For those that have sent their MacBooks for Repair (Randon Shutdown)

I have a question. Do you, experiencing problems, have running/installed Windows (through BootCamp or Parallels software)? Is it possible that that could cause the problem?

Mine is a week 25 that went in for repair yesterday. It never had BootCamp or Parallels installed, so that software can't be the issue here.

This is a hardware issue without a doubt.

Slim

MacBook Black 2GB/1GB, iMac G5 (iSight) 2GB/1.5GB, iPod Shuffle Mac OS X (10.4.7) Linksys Router, Airport Express, ethernet switch

Neiter Boot Camp, nor Parallells has been installed on my MacBook - just OS X. It is not related to any of those applications (or Windows), there have been reports from people using both OS X and Windows getting shutdowns under both operating systems. It most probably is hardware related.

Update...AppleCare is picking up my MacBook and plans to replace the DC Board and said they will also test the Logic Board, and replace it if it tests 'faulty.'

Powerbook G4, iBook, MacBook, iMac, HP n6220 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Powerbook G4, iBook, MacBook, iMac, HP n6220 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Customer service told me you could purchase the extra warranty for as long as your original warranty is still good.

I would hold off on buying one right now. An article I read said that somewhere around 20% of macbook pros were having the random shutdown problem. It didn't say the percent of just regular macbooks, but the problem seems identical on both, so I wouldn't doubt that the difference is too far off. It happened to me.

I've been a Mac fan for a while, but right now I wish I never bought this computer. The random shut downs right now look like a death sentence for the macbook, and Apple has done nothing to make me feel better.

I'm a Mac desktop & portable technician and I can tell you I've seen and heard way too many stories of MacBooks which have the shut down issue. Perusing the MacBook service manuals there is nothing that really addresses the issue specifically. Hardware troubleshooting typically means removing certain components from the mix until problem goes away (e.g RAM, expansion cards and son on). The problem I've had diagnosing these suckers, is I'm never able to reproduce the symptom consistently. At the request of Apple tech people, I replaced logic boards on two MacBooks to address random shut down issue. In both cases, the customer called me back within days saying the issue had returned. I've had two different customer tell me they spoke to Apple who said the MacBooks internal power supply is bad. Huh? MacBooks don't have internal power supplies. Quite frankly, I don't believe Apple engineers know what the fix is let alone Mac Genius. Don't expect Apple to publically acknowledge a wide spread problem unless MacBooks start blowing up on people. Believe me folks, Apple brightest and best don't know what the problem is yet. That's OK but they should tell people that instead of suggesting bogus component replacement which only end up frustrating customer's and technicians.

1GHZ Titanium Powerbook Mac OS X (10.4.3) 1GB RAM

Thanks. Now I am stuck. I desperately need a new mac and I thought I would buy a laptop this time, so I could travel with it.

Should I go for a new iMac then?

BTW, where can I read that article?

okay so i dnno how many replies ill actually get to this post since its after 50 replies, but hopefully it'll b good (dont wanna start a new post coz i know how some ppl hate it hehe!)

anyhow, heres my problem...

i bought my macbook the day it was released, it is a week 20 product.
as soon as i got it, which was almost 10 days later, i left for Sri lanka.. it worked fine for about a month and a half with no problems.. i showed it off all the time!!
n then it started,,,the random shut downs!!! at first i tho it was coz of the heat, so i started using it only in air conditioned rooms.. but it still went off! so i figured it wasnt the heat after all?(coz it shut down even after i JUST started my comp!)all this started around beinning july... i dint wanna start anything unless i was sure i hadn;t done sumthing wrong myself before blaming it on apple, but now i know it isnt my fault so im kinda relieved - but of course not really coz it ***** how badly my laptop behaves... 😟

my 90 day tech support finishes tomorrow, and i only get back to the u.s on the 25th of August, so basically no fone support either. I wanted to ask for suggestions - what should i call apple and say? this is my first mac so i have no idea how to deal with them..

school starts on the 28th, i know it wont be repaired fast but any remedy will work for me.. i just want my laptop fixed! please please help me in suggesting what i should call apple and say? i live in Lansing, MI, and there is no apple store nearby so i cant go to a store.. i need to convince them over the fone and i need a good argument...

thanks for any help in advance 🙂

ria

I just got a MacBook, and the first thing I did was check the serial number for the manufacturing week. Mine's week 33. I haven't installed 10.4.7 yet. Will this make it do the random shutdown? Should I not install 10.4.7?
Also, mine's not mooing three hours in. IS that good/bad? I haven't heard the fan kick on or is it that quiet?

Ria,

Maybe you can find out whether there is an Apple store in Sri Lanka (I assume that's where you are now, or any other country you are in). If there is, the Apple staff should help you.

I remember one Brazilian guy posted somewhere in these discussions threads that he had bought a MB in the US and then he flew back home. He started having problems and went to one of the stores in Brazil. They helped him.

hey nyc...

i checked - sri lanka has an authorized apple reseller, but they charge $75 jus to LOOK at the laptop before anything else...! i dont know if i should wait till the 25th or just pay the money and get it done here... i jus dont wanna **** up.
i dont even think they'll be able to repair before next tuesday which is whenim leaving...
thx fr the quick reply btw..

Mine has only had the heat sink replaced (not the logic board) and has been working fine (5 days now). FWIW.

MacBook 2GHz Mac OS X (10.4.7) Mac mini (G4)/iBook G3

Ria,

It seems that Apple technicians in the US themselves don't know for sure what cause problems (and so many). So maybe it would make sense to hold on to your $75 and get help when you are in the US.

Honestly, I am a little bit dissapointed with Apple. They used to build such sturdy computers and now it seems they are joining the race for who-gets-money-the-most. I understand if it were only one problem, but people post with several issues: heat, noise, shutdowns, trackpad, battery, sleep... you name it...

well yeah, im sad too.. 😟
i only bought my first mac thinking the price was just so great and i had heard so many good things.. n now so much dissappointment... i have no idea wat to do!
even then, any sggestions what i should say to the apple guys when i call them next week? i want all the proper stuff repaired so if people could help me list what they are, and what i shoudl say to get those repaired/replaced it would definitely help a first time user like me 🙂

thanks,
ria

I'm a Mac desktop & portable technician

So can you decipher what they replaced on mine? It seems to have worked so far ...

Under "Product serviced by replacing the following:" it says:

APP-590-5254 PWR CRD, GND AC ADPTR, NMP, US