Is my laptop dying? (Full Version)

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WhiteRoseBlessings -> Is my laptop dying? (4/18/2008 2:53:56 PM)

For about the past week, my laptop has spontaneously and immediately shut itself off about 5 times so far.

No "shutting down process" (which usually takes about 30-40 seconds; just an immediate complete shutdown and turning off.

Each time, I have been using the laptop's battery (versus being plugged in). Each time it happens, I plug it back in, turn it on and it boots right up without any problems.

Sometimes I have been watching a video clip when this weirdness has happened; sometimes I've listening to an online radio station. Once I was listening to a CD.

None of the times have been due to low battery (each time, the battery percentage was 64% or higher; one time as high as 78%).

It hasn't happened every time I've been unplug; nor every time I've been listening to music; nor every time I've been watching a video clip.

I'm not having any specific problems with the battery (although I have noticed that the time is lessening in how long it takes to run the battery down while not plugged in).

It's a MacBook Pro, and I purchased it new almost 2 years ago.



Any suggestions on what is going on and what I can do to combat it?






BTW, this is a completely different question than why I had started the other thread a couple days ago. [sm=pinkhairsmile.gif]



Miss Giggles -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/18/2008 3:01:34 PM)

sounds like a bad battery. I'd order a new one. Does it feel real warm?



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/18/2008 6:39:58 PM)

It's always felt warm; but it's only been recently that I've been having these problems.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, but I thought that with the battery re-charger, the battery itself would never need replacing.

I went to Apple's website . . . $129 for a new battery. I sure wasn't expecting that.

Needs must, however.


Thanks for your help with this! I'd rather pay $129 to replace a battery than to buy an entirely new laptop. [:D]



Miss Giggles -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/18/2008 6:49:03 PM)

I don't know how apple's technical support is but you could call them. But yes, laptop batteries are expensive and they do eventually die.



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/18/2008 7:40:40 PM)

I tried calling them earlier in the week about another issue. Apparently my phone support benefits have expired. But they will gladly charge me $50 for each trouble shooting question they help me with. LOL

I don't think I need to call them; I just need to get a new battery, which I'll do next week.

[sm=redhairsmile.gif]



lil_gringa -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/19/2008 12:42:22 AM)

My husband has a nearly 2 year old Macbook. It's still under warranty which he's needed it. We had to replace the screen and just recently it went black and his hard drive was GONE! So be careful friend! If I remember, I'll ask him about it for you.

I'm getting a new laptop. That's why your post caught my eye. He wanted me to get a Mac like his but I didn't want it, LOL I like this little Sony Vaio and want another. I hope everything works out alright for you!



Terath -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/20/2008 1:42:38 AM)

Well, if you suspect battery problems, and you have a Mac, it likely is a battery problem. They have a long and illustrious history of supplying bad batteries and charging exorbitant amounts for replacements with equally bad batteries. However, your symptoms don't strike me as battery related at all, besides the whole unplugged thing. My guess is software: computers know when they're on battery or on AC. My guess is that your OS is most likely to blame. It could be a very deep-seated bug somewhere that is only triggered when the battery is unplugged, and only rarely, probably by some common link that would be very hard to find. Also, I've heard of one battery problem similar to this: try placing a piece of paper in between the battery and the laptop. Sometimes with Macs, the connectors are too close and loose connection with pressure once they have a lot of power through them. That would explain most if not all of your problems. The problem is that you need a new battery, it's that the design of the battery is faulty. Coming at it from the software angle again, how long have you had your computer? And do you use it for mostly basic, low traffic tasks, or do you use it well and heavily?



mark56 -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/25/2008 6:12:04 PM)

Has the battery been plugged in for a long time? If it has there may be a poor connection between the battery and the computer. Try removing and reinserting the battery a few times. This will clean the contacts and possibly fix the problem.



Bettawrekonize -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/26/2008 12:11:20 AM)

Contacts usually corrode after a while. If it's a contact issue, the best way to clean them is with (clear, non - colored) rubbing alcohol and Q - tips. Don't soak them. Make sure everything is completely dry before you plug it back into anything. You may want to clean both the contacts on your laptop (that the battery attaches to) and on your battery. Make sure your laptop is unplugged when you do this (and everything is completely dry before you plug anything back in). I do not guarantee doing this won't damage anything, but it shouldn't. I've cleaned contacts on cordless phones that won't charge and it fixed the problem (and I remember back when I was little and Nintendo first came out, we got one. Often times when the games didn't work and blowing off all the dust didn't fix it, cleaning the contacts with cotton and alcohol would do the trick. Same thing was true with Sega Genesis).



cheesefan -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/30/2008 6:33:32 PM)

Hey White Rose - sorry to hear about your computer. I am a computer tech and I work on a lot of laptops, but to be honest have not worked on a lot of Macs. However I feel that what everyone else has said could be true. The thing you do not mention is how long you have have the computer and the time you have had the battery in question. Usually a batter starts going bad after about a year, depends on if it is not defective and or if it has not been damaged ( dropped).

Would really be interested in hearing what you end up finding out about this. Thanks , hope it works out. God Bless



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Is my laptop dying? (4/30/2008 6:39:05 PM)

LOL . . . The question's been asked a couple of times as to how long I've had this computer.

I'm laughing because in the OP, I wrote:
quote:

ORIGINAL: WhiteRoseBlessings


It's a MacBook Pro, and I purchased it new almost 2 years ago.



[:)]



At any rate, I took the battery out for a while and then put it back in. It's been working fine since I did that.


Thank you all so much for your help; I very much appreciate y'all be so willing to answer my questions whenever they've come up.

Blessings,
Sharon-Marie




edited: the battery is the original one that came with the computer



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