[DK-Lach]

Hi Forum

I have a problem... A BIG problem with my MacBook.

It simply powers off! And its doing it all the time.

It all started about two weeks ago. Within two days it turn off four times. Two weeks then passed without any problems and now, suddenly, it's doing it again.

It's seems like it just looses all power. Everything turns off and I have to boot it up again...
It dosen't matter whether it's on battery og A/C power.

Have any of you experienced anything like this on your MacBooks?

Dows anyone have an solution? - Naturally I could send it to Apple, but if I can fix it myself, than I would prefer this, since I use it every day.

I've read several post on the forum, mentioning a P-Ram reset. It almost sounds like some kind of wonder-cure! What is this? What does it do? How do I do it? and is there any chance, that it wil help my poor little MacBook?

EDIT: I now found and read the P-ram sticky on top of the genius-bar. Dosen't seem like it can fix the problem... Any suggestions?

Regards

DK-LACH

[turtle]

You can try the power management reset. Someone will correct my errors I'm sure, but it's something like this:
Shut down -> unplug -> remove battery -> hold power button down for 5 seconds

Install battery/powercord and reboot.

That is something Apple had me do for a power issue.

Is your processor overheating? There is a thermal shut off that when it gets too hot it just drops the system. Are you doing major CPU intensive work when it shuts off? How about more detail on what you are or were doing on your system when or just before it shuts off.

[DK-Lach]

Originally Posted by turtle2472 Is your processor overheating? There is a thermal shut off that when it gets too hot it just drops the system. Are you doing major CPU intensive work when it shuts off? How about more detail on what you are or were doing on your system when or just before it shuts off.

Well, most of the time I don't run any really intensive apps. Actually it just went dead, while being completely idle with no apps, other than Finder running.

So far I haven't been able to find a pattern in the shutdowns...

Two days ago - after the problems started, I installed the iStat Pro widget. It dosent detect any fans! Is this normal? Or does it indicate, that my CPU-fans have died?

[turtle]

Does your MB have the plastic film blocking the exhaust port? There's a thread around here if you don't know what I'm talking about.

[digitalAngel]

http://forums.applenova.com/showthread.php?t=19038

[DK-Lach]

No - The plastic is long gone...

How about the iStat Pro Widget mentioned earlier? It dosen't detects any fans in the system. Is this normal or a sign of fan-malfunction and subsequent overheating?

[turtle]

Can you feel the fan blowing from around the monitor hinge area, on the left side when facing the screen? If you can't feel air flow then that could be a problem. If you don't feel the air then put the CPU under heavy load and see if you can feel the fans kick on. Don't worry about that software since it might not be correct. Check to see if you can feel or hear the fan running first.

[Kickaha]

Check and see if, for some reason, your battery is under recall.

I had the same issue with a battery that I had just purchased, and it turns out it was one of the bad batches. There was a flaw in the manufacturing process that left microscopic particles in the cells that would short out the battery. PMU goes into a panic, yanks power, and voila - instant dead machine.

[digitalAngel]

i think this is going to turn out to be an issue with a lot of MacBooks and MacBook Pros. the same thing is happening to my husband's MBP too, and after doing some google searches, it seems to be happening to others too.

i found this site with a lot of people talking about fustrations with MacBook random shutdowns

[DK-Lach]

Originally Posted by digitalAngel i think this is going to turn out to be an issue with a lot of MacBooks and MacBook Pros. the same thing is happening to my husband's MBP too, and after doing some google searches, it seems to be happening to others too. i found this site with a lot of people talking about fustrations with MacBook random shutdowns

Is the MacBook turning into the CrapBook?

Apparently I / we are not the only ones: http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/

Well, Apple will have to deal with my machine, since it also starts showing signs of those nasty yellowish stains... DAMMIT!!!!

[Joolz34]

Hi,
Im also having this issue with my MBP - it only seems to occur for me while on the battery though, so far *knock wood* its ok when connected to the PSU. I called the place I bought it from and theyre going to change the battery for me free of charge as its under warranty, hopefully that will do the trick.

Sorry about your MB though

[Joolz34]

Btw just found this http://maba.wordpress.com/2006/09/01...ast-hopefully/ on digg.com might be useful for you.

[DK-Lach]

Well, now my MacBook is in workshop of my local Apple-Servicepartner... (There are no true Applestores in Denmark)

I'm really looking forward to getting it back, but unfortunately in have a very bad feeling about this repair.

First of all the folks at the store seems really incompetent and they did'nt seem to acknowledge the MacBooks RSS (www.macbookrandomshutdown.com) symptoms.

Now I'll just have to see...

[Windowsrookie]

Apple is repairing them now. Go to the Apple support site if you need it repaired.

[turtle]

My MB seems to have taken to this new hobby. Mostly when using Parallels though. My wife hasn't had ay issues while using her account on it. She is normally bound to the web and Mail. Me, well, I do far more than just basic stuff. CoreDuoTemp only shows me hitting about 76DegC, but yet it is the same symptom of a over heated CPU.

If you immediately try to reboot after shutdown it doesn't even make it to the Mac chime before powering off again. If you give it a few minutes, it's fine...for a while. Then again, it might be fine for the entire time you use it until you shut it down normally. I'm trying to figure out if I can recreate this at will for the sake of the GB at my local store.

Well, at least it wasn't another HDD!

[Kickaha]

It only occurs when running your account? And, just for the record, I'd consider 76C *FUCKING HOT*. Seriously.

Sounds like you're doing something that is causing the CPU temp to spike much more than your wife. Bad fan? Munged temp detection? Who knows?

But yeah, that's bad. Could be something as simple as a loose DIMM that causes a short when it heats up, but generally that causes a hard freeze or a kernel panic, not a shut down. Odd.

[turtle]

Originally Posted by Kickaha It only occurs when running your account? And, just for the record, I'd consider 76C *FUCKING HOT*. Seriously. Sounds like you're doing something that is causing the CPU temp to spike much more than your wife. Bad fan? Munged temp detection? Who knows? But yeah, that's bad. Could be something as simple as a loose DIMM that causes a short when it heats up, but generally that causes a hard freeze or a kernel panic, not a shut down. Odd.

Looks temp related for sure now. I installed F@H on it again and managed to watch it go from cold (31DegC) to 81DegC in about 1 minute, then shut off.

It took another 3 minutes before it would boot. Once it finally rebooted the temp was 50DegC. So, you know me, I started Folding again and it jumped up to 81DegC in about 1 minute. This time it stayed on even thought the fan hadn't kicked up to speed yet. The peak temp was 82DegC when the fan kicked on. Now it is currently folding and staying at about 80DegC. Room temp in here is only 25DegC, so certainly not outrageous. Seems the fan needs to kick in sooner maybe when those spikes come. Would you agree?

Edit: Link to old post Showing my temp being way up there right after getting it.

[Kickaha]

Wow.

My PBG4 fan kicks on 62. Off at 59.

**82**?? Christ.

[turtle]

Running only InCrease F@H client. At least it isn't in the 90's anymore. Also, the fan has been funning full out since my last post, but it also hasn't shut down.

[Kickaha]

Okay, so here's an idea... just a thought...

Is it really so critical you run F@H on a machine that really obviously isn't geared to be running at 100% constantly?!?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Wow. My PBG4 fan kicks on 62. Off at 59. **82**?? Christ.

Pfft, Triangle laptops go all the way to 180 degrees.

[Kickaha]

Celsius? We were using Celsius there...

[turtle]

Well, normally I don't run F@H on here. That's the thing. It would shut down on me when running Parallels and nothing else. That is needed, since my financial program requires XP. F@H on here is only for temp raising, in this case to test out the temp shutdown point.

I checked the Apple Support and they don't list anything about this other than ensure you have the updated firmware, which I have.

My next step is just to try blowing out the heat sink, though air flow felt normal. After that if it continues to shut down I'll have to see my local store.

I'll also see if I can replicate the shut down after blowing out the heat sink and allowing the system to be at room temp, then bringing it back up and running Parallels.

[Kickaha]

Ah, okay. I thought that was part of your standard environment.

Yes, looks to be a heat related issue... is there any way to tweak the fan settings to have it come on a bit sooner?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Celsius? We were using Celsius there...

Are geometrical shapes larger when measured in US units?

[Brad]

Originally Posted by chucker Are geometrical shapes larger when measured in US units?

I love math humor.

[Kickaha]

::headdesk::

You're a bastard.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Kickaha is there any way to tweak the fan settings to have it come on a bit sooner?

If someone finds out, please let me know, but as far as I know, that would require flashing the SMC firmware.

[turtle]

After cooling off and blowing out heat sink it started at a temp of 32DegC. So I started Parallels like I normally would. The temp started to climb as would be expected. Since Parallels is set to auto-run the VM, by the time I had my desktop view the temp was 50DegC. This was only about one minute or so. After XP started my first run program (MS Money) the temp was at 73DegC. Then it shut down again.

Immediate attempt to reboot failed. Second attempt failed. 30 seconds latter, the third attempt to reboot was successful. I logged back into my account and the temp was 52DegC. So what do I do, start Parallels again. While it booted XP this time, the temp was 59DegC. As MS Money started it was 63DegC. Then the temp hit 73DegC again as I started Parallels and it shut down again.

I'm not trying to start it again right away. I think I have this narrowed down. Wouldn't you say? GB bound for me, or do you have other ideas?

Need to add I never noticed the fan start.

[Fahrenheit]

Quick Question, is there any way to monitor temperature in iMacs? I know its not necessary, but it would be nice to see