I am facing random troubles on my spanking new MacBook Pro 17".

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
<All problems solved.>
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    I can't explain why it's happening, but there is a problem that needs service. This is not just quirky. It is a machine, after all, even if it is one made by Apple.
  • Reply 2 of 34
    1. This could be related to 7. Did you try resetting the PMU and all the other resets that can be found on Apple's support website?



    2. Try hitting the control and then the eject key. This should bring up a dialog asking you whether you want to shut your computer down (press return for that), put it to sleep (press S) or restart (press R) or cancel (press ESC). Logout works also by pressing the "command" (Apple) key plus "shift" plus "Q".



    3. If using more than one program at a time, the 1.5 GB you've had installed is mandatory. Mac OS X uses memory in a different way than Windows, though. It tries to have as much memory used as possible - and that's a good thing, actually. So don't be confused when Activity Monitor shows only 24 MB of "free" memory (as my computer does right now). The important number is - if I remember correctly - the amount of "active" Memory. And, of course, the number of pageins/pageouts (the higher those numbers are, the more memory is being / has been used. So it is perfectly normal that there is not much of the "free" memory left after half an hour of usage.



    4. When more than the 1.5 GB that are physically in the machine is used, virtual memory kicks in. Parts of the RAM's content is written to the hard drive, which is why everything slows down (RAM access to data is more than 100 times faster than hard drive access to the same data). This is perfectly normal and also happens on Windows machines. In fact, every Unix and Linux system does this, too.



    5. Sorry, I don't have a solution for that problem.



    6. The slowness seems to be a quite common problem. Does the slowness happen when you're using Front Row for the first time after a reboot or does it happen also after that? When Front Row is started for the first time and you want to listen to music, for example, it first launches iTunes in the background and checks the library for all the necessary information. This takes a few seconds (depending on how much content there is in your iTunes library). After all the information is collected, you can see all the nice album art, etc. in Front Row.



    7. This is clearly happening because you're not using the power adapter with the extension cord, which has a ground wire connection to the wall socket. If you're using the ungrounded plug that directly plugs in to the power adapter, very small, but still noticeable amounts of static electricity can build up and is then "discharged" through your body. This "behaviour" exists since the early days of the alu PowerBooks and is not really harmful.



    8. When running Software Update, certain parts of the system software are getting updated. At a certain point, it is not possible to open any new applications or the System Preferences. This is because of safety reasons concerning the software update. You should never use your computer for anything else when software update is running, otherwise the update process could be interrupted, leaving your system half-updated or, even worse, corrupted. Be sure to force power down your computer only as a last resort (use the procedure in 2. or use the "command-alt-ESC" key combination to "kill" an application first before pulling the plug.



    SMC: when your computer already has the latest firmware version (depending on the manufacturing date of your MBP), the SMC update is not needed. They just gave you the standard response #1 instead of thinking one step further...





    I hope all the information I gave you can assure you that most of the problems you've encoutered so far are mostly normal behaviour - or maybe caused by user error (because you didn't know better then - but you now do, right?).
  • Reply 3 of 34
    These are most certainly abnormal. You can try doing a clean install of your OS (if you haven't already)... that may solve your problems. Works for me.

    And then you might just have a bad notebook. Call Apple and have them send you a box, and they'll ship you a new one.



    Hope this helps.
  • Reply 4 of 34
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    return that sucker, you got a lemon.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sandau


    return that sucker, you got a lemon.



    Agreed. Tell them you want a new one, no exceptions. It happens sometimes. Just tell them it's shocking people. That should do it.
  • Reply 6 of 34
    <All problems solved.>
  • Reply 7 of 34
    One more thing: you could have a bad hard drive in your system that needs to be replaced (unfortunately, this can happen to new computers as well). That would make the whole system very slow sometimes, particularly when it needs to access virtual memory a lot or when accessing all the video information for FrontRow.



    All the rest (except for the static problem), in my opinion, is software-related. I would strongly suggest you reinstall your whole system from scratch (using the "Archive and Reinstall" option, which keeps all your data and applications, replacing only the operating system; google for more information) and please never interrupt the software update process or force shut down the running system unless it is the last resort (Software updates should also be applied only when the computer is freshly rebooted and with no applications open in the background. This all helps ensuring that the system is working stable).



    The RAM allocation in OS X will not change, no matter what you wish it would. Once again, the free memory section is not relevant and no, the so-called "left behind parts" of memory from other applications are not left behind. Search the forums here for a detailed instruction on how the memory allocation works in OS X, i can assure you it works waaay more efficient than the Windows one! Remember, OS X is a completely different operating system, so don't even think of expecting that the two are behaving the same (or need to be used the same way)



    The mysterious "box": when Apple decides your notebook needs to be serviced, they send you a cardboard box (very much like the one your notebook was in when you bought it) in which you put your notebook. It then is shipped to repair and back to you. Oh, and no, unfortunately Apple does not back up or transfer your data from one computer to the other.



    PMU-Reset: google "PMU reset macbook".



    To some of the other posters above: did you actually read the original post before all agreeing that he/she got a lemon? Most of the problems can indeed be solved...



    Good luck!
  • Reply 8 of 34
    This is a lot to do for a new notebook. This is very abnormal behavior-- you shouldn't be fixing anything this new. Send it back, seriously. This IS NOT par for the course in the Mac world. You don't need to suffer the same way you used to-- not when it's so new.
  • Reply 9 of 34
    <All problems solved.>
  • Reply 10 of 34
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    why do you still have this thing. return it immediately.
  • Reply 11 of 34
    I don't know exactly what the guys from AppleCare say, which steps you will have to follow to make them aknowledge it is a hardware defect, but usually one of their advices is a reinstall of the operating system. If you have had your notebook for a few days only, then they're more willing to exchange it, but when you were using your machine for a few weeks, they're usually quite reluctant to do so.



    Until proven otherwise, yes, I still think a lot of this is caused by a corrupted operating system. (Believe me, I'm using and supporting OS X on a number of computers every day since the early days of the first Public Beta of 10.0 and every Mac system before that all the way back to 1989 - System 6.0.5 - so I know a little bit about corrupted OS's.) Number 9 really don't seem to be caused by any hardware defect whatsoever (except: see below, hard drive) and 10 could (hardware-wise) be caused by a dead battery only, which you would notice when using your machine on battery for a longer period, as it would simply shut off then too. But if it doesn't do so when using the machine and only does it when your putting it to sleep, then it must be something with the software that invokes the sleep - which is the operating system again...



    The only hardware defect I could think of is the hard drive. It is used all the time and is crucial to a stable operating system. IF your hard drive were on the way of dying, things like you mentioned above could easily happen (e.g. corrupting the safe sleep swapfile or dictionnary files or any other file on the system).



    To check if your hard drive is still "healthy", go to Utilities --> Disk Utility and then select the main hard drive top left. In the lower right corner, below Total Capacity and Write Status, there is the S.M.A.R.T. status. Does that one say anything else than "verified"? Or does the drive make any unusual clicking sounds (loud clicking) when used?



    If the hard drive seems to be working correctly and does not make any unusual sounds, I honestly do not have any other suggestions than reinstalling the system (google for "archive and reinstall"), as suggested before. That should put back in order the operating system - leaving your data on the machine as well as any applications you have installed.



    Perhaps you better get those AppleCare guys on the phone as soon as possible and find out what they think!



    P.S. Try one more thing: go to System Preferences --> Accounts and create a new user. Then log out using the Apple menu --> Log Out XXX and log into the new account. Does Safari do the dictionary thing, too? If not, some of the settings and preferences in your main user account are shot and you'd have to move all your stuff into the new account that is working well - which would save you the reinstall.
  • Reply 12 of 34
    <All problems solved.>
  • Reply 13 of 34
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    How long do you leave a computer to do its stuff before concluding that it's crashed and must be force-restarted? All sorts of things can be stuffed up by force-shutting-down a machine.



    That being said, it does sound like you've got hardware problems. A healthy Mac doesn't crash. Ever.



    The memory usage sounds like normal OS X behaviour - you bought the RAM so the OS might as well use it, right?
  • Reply 14 of 34
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gwoodpecker


    3. If using more than one program at a time, the 1.5 GB you've had installed is mandatory.



    Rubbish! Go ask Kickaha how many programs he runs simultaneously with 512 MB RAM installed. I used 768 MB RAM on a 500 MHz G4 powerbook running 10.3.9 and never encountered any memory-swapping when running multiple programs. My girlfriend also has 768 MB RAM and also doesn't have RAM issues. Currently, I am on a MacBook with 1 GB RAM, and again, no slow-down issues running multiple programs.
  • Reply 15 of 34
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  • Reply 16 of 34
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    I don't think they will accept it back unless you have reinstalled the OS as part of the troubleshooting. Go ahead and do an Archive and Install.
  • Reply 17 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush


    Guys, is there a chance that I might get the new Core 2 Duo machine if I send it in for replacement? And BTW, will my machine be accepted for replacement or will they simply repair it?



    simply: NO! They will replace your machine with a refurbished one - IF and only IF it really has a hardware defect. If only one part is not working, they will replace that part and send your machine back.



    The only chance of getting a brand new machine is when the machine has been unsuccessfully repaired three times. Then it is officially declared a lemon and you'll get a new machine. BUT that does NOT, I repeat, NOT mean that you automatically get one of the newest models. That happens only when Apple has no more stock of the same model that you own right now!
  • Reply 18 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush


    OK. I'll confess something here. I am very very tempted to send my machine in for replacement and see whether they send me a Core 2 Duo instead, so I am deliberately avoiding gwoodpecker's suggestions fearing that they might fix the system. LOL! Am I making sense? After all, what's the harm, I will actually be getting a cheaper machine if Apple does give me the Core 2 Duo instead and Apple will make more money because I'll extend the RAM to 3GB.

    So, please tell me honestly, should I or shouldn't I send the machine in for replacement?



    And to gwoodpecker, I am very glad that you are persisting with me. Thank you for the effort! But don't you think that I do not deserve all these problems, whether hardware or software related, on a brand new MacBook Pro?



    Of course you do not deserve all those problems, but to get them fixed, you will first have to follow the instructions of the AppleCare guys - which, as Lundy confirmed as well, for sure includes reinstalling the OS. Apple will NOT repair any machine that shows your symptons without a reinstall first. They will not do the "work" you can do yourself in a few simple steps.



    So deliberately NOT following advice from Mac users who really want to help you and spend quite some time pointing out solutions AND then asking for a brand spanking machine when most of the errors can be solved for sure, is - in my humble opinion - a very immature behaviour.



    Now call AppleCare! End of story.
  • Reply 19 of 34
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  • Reply 20 of 34
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