Q: Batteries - Is it worth taking to the store?
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Jun 3, 2014 2:00 PMby K Shaffer,Helpful•edited: thought for a moment you bought a new one...
but the first link should help try & diagnose an old one.
How long did you charge the computer's new battery
before turning on the unit? Also, if the MacBook is
an older model, it may need a calibration. There are
times, too, where a System Management Controller
(SMC) reset may help...
•Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
•Apple Portables:
Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1490?viewlocale=en_US
•Apple - Batteries:
http://www.apple.com/batteries/
•Apple Portables - Troubleshooting MagSafe Adapters:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1713
There is another reset, though not likely to help
but does come up: About NVRAM and PRAM:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
Hopefully this helps somewhat.
Good luck & happy computing!
edited
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Jun 3, 2014 2:00 PMby Craigasaurus,No, the new battery isnt it the mac because the new battery was the wrong battery. So i've basically taken the old battery out and put it back in again, screwed everything in, and clipped the thingy on too, put the back on, screwed that on, turned it on.... no battery detected.
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Jun 3, 2014 2:43 PMby Craigasaurus,I know - its just the hassle of driving all the way there just to be told theres nothing they can do, or paying hundreds to fix it. Its also way past its warranty and doesnt have Apple Care.
Tried the reset.... doesnt seem to of done anything. Its an X through the battery bar if you need a mental image...
Also, do you think buying a new battery would help now?
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Jun 3, 2014 5:37 PMby K Shaffer,When you correctly identify the computer, that helps get correct parts
and communicating the issues, possible causes, and resolving them.
Even if it is just a battery, magsafe board, or power adapter, etc.
A qualified trained tech may also be capable of a repair using a guide
and with sufficient skills, perhaps do a good job. Is there an Apple
User group in your city? A computer science lab with nerd geeky folks
that like to fix things? Maybe you can find someone capable if you
want to avoid a guarenteed repair with correct parts...
Most official Apple Stores (as they all claim to have one) with a Genius bar
in the US and Canada, can do a free diagnostic test and give you an idea
and perhaps a best estimate guess on the cost to repair the computer, if
something other than a battery may be wrong with it. Even out of warranty.
In other locations, the details about a diagnostic check of a computer
out of warranty (free in US/Canada -- even w/o applecare) elsewhere
is a matter of regional policy. Since I don't have access, I can't say.
But it would be reasonable to assume a technician would be paid in
one way or another. An official Genius isn't a regular tech, there is a
degree of customer service in some locations beyond an hourly rate.
Did you use a repair guide to access the battery, or was it really an easy
to tell improper part? The iFixit repair guides can help if the model is one
that has to be partially opened, to access the battery, hard disk drive, RAM
or other not impossible yet certainly more difficult to access in some models.
The other part that may be defective, is the MagSafe Board. This is similiar
to the DC-in Board of earlier portables in that there is a circuit inside the
MacBook that sends power to the battery, and to the logic board, and also
rations it between them both from the Magsafe adapter when charging &
running, and also without a good battery in the computer, the processsor
may also run at a lower speed, as well. So if the circuit in MagSafe Board
has failed, the computer may still work OK but not charge a battery.
•iFixit repair guides - MacBook series:
http://www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook
It may be possible to do a repair yourself,
or become aware of the trouble it can be.
{I've repaired a few hundred Macs, & not
for profit. I donated many at fair distance
& am used to traveling hundreds of miles
for things most people take for granted...}
I've driven one new iMac under AppleCare
over 3,000 miles, to try & get a repair of a
covered defect, to not get it fixed correctly
at all. I ended up contacting Apple directly
and had them tell the authorized provider
to do what I wanted, then it worked for a
year. They kept shorting out logic boards
and installing defective RAM. I was not
allowed to open that model w/ Applecare.
Tell me about it. I have several portable &
desktop Macs & know about their systems.
?do you need a mental image?
You'd have to correctly identify the computer in order to get a proper battery.
You can call if you have the serial number and ask Apple or an authorized
service provider the cost of the battery, & any installation fee. Also you can
ask what the cost of to have a MagSafe Board installed. And a diagnostic
if they do not offer you one as an offiical Apple Store in north America may.
If you know or have seen the serial number, you could use an online lookup
service to be sure you have the right information, thus correct parts, & so on.
Some have a serial number in the battery compartment, or near the hinge.
For your own info & to lookup Macs in general, here's an sample lookup site:
•Identify your Mac - lookup your unit by serial number or model number
https://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php
The info in the Mac, is found in About this Mac via Apple Menu, and look
into details that follow, that say what the device is and the OS X, etc in it.
From 'About this Mac' and a click on 'More Info' will launch System Profiler
and that has the MacBook Model Identifer among other details.
With that information, you can look into http://everymac.com and narrow it
down to the model numbers related to the identifier, or get the download
database from http://MacTracker.ca that gives you plenty of specifications.
See if you can find your model computer precise enough to get a correct
battery part number and then see about a repair guide that shows the info
on how to DIY MagSafe Board replacement. Then let them scare you at
the Apple Store.
A new battery may help.
A correct diagnostic can help.
It may need more.
Good luck.
Over and out...
edited
