out of the blue shutdown problems....

ok, so this has probably been a recurring theme here, but my macbook randomly shuts down- almost lost 6 pages of a paper I was writing but word recovered all but a few lines! I tried the firmware update- I don't need it. I got my computer a little over a year ago- running version 10.4.10.

I attempted to update the firmware- computer says it doesn't need that update. ok. well, I know we purchased the extended care plan, so does anyone think I have to send in my computer to have it fixed? (the closest apple store is 5 hours away)

anyways, let me know what ya think.

also, it's not often (mostly cause I don't unplug my computer very often)

Do you leave your computer on all the time?

If it were me nd I could not determine the problem then yes I would take it in.

Install istat pro and post your temperatures and fan speeds, please. The program is here:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/istatpro.html

muirgheal said:

ok, so this has probably been a recurring theme here, but my macbook randomly shuts down- almost lost 6 pages of a paper I was writing

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I'm sorry and I know this is off-topic and not really any help... but I can't help but think of Ellen Feiss after reading that.

If you paid for Apple Care, then it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and take it to an authorized repair center. The Apple Store might be too far, but there might be a shop with Certified Apple Techs that is closer to you.

It could very well be a hardware problem, but it may also just be overheating due to say, dust buildup. I'd say it's worth doing some basic troubleshooting before lugging it all the way into the store... imo, anyhow.

I have Istat pro, though what it'll do to help me, I dunno.
and yes, I leave it on all the time- plugged in mostly
again, closest store or authorized place is 5 hours away ( I am in upstate NY in allegheny county)

muirgheal said:

I have Istat pro, though what it'll do to help me, I dunno.
and yes, I leave it on all the time- plugged in mostly
again, closest store or authorized place is 5 hours away ( I am in upstate NY in allegheny county)

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Geeky1 said:

Install istat pro and post your temperatures and fan speeds, please.

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It may not do anything to help you. Unless you try it, we won't know. We're trying to diagnose a problem without being able to sit down in front of the computer and play around with it. It very well may be something where the computer needs to go back to Apple for, but we need to start somewhere. As I said earlier, it could be a hardware problem, but it may also just be overheating due to say, dust buildup; it's a long shot since it happens at random, but it may just be that it happens when the CPU is working harder than normal. I don't know. But, there are only a handful of things that can cause random shutdowns. One of them-one of the primary causes, in fact, at least in my experience-is heat.

Other things it could be is a failing battery or AC adapter or both, a failing logic board... What exactly did you mean when you said that it doesn't happen often because you leave it plugged in? Does this ONLY happen on battery power?

ok, sorry, it was morning...
anyways:
temps:
cpu A: 146
heatsink A: 175
heatsink b: 135
enclosure bottom: 86
northbridge 1: 124
northbridge 2: 128
mem bank A1: 117
HD my computer: 88

fans:
exhaust: 1548 RPM

these temps are after it slept for a while while I was at classes

sometimes the fan sounds like it's a jet engine about to take off, so I know the fan gets a lot faster than that.
once I was uncomfortable with how hot it was getting (it was on my lap) so I put an ice pack under it and that made it quiet down and cool down.

this only happens when the computer is unplugged

muirgheal said:

I was uncomfortable with how hot it was getting (it was on my lap) so I put an ice pack under it and that made it quiet down and cool down.

this only happens when the computer is unplugged

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NEVER put an icepack anywhere near your computer.
If you absolutely must use it in your lap, then get a lapdesk or a cooling fan plate for it.
Best advice is to simply not use it on a lap, it wasn't designed for that (it is a notebook computer, despite what coloquialisms are out there that call it a "laptop").