Q: MBA 13 Mid 2013 crash Black screen

When I overextend my pinky and hit the power key instead of the delete key, automatically I immediately tap the delete key that I missed the first time, and of course, my macbook air screen remains black.

richard_vd you are correct--I must learn to wait until the keyboard lights are off before touching the keyboard to wake the macbook air from sleep.

As you said, disabling sleep did not prevent the black screen of death:

System preferences / energy saver / power adapter / prevent computer from sleeping automatically when display is off

Case No. 538481151

MacBook Air 11" mid 2013, i5 processer/4gb RAM/256gb Storage

Noticed problem occurred after upgrade to Mavericks.

Yes, this is how it has happened to me: screen dims as if Energy Saver protocols are being followed, I press a cursor key to stop it from sleeping and the screen goes blank.  Nothing I do wakes it, so I have to press and hold the power key to switch it off.  It is clearly some sort of freeze or crash; there is no indication of kernel panic.

Yes eli77057, that is exactly what happens if you do a hard reset once the "black screen freeze" occurs.

People here are reporting this to the support helpline (or genius bar in Apple Store) - I suggest you do the same and refer them to this and other threads:https://discussions.apple.com/message/23807370#23807370

Re: MacBook Air (mid-2013) suddenly goes black and needs to be restartedhttps://discussions.apple.com/message/24072886#24072886

Re: MacBook Air not wake up after sleephttp:/https://discussions.apple.com/message/24072886#24072886

https://discussions.apple.com/message/23733999#23733999

and several others, plus the You tube videos referred to on this thread a a few pages back.

Just an update -

My MBA (mid 2013, i5/256/8) was supposed to be ready by last week, but since I hadn't heard anything from the service place, I called them today. They had replaced the logic board but the problem persisted. They have now ordered a replacement I/O-board, but that did not help for another user (in thread https://discussions.apple.com/message/23807370#23807370 ), so I don't expect it will for me either.

I performed PRAM and SMC resets, and everything was up to date when I sent it in. I was strangely unable to reinstall the OS, but I presume they have done that already.

The good news is that they are able to reproduce the error, that bad news is that they still clearly have no clue as to what is causing the problem.

I wonder if I can return my time capsule and magsafe adapter if they can't fix my computer...

I would encourage everyone with this issue to return their laptop.

I really feel for the guys in India etc. who are thousands of miles from an Apple retailer and don't have this option.

For their sake, as well as ours, take them back. Apple won't find the issue until the financial pressure is too great to ignore.

Join us on Facebook where Apple cannot control posts and anyone who looks for "MacBook Air screen goes black".

I've asked for my money back. Unsurprisingly, Apple fobbed me off after an hour on the phone telling me they'd contact me today. They haven't done so yet and I seriously doubt they will.

Apple are painfully aware the MBA is, "not fit for purpose," so UK consumer law protects us from being stuck with shoddy goods.

I really want this fixed as I dread having to go back to a Windows laptop but if I have to in order to have a light weight, highly portable laptop with a long battery life, I will even though I know I'll just learn to hate it again.

I'm in Turkey and I also have been experiencing this annoying problem.

It did it when I was on 10.8 and 10.9. Any firmware updates did not help. Warranty processes are performed by another company here, called Bilkom. I sent them a mail and did not get any response yet (3 days now).

Sad thing is that, this was my first meet with Apple and this is so annoying that I hate the company now. Not being able to fix this ensures that my next laptop is not an Apple one.

But I wonder, does this problem exist on all 2013 MBAs or was I reall unlucky?

I don't know if it is the case with all 2013 MBA's but Apple tell me it is a "known issue" and the technicians in USA are working on a fix.  I suspect that, if it doesn't apply to all, then it applies to many - if you were real unlucky, then so were lots of us!!

Seems to persist through the update to 10.9.1 for me

Apple did get back to me and told me to return my MBA to the point of sale for a refund.

Apple cannot fix my MBA as there is a fundamental flaw in either the design or build - probably a combination of dodgy components/ half baked cost cutting exercise/ rogue supplier etc.

Whatever it is, at least they're prepared to give me my money back so I can go and buy another laptop that works and keeps on working.

I am dreading MSDOS and WIndows but I don't have a choice as the MBA is not fit for purpose so the UK Sale of Goods Act 1979 means I can take it back for a refund.

It is a known issue without a remedy and there may never be a fix.

If you can, take it back.

I feel so sorry for those who do not have the Apple support network to enable them to do this. Apple have really let you down.

Yes, when I was told it has not yet been resolved was after 10.9.1 was released so I'm unsurprised it has not done anything about this issue.

MDN64 - Pleased they have agreed to your refund and concur with your view that it is not fit for purpose and should be returned.  I plan to do this as soon as I get the opportunity.  I may take a chance on the MacBook Pro 13" - not an ideal replacement, but I cannot see myself returning to Windows - especially not Windows 8 which despite my best efforts I simply can't get to grips with when required to use a machine with it on.

It is not a software issue.

I expect Apple are very busy trying to come up with a software patch that masks the issue, or prevents it being forced so it appears OK, it'll be a great deal more difficult to prove there's a problem if they do this.

I gave Apple the option of providing a MacBook Pro 13.3" until they could provide me with an MBA that worked, they declined. Make of that what you will. My take is that they know they may never fix it and handing out MBPs will be more expensive than refunding MBAs.

Apple only care about the money, so take them back!

They do not care about their customers or they would have made an official announcement and provided options, such as a warranty for life, guaranteed replacement when it's fixed, compensation etc. but they have not. It's taken Apple months to even admit there is a problem.

Take it back!

What's strange is that there's no mention of this problem on any of the major tech sites, like Verge or Ars Technica, or any of the other places I can think of (apart from here and macforums) and yet it must be affecting countless thousands of users.

For example, here is a recent article on the Verge which looks at a bug fix for Mavericks. Quite a few people have commented on outstanding problems but nobody has mentioned the Black Screen of Death (I know this isn't strictly a Mavericks issue but I'd still expect to see mentions of it if the issue affects the majority of MBA 2013s).

http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/16/5217654/apple-releases-os-x-10-9-1-update-wit h-mail-improvements

So maybe we are in fact a tiny majority of unlucky people that Apple can safely ignore? But if that's the case, why does replacing the logic board not even work.

I *really* wish one of the influential tech sites would post something about this.

This issue was covered by CNET in July 2013 http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57595935-263/mid-2013-macbook-air-experienc ing-black-screen-bug/

I think in that case it was linked to a magnetic latch in the sleeve that they were using. My issue does not look like this.

I think it has happened once or twice outside of the sleep/wake cycle, i.e., going into sleep mode while in use. Mostly it is that it freezes when woken up just as it goes into sleep-mode.