What happened to my iBook today?

Stevejac · Mar 7, 2004

My iBook was fine when put to sleep earlier today. When I went to use it again this afternoon, the sleep light wasn't on. The machine was very warm, especially over the area to the right of the touch pad (where the battery is) and to the left (where I understand is the location of the hard drive). The notebook was, as you'd imagine, plugged into the charger.

Not only was it not asleep--it wouldn't respond to the power button either.

I removed the battery, waited a moment, and replaced it. The machine booted and runs normally now.

I understand why it might not boot. I'd imagine that the OS was totally messed up. I'm a PC guy and I've seen this happen in the Microsoft world.

What I don't understand and worry about it the fact that the machine was so warm. I didn't hear the fan going (I've never yet heard the fan on this notebook). Knowing that heat is dangerous to electronics, I'm worried about this. Any ideas?

Also, since this is my first Mac and I'm by no means convinced that Apple is superior to MS/Intel, I have to point out that this reboot is a procedure I've also had to do on my Gateway notebook. The point is that I've now done it once on each machine. The gateway is 10 months old; the mac is exactly 2 weeks old. Of couse I can't make any particular conclusion from this except that I'm going to buy the Apple Care warranty.

Anyway, what does this heat episode say about this machine?

mpeters13 · Mar 14, 2004

Stevejac said:
My iBook was fine when put to sleep earlier today. When I went to use it again this afternoon, the sleep light wasn't on. The machine was very warm, especially over the area to the right of the touch pad (where the battery is) and to the left (where I understand is the location of the hard drive). The notebook was, as you'd imagine, plugged into the charger.

Not only was it not asleep--it wouldn't respond to the power button either.

I removed the battery, waited a moment, and replaced it. The machine booted and runs normally now.

I understand why it might not boot. I'd imagine that the OS was totally messed up. I'm a PC guy and I've seen this happen in the Microsoft world.

What I don't understand and worry about it the fact that the machine was so warm. I didn't hear the fan going (I've never yet heard the fan on this notebook). Knowing that heat is dangerous to electronics, I'm worried about this. Any ideas?

Also, since this is my first Mac and I'm by no means convinced that Apple is superior to MS/Intel, I have to point out that this reboot is a procedure I've also had to do on my Gateway notebook. The point is that I've now done it once on each machine. The gateway is 10 months old; the mac is exactly 2 weeks old. Of couse I can't make any particular conclusion from this except that I'm going to buy the Apple Care warranty.

Anyway, what does this heat episode say about this machine?

That is really weird. No clue what could have happened. Do you remember what you were using before the computer went to sleep? Are you using any customization utilities? I know there's one that prevent the iBook from falling a sleep when the lid is closed which will cause the problems you mention. Though... don't get me wrong. I'm not pointing any fingers here.

Stevejac · Mar 16, 2004

Not completely sure

My son had been using it running IE (he won't use Safari) and AIM IM, he says. He didn't explicity put it to sleep. He just closed the lid.

mpeters13 said:
That is really weird. No clue what could have happened. Do you remember what you were using before the computer went to sleep? Are you using any customization utilities? I know there's one that prevent the iBook from falling a sleep when the lid is closed which will cause the problems you mention. Though... don't get me wrong. I'm not pointing any fingers here.

lsuperguy · Mar 17, 2004

When I first got my iBook G4 (December 2003) that same type thing happend to me. Instead of putting it to sleep before the incident though, I turned it off instead and the same thing happened. I don't know why it happened, but it hasn't happened to me since.

Hope that makes you feel a bit better about it. Best I can do.

spider · Mar 17, 2004

IBook

I have a new Ibook, about a week old now, I'm also a new Switcher. I've noticed the bottom of my Ibook very hot at times. Especially during being plugged in and recharging. The other night it smelled like plastic burning, slightly. I don't think these units have cooling fans, just ported vents on the back of the units. Anyhow, it's been cooler now most of the time,but it is something to watch. Is it the old, "computer motherboad burn-in"? Let's hope it gets it over with.

On the swiching side, I think the way the applications all work together and share info much better than anything on a MS machine. Lets hope the hardware holds up.

Stevejac · Mar 17, 2004

They do have fans I've been told

Mind you, I've never heard mine. If it smells like burning plastic, I'd watch it closely. My gets warm but not that warm.

witeshark · Mar 18, 2004

Never just close the iBook! Common sense! Mac iBooks rule, but please remember no Mac is magic! A little care and sense goes a long way, maybe it was trying to run crons while the display was closed! Not a good idea! notebooks need care in shutting down before closing! Ask the Apple store people about these things

Macs rule -but they are not magic Know your system!

Root · Mar 21, 2004

i hate to say it, but...

"Never just close the iBook! Common sense! Mac iBooks rule, but please remember no Mac is magic! A little care and sense goes a long way, maybe it was trying to run crons while the display was closed! Not a good idea! notebooks need care in shutting down before closing! Ask the Apple store people about these things Macs rule -but they are not magic Know your system!"

i have an iBook, my first mac/apple. I wouldnt call myself a switcher, more of a hybrid. But i have had this same problem at times. It hasnt happened lately, probably because it rarely sees more than 40 - 50 minutes of use in a sitting.

onto my next order of business. PC Laptops you can just close. It seems that they can take more abuse,

Apple builds there products on their "innovative ideas" essentially their prettyness. Instead of their quality. iBooks have poor heat problems, especially when plugged in. Their backlights have been known to die. Their CD trays seem rather flimsy. The computer sleeps when the lid is closed to "extend screen life". I have never heard of a PC LCD screen dying because of heat problems. pc laptops run with the lid closed (unless otherwise set not to).

It seems that with iBooks especially the prettyness doesnt outweigh the loss.

witeshark · Mar 21, 2004

Stevejac said:
My son had been using it running IE (he won't use Safari) and AIM IM, he says. He didn't explicity put it to sleep. He just closed the lid.

Well that's the problem. always sleep the iBook before closing the lid! I wouldn't even close the lid all the way unless a full shut down...

Padawan · Mar 21, 2004

witeshark said:
Never just close the iBook! Common sense! Mac iBooks rule, but please remember no Mac is magic! A little care and sense goes a long way, maybe it was trying to run crons while the display was closed! Not a good idea! notebooks need care in shutting down before closing! Ask the Apple store people about these things Macs rule -but they are not magic Know your system!

I'm not sure who informed you that closing the lid will cause some sort of problem with your iBook, but it won't. Closing the lid has the same effect as putting the computer to sleep with the power button. OS X's Help section even informs you that, "On iBooks and PowerBooks, the computer automatically sleeps when you close the lid". If this caused problems, one would assume there'd be a warning there.

To clear up some things from other posts here:

- Yes, the iBook does have a fan. Mine rarely comes on, but does occasionally when I'm doing something especially processor-intensive, or the hard-drive has been writing for a while (while installing something) and the machine is charging.

- I have to disagree with the comments about Apple's quality (or lack thereof). I haven't had a single problem with my iBook, something that can't be said for any of the PC's I've ever owned (including a number of high-priced Windoze notebooks). My iBook gets warm, but no warmer than my old PC notebook. Also, the idea behind having the computer sleep rather than continue running with the display closed it to allow heat to radiate, not to extend the display life.

What happened to my iBook today?

Stevejac

Guest

mpeters13

Stevejac

Guest

lsuperguy

Guest

spider

Guest

Stevejac

Guest

witeshark

Root

Guest

witeshark

Padawan

Shop Amazon