Too Many Problems

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iMac G5 20", 250gb, 512mb, Airport/Bluetooth, wireless kb+mouse
Hey all,

I got my MBP in July of 2006 and it's just starting to have too many problems. I'm hoping people might be able to shed light on some of these issues, and if they are perhaps fixable without having to spend a load of money.

Most troubling, starting within the past month or so, my computer has begun to freeze periodically. This has happened multiple times when pulling up Dashboard, and simply not being able to come back from it. Last night, it just completely turned off out of no where while I was typing a term paper! I am not happy about this. Thoughts?

It's been about 6 months now that I haven't been able to burn CDs due to some sort of laser calibration issue. What's the deal with this?!

Also, my battery is a complete joke. I can't use my computer for 5 minutes without it dying. This is likely my own fault, but it is my second battery and I would've liked for it to be in better shape.

Considering how much I paid for this "professional" piece of equipment, it's not particularly stable. It seems like the problems just keep piling on, particularly with this new freeze/shutdown kick its on. I'll be living in London from January to May and would really love to have some of these issues sorted out before I leave the country. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding these troubles? Thanks.
 
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Did you purchase Applecare? If I couldn't burn a CD, I would have brought it into a Genius Bar asap because it's not going to fix itself. It sounds like you've procrastinated and simply want to complain instead of being proactive.
 
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it seems to me you have to formate it and install MAC OSX. and do all the updates! but before run the hardware test!
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
1. Get Onyx or Main Menu and put one them through it's paces. Both are free. If you need help on what to do, try a search or ask away.

2. Turn your machine off - Get a can of compressed air - and spray it into the slot 2 or 3 times - in 2 or 3 different directions, just quick bursts. There could be a little dust on the laser causing it not to be able to calibrate properly. Don't turn it back on for 30 seconds afterwards, just in case you did get a little moisture in there.

3. Battery - no one has an idea of how you use the machine to give you help with this. Do you ever calibrate the battery as is recommended?


And running the hardware test as suggested above is probably not a bad idea.
 
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WasabiTaylor
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iMac G5 20", 250gb, 512mb, Airport/Bluetooth, wireless kb+mouse
Thanks for the suggestions.

I ran Onyx. I suppose I'll have to wait and see if it solves the crashing issue. I'll try out the compressed air in my slot drive when I get a can.

The battery woes are likely a result of my using my laptop more as a desktop than anything else. I do calibrate it about once a month though. I got my second battery about a year and a half about when Apple did a recall on the battery I had at the time. The second one is just as bad if not worse though. I'll buy another battery if I have to, I was just curious if there were any other sort of solutions.

As for Applecare, I'm not so sure if I'm still covered or how to prove it if I am. Additionally, I'm over an hour away from an Apple store, so visiting the genius bar isn't at the top of my list of things to do.

Does running the hardware test require a disc? I ran a quick google search and I looked like I would need one of my discs that came in the original packaging. Unfortunately I'm away at school and don't have access to that stuff at the moment. Is there any other way to do it?

Again, thanks so much for the suggestions.
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Personally not sure how long to expect batteries to last in a notebook as this is my first notebook. Replaced my first battery after a 1 1/2 years. To me this seems like a pretty good length of time for a battery. And the old one was still lasting about 45 minutes.

Canned air - make sure it is one designed for electronics - make sure you hold the can upright. It is safest to also unplug and remove the battery when using this stuff in a laptop. This little trick just solved my own issue of not calibrating a couple of weeks ago.

Yes, you will need your disk to run the hardware test. It is best to always keep those close to the machine, even while you are away at college. You never know when you may need them. So, when you head home for the upcoming break, go ahead and pack those for the trip back. This goes for the rest of you students out there reading this.

Onyx - make sure to run the Maintenance and Cleaning tasks.
 

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