Dead Macbook Pro

[bsacbob]

Hi Guy's

I wonder if any of you could throw some light on this for me.

My trusty Macbook Pro has just gone completely dead on me, i was using it and all was fine put it on standby to make a coffee and hey presto dead. I understand these things don't last forever, even a Mac but a new house is being built on the plot next to ours and the usual cutting, grinding and welding are taking place. During this time our lights constantly flicker and our main water pump which has some sort of fail safe cut off keeps tripping.

Is it just coincidence or does the neighbors building works play a factor.

[nidge]

What happens when you push the button on the battery? Do you get any lights on it?

[JusMe]

Could be a number of things.

My MacBook was in the middle of doing some video conversions when I suddenly discovered that it was dead.

After further investigation, I found that it wasn't the MB that was dead, but the power adapter and the battery had gone flat. Couldn't do anything until I got a new adapter and everything came up fine again.

Now, if only I could find a cheap new battery, as the old one is swelling and eventually will stop usage of the scroll pad. Manage quite well taking the battery out and using direct power, but having the battery there if only as a backup is nice. Don't like the idea of getting a new laptop just cuz the battery's gone, but new costs almost make it worthwhile!

[bsacbob]

What happens when you push the button on the battery? Do you get any lights on it?

Tried that, all the green lights come on bar one, i have mainly used it while it's been plugged into the mains so the battery should be OK. Just come from the Apple shop in Chiang Rai and the guy spent half an hour scratching his bum only to tell me he will have to send it to Chiang Mai, i am bracing myself for a large repair bill

[nikster]

Did you try the usual reset steps?

- Hold down the power button for 10 seconds

- Reset the SMC - google for it, the procedure is different for each model mac, and you haven't told us what year / model you have. Is it old?

- Depending on the model it might be covered by various recalls Apple did over the years.

It's unusual to go completely dead... usually you can at least get to the grey startup screen... if you still have battery that probably means it's not just a fried power adapter, but you never know - try with / without the power adapter connected.

I have a PowerBook G4 from the year 2001 that still works. I even have a 5300c from... I don't know, maybe 1997? - that still works...

Need more info to discover more. And no, I don't assume people at the CR Apple shop know any of this... even in Chiang Mai, in my experience, they are not going to sit there and try to figure out what's wrong and how it could be fixed. They'll just send it off to Singapore, where the logic board will be replaced for $1000 - they don't care it costs an arm and a leg, it's not their computer after all. They are good for in-warranty repairs but that's about it.

How old is your Mac and do you have the extended 3 year AppleCare warranty?

[bsacbob]

Did you try the usual reset steps?

- Hold down the power button for 10 seconds

- Reset the SMC - google for it, the procedure is different for each model mac, and you haven't told us what year / model you have. Is it old?

- Depending on the model it might be covered by various recalls Apple did over the years.

It's unusual to go completely dead... usually you can at least get to the grey startup screen... if you still have battery that probably means it's not just a fried power adapter, but you never know - try with / without the power adapter connected.

I have a PowerBook G4 from the year 2001 that still works. I even have a 5300c from... I don't know, maybe 1997? - that still works...

Need more info to discover more. And no, I don't assume people at the CR Apple shop know any of this... even in Chiang Mai, in my experience, they are not going to sit there and try to figure out what's wrong and how it could be fixed. They'll just send it off to Singapore, where the logic board will be replaced for $1000 - they don't care it costs an arm and a leg, it's not their computer after all. They are good for in-warranty repairs but that's about it.

How old is your Mac and do you have the extended 3 year AppleCare warranty?

Hi Nikster,

Yes tried all the usual steps the only thing i did not try was taking out the ram, the machine is a macbook pro 15" and five years old and out of extended warranty. I have tried starting with and without the battery and also using a spare power block, still no joy. Last year i had an issue with the graphics and after a lot of talking and me producing a page from Apples website describing the known NVIDIA isssue they reapaired it free.

I am back to the UK for a month shortly, i will wait to see what the guys in CM say (logic board for sure will be the reply) and take back to the UK and get the genius bar to check it out, looking on utube i see there are lots of various issues with boot up and sleep mode maybe i will get lucky with Apple.

[nikster]

If the RAM is not original then I guess it's worth trying without one or the other stick. Other than that... might be a dead logic board. 5 years is pretty old, the pre-unibody machines weren't that great in terms of quality... just my opinion based on my older MBPs. I got the screen replaced on my 2007 MBP - it had died exactly 2 weeks after the one year warranty had expired. $600!

The 2009 unibody on the other hand never had any issues. Not a single one. Which is pretty amazing considering the amount of abuse I put it through. Ok I got the power brick replaced one time, but that was it.

[bsacbob]

If the RAM is not original then I guess it's worth trying without one or the other stick. Other than that... might be a dead logic board. 5 years is pretty old, the pre-unibody machines weren't that great in terms of quality... just my opinion based on my older MBPs. I got the screen replaced on my 2007 MBP - it had died exactly 2 weeks after the one year warranty had expired. $600!

The 2009 unibody on the other hand never had any issues. Not a single one. Which is pretty amazing considering the amount of abuse I put it through. Ok I got the power brick replaced one time, but that was it.

Just though i would give you an update on my MBP, surprise surprise they tell me it's the logic board and estimated repair cost is 40,000 baht. Toying the idea of the repair or stump up for a new MBP or maybe one of those new ipad's if i can run office through it and keep my itunes library on my external HD to run along side it, i may be able to live with it.

RIP my beloved MBP :-(

[sambosoul]

40.000? Jesus, you should buy a brand new one instead

[nikster]

40.000? Jesus, you should buy a brand new one instead

Clearly, no sense in pouring that much money into a 5 year old machine.

I guess you could try ebay for parts... the thing is there's got to be 5 year old logic boards for the MBP out there, maybe one where the screen broke etc. The trick is finding it. Look around if you want to be thrifty.

40k is not an option. You can get a used 1 year old MBP in perfect condition for less than that.

That said: New MBPs are very nice

I think they're currently cheaper here in Thailand than in the UK - always depends on the exchange rate..

Edited June 18, 2011 by nikster

[bsacbob]

Yeah the new MBP'S are very nice and your right Apple products are cheaper here. I have a couple of quotes from repairers in the UK for around 15k baht so I am considering that option, uneasy about buying a used machine, bit like buying a secondhand R1 and the guy says it's never been raced ;-)

[BKKdust]

The base MBP either 13" or 15" will be considerably faster than your 5 year old machine with the a new 13" costing less than your repair.

Also the base 15" can be had for only 56k.

store.apple.com/th-k12

[bsacbob]

Thanks for the info I have been looking at the Apple Thailand website and the price and spec of the new 15" is very impressive.

I have been looking at eBay in the UK and surprised how many machines are for sale from the 2007 - 2008 period with same fault. There is obviously a known issue with logic board ( as with the Nvidia graphics card ) pity Apple won't own up like Nvidia and honor the repair, but I guess that sums up Apple these days.

[4evermaat]

The base MBP either 13" or 15" will be considerably faster than your 5 year old machine with the a new 13" costing less than your repair.

Also the base 15" can be had for only 56k.

store.apple.com/th-k12

but does it come with worldwide apple warranty or thailand-only?

[BKKdust]

All apple macbooks have worldwide warranty.

[bsacbob]

If the RAM is not original then I guess it's worth trying without one or the other stick. Other than that... might be a dead logic board. 5 years is pretty old, the pre-unibody machines weren't that great in terms of quality... just my opinion based on my older MBPs. I got the screen replaced on my 2007 MBP - it had died exactly 2 weeks after the one year warranty had expired. $600!

The 2009 unibody on the other hand never had any issues. Not a single one. Which is pretty amazing considering the amount of abuse I put it through. Ok I got the power brick replaced one time, but that was it.

Just though i would give you an update on my MBP, surprise surprise they tell me it's the logic board and estimated repair cost is 40,000 baht. Toying the idea of the repair or stump up for a new MBP or maybe one of those new ipad's if i can run office through it and keep my itunes library on my external HD to run along side it, i may be able to live with it.

RIP my beloved MBP :-(

The final chapter.

After talking to Applecare in the UK and then being transfered to customer services, they noted my machine was in fact just less than 4 years old and had already had the nvidia repair done 14 months ago (outside of extended warranty), i explained that the logic board would have been replaced as part of the nvidia replacement and a lifespan of 14 months on a major repair done by Apple was pretty poor, they agreed.

To cut along story short i gave then the serial numbers of all the Apple stuff i have owned over the years, whilst quoting Steve Jobbs "it just works" and "we don't ship junk" many times and they came back to me today and said they would class me as an exceptional case and agreed to care all repairs FOC

God bless Steve Jobbs and god bless Apple

[sambosoul]

lol, these "it just works" and "we don't ship junk" arguments are hilarious. love it! Will keep them in mind!

[Somtamnication]

I gotta remember that one!!!!!!