Apple discovers issue with MacBook batteries, offers solutions

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 62
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    I was beginning to think that myself.



    At work a couple of people have bought Macbooks and both their batteries have failed. the first within two weeks of buying, the second within a month. Could it be that this is the new logic board problem?



    At least it's nowhere near as serious and people just have to request a new battery and send the bad one back but why is it so hard to get batteries right? Is this Sony's problem again?



    It's definitely time for some battery technology improvements. Smaller, lighter, longer lasting.



    At this stage I think they would do well to start of FIRST to focus on batteries not exploding and stuff.
  • Reply 22 of 62
    cool11cool11 Posts: 73member
    I had no issues with my mbp battery. I have it 3 months and it is about 97-98%.

    Should I use the updater? Is it safe? Do I need it?
  • Reply 23 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cool11 View Post


    I had no issues with my mbp battery. I have it 3 months and it is about 97-98%.

    Should I use the updater? Is it safe? Do I need it?



    I used to have 3 hours of battery life before this update and now it's down to 2 using exactly the same configurations..if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
  • Reply 24 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The 244KB Battery Updater will check to see if a battery needs to be updated on startup, wake from sleep, and when a battery is inserted.



    I'm confused. Again. (Still?)



    What the hell is this update supposed to do? It added time to my boot up but that's it (as far as I know).



    Is it supposed to do something?



    You know, "Your battery is good," or "Your battery is screwed," or, "DUCK! Your battey was made by Sony and it's gonna explode!!!"
  • Reply 25 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by majordude View Post


    What the hell is this update supposed to do? It added time to my boot up but that's it (as far as I know).



    Is it supposed to do something?:



    It's to improve the functionality of the battery.



    A longer restart after installing any firmware is expected, but after that I noticed no change in startup time. The firmware notes indicate that it does do a check at startup, but the being a simple battery firmware check, this time is likely to short to be noticed.



    If you are having issues after the firmware update--which is rare, but possible--it means you need to update again as it didn't install correctly.
  • Reply 26 of 62
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    After a full charge my cycle count is 100.



    Has anyone with a cycle count under 300 returned their laptop to Apple for inspection? Did you get a new battery?
  • Reply 27 of 62
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cool11 View Post


    I had no issues with my mbp battery. I have it 3 months and it is about 97-98%. Should I use the updater? Is it safe? Do I need it?



    I think it will be fine to use the updater. That is my 2 cents. ...Have you been using 1 battery cycle *every day* for the past 3 months??



    Do download Coconut Battery (it's very good and very free) and let us know what results that reports.
  • Reply 28 of 62
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    It's to improve the functionality of the battery.



    A longer restart after installing any firmware is expected, but after that I noticed no change in startup time. The firmware notes indicate that it does do a check at startup, but the being a simple battery firmware check, this time is likely to short to be noticed.....



    Bingo.
  • Reply 29 of 62
    I have a Core2Duo MacBook that had very serious battery problems early on. After six months I was only getting about half the normal battery life. Guess I had one of the bad batteries which was, of course, promptly replaced at an Apple Store as soon as I noticed the problem.
  • Reply 30 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    It's to improve the functionality of the battery.



    So, no news is good news?



    Am I supposed to check on something or will it signal me if there is an issue?
  • Reply 31 of 62
    solarsolar Posts: 84member
    I just had my C2D macbook battery replaced this week. In my particular case my battery was low <5%, and I thought that I had powered it off but I had just put it to sleep. I left it in my office for a few days unplugged while I was out of town and the machine went completly dead.. When I powered it back up the computer would no longer recognize the battery.





    AppleCare had me reset the PMU. I did that, but the battery didn't come back so I recieved a new one in about 2 days via DHL.



    It seems to me that the battery has it's own pmu or something similar, and when the battery was completely drained that unit crashed and couldnt' be revived..
  • Reply 32 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Solar View Post


    AppleCare had me reset the PMU. I did that, but the battery didn't come back so I recieved a new one in about 2 days via DHL.



    Since switching to Intel, Apple has droppped PMU and in favor of System Management Controller (SMC). as far as I can tell, it the same fricken thing. Anyone know why they changed it?
  • Reply 33 of 62
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheMadMilkman View Post


    I have a Core2Duo MacBook that had very serious battery problems early on. After six months I was only getting about half the normal battery life. Guess I had one of the bad batteries which was, of course, promptly replaced at an Apple Store as soon as I noticed the problem.



    Good stuff.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by majordude View Post


    So, no news is good news?

    Am I supposed to check on something or will it signal me if there is an issue?



    Yeah I had no notices or nothin' so no news *is* good news in general when it comes to the Mac.

    <excuse to bash Windows>Unlike Windoze when no news means your PC is rotting away and getting laggier</excuse>.
  • Reply 34 of 62
    solarsolar Posts: 84member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Since switching to Intel, Apple has droppped PMU and in favor of System Management Controller (SMC). as far as I can tell, it the same fricken thing. Anyone know why they changed it?



    Yeah I got them confused.. Even the applecare rep said pmu once on accident..



    Old habits..



    -S
  • Reply 35 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Solar View Post


    I just had my C2D macbook battery replaced this week. In my particular case my battery was low <5%, and I thought that I had powered it off but I had just put it to sleep. I left it in my office for a few days unplugged while I was out of town and the machine went completly dead.. When I powered it back up the computer would no longer recognize the battery.





    AppleCare had me reset the PMU. I did that, but the battery didn't come back so I recieved a new one in about 2 days via DHL.



    It seems to me that the battery has it's own pmu or something similar, and when the battery was completely drained that unit crashed and couldnt' be revived..



    I've heard of that happening to a few people I know. I don't know why it happens, but none of them have had problems with their replacement batteries.
  • Reply 36 of 62
    I tried this battery update, as well as checking the Coconut Battery program.. which states this:

    Current Battery Charge: 5130 mAh

    Maximum Battery Charge: 5229 mAh

    98%



    Current Battery Capacity: 5228 mAh

    Original Battery Capacity: 5500 mAh

    95%



    Battery loadcycles-96

    Age of your mac 8 months

    Charger connected: yes

    Battery is charging: no





    yet, when I unplug, the computer promptly shuts down... time for a trip to the apple store? or is there a quick fix?
  • Reply 37 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ChrisSamsa View Post


    yet, when I unplug, the computer promptly shuts down... time for a trip to the apple store? or is there a quick fix?



    If this was not happening before the update, then reinstall the update and restart twice.
  • Reply 38 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Shazzam! Look at that increased battery performance! Four whopping MAhs.
    Date: 2007.04.27 (pre-update)

    Current Capacity 5152 MAh (99%)





    Date: 2007.04.29 (post-update)

    Current Capacity: 5156 MAh (99%)





    Age: 2 months

    Original Capacity: 5200 MAh

    Battery-Loadcycles: 20

  • Reply 39 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    If this was not happening before the update, then reinstall the update and restart twice.



    It was happening before the update, i was hoping for the solution.
  • Reply 40 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ChrisSamsa View Post


    It was happening before the update, i was hoping for the solution.



    Have you checked the Apple Docs pages or Appledefects?
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