Newb needs help

Hi,

I just got my mbp a few days ago, and I'm wondering if there are some people who can answer some of my questions. This is my first laptop, so please bear with the stupidity -____-

1) Is it bad to work with your laptop on your lap? Is it better to have it on a flat surface?
2) It's making a weird growling noise that has been happening just yesterday. It sounds like a stomach growling. In fact, that's what I thought it was before I realized it was coming from the laptop.
3) Does it damage the laptop if I move it while the disk is still spinning?
4) I partitioned the disk space so that I have windows on it, but when I start windows, I sometimes get a blue screen that tells me there's a disk error. I don't quite remember what it says, but it has happened to me twice already and it's really scaring me.
5) At one point, the trackpad wouldn't let me click and I had to restart before it began to work again. Just a little glitch or a problem?

Thanks for your help in advance.

pbjsandwich said:

1) Is it bad to work with your laptop on your lap? Is it better to have it on a flat surface?

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Not bad on your lap, better on a flat surface. These machines can get a bit warm. From an ergonomics standpoint you're going to save your wrists by wresting them on a flat surface leading up to the keyboard whenever possible.

pbjsandwich said:

2) It's making a weird growling noise that has been happening just yesterday. It sounds like a stomach growling. In fact, that's what I thought it was before I realized it was coming from the laptop.

Click to expand...

That doesn't sound too good. Did you buy it from an Apple store? If so, good idea to bring it in and ask them about it. You may also want to try running Disk Utility, pointing at your HD and clicking the Verify Disk button. I'm a newb to this as well but it's a starting point.

pbjsandwich said:

3) Does it damage the laptop if I move it while the disk is still spinning?

Click to expand...

Not if you move it gently! Laptops are designed to be moved frequently. Just try to be careful.

pbjsandwich said:

4) I partitioned the disk space so that I have windows on it, but when I start windows, I sometimes get a blue screen that tells me there's a disk error. I don't quite remember what it says, but it has happened to me twice already and it's really scaring me.

Click to expand...

I think that may be related to the disk growling but I'm not sure.

pbjsandwich said:

5) At one point, the trackpad wouldn't let me click and I had to restart before it began to work again. Just a little glitch or a problem?

Click to expand...

Sounds like a glitch - has it happened again since?

pbjsandwich said:

Hi,

I just got my mbp a few days ago, and I'm wondering if there are some people who can answer some of my questions. This is my first laptop, so please bear with the stupidity -____-

Click to expand...

Don't worry about stupid questions, we all have them from time to time. Just keep reading the forums a while and you'll see that lots of posts begin with something about it being a "stupid question". And, welcome to the forums.

pbjsandwich said:

1) Is it bad to work with your laptop on your lap? Is it better to have it on a flat surface?

Click to expand...

Nah... I have had laptops for work for the past 10 years, and I've used mine in all kinds of odd positions. You don't need a flat surface, but it might actually be more comfortable to work that way.

pbjsandwich said:

2) It's making a weird growling noise that has been happening just yesterday. It sounds like a stomach growling. In fact, that's what I thought it was before I realized it was coming from the laptop.
4) I partitioned the disk space so that I have windows on it, but when I start windows, I sometimes get a blue screen that tells me there's a disk error. I don't quite remember what it says, but it has happened to me twice already and it's really scaring me.

Click to expand...

The noise and the blue screens both sound like a bad hard drive to me. Sounds like you got yourself a lemon there. No fear though, just give Apple support a ring and they should fix you right up.

pbjsandwich said:

3) Does it damage the laptop if I move it while the disk is still spinning?

Click to expand...

No. You can move your laptop all you want with it doing whatever. Just don't bang it around, especially while the disk is spinning. It is possible to damage the drive with impact.

pbjsandwich said:

5) At one point, the trackpad wouldn't let me click and I had to restart before it began to work again. Just a little glitch or a problem?

Click to expand...

Again, this sounds like it might be a hardware related problem. I would definitely suggest that you take it into an Apple store if you have one close by and have it checked out.

5.) Run software update (click on the apple in the top left of the screen and than software update) i believe that should keep that from happening ever again.