Randomly Turns Off

My Macbook just randomly turns off sometimes without me doing anything. Then I'll try and boot it back up and it takes me pressing the button about 3 times for it to finally actually boot up. I have it connected to my power supply the whole time, so I'm positive that it's not a power issue. Any advice?

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jul 1, 2006 10:21 PM

Reply
622 replies

Jul 18, 2006 4:16 PM in response to cian Fairfax

i don't have flip4mac on mine either. Still shuts down spontaneously and unpredictably.

Machine Name: MacBook
Machine Model: MacBook1,1
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Number Of Cores: 2
CPU Speed: 2 GHz
L2 Cache (shared): 2 MB
Memory: 1.25 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MB11.005F.B00
Serial Number: 4H6208TGVMM
SMC Version: 1.4f8
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled


macbook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Jul 18, 2006 4:43 PM in response to Ayumi Miyachi

If you live close to Boston, you should also definitely consider taking your MacBook to The Computer Loft. They embody the classic Apple ethos far more consistently than Apple itself does these days. It's mostly a bunch of young guys who just LOVE Macs. As a heavy Mac addict since the 512K, I've had many things repaired or replaced there, and I'm always surprised at how quick and cheap they are. In fact, often I don't pay at all: they're a great conduit to Apple factory service. I've sent two iBooks through them to Apple to get logic boards replaced for free.

If my shutoff problem persists (it's happened only three times so far --but that's in 24 hours!), that's where I'm taking my machine.

macbook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

macbook, ibook, powerbook g4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

macbook, ibook, powerbook g4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Jul 18, 2006 8:36 PM in response to BRiPod

Thanks, we are aware. The poster posted here too. I don't agree with his claim, though he may be right about inherent bugs in CoreDuo. All processors have design flaws. If the CoreDuo itself were the cause of these random shutoffs, we would be seeing more consistent, testable and repeatable results, not to mention more widespread and even moreso in the PC community (There are tens (hundreds?) of thousands more Dell units out there than Apple). Plus we would see this in MB Pro and other Apple Intel units.

My week 21 had problems from day 8. Its replacement, a week 24 , has performed flawlessly, though I will feel more confident after one month of ownership has gone by.

Many, including myself, have had shutoffs cold and hot and have monitored cpu temp's and do not concur with the poster's findings. Plus he speculates on the -82 and -72 shutdown cause codes. There is no documentation to back up that claim. Just more speculation.

I still stand by the faulty logic board theories posted by others. Those of us who no longer have the shutoff issue have had their logic boards replaced, either a repair or a replaced machine. We have also ruled out ram, os installation, software, plists, hard drives, PMU resets, battery vs. adapter, and PRAM.

Jul 18, 2006 8:41 PM in response to modestpenguin

Well after experiencing several random shutoffs I brought my Macbook to the Apple Store I bought it from on 8 July. I was told the logic board would be replaced but apparently the technicians at the depot thought it was just bad RAM. They replaced my RAM and sent it back to me. When I got it back I was furious. I argued with the Apple Genius Bar guy and even pointed him to the forums. I told him that other people have had their RAM replaced and still have had the same problem. Basically i now have to wait for the computer to randomly shut off again before Apple will do anything else. Now I take my computer back and wait for it to happen again. I know it will and when it does Im going to demand a replacement. This is the second time Apple's customer service was shown to be lacking. The first time the LCD screen on my Ipod Nano cracked. Many other people had the same problem and Apple failed to recognize a manufacturing/parts issue. I basically ate up the cost of that Nano and sold a broken Nano on Ebay and lost about $150 in the process. Im sorry for venting but this is very frustrating.

Jul 19, 2006 1:07 AM in response to BangBangBlah

Hello

I think i've found something that makes my MacBook crash the very same way : just over-use the CPU

i launched 3 HD movies in 3 quicktime windows, resized the three per 50% so you can see everyone of them on screen, and play them all at the same time (use loop mode).

The first time i tried i got horribles pink glitches on the video and on my desktop. After a small period of time it crashed.
I tried a second time, same wait, it crashed.
Two days ago i did some other test to send the cpu in the red, it crashed.
I'm going to try again this method and will tell you my results.


Also, now i'm experiencing coloured lines at startup. only way to start os X is the reset PRAM.

Jul 19, 2006 1:27 AM in response to Bontempi

i'm back : my macbook crashed once more doing the quicktime hd trick.

you can download some HD trailers here : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/guide/hd/

get them as big as you can. play 4 movies if needed.

i guess there are many other ways to over-use the cpu but it just happened that i had a lot of hd movies on my hard disk ...
(if you don't have some you can resize smaller movies to fit the hd size using iMovie)

please try and tell me your results. i didn't have to wait more than 30 seconds before it crashed.

normally the system would stay laggy but it wouldn't crash. if it "works" for everyone we at least have something concrete to show to the apple technicians.

Jul 19, 2006 1:42 AM in response to boeingair

i have the random shutoffs problem since 5 days.
i made this website : http://racr.free.fr

by "crashed" i meant it "turned off" the same way, you're right i didn't use the right term.

i too use a cpu intensive app, Logic Pro, but it never crashed while using it, and i've been pushing it hard. but while the CPU is used at 99% or something the system is still stable. If you play 3 different hd movies at the same time the CPU is having a really hard time to play them, it cannot display all the frames from the movies and after a short period of time the MacBook turns itself off, at least in my case.

i'm not a CPU technician but it seems there's a clue here

Jul 19, 2006 2:54 AM in response to BangBangBlah

WOW....There are a ton of issues of this. I bought my MB, May 21. It was excellent and perfect until I got back to Iraq and was able to download the last set of softaware updates. I got these updates going on 4 weeks ago, maybe? Since then I have been having these shutdown issues. I have reset the PMU. I have reset the NVRAM AND PRAM (which now causes colorful parallel lines to pop up everytime I try to start my cpu, that will not boot up unless I do the reset again), I have used Techtools, and diagnostic disk that comes on the install disk, and the disk utility!!!! I am baffeled, but may attempt to reinstall OSX and NOT do the updates.

Mac Book Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2.0 ghz/ 2 GB RAM/ 120 GB HD/ currently running Boot Camp

Jul 19, 2006 3:11 AM in response to BangBangBlah

I've now got this random shutdown problem too.

It happens between 6 and 8 times a day and no rhyme or reason to it

My Macbook was UTTERLY reliable up until the 10.4.7 update though I believe pre 10.4.7 users have found this problem too

the machine is now virtually unusable as I never know when it's going to switch off - can be 2 hours time / can be 2 minutes time

Absolute nightmare

Apple Help!

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Randomly Turns Off

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.