Q: MacBook Pro Battery 'Service Battery' after Snow Upgrade

Yes, it's free to see an Apple Genius. They are Apple's customer service technicians. You should make a reservation on-line; otherwise you will be placed on stand-by.

Gloom that 218 number is pretty high or I should say from my experience and the issues with batteries. Might be that time.

While I am very happy Apple is replacing batteries for those with issues, just goes to show where the issue may be as stated before. Also just as a repeat:

"Each time you complete a charge cycle, it diminishes battery capacity slightly, but you can put notebook, iPod, and iPhone batteries through many charge cycles before they will only hold 80% of original battery capacity"
http://www.apple.com/batteries/

80% is a key factor here

i have ever tried the 10.6.2 beta 10c535

the problem has been fixed...

dont worry, all will be ok after 10.6.2

Yes, I read about the 10.6.2 beta issuing lot of things, but I also read Apple is not going to specify on the release the list of bugs fixed, how convenient...

I also have the same problems on my 17" Macbook Pro bought mid 2006. Already had a replacement battery (through Apple Care) as had the usual bulging battery problems at that time.

All was good until I upgraded to Snow a couple of weeks ago and last week my battery also started to bulge, the MBP is running hotter than ever (had to install SMC fan control) and when the battery gets to 15% life, the mac just dies without warning. I haven't called Apple as I don't have Apple Care and I know what they'll say - buy another one for £100! It's not on, sort it out Apple!

So, I called Apple Support and they said because of no AppleCare plan I should buy a new battery myself...

"*i have ever tried the 10.6.2 beta 10c535*

*the problem has been fixed...*

*dont worry, all will be ok after 10.6.2*"

I really hope so. We just have to wait and see how long it takes to come out.

"*Yes, I read about the 10.6.2 beta issuing lot of things, but I also read Apple is not going to specify on the release the list of bugs fixed, how convenient...*"

Yeah, was thinking the same thing myself.

These are very good news. Unfortunately i already bought another battery (not an apple one, but a third party compatible battery), but i would not mind having 2 batteries

Message was edited by: Dimitrios Varthalitis

Considering you have no validity here on the forums with one post I would not believe you. Coming from a well known blog site its been said:
10.6.2 updates:
graphics drivers, trackpad preferences and virtual machine creation

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/10/28/apple-seeds-mac-os-x-10-6-2-build-10c535-to- developers/

Again this would come as a battery update or firmware update. The ONLY thing they can do is make it less restricting on when the battery warning appears as far as an OS level. You might see that before the other 2 viable options.

Anyone who is having unusual battery problems with SL should have an Apple Genius test it with the iPod battery software they have in the store.

Robert, I too have the exact same problem. No warnings, just shut down.

The PSLog in terminal does show that at about 20%, the "early" warning has been issued, however no pop up to the user to let you know it.

If you don't pay attention, before you know it, all is lost.\--power out.

Looks like the 10.6.2 update MAY indeed fix this Service Battery issue!

From a new article on the AppleInsider website:

"Some components slated for fixes include: AppleBacklight, *Battery Menu*, Dictionary, Expose, FileSync, Family Controls, Fonts, Front Row, HFS, Inkwell, iPhoto, MobileMe, OpenCL, Parental Controls, QuickTime, Screen Sharing, Spell Checker, Spotlight, Time Machine, and USB."

Note Battery Menu is listed there, although they don't say what the fix is exactly.

This is the article:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/11/04/appleslatest_10_6_2_beta_packs_fixes_for_vmware_imacs_appletv.html

I reinstalled Leopard and my battery is performing better than it was in SL. It's worse than it was before the upgrade though. I am pretty unhappy with apple for letting this bug slip into SL, $130 for a new battery when mine was working fine before the upgrade really stinks.

Message was edited by: Erian

It's amazing how someone with over a 1000 posts and a complete lack of technical knowledge would call a new poster a liar.

You believe cycling a Lithium battery is reasonable for battery health, though a little research would tell you cycling ONLY applies to NMH batteries and cycling a Lithium battery will actually shorten it's life.

You are still in denial in the face of hundreds of posts to the contrary. Maybe you should back up that truck of Windex to your glass house...

Don't bother with him, we kind of ignore his posts as he's still on his denial of the problems, and denying anyone posting otherwise...

I noticed discussions are full of threads about this issue, but still, yeah, it must be coincidence!! of course...

This guy here even seems to have replicated the problem a few times:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10515318

Interesting he points the random shutdowns may be caused since 10.6.1, it may be true, can't remember to be honest if mines were after or before.

And funny enough, there is a guy as well replicating to him denying the problems, in every single thread about this issue there is always someone denying and pointing to faulty batteries, is that coincidence as well?? Can you guys please note the problems are not the "Service Battery " alerting but the lack of performance and random shutdowns? Just the way SL alerts the battery condition is the last of our worries...

Let's hope 10.6.2 address this issue, even if not documented...