drive and boot off that.
 
105°C is pretty ridiculous. Seems like the cooling system isn't kicking in appropriately.
 
Fuchal said:
105°C is pretty ridiculous. Seems like the cooling system isn't kicking in appropriately.
Click to expand...

Yeah it is. I just finished talking to Apple and they told me 105C is acceptable when rendering HD video. I can't say I believe that.
 
some of these things such as heat, beach balling, strange noises, trackpad/super drive acting up and WiFi dropouts are completely normal for a macbook pro.

I don't think there is any way apple can honestly fix any of those issues.. they will just make them worse in the process.

I'm not trolling either, I love apple. Just speaking the truth.
 
PAC88 said:
some of these things such as heat, beach balling, strange noises, trackpad/super drive acting up and WiFi dropouts are completely normal for a macbook pro.

I don't think there is any way apple can honestly fix any of those issues.. they will just make them worse in the process.

I'm not trolling either, I love apple. Just speaking the truth.
Click to expand...

Ah. Okay.
 
They should replace your superdrive no problem. Myself and many colleagues have had the problems you describe with your superdrive, and for myself and others, Apple is always very understanding about this repair and it takes a day or two. Unfortunately I have had one friend go through 4 superdrives in a 4 month period.
 
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