I just got my 15" AL back and I am thrilled with it (so far). The white spots are gone, and everything works perfectly. I hope everything stays the same, and I'll post updates either way.
one week and no white spots so far. one stuck pixel in an inconspicuous location is as good as my luck usually gets.
as for my battery charging/hard disk spin down issues, a few resets of the PMU seems to have fixed the problem. however, the battery no longer charges to 100%...it stops at 99%. oddly, it now runs on battery power til 1%, where as previously it went to sleep at 6%.
i still have 5 keys that stick and will need repair.
any thoughts on whether i should push for a replacement based on the PMU issues? not sure if it is potentially a serious hardware problem.
as for my battery charging/hard disk spin down issues, a few resets of the PMU seems to have fixed the problem. however, the battery no longer charges to 100%...it stops at 99%. oddly, it now runs on battery power til 1%, where as previously it went to sleep at 6%.
i still have 5 keys that stick and will need repair.
any thoughts on whether i should push for a replacement based on the PMU issues? not sure if it is potentially a serious hardware problem.
Sometimes the battery will not charge up to 100%. This is to prevent "overcharging" which can physically damage a battery. Sometimes when the charge has only dropped a little, as in it was disconnected from the charger for only a few minutes, it will not charge back to 100%. It may happen under other circumstances. If that is the only "problem", then you certainly don't need a new one.
Yeah mac's girl, as Spyky said, the battery doesn't always charge to 100%. PowerBook batteries have a finite number of charges they can take before their perfomance begins to degrade *significantly*. To avoid using up one of these limited number of charges for a few measily %, the 'Book won't charge the battery on connection to the mains if the battery is over 95% full.
Quote:
Originally posted by mac's girl quote:
Originally posted by mac's girl
... oddly, it now runs on battery power til 1%, where as previously it went to sleep at 6%.
Er, a battery's charge/discharge cycle doesn't have a whole lot to do with whether or not it hits 90%, 95%, or 100%.
What's going on is that the battery has it's own firmware and charging circuitry that meshes with the PMU. If the PMU (mobo) is replaced or otherwise reset, you need to recalibrate your battery. Read your manual for full instructions on what to do, but basically it boils down to:
Charge the battery to 100%. Leave it plugged in until it hits that, may take many hours if it's really fubared.
Unplug laptop, run battery to 0%, until it goes to sleep on its own. Do *not* plug it in when it says 'plug in'. Make it go into emergency sleep.
*NOW* plug it in, and charge it all the way 100% again. Even if it stays at 99% for several hours, *LEAVE IT*.
When it hits 100%, you're calibrated. The PMU and battery are now synced. You can now plug/unplug whenever you like during the charge/discharge cycle.
I went from ~2 hrs on my new PBG4 15 to almost 4 hrs average run time after doing this. It's buried in the manual, and is listed as important, and must be done during the first week of operation for best results. I think they should make it more obvious, but hey, that's what I get for not reading the manual.
hehe, thanks for the input, but gimme a *little* bit of credit here! i did calibrate the battery properly (more than once) the first time and after each PMU reset. it just stops charging (the light turns green) at 99% no matter how long i leave it plugged in. it really isnt a huge deal...whats 1%? im getting decent battery life. i dont need to use the battery all the time but ive only been doing so to make sure the charging problems are really gone for good. i dont think i could have depleted too many charging cycles in the one week ive owned this machine.
anyway, im satisfied with the rest, but the keys are turning into a bigger problem. now the F9 - F11 keys are sticking as well.
No problem, you're one of very few users I've met that knew they needed to do that.
Jeez, with all the problems people are having with post-repair PBs, I may hang onto my screen leprosy unit a while longer... I have *zero* other problems with it. Solid keyboard, flush edges, quiet drive, good battery life...
Jeez, with all the problems people are having with post-repair PBs, I may hang onto my screen leprosy unit a while longer... I have *zero* other problems with it. Solid keyboard, flush edges, quiet drive, good battery life...
i didnt have mine repaired. i took a replacement from the new batch. IMO, it feels inferior in quality to the first one i had. they may have fixed the screen but it seems they cut corners on everything else. all my joy of owning this machine has already been sucked dry.
i didnt have mine repaired. i took a replacement from the new batch. IMO, it feels inferior in quality to the first one i had. they may have fixed the screen but it seems they cut corners on everything else. all my joy of owning this machine has already been sucked dry.
This contradicts other reports I have read, affirming that the powerbooks from the new batch are noticeably sturdier, especially in the lid.
all my joy of owning this machine has already been sucked dry.
that is quite honestly the saddest comment i have seen/heard/read in months...poor child, a new computer should always be a joy...i hate to hear that from you and i truly hope you find some joy soon from your laptop....
g
ps. glad to have you back dear...will send a pm soon, sorry i haven't sooner...
not sure how this image fits the topic, but it is just soooo darn cute
anyway, im satisfied with the rest, but the keys are turning into a bigger problem. now the F9 - F11 keys are sticking as well. [/B]
My suggestion - send it back! I'm sure they'll repair it right away... you will only have your PB away for a few days and then it'll be perfect.
BTW got a new battery from apple the othe day and its a perfect fit! no loseness at all in the slot... now the thing charges without a problem! every time!
Er, a battery's charge/discharge cycle doesn't have a whole lot to do with whether or not it hits 90%, 95%, or 100%...
ER A battery *won't* charge if it is above 95% when you plug in it to the mains. Whether or not the maximum charge shows as 99% or 100%. That's all I meant.
This contradicts other reports I have read, affirming that the powerbooks from the new batch are noticeably sturdier, especially in the lid.
maybe it's the bad experience talking, i dont know. but i did notice right away that the aluminum seemed different in this one. aesthetically, i would say heavier and clunkier. but i suppose it is stronger too.
Quote:
Originally posted by thegelding
that is quite honestly the saddest comment i have seen/heard/read in months...poor child, a new computer should always be a joy...i hate to hear that from you and i truly hope you find some joy soon from your laptop....
oh, sympathy!!! thank you, my long lost buddy!! at the risk of sounding lame, i used to sit and admire my PB. now it's just ho-hum.
Quote:
Originally posted by rashumon
My suggestion - send it back! I'm sure they'll repair it right away... you will only have your PB away for a few days and then it'll be perfect.
i was waiting to see if there were any other problems i could have them check out while i send it back for the keyboard repair. it probably shouldn't take them very long to replace a keyboard though. glad your new battery arived and did the trick! hope you are enjoying your PB now.
Well after a 3rd keyboard repair (same sticking problem), the keyboard seemed ok. But now it's starting to stick again (after just1 day). They had replaced the top case assembly and the keyboard this time. I was told to call back if the problem showed up again since they have attempted a repair 3 times now. So, I guess I'll be calling bacrk after Thanksgiving.
Well after a 3rd keyboard repair (same sticking problem), the keyboard seemed ok. But now it's starting to stick again (after just1 day). They had replaced the top case assembly and the keyboard this time. I was told to call back if the problem showed up again since they have attempted a repair 3 times now. So, I guess I'll be calling bacrk after Thanksgiving.
im sorry to hear that. let me know how it goes. i hope they figure it out so they can fix mine properly too. it's really puzzling...i wonder what the problem could be caused by.
Well, as of yesterday I hit "week number 4" of owning this PowerBook and still (knock, knock, knock, knock...) no screen problems whatsoever...no white spots, no dead pixels, no shift in brightness across the display that I've heard others mention, etc.
Whew!
And I'm consistently getting well over 3 hours of battery life, so I guess that's pretty okay too. Being my first laptop (not counting a brief fling with a used tangerine iBook two years ago), I have nothing to compare it to, so to me three-and-a-half hours is acceptable.
I am going to Atlanta today to pick up a Base Station, spare power supply for travel and a mouse from the Apple Store. I think I will take the PowerBook with me and let one of the Genius Bar guys check out that play/squeak over the SuperDrive slot.
I read on a thread at macnn.com that someone having this same problem had it fixed by having one of the Apple Genius guys remove the top and reseat the SuperDrive. The poster mentioned that the guys at the Bar knew what this problem was and were able to take care of it right there, on the spot.
If I could get that one little irritating thing fixed ("SQUEAK, SQUEAK!!!"), I'd quite possibly have the PERFECT PowerBook!
We'll see...
In any case, by this evening I'll be surfing/e-mailing from the sofa, the bed, the front porch, the kitchen table, etc. Can't wait! I shall break the chains that tie me to this vile, cursed desk...I will be free! I will be free...and forever taste the nectar that is AirPort Extreme. Yea, for my people yearn to disencumber themselves from the shackles of the lowly Ethernet cable and the prison it represents... [cue swelling music]
I am glad I have wireless, and it is wonderful to be able to meander around the house, but I will say that I find myself being tethered to the wall most of the time for power, as I don't run off of battery TOO often. Also I use a mouse a lot so that is another cord, I would get a bluetooth mouse but I'm afraid battery life will go bad, and I want one that will work with my internal so that I don't have to have a nub sticking out of my PBook. I love my powerbook, except the screen which I'll get replaced in a week or so once I get more reports of proper repairs.
I've had my Powerbook back for a few days now and everything is still perfect, with the exception of one dead pixel about half a centimeter below the "AM" or "PM" of the clock. It's hardly noticeable and to be expected, I suppose.
But I am really thrilled with this machine. It feels incredibly solid. I was playing with my friend's new Dell laptop the other day and it feels like a flimsy peice of crap. One keypress pushes the whole keyboard down and it just feels cheap. I absolutely love my new Powerbook and consider it the best computer I have ever owned.
You should have seen the jealously in my friend's eyes when I turned off the lights and the backlit keyboard kicked in...
this thread is huge - but thanks for getting it going everyone... as much as I'd like a new PowerBook with AE, built in bluetooth, a SD and improved processor and memory, I think I'll wait a while longer to find out how these QC issues are resolved.
Comments
as for my battery charging/hard disk spin down issues, a few resets of the PMU seems to have fixed the problem. however, the battery no longer charges to 100%...it stops at 99%. oddly, it now runs on battery power til 1%, where as previously it went to sleep at 6%.
i still have 5 keys that stick and will need repair.
any thoughts on whether i should push for a replacement based on the PMU issues? not sure if it is potentially a serious hardware problem.
Originally posted by mac's girl
as for my battery charging/hard disk spin down issues, a few resets of the PMU seems to have fixed the problem. however, the battery no longer charges to 100%...it stops at 99%. oddly, it now runs on battery power til 1%, where as previously it went to sleep at 6%.
i still have 5 keys that stick and will need repair.
any thoughts on whether i should push for a replacement based on the PMU issues? not sure if it is potentially a serious hardware problem.
Sometimes the battery will not charge up to 100%. This is to prevent "overcharging" which can physically damage a battery. Sometimes when the charge has only dropped a little, as in it was disconnected from the charger for only a few minutes, it will not charge back to 100%. It may happen under other circumstances. If that is the only "problem", then you certainly don't need a new one.
-Spyky
Originally posted by Spyky
Sometimes the battery will not charge up to 100%.
Yeah mac's girl, as Spyky said, the battery doesn't always charge to 100%. PowerBook batteries have a finite number of charges they can take before their perfomance begins to degrade *significantly*. To avoid using up one of these limited number of charges for a few measily %, the 'Book won't charge the battery on connection to the mains if the battery is over 95% full.
Originally posted by mac's girl quote:
Originally posted by mac's girl
... oddly, it now runs on battery power til 1%, where as previously it went to sleep at 6%.
No biggie. I've used my PB on 0% battery before.
...The keys would piss me off though...
Guess what i just noticed?
4 of them so far.
cool
What's going on is that the battery has it's own firmware and charging circuitry that meshes with the PMU. If the PMU (mobo) is replaced or otherwise reset, you need to recalibrate your battery. Read your manual for full instructions on what to do, but basically it boils down to:
Charge the battery to 100%. Leave it plugged in until it hits that, may take many hours if it's really fubared.
Unplug laptop, run battery to 0%, until it goes to sleep on its own. Do *not* plug it in when it says 'plug in'. Make it go into emergency sleep.
*NOW* plug it in, and charge it all the way 100% again. Even if it stays at 99% for several hours, *LEAVE IT*.
When it hits 100%, you're calibrated. The PMU and battery are now synced. You can now plug/unplug whenever you like during the charge/discharge cycle.
I went from ~2 hrs on my new PBG4 15 to almost 4 hrs average run time after doing this. It's buried in the manual, and is listed as important, and must be done during the first week of operation for best results. I think they should make it more obvious, but hey, that's what I get for not reading the manual.
anyway, im satisfied with the rest, but the keys are turning into a bigger problem. now the F9 - F11 keys are sticking as well.
Jeez, with all the problems people are having with post-repair PBs, I may hang onto my screen leprosy unit a while longer... I have *zero* other problems with it. Solid keyboard, flush edges, quiet drive, good battery life...
Originally posted by Kickaha
Jeez, with all the problems people are having with post-repair PBs, I may hang onto my screen leprosy unit a while longer... I have *zero* other problems with it. Solid keyboard, flush edges, quiet drive, good battery life...
i didnt have mine repaired. i took a replacement from the new batch. IMO, it feels inferior in quality to the first one i had. they may have fixed the screen but it seems they cut corners on everything else. all my joy of owning this machine has already been sucked dry.
Originally posted by mac's girl
i didnt have mine repaired. i took a replacement from the new batch. IMO, it feels inferior in quality to the first one i had. they may have fixed the screen but it seems they cut corners on everything else. all my joy of owning this machine has already been sucked dry.
This contradicts other reports I have read, affirming that the powerbooks from the new batch are noticeably sturdier, especially in the lid.
Originally posted by mac's girl
all my joy of owning this machine has already been sucked dry.
that is quite honestly the saddest comment i have seen/heard/read in months...poor child, a new computer should always be a joy...i hate to hear that from you and i truly hope you find some joy soon from your laptop....
g
ps. glad to have you back dear...will send a pm soon, sorry i haven't sooner...
not sure how this image fits the topic, but it is just soooo darn cute
Originally posted by mac's girl
anyway, im satisfied with the rest, but the keys are turning into a bigger problem. now the F9 - F11 keys are sticking as well. [/B]
My suggestion - send it back! I'm sure they'll repair it right away... you will only have your PB away for a few days and then it'll be perfect.
BTW got a new battery from apple the othe day and its a perfect fit! no loseness at all in the slot... now the thing charges without a problem! every time!
Originally posted by Kickaha
Er, a battery's charge/discharge cycle doesn't have a whole lot to do with whether or not it hits 90%, 95%, or 100%...
ER
Originally posted by PB
This contradicts other reports I have read, affirming that the powerbooks from the new batch are noticeably sturdier, especially in the lid.
maybe it's the bad experience talking, i dont know. but i did notice right away that the aluminum seemed different in this one. aesthetically, i would say heavier and clunkier. but i suppose it is stronger too.
Originally posted by thegelding
that is quite honestly the saddest comment i have seen/heard/read in months...poor child, a new computer should always be a joy...i hate to hear that from you and i truly hope you find some joy soon from your laptop....
oh, sympathy!!! thank you, my long lost buddy!! at the risk of sounding lame, i used to sit and admire my PB. now it's just ho-hum.
Originally posted by rashumon
My suggestion - send it back! I'm sure they'll repair it right away... you will only have your PB away for a few days and then it'll be perfect.
i was waiting to see if there were any other problems i could have them check out while i send it back for the keyboard repair. it probably shouldn't take them very long to replace a keyboard though. glad your new battery arived and did the trick! hope you are enjoying your PB now.
Originally posted by jfried
Well after a 3rd keyboard repair (same sticking problem), the keyboard seemed ok. But now it's starting to stick again (after just1 day). They had replaced the top case assembly and the keyboard this time. I was told to call back if the problem showed up again since they have attempted a repair 3 times now. So, I guess I'll be calling bacrk after Thanksgiving.
im sorry to hear that. let me know how it goes. i hope they figure it out so they can fix mine properly too. it's really puzzling...i wonder what the problem could be caused by.
Whew!
And I'm consistently getting well over 3 hours of battery life, so I guess that's pretty okay too. Being my first laptop (not counting a brief fling with a used tangerine iBook two years ago), I have nothing to compare it to, so to me three-and-a-half hours is acceptable.
I am going to Atlanta today to pick up a Base Station, spare power supply for travel and a mouse from the Apple Store. I think I will take the PowerBook with me and let one of the Genius Bar guys check out that play/squeak over the SuperDrive slot.
I read on a thread at macnn.com that someone having this same problem had it fixed by having one of the Apple Genius guys remove the top and reseat the SuperDrive. The poster mentioned that the guys at the Bar knew what this problem was and were able to take care of it right there, on the spot.
If I could get that one little irritating thing fixed ("SQUEAK, SQUEAK!!!"), I'd quite possibly have the PERFECT PowerBook!
We'll see...
In any case, by this evening I'll be surfing/e-mailing from the sofa, the bed, the front porch, the kitchen table, etc. Can't wait! I shall break the chains that tie me to this vile, cursed desk...I will be free! I will be free...and forever taste the nectar that is AirPort Extreme. Yea, for my people yearn to disencumber themselves from the shackles of the lowly Ethernet cable and the prison it represents... [cue swelling music]
But I am really thrilled with this machine. It feels incredibly solid. I was playing with my friend's new Dell laptop the other day and it feels like a flimsy peice of crap. One keypress pushes the whole keyboard down and it just feels cheap. I absolutely love my new Powerbook and consider it the best computer I have ever owned.
You should have seen the jealously in my friend's eyes when I turned off the lights and the backlit keyboard kicked in...