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General discussion

MacBooks are dying like crazy!

Jul 27, 2006 11:10AM PDT

The support forums at Apple are going crazy right now! There are a huge number of MacBook owners with logic board failures and Apple seems to be oblivious to this issue. It must be pretty big since people are waiting over two weeks for repairs. Mine went in last week and the repair is on hold due to parts on back order. I am worried this is gonna be a huge problem in Apple's attempt to get switchers. Anyone here having these problems?

Discussion is locked

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Have you read this one?
Jul 27, 2006 11:18AM PDT
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G5 logic boards and company response are BAD, BAD, BAD
Dec 12, 2006 3:29AM PST

I've had two logic board failures and one hard drive failure on my G5. The hard drive and first logic board failure were covered under warranty. The replacement logic board was also defective. First symptom was whine. Was told to reset the SMU. Temporary relief. Then freezes and sleep shutdowns started. Was told to try OS reinstall. It didn't work. Tried erase and reinstall. Same result. Was told to upgrade memory. Same result. Shop diagnosed the new logic board as bad, after the totally inadequate 90 day replacement part protection period, but the unit was clearly defective at install. Called Mac and they said screw you. It is clearly unacceptable for Mac to sweep such a major and widespread systemic problem under the rug. The only option in light of Mac's bad hardware and customer protection is to go back to PC, where competition among hardware manufacturers forces them to step up quality and service or go out of business.

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Because they suck
Aug 15, 2006 4:17PM PDT
Happy-8--<
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(NT) (NT) don't flamebait!
Aug 15, 2006 11:13PM PDT
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Jan 9, 2007 10:03AM PST

Hmmm.....I wasn't aware that Macbooks had the same logic board problems. I just posted a new thread asking which mac computer was of the best quality, but in light of reading this thread, I think I will go back to PC for a while. Damn shame too, I like OSX.

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the original post is 6 months old
Jan 9, 2007 12:37PM PST

you might want to actually read "news"... not "old information"... my understanding is those issues are gone... or at least substantially diminished.

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It's hardly "old information"
Jan 10, 2007 9:41AM PST
http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/

The forums under this link show that it's a widespread and on-going problem that includes the core 2 duo macs. The problem does not appear to be "substantially diminished." Do not buy a MacBook unless you like a $2k+ screwing.
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Bummer
Jan 10, 2007 9:56AM PST

I counted 77 distinct user IDs going back to 9/28/06. On that day, they hit the 1000 mark. Many of the posts were getting their repairs cleared - not quickly, but cleared. the number of new complaints is going down.

I never said there were NO problems. I said there were fewer problems since the first machines' release... and suggested that current - rather than 6 month old data, which is what the CNET link was pointing to, might be more appropriate.

Being a member of a Macintosh User Group, I know dozens of people with no problems on their machines... a few have had issues, yes, but overall, the more recent machines have had substantially fewer problems...

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Jan 10, 2007 12:53PM PST

Knowing that Apple has achieved "substantially fewer problems" with their new macbooks is no comfort. Somehow I doubt that's even true, but the point is Apple has had logic board problems with their laptops since at least when my ibook came out in 2001. That was FIVE years ago! If Apple can't SOLVE the problem COMPLETELY within five years well...that should tell you something. Look, you buy mac if you want, but for my money, if I'm going to pay a premium on a something that is ordinarily very expensive to begin like a notebook computer, it sure as hell better WORK right first.

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Logic boards used in 2001
Jan 10, 2007 9:02PM PST

are not the same logic boards used now.
So saying that they have had logic board problems since 2001 and have not fixed them yet is a bit of a stretch.

I wonder if you would say the same about Windows? They have had 11 years to solve the security problem and still have not.

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Logic boards
Jan 11, 2007 8:45AM PST

The logic board problems I'm aware of are on G5 macs. That's post-2004. If the logic board problems really have been persistent since 2001 into the development of the G5, that's an extremely discouraging statement on Apple's product development.

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I have a G5
Jan 11, 2007 9:18AM PST

iMac flat panel... bought it new in 2005... added RAM, use it regularly to edit high def video. Works great... no problems... Just as solid as the G4 QuickSilver tower it replaced, the G3 tower it replaced, the Quadra 610 and 650 it replaced, the Mac II and the SE they replaced (which I still have and which still boots up)... not to mention the PowerBook 140, 180, 540 and Duo in-between those other machines... and the PowerBook G4 and iMac CoreDuo my son uses today all work - or did work (when they were in use) pretty much flawlessly...

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My post was a reply
Jan 11, 2007 11:35AM PST

to someone who seems to be the source of all knowledge when it comes to Mac Logic board problems. I have seen no definitive evidence to support his claim that all Mac logic boards, at least since 2001, are defective.
My G3 iBook (Clamshell circa 2001) is still going well, ditto G4 cube and the G4 tower.

I have been fixing Mac's, in one way or another for a long time, and have never had to change out a logic board that "just failed"
Coffee, paper clips, lightning, power surge and one where the cat walked across the open door of a G4 tower.

I'll accept that electronics fail but what sort of percentage are we talking about here?

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RE: My post was a reply
Jan 12, 2007 11:38AM PST

Nobody's claiming that "all" Mac logic boards are defective. There is, however, definitive evidence of a disturbingly high failure rate if one clicks on the links in previous posts in this thread, and in Apple's extension on original logic boards on some of the early G5s. And no, these failures are not triggered by coffee, paper clips, power surges, or cats. There seems to be something cult-like about the denial of the seriousness of this problem on the part of dedicated Mac fans. Really, it's nothing you need to get so defensive about. Closing one's mind with religeous devotion to a brand is one of the worst mistakes a tech consumer can make.

In another forum, one repair professional offered the opinion that, while component failures occur at varying rates on specific models for all brands, brands that use a lot of proprietary component configurations (the example was Dell) leave fewer options for replacing defective components and are more likely to have recurring problems after repair. For obvious reasons this would also apply to Mac, supported by the number of people having recurring problems on one component.

FYI - I migrated to Mac as a result of the Windows 95/98 stability and security debacle. However, it's a myth that Mac OS is inherently more secure than recent versions of Windows. Mac OS also has its security flaws, but they have not been targeted by as much malware and Macs are less likely to be used in networked environments, which accentuate security flaws. Also, having seen the vast improvement of Windows XP over earlier versions in terms of stability, I'm not convinced that there's still an advantage to Mac OS at this point. Looks like time to migrate back and get away from the disadvantages of a brand that has more proprietary components than any other.

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Jan 12, 2007 12:39PM PST

Thank you Igiveup2.

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You are absolutely correct
Jan 12, 2007 11:03PM PST

With all the logic board problems that Apple has with their MacBooks, all the Security Problems they have with the Operating System, the instability of OS X, the danger of using one in a networked environment, the large number of proprietary parts, (they would be??) I support your intention of migrating back to the the more secure, stable and networkable environment that is Windows.


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I agree.
Jan 13, 2007 9:02AM PST

Certainly the the Dell, HP/Compaq, Toshiba, Sony, Acer and all the other Intel and AMD machines which require different BIOS configurations (among other tweaks), their 'proprietary" stuff and running Windows whatever would be just a fine hardware and software environment for you.

Take care!

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I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, mrmacfixit and boya84
Jan 15, 2007 6:27AM PST

I am a truly horrible person for suggesting that Macs are anything but infallible. It would serve me right if I start looking like that pudgy guy representing Windows in the Mac commercials. Mac guys are SO hip (like the commercials show)and SO reasonable (like this forum shows).

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But you didn't hurt my feelings.
Jan 15, 2007 6:36AM PST

You have a choice. I encourage you to switch back. Really. If you have a problem with Apple gear, go elsewhere. No big deal.

I don't have the same issues you are having. If I did, I'd be switching to another operating system running on another manufacturer's hardware, too.

But I don't, so I'm not.

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And I don't think you're a horrible person, either...
Jan 15, 2007 6:38AM PST

I will if you want me to, though...

Because that's how we are... helpful and accommodating.

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No hurt feelings here either
Jan 15, 2007 7:43AM PST

just annoyed that one person could have had so much bad luck with their computer choice.
Of course this is a caring forum and we would love for you to be a happy computer user which is why, based on your posts, I supported your proposed move back to Windows.

Sorry this post is kinda in the wrong place but I could not reply directly to your post due to forum length.

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