Just bought a Macbook!

So I just bought a used Macbook online. I get in the mail today, everything seems great at first. I paid $470 for it but I am starting to worry that I got ripped off somehow.

Here are the specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo
2.4 GHz
2GB of Ram
HDD- 250 GB

Its the black model. The first strange thing I noticed is that it is running mac OS X 10.4.11. I did some digging around and it seems that the OS has been used in 2006? Is it discontinued? Are there any places where I can update my OS to the newest version?

Also, after 15 or so minutes or not touching the Mac, the mouse pointer disappears and the touchpad becomes unresponsive. The only way to get it back is to restart the notebook. Any fixes for this?

Thanks a lot for the help,

Tomas

Just found the specs:

Model Name: Mac
Model Identifier: MacBook4,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Total Number Of Cores: 2
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MB41.00C1.B00
SMC Version: 1.31f0
Sudden Motion Sensor: enabled


Type: Display
Bus: Built-In
VRAM (Total): 64 MB of shared system memory
Vendor: Intel (0x8086)
Device ID: 0x2a02
Revision ID: 0x0003
Kernel Extension Info: No Kext Loaded
Displays:
Display:
Resolution: 1152 x 720
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Software
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Not Supported

The cursor situation worries me....as for the software update, click on the apple icon located in the top left of your display and scroll down to the second option labeled "software update...." OS should then scan your macbook for any available updates for its software.

I did all the updates. 10.4.11 is the newest one its letting me download. Most applications don't even support that anymore.

Are you referring to MacOSX 10.5 ?(Leopard)
I'm afraid you're going to have to buy that too.
There are lots of used install DVD's available online.

Count Cooter said:

The cursor situation worries me....as for the software update, click on the apple icon located in the top left of your display and scroll down to the second option labeled "software update...." OS should then scan your macbook for any available updates for its software.

Click to expand...

How old do you guys think this macbook is? Did I overpay?

Quick bump!

I don't think you overpaid. The specs are nice. It's just that you have to shell out the money to upgrade to a newer OS. Might want to wait a bit until they release Snow Leopard.

I have the same model, but it's just a White MB. It's almost a year old. It came with Leopard pre installed. That particular MB must have been bought before they all came installed with Leopard.

If I got your specs correct...your computer originally shipped with Mac OS 10.5.2...so it seems sort of strange that it has 10.4.11 on it. In fact it's my understanding, that many Mac's won't even operate with an OS version lower than the one they shipped with. But that must not be 100% correct, because your computer is doing it...if it's a Black 2.4ghz MacBook.

Mac OS 10.4.11 is the most recent version you can update to for free...when running OS 10.4. As already mentioned...you need to BUY OS 10.5.

What do you mean by,"OS 10.4.11...Most applications don't even support that anymore." What applications are you talking about? What applications do you have & have installed that won't run with 10.4.11?

Your MacBook is from 2008...and did you over pay?...my question to you is...did you do any research on this computer before buying it?

$470 is a VERY good price for this computer...but if the trackpad is busted...then the price wouldn't be as great.

If your trackpad isn't working...then plug in an external mouse until you get things figured out.

By the way...you said that you purchased this online. Did you get it on e-Bay? If so, could you post a link to your auction?...I would like to take a look at it.

Good Luck,

- Nick

I bought it off PBN. The trackpad works fine, as long as its in constant use. I was messing around with the mac for almost five hours yesterday and and everything was great. As long as I leave it idle for 15 minutes or so thats when it becomes unresponsive.

I bought this thing for school. I got a lot of off time between each one of my classes so I figure I could use the mac for education and entertainment.

Very strange that you have got 10.4 installed!

I'd wait and buy Snow Leopard.

BTW - you should live in the UK, $470 would get you nothing!

pigoo is right: $470 is a great price for the hardware, unless the trackpad is busted. But I don't think it is. Since it works until it's idle, it makes me think it's software-related.
If it were my computer, I'd buy a new, larger hard drive and a Box Set and start from scratch.
Or wait until next month when 10.6 (Snow Leopard) is released and start from scratch.
If the problem persists after a new OS X install, it would be a hardware problem. Take it in to an Apple store.

Ragana said:

I bought it off PBN. The trackpad works fine, as long as its in constant use. I was messing around with the mac for almost five hours yesterday and and everything was great. As long as I leave it idle for 15 minutes or so thats when it becomes unresponsive.

Click to expand...

This is a very strange problem...and I'm going to relate it to the fact that your MacBook is running OS 10.4.11.

Your laptop is a 2008 model...and originally shipped with OS 10.5.2. Normally (for best operation)...you don't install a version of the OS older or earlier than the version that the laptop shipped with...in your case 10.5.2.

So I would HIGHLY recommend that you purchase a copy of Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) as soon as possible...install it, and see if that fixes the trackpad problem.

Yes some folks will say wait until Snow Leopard (Mac OS 10.6) is released...which is supposed to be within the next 30 days (maybe even much earlier according to some rumors).

But since you just bought your computer, it doesn't have the correct Mac OS on it, AND you're having problems with the trackpad...personally I would want this situation cleared up as soon as possible (no waiting).

Hope this helps,

- Nick

p.s. BTW...for $470, I would have SNAPPED up this computer in a heart beat;D ...assuming the trackpad is ok!!!

pigoo3 said:

p.s. BTW...for $470, I would have SNAPPED up this computer in a heart beat;D ...assuming the trackpad is ok!!!

Click to expand...

Amen on that one M8

Thats weird. I looked at all the new features that come with 10.6 and I have all of them on my mac already. Could it be some sort of pirated software?

One more thing. Could I just upgrade from my version to the snow leopard for $29 or whatever it costs?

Some features are upgraded versions of what's already there.
Also stuff like safari 4 just has better and extra functionality in Snow Leopard.

And yes, you can upgrade from one o the other, as long as all your hardware supports 64bit

DragonLance said:

Some features are upgraded versions of what's already there.
Also stuff like safari 4 just has better and extra functionality in Snow Leopard.

And yes, you can upgrade from one o the other, as long as all your hardware supports 64bit

Click to expand...

And do I have the hardware to support it haha? I posted the specs up top.

Ragana said:

One more thing. Could I just upgrade from my version to the snow leopard for $29 or whatever it costs?

Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

If the latest version of the Mac OS on your laptop is 10.4.11...then you need to purchase the retail version of Leopard first.

With Mac OS 10.4.11 installed on your laptop currently...here are your options to upgrade to OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard":

- Purchase 10.5 as soon as you want (retail price at the Apple Store is $129), and upgrade to Snow Leopard later for $29.

- Purchase 10.6 when it is released (Probably for $129, who knows if it will cost more or not)...but you may have to wait up to 30+ days until it is released.

Personally...I would choose option #1. Your computer is running OS 10.4.11..a version that it's probably not even supposed to be running...plus if you install 10.5 as soon as possible...you will then know if your trackpad is truly "busted"...or if it is just a Mac OS software issue.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

If the latest version of the Mac OS on your laptop is 10.4.11...then you need to purchase the retail version of Leopard first.

With Mac OS 10.4.11 installed on your laptop currently...here are your options to upgrade to OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard":

- Purchased 10.5 as soon as you want (retail price at the Apple Store is $129), and upgrade to Snow Leopard later for $29.

- Purchase 10.6 when it is released (Probably for $129, who knows if it will cost more or not)...but you may have to wait up to 30+ days until it is released.

Personally...I would choose option #1. Your computer is running OS 10.4.11..a version that it's probably not even supposed to be running...plus if you install 10.5 as soon as possible...you will then know if your trackpad is truly "busted"...or if it is just a Mac OS software issue.

- Nick

Click to expand...

Gotcha. I found the Mac Box on Amazon for $117 so ill probably pick it up!

PS- Should I be able to watch DVD's on this Mac and will it support the Snow Leopard?

Ragana said:

Gotcha. I found the Mac Box on Amazon for $117 so ill probably pick it up!

PS- Should I be able to watch DVD's on this Mac and will it support the Snow Leopard?

Click to expand...

You could possibly get a copy of OS 10.5 on e-Bay for even less...but I wouldn't expect anything lower than $100...and that may be optimistic on my part.

Good luck,

- Nick

Ragana said:

PS- Should I be able to watch DVD's on this Mac and will it support the Snow Leopard?

Click to expand...

You can DEFINITELY watch DVD's on your Mac...and all you need to run OS 10.6 is an Intel based Macintosh (in other words it has an Intel processor in it)...which your computer definitely has!

- Nick