Sarguin

Q: MBA 13 Mid 2013 crash Black screen

Has anyone else encountered an issue where they are using their Mid-2013 MacBook Air (13in) on battery when the machine suddenly goes to sleep or appears to, but it has actually crashed. The screen is dark, keyboard and trackpad are not responsive and the keyboard backlight is on. You have to force it off to restart by pressing and holding the power button? It is completely random, not a kernel panic, and nothing I can see in any logs. After the recent firmware update the symptoms changed such that the display is still active since the Apple logo is lighted. I've never had it happen when I'm on a/c power. Unfortunately its random and infrequent too. The recent firmware indicated it helped with battery issues, etc. didn't fix mine apparently.

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 24, 2013 4:36 AM

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Q: MBA 13 Mid 2013 crash Black screen

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  • by richard_vd,

    richard_vd richard_vd Dec 10, 2013 4:40 AM in response to JamesWildDev
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 4:40 AM in response to JamesWildDev

    I don't think anybody every really fixed it by disabling disk sleep. If you have an Mid-2013 MBA with this issue, you can only work around it by not waking it up just after the screen goes black. So you have to train yourself or disable sleep altogether.

  • by JamesWildDev,

    JamesWildDev JamesWildDev Dec 10, 2013 4:41 AM in response to richard_vd
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 4:41 AM in response to richard_vd

    Can't rule it out though unless we have people with non-SanDisk SSDs with the same fault.

  • by richard_vd,

    richard_vd richard_vd Dec 10, 2013 4:48 AM in response to JamesWildDev
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 4:48 AM in response to JamesWildDev

    My SSD model name is 'APPLE SSD SM0512F' (revision UXM2EA1Q), so that's Samsung.

     

    It's the same model name and revision as on my colleague's Mid-2013 MBA (his does not have this issue).

  • by Strawb268,

    Strawb268 Strawb268 Dec 10, 2013 4:49 AM in response to Sarguin
    Level 4 (1,457 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 4:49 AM in response to Sarguin

    Hi, I've been posting about this on another thread (here: https://discussions.apple.com/message/23986957#23986957 )

     

    An update - I've been able to replicate the problem using sleep on the Apple menu and then immediately hitting key/spacebar/trackpad and sometimes with the close and reopen the MBA lid.  Once or twice a week, the screen freezes to black when I try to wake MBA (mid 2013, Mavericks upgrade) as soon as it sleeps.  So pretty much the same issue as everyone else is having - It's playing havok with work, having it freeze in the middle of important meeetings etc.!!

     

    I rang Apple care last week - they did PRAM etc. resets.  Within a couple of days problem was back.  Rang them again and they asked me to do loads of things to test the circumstances when it happens.  It let me down again this morning at a most inopportune moment so I rang Apple Care for a third time - this time they took it seriously and put me through to a senior advisor who got me to replicate the fault numerous times - it happened under my login, a newly created admin login and even in SafeMode!!!!!  He then sent me a CaptureData programme and took a data capture which is being sent to technical services.  I also gave them the case numbers from others here who have indicated they are happy to have their cases quoted - in the hope that they will take on board that this is not an isolated problem.  I've been asked to give them a few days to look into it.  Watch this space.

  • by JamesWildDev,

    JamesWildDev JamesWildDev Dec 10, 2013 4:56 AM in response to richard_vd
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 4:56 AM in response to richard_vd

    Ok, that rules SSDs out, thanks.

  • by Zoli469,

    Zoli469 Zoli469 Dec 10, 2013 6:11 AM in response to Sarguin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 6:11 AM in response to Sarguin

    Macbook Air mid 2013, same problem.

    Did SMC reset, NVRAM/PVRAM reset, repaired disk permissions, changed power settings, did the "sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0" , problem is still reproducable...

     

    @Apple: Do something with this problem! I bought a Dell for 1/3 price, had no problems with it in the last 6 months ...

  • by Strawb268,

    Strawb268 Strawb268 Dec 10, 2013 6:27 AM in response to Zoli469
    Level 4 (1,457 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 6:27 AM in response to Zoli469

    I agree with the sentiment that Apple need to do something about this, but please note that they have stated to me that they DO NOT watch this forum and will not respond to concerns raised here. 

     

    If you have current Apple Care (or warranty), log a call to support or get an appointment to see the Geniuses at you local Apple Store - quote the Case numbers given by others earlier in this thread as examples of how this is not an isolated case.  You might also try showing them the You Tube video also linked to earlier in this thread.

     

    By all means add my Case number to the list: 538412673.

  • by Dr5baitso,

    Dr5baitso Dr5baitso Dec 10, 2013 6:44 AM in response to Strawb268
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 6:44 AM in response to Strawb268

    My case number is 535413303.

     

    Just called the technician at my apple service center, and they had ordered a new logic board. Based on earlier posts, I don't expect this will resolve the issue, but it's nice that they're trying, and it would be good if it did.

    If all Airs don't have the issue, and it's unrelated to the SSD, then it stands to reason that the logic board must be the culprit.

  • by MDN64,

    MDN64 MDN64 Dec 10, 2013 7:50 AM in response to richard_vd
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 7:50 AM in response to richard_vd

    Hi

     

    No, it wasn't but it was a rare occurrence and always recovered by itself.

     

    It's more catastrophic and difficult to recover from on the 2013 version and deteriorating.

  • by MDN64,

    MDN64 MDN64 Dec 10, 2013 8:05 AM in response to Dr5baitso
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 8:05 AM in response to Dr5baitso

    Apple just replaced all the hardware associated with power control and it's no different.

     

    They're now wiping the data to carry out a fresh install. I do not expect this to resolve the issue.

  • by bhanafee,

    bhanafee bhanafee Dec 10, 2013 9:09 AM in response to Dr5baitso
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 9:09 AM in response to Dr5baitso

    Been there, done that with the logic board replacement. Also SMC reset. The good news is the logic board a $400 hit for Apple. A few more of those at least might get their attention. If the logic board is indeed the culprit, the latest doesn't have a fix. I've had the issue both before and after the replacement. Since I experienced the problem on both ML and Mavericks, I'm not optimistic that it's fixable from a simple system software update. Hoping for a firmware update.

     

    FWIW, I was already on Mavericks when they did the futile logic board replacement.

  • by richard_vd,

    richard_vd richard_vd Dec 10, 2013 9:40 AM in response to MDN64
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2013 9:40 AM in response to MDN64

    MDN64 wrote:

     

    They're now wiping the data to carry out a fresh install. I do not expect this to resolve the issue.

    Me neither, as the issue is easily reproducible even in recovery mode (⌘+R at the chime). In there, start the Terminal utility and enter the command 'pmset sleepnow', and then wake it up to crash it.

  • by Dr5baitso,

    Dr5baitso Dr5baitso Dec 11, 2013 2:01 AM in response to bhanafee
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2013 2:01 AM in response to bhanafee

    bhanafee wrote:

     

    Been there, done that with the logic board replacement.

     

    Were you able to show them the crash when you sent your computer in for repair, and were you able to immediately reproduce the crash after the logic board replacement?

  • by thedyes,

    thedyes thedyes Dec 11, 2013 12:27 PM in response to yoganinja
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2013 12:27 PM in response to yoganinja

    We have also reprodued this. Thank you for figuring this out. Can't wait for Apple to fix it.

  • by eli77057,

    eli77057 eli77057 Dec 11, 2013 12:38 PM in response to richard_vd
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2013 12:38 PM in response to richard_vd

    Strange thing with my MBA 2013 experiencing THE Big Blackout. If I hold down  the power button for 5 to 10 seconds the keyboard backlight goes off. Then if I hold the power button again for another 5 to 10 seconds the MBA restarts.

    I wonder if this works for anybody else?

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