SHUTDOWNS

now do that again while making a public announcement.
you market a product. a problem arises with the
product. you tell everyone about the defect inherent
in that product. worried consumers return product for
refund.

Honestly, Apple has a problem with the MacBook. The problem doesn't disappear by Apple not talking about - today news travel in many ways - they can't control the flow of information. The question is if all these speculation will harm the sales more than Apple making a public announcement on the issue? As it is now, customers are getting really angry and frustrated by the lack of repairs. Apple's only statement 'Contact AppleCare' is useless as absolutely nothing is happening. Here in Denmark Apple Repair Centers even tell peple not to hand in their MacBook for repair anymore... Don't you see the problem?

I dont live in Denmark(thankfully). and seriously, a recall on macbooks that ARENT deemed defective yet would pose a major problem for people that are already experiencing problems, like myself, and obviously you. if apple recalled macbooks, SOME people would just have it serviced and sent back, others would want a refund, and all the while the recalls would stifle repair depots with RSD and non RSD alike to make the transition to the new heatsink/logicboard configurations, making turnaround times even longer.

i do see the problem, but the problem is being dealt with. and yes apple's statement(which is actually very brief advice) is a tad ironic considering its on a knowledge-base site, but thats pretty much what you SHOULD do, since few people can service their own computers while keeping their warranty valid. but in the end, for the sake of everyone, its actually BETTER that people ONLY return their computers when a problem arrives, as it would only cause a detriment to people that are currently waiting for their computers to get back.

My bet is that this will turn out to be software -- corruption of some value over time. How you use the MacBook may relate to how often and how bad the problem is for you. I've had my MacBook for 4 months and had one sudden shut down waking from sleep this morning. I may have had one in the first month I owned the computer, but I didn't know what to look for and wrote it off as a quirk -- it may have been a sudden shut down, it may have been a quirk.

If it's the logic board and/or heat sink, why does it start happening again after these have been replaced, usually some time later, after the OS has been reinstalled and there's been another lengthy period of use.

If it's the temperature sensor on the heat sink shorting out when the heat sink expands when hot, then why do many people report the problem when waking from sleep, sometimes after hours or all night when the heat sink is stone cold?

I think there's a reason Apple has not detailed what's causing the problem. It's not because they won't acknowledge there is a problem; Apple is great about fixing products under warranty; they'll exchange an iPod just because you think it looked at you funny. It's because they don't know yet what is causing these shut downs.

actually, the heatsink fix is pretty recent. apple repair depots replaced the older units with identical units with the same inherent flaw. software is the least likely suspect, and installing the OS over again does nothing. thing is, the computer has had plenty of time to develop the problem without showing you, and once the problem has degenerated enough it can pop up in situations that you would least likely expect that to happen.

i installed os x to rule it out as the possible culprit, right after mac os x finished loading, it quit. when i tried to do a hardware test, it last for about 10 seconds

I still think it could be software -- as in software in firmware.

if indeed its the firmware, it would have to be the firmware installed before the update, not the update itself, since macbooks have had RSD before it.

Rob, yeah, I mean it would be some part of firmware that has been untouched since introduction.

I could be wrong, though. There's a lot of noise about a new heat sink. Still I think I'll wait to have mine repaired until Apple is actuallys stating they know what is doing it and how to fix it.

My Macbook has been at Apple service since August 28 for repair for the random shutdown problem. After waiting for a part, I've been told twice in the last few days that it is shipping out repaired. So far I don't have my machine.

What is frustrating is that I have to call to get information and I have had to wait at least 45 minutes for a human to answer each time.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I/you/us to get Apple to listen?

well according to this really slow webpage, it says that my mac is pending shipment. i guess in a few days ill get it back, and ill keep everyone posted on this matter. but i will be asking around in both apple stores near me, eventually i should get someone that knows something. i may even have my apple tech friend take a look at my macbook too. he's been able to disassemble his powerbook several times without voiding the warranty.

Mine has been on hold since Aug. 29th. I have been told that it is in repair since 9/12, but the website does not reflect this. I hope to see my macbook before the end of the semester.

I first bought my macbook on the 18th of July and had my first shut down on the 18th of August. I called up Apple care and they gave me some tests to do but the tests crashed the macbook completly and would not start at all so they told me to send it to them. When I got it back a week and a half later, they said it was my OS and that I had to reinstall it but not the updates ie. 10.4.7. So I did this and everything is working great guns untill yesterday and today. I normally put my macbook to sleep at night but when I woke it up yesterday within the first minute of starting up it RS on me, but it started up again after I pushed the power butten and then it did it again this morning, the same thing. When it sleeps for a long time it shuts down after it wakes up but no problems on restarting.
I have also done looking on the internet and have found that there are alot of other people out there with the same thing and it looks like it has something to do with the heat sink.

Mine took a month to begin RSDs. I recall it was after watching my first DVD movie the night before. the following morning it took several tries to get it running again, then deteriorated further after that - cold/warm starts, didnt matter. The logic board and heatsink were replaced this week, and pleased to say it runs cool now, my MacBook is a happy and fast machine once again.

Another thing of note: The case always got quite hot, and when running, it was always so hot on the bottom and left-top that i could not stand it on my legs when using it. If your laptop gets hot after awhile, its not the core-duo processor, its likely a faulty logicboard and heatsink. Return it for repairs while its still under warrenty, your RSDs will only get worse and more frequent.

I first bought my macbook on the 18th of July and had
my first shut down on the 18th of August. I called up
Apple care and they gave me some tests to do but the
tests crashed the macbook completly and would not
start at all so they told me to send it to them. When
I got it back a week and a half later, they said it
was my OS and that I had to reinstall it but not the
updates ie. 10.4.7. So I did this and everything is
working great guns untill yesterday and today. I
normally put my macbook to sleep at night but when I
woke it up yesterday within the first minute of
starting up it RS on me, but it started up again
after I pushed the power butten and then it did it
again this morning, the same thing. When it sleeps
for a long time it shuts down after it wakes up but
no problems on restarting.
I have also done looking on the internet and have
found that there are alot of other people out there
with the same thing and it looks like it has
something to do with the heat sink.

I was not advocating for a recall! All I want is some honesty and openess from Apple - they have our e-mails and could inform us about the status of the repairs. Explain that no part are available and it is going to take a month or two months for that matter. And that they are very sorry about this. And that the warranty of course will be extented accordingly. That's what I would like to see and would give Apple some credit with me instead of what happening now!

Interesting. Is this something everyone with RSD have experienced ?? That the computer have been very hot. I experienced this, for my computer it took around 3 months before RSD came up. I have also been pushing the cpu quite hard, i use it for a lot of musicproduction.

Maybe the macbooks that have been cool doesnt develop RSD... The other possible causes ive heard people talking about is the thermal paste, and the ram not being seated properly. When they replace the logicboard, does this mean replacing the cpu to ??

Add me to the list. My Macbook started doing it this week. I have had the unit since June. I try powering on about 5-10 times and then it boots and will stay on for hours until I sleep it or turn it off. Seems to happen most often when plugging in the video adapter to drive an external monitor, but not every time?

Traveling now so can't send it in. I wonder if Apple would give me credit toward a Macbook Pro?

Anyone know if MacbookPro's have issues?

Thanks all,

George