MacF%*kingBook - the end ?
by kurisu
The MacBook is now back in my hands, again.
Last week, on the 6th, I got it back a first time, supposedly “repaired”. Sure, the keyboard was new. Wasn’t long before the machine shut down again unexpectedly. So it went back to repairs.
This time, Apple has changed the “heatsink assembly”, but my MacBook is still the same (i.e. same logic board).
It is perhaps too early to say whether it is now safe to work on important documents on that computer, but it survived a night of h.264 encoding with HandBrake.
The Macbook is a tad cooler than before, but that could be due to the new thermal paste settling in, the new heatsink, the weather in Tokyo, the fact that my Dad’s in town, or a combination of those.
The first time I got my macbook back from the repair center, the Genius jokingly said “I hope you’ll never have to come back again”. Ironically, I saw him 3 more times in the past 8 days…
So, Apple finally fixed my MacBook after their second try in a week. Nice.
All in all, good impression on the turnaround for repairs when you drop your machine at the Apple Store Ginza. Bad impression on the lack of thorough testing prior to sending back the unit : We (Apple and myself) could have saved a few bucks by actually repairing it correctly the first time around, since the Genius specifically wrote in the first note to the repair center : “random shutdowns, suggest change logic board , heatsink + top case for damaged keyboard”.
I wish good luck to all MacBook owners that are in the same dire as I were.
Hopefully they’ll get their unit back -repaired- and eventually their sanity.
cheerios
September 13th, 2006 at 11:17 CEST
I feel for you
In the last 18-20 months Apple has made me so angry, so so angry I wish they would just release OSX by itself so I would never have to buy Apple hardware ever again.
I really hate Apple but like using OSX, I even hate them for this contradiction
September 14th, 2006 at 03:29 CEST
Manufacturing quality has certainly gone down in recent years. I cannot compare my first generation iPod to my iPod nano 1st gen, nor can I compare my TiBook to my MacBook.
Curiously, I have had zero problem with my iMac Core Duo 1.83GHz, zero problems with my Mac mini Core Solo or my 23″ Cinema Display (although I asked the Store to check the screen in the box before I purchased it…)
It could all be bad luck. But thousands of MacBook owners having the same problem in the course of three months is not what I would call coincidence.
At least, now they acknowledge the problem and ask to send the unit in. I just wish they had kept mine a little longer for testing after the first repair.
October 11th, 2006 at 19:55 CEST
I too have the same experience with my MacBook. First, I sent it in for the discoloration issue. They fixed the problem but in the process, they managed to scratched the case up pretty good. So I sent it back in the 2nd time. They were supposed to replace the case but the replaced the Logic Board instead (wasn’t even on the work order). I sent it back the third time for them to replace the case, well…. the managed to replace the keyboard and heatsink… but not the case. By this time it was 6 weeks already since the first time I sent it in (only a day in between sending it back).
I spoke with Apple Customer relation and they send an iPod Nano (2GB) to shut me up, but still, as of today, I am still waiting for the mailing label to mail the unit back. This time they promised to give me a brand new computer.
I’ve been a mac user since 1994 and this is the first time I ever have to wait this long to get something fixed. The iPod nano deal was ok. I don’t really need it since I already have Video iPod. They should have offered me something else. If I was a switcher, I would have gone back to PC (well maybe)I know Apple is getting more people to buy there computer, but they should be able to susstains the quality of their computer and their depots.
Angry
November 3rd, 2006 at 20:00 CET
My Macbook had a spongy clicker but no random shutdown problems, spoke to Applecare and they agreed to fix it. A box arrived and it got posted back, then 4 weeks later, no Macbook, no parts and no dates for repair. In the end I insisted to Customer Relations that unless they could fix it, they should send a new one in its place. Sure enough two days later it arrived, and its been perfect. One observation is that it is much, much cooler and when hammered like with Aperture the fans come on later and don’t run for as long. Their is a better or altered heatsink design in the new ones as the old ones could burn your legs while the new one is fine like my old iBook.
Credit to Apple, they stepped up to the plate and came up with the goods but I agree with the comment that I’m not Beta testing Apple hardware again!
February 27th, 2007 at 01:57 CET
Man, im having the same bad luck……heres a list of things wrong with my Macbook ( 2ghz intel core duo) :
intel core 2 duo came out a week after i bought it
the plastic case is breaking off in little peices at the edge (i think its the magnets)
with in 4 months of owner ship has had 4 repairs
currently cannot run on battery because computer will not recognize
machine was erased by genius and my remote was still sync so it does not work now.
just 2 days ago right click (tap with both fingers when enabled) has stopped working.
I WANT A NEW MACHINE …..THAT WORKS!!!
July 12th, 2007 at 16:41 CEST
So you did get it fixed after all.
No suprise there.