2006 MBP diagnosis

[Chemadian]

Hey everyone,

I am looking to revive my old MBP (model #) but unfortunately it has some issues and I am looking for some help diagnosing the problems.

So this is a run down of problems I have noticed:

1. I replaced the battery about two years ago because it would not hold a charge and about six months later the battery again would not hold a charge. I don't exactly know what would cause this premature battery disfunction but might be related to the bigger problem?

2. The screen has a "glitch" line running through the center of it, this one isn't too mysterious I know the prescription is a new screen. However, I am wondering if this sort of a glitch could cause more problems, maybe even cause the system to crash...this brings me to the final/main problem

3. When doing standard tasks like checking emails, running iTunes etc the computer gets really hot, more so than normal and subsequently shuts down or freezes. My guess is the logic board is probably shot, but I am open to suggestions in order to diagnose my problems correctly!

Thanks in advance!

 

[kribensis12]

I am no expert, but I may be able to help.
1. I highly doubt anything is contributing to that. You may have bought a non-genuine apple battery or maybe it was a dysfunctional one.

2. Glitch line? As in dead pixels? If it is dead pixels, they should not interfere with the computers day to day operations.

3. Hmm. Is your HD failing? It might be the start of an HD issue. Also, are your fans working properly? I would look into a SMC reset. Here is some software I'd look into it you can download it on there before it shuts down (or download on another computer and install via flash drive).

Onyx : It will tell you if you HD is failing or not.
SMC Fan Control: It will tell you how fast your fans are spinning and what temperature your computer is at and will also allow you to make the fans spin as fast as you like (I think the maximum may be 6000 rpm).

Just my 2 cents.

 

[MacDude121]

1. Sounds like you got a defective, or just a cheap battery in general. I doubt this is caused by some other problem within the computer.

2. Sounds like a string of dead or stuck pixels. A new screen will probably fix this, and like before, probably isn't related to any other problems. In order to find out if it's actually the screen, or possibly a graphics issue, simply take a screen shot of the desktop, if the line is not in the screen shot, it's the LCD.

3. If your computer is overheating, the easiest way to try and fix this is to buy a can of compressed air and clean the vents. And if you feel comfortable, you can also take the top case off and clean the inside as well.

Good luck.

 

[Chemadian]

kribensis12,

Thanks for the suggested software downloads, i will try them out tonight when i get home and see if i can get some answers!

MacDude121,

Thanks for suggesting the screen shot, i wouldn't have thought about doing that to diagnose the problem behind the glitch/dead pixels! Also i will try cleaning the vents and internals.

kribensis12 & MacDude121,

As for the battery issue, when i first replaced the battery it worked for a few months, then it started having problems holding a charge, now when i turn the computer on it has an X through the battery so it's officially pooched!

I bring this up because i'm wondering if these battery issues are related to other problems. It was my dad's MBP before he gave it to me and to be honest he didn't use it correctly in my opinion. I say this because he used it essentially as a desktop, it was connected to an apple cinema display so the MBP was always on (charging) and was kept in a drawer. I know that this is normally a common arrangement...in fact i have the same sort of setup BUT i'm wondering if the lack of ventilation in the drawer could cause extreme overheating and subsequently damage components?

Thanks again for your suggestions!

 

[kribensis12]

If the laptop were over heating it should shut off to prevent overheating. It's okay to hook it up to a display. It's just a waste of money in my opinion because you bought a laptop instead of a Mac Mini. Your just not using the display on your computer.

Make sure when you open it up, you ground yourself so you don't kill any of the components with a static shock.

 

[EvenStranger]

If it's a genuine Apple battery and it was purchased retail, you have a 1 year warranty on the battery. If it was purchased as a service part, i.e., through the Genius Bar, it's only got a 90 day warranty. Third-party batteries have varying warranties, so check with the manufacturer/reseller.

 

[Chemadian]

If the laptop were over heating it should shut off to prevent overheating. It's okay to hook it up to a display. It's just a waste of money in my opinion because you bought a laptop instead of a Mac Mini. Your just not using the display on your computer.

Ok good to know, well i need a MBP for university but i like hooking it up to larger display when i play around in filemaker, photoshop etc.

 

[Chemadian]

after running a couple of the suggested tests i have some new information

1. Onyx did not report any problems with the HD
2. The glitches did show up in the screen shots (see attached pics)

Any further tests or information is appreciated!