MacBook woes.

April 29, 2008 12:12 PM

MacBook acting strange. Help!

Let me start out by saying that I am planning on taking the computer to a genius bar to have it checked out. I just want to make sure there is not some obvious culprit I can try to tackle before going there.

I have a MacBook that was purchased in Mid to late 2007. When I first got it, it had a problem of shutting down randomly. At these times it would give me a message that it had to restart (in several languages) and it seemed to happen primarily (if not exclusively) when it was NOT plugged in. After a couple weeks, however, it stopped misbehaving and gave me no problems.

Fast forward to about 8 or 9 months later (March of this year). It starts shutting down on me with some regularity. It happens mostly when I am either online or using a java program a friend wrote for me. It shuts down without a message, and often simply falls asleep and refuses to wake back up. I take it to the Mac store, and they decide based ont he information I give them that the computer needs a new logicboard. That is replaced, and it seemed fine for about a month.

Now, it is shutting down every time I use this java program. Within minutes, if not seconds, the computer shuts down. I do NOT hear the fan running when this happens, although the computer gets very hot. This shut down happens both when the computer is plugged in and when it is running off a battery. I should also mention that the java program did not always cause the computer to shut down but now seems to be a trigger for it.

Also, possibly related, the charger will sometimes just turn itself off (meaning the light shuts off and it stops charging) until I unplug and replug the charger back into the computer. This charger problem had been happening before the logic board was replaced as well.

Thanks so much.

posted by piratebowling to technology (8 comments total)

Yes, it's probably a hardware problem. No, there isn't anything obvious you can fix. Send it back to Apple, you're still under warranty and it's their problem.
posted by xil at 12:14 PM on April 29, 2008

If it helps, the logic board is the first obvious thing they could have done to fix it. Seconding a hardware problem. I'd skip the Genius Bar and send it straight back to Apple, this is going to require tools (and skills) that the employees at your local store will lack.

Make sure they know *everything* you've done so far when you call in; they may suggest you do an Archive and Install, reinstalling the OS. You can do that, but it is unlikely to help.

Regarding your charger- is it overheating? That's a possible cause for it shutting off. Make sure it is never placed under papers, blankets, clothing, etc. My girlfriend occasionally does this and is annoyed when the charger shuts off.
posted by stewiethegreat at 12:27 PM on April 29, 2008

Yep, take it in, they'll fix it up. Repeated kernel panics plus the other symptoms you describe equals a problem you're not going to be able to fix yourself.

More on the panics (including a screenshot of what they used to look like pre-10.2. Anytime I saw one of these, I always figured The Matrix broke.)
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:33 PM on April 29, 2008

Also, have them check the power brick while you're at it. My MBP was purchased in July, and I understand the power bricks were redesigned shortly afterwards due to issues with overheating. You might need to have yours replaced.
posted by caution live frogs at 1:06 PM on April 29, 2008

But you're not getting kernel panics, are you? The computer just doesn't turn on. If you're seeing the kernel panic grey-screen, that's something else entirely.

Last thing to check before you send it in: take out the battery. If it is deformed, bulging, etc, it might be exerting pressure on the computer and hypothetically could be causing the problems. Apple will replace this as well.
posted by stewiethegreat at 3:26 PM on April 29, 2008

I'm an Apple tech and had a Macbook with this same issue come in recently. I replaced the logic board a couple of times and still the issue persisted. Finally I replaced it again and the RAM at the same time and ran a day's worth of tests-- throttling both processor cores, for instance. It didn't shut down once.

Might be a combination of the RAM and logic board. Give that a try.
posted by hollisimo at 3:33 PM on April 29, 2008

If you have non-Apple memory installed, then you'll have to put back the original Apple memory and re-create the problem before the genius bar people will do anything -- even if the RAM has nothing to do with your problem. They guarantee the products under the Applecare agreement as long as no third-party RAM is potentially causing the problem. So be prepared to re-create your issues with Apple-issued RAM. I had a similar situation and had to leave my MacBook at the bar for them to run some diagnostics but with their memory installed.
posted by tractorfeed at 5:04 PM on April 29, 2008

Do you ever hear the fan come on? It could be that it's overheating. If it's running really hot and the fan never comes on, that could be your problem right there. The increased frequency of crashes could just be due to warmer weather.
posted by MasterShake at 6:13 PM on April 29, 2008