Underwhelming experience with MBP 17...

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Hi all,

So basically my question is... Is it just me or is the MBP 17" i have a bad machine? specs: MBP 17, C2D 2.33 Ghz, 3.5Gb RAM, 160 Gb HD, X1600.

There's just soo much wrong with it I'm not sure where to start...

1. big fat grey blotches have slowly appeared _in_ the screen.
2. runs hot as to be uncomfortable in most cases - on a table, not my lap
3. tiny side screws need to be retightened every couple of weeks
4. firewire 400 connector doesn't grip properly - tried several cables
5. internal disk seems sluggish (stock TravelStar 5400rpm)
6. wifi range seems weak
7. wifi applet in menubar takes _forever_ to show networks
8. bouncing ball turns up all the time - even with low CPU-loads
9. windows and popups and most UI bits seem sluggish
10. general application speed seems _dog_ slow compared to a WinXP box with similar specs: E2180 C2D at 2.0 Ghz with 3.5 Gb RAM and DeskStar 5400rpm SATA system disk.

I've had this MBP now for about a year, OS X 10.4.11 has been re-installed several times and none of the (software related) complaints have eased.

So before I (finally) take it in for some applecare TLC, I'd like to know if anybody else out there has had a similarly underwhelming experience with their MBP 17?

ttfn,

Jimmer

PS. Have only recently switched to this machine as my main computer and therefore only really noticing all this stuff now...
 
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Honestly, I have not had any of the issues you mentioned. Mine is a 15.4" which is about a year old. I am also running Leopard which you are not. Which installation option are you choosing - Archive and Install or Erase and Install?

Mine is also my main machine and I could not be happier. I think you may have a bad MBP - it happens. If you run smcFanControl what are your temperatures?
 
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J
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- Install is 'complete erase' after partitioning. so all clean.
- smcControl gives me 55-60 C with 3000rpm fans with CPU idle.
- 75-80 C with fans at 6000rpm in something like SecondLife.
 
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I'd go with Leopard, and check for Software Updates. Everyone ignores that.
 
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- Install is 'complete erase' after partitioning. so all clean.
- smcControl gives me 55-60 C with 3000rpm fans with CPU idle.
- 75-80 C with fans at 6000rpm in something like SecondLife.

Mine runs around 50 C with the fans at 2000 RPM's. I would really suggest a clean install of Leopard with updates just like KeithTeeple suggested. If you still have issues you may have some kind of hardware issue going on.
 
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Hi all,

So basically my question is... Is it just me or is the MBP 17" i have a bad machine? specs: MBP 17, C2D 2.33 Ghz, 3.5Gb RAM, 160 Gb HD, X1600.

There's just soo much wrong with it I'm not sure where to start...

1. big fat grey blotches have slowly appeared _in_ the screen.
2. runs hot as to be uncomfortable in most cases - on a table, not my lap
3. tiny side screws need to be retightened every couple of weeks
4. firewire 400 connector doesn't grip properly - tried several cables
5. internal disk seems sluggish (stock TravelStar 5400rpm)
6. wifi range seems weak
7. wifi applet in menubar takes _forever_ to show networks
8. bouncing ball turns up all the time - even with low CPU-loads
9. windows and popups and most UI bits seem sluggish
10. general application speed seems _dog_ slow compared to a WinXP box with similar specs: E2180 C2D at 2.0 Ghz with 3.5 Gb RAM and DeskStar 5400rpm SATA system disk.

I've had this MBP now for about a year, OS X 10.4.11 has been re-installed several times and none of the (software related) complaints have eased.

So before I (finally) take it in for some applecare TLC, I'd like to know if anybody else out there has had a similarly underwhelming experience with their MBP 17?

ttfn,

Jimmer

PS. Have only recently switched to this machine as my main computer and therefore only really noticing all this stuff now...

You got a lemon. Have Applecare take care of it for you.
 
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The only thing I might add:

In you OP, it looks like your RAM is 3.5Gig. This seems odd to me.

However you have it setup, you need matched pairs of RAM for the bus and mem to operate efficiently. Basically, you want to have 2 (two) 1Gig sticks or 2 (two) 2Gig sticks. Not sure how you get 3.5Gigs.

Mis-matched memory would result in the slowness you perceive in the OS and apps. Makes sense to me.

Mark
 
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yes you got a bad one. as suggest have Applecare take care of this. never had this issue.
 
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J
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The only thing I might add:

In you OP, it looks like your RAM is 3.5Gig. This seems odd to me. [...] Not sure how you get 3.5Gigs.

Mark

You are ofcourse entirely correct - tis very odd. I got 3.5 Gigs through being a bit of an idiot when composing my original posting :) There are in fact only 3Gb.
 
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I have the same basic system you have only mine has 2 gig of ram and the 7200rpm drive. I have had it for about 2 years now and have NEVER had any of the problems that you are having so i would have to say it sounds like you got a lemon.

As for the heat part, yes they do run rather warm, but that can be helped by using the fan control program. I don't know what your expectations were when you bought your system, but you might remember that Apple is not heaven and Jobs is not God. Now and then a lemon slips off the line, take it back to Apple and see if they will make it good.
 

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