17" MBP C2D is so unreliable...

[poppe]

I'm sorry I'm trying to love macs I really am. In fact I already love them. These forums have made me love them. OS X has made me love them.

I am having a horrible time with my MBP... I've never had an unreliable computer until this MBP... Perhaps my standards are to high...

This is what keeps happening:

1. I have to force quit applications at least 4 times a day.

2. Applications quit by themselves around 10 times a day.

3. My MBP keyboard stops responding at times

4. My Screen whines off and on

5. It has randomly restarted now twice.

6. All the eye candy OS X features tend to work on and off. Like my dock it's magnification feature works on and off...

7. It acts very sluggish at times.

8. I get the beach ball on lots of applications. Typing this my computer stutters at moments.

9. My MBP used to not recognize DVD's unless they were burned.

10. When closed it comes out of sleep mode once and awhile.

I am probably just expecting to much. Macrumors Forums tends to get me over excited about new product/features and I am often let down. But I dont know either... I'm a little sad since this is my first computer since my HP Pentium III 800 MHZ 128 Ram... and despite the freezing it was more reliable than this computer...

Am I doing something wrong? I figure this will be the likely possibility since I am new to macs.

My Computer:

17" Glossy
2.33 Ghz C2D
2 Gb Ram
160 gb HD (90 GB left)


My battery life kicks ass though!! That is a plus. I watched a 2 and half hour movie and still had half an hour left of battery life...

Well please try to help me. I'm not trying to rag on Mac's I just keep having problems. And I'm tired of all my friends telling me to just take it in and get it fixed. I'm sorry but this computer was supposed to be used for film editing. The next free month I have where I won't need it for that is in August 2007 so please try to help me so I don't have to be screwed out of a computer.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

Pretty sure none of those problems are normal...looks like you might need to give AppleCare a ring...

Sorry!!!

 

[Nuc]

There is definately something wrong with your computer. Ram, failing HD or something else. Take it in or send it in for repair or replacement.

Nuc

 

[poppe]

There is definately something wrong with your computer. Ram, failing HD or something else. Take it in or send it in for repair or replacement.

Nuc

How long will it take do you think? It took me almost a whole month to get this puppy...

Man talk about swallowing my pride on this one...: Kept telling me girl not to get a dell because it'd end up being all unreliable... I won't hear the end of it now...

 

[interlaced]

You can also stop by the Apple Store and get it checked out at the Genius Bar. There's one at the Northridge Mall. 1st Floor near Old Navy.

 

[poppe]

You can also stop by the Apple Store and get it checked out at the Genius Bar. There's one at the Northridge Mall. 1st Floor near Old Navy.

Haha you know where I am at... ooo scary ooo. No ok sorry I've been in the same room all day... Yeah I was thinking of heading there tomorrow though I like the Canoga Park Westhills mall better. Hmmm I just don't want to be w out my computer...

 

[Nuc]

How long will it take do you think? It took me almost a whole month to get this puppy...

Man talk about swallowing my pride on this one...: Kept telling me girl not to get a dell because it'd end up being all unreliable... I won't hear the end of it now...

I've heard they have good turn around times. But your mileage may vary. I would take it to the Apple store.

Nuc

 

[poppe]

I've heard they have good turn around times. But your mileage may vary. I would take it to the Apple store.

Nuc

Alright thanks guys. Thanks for listening to my rant. I'll keep you all updated...

 

[buckwheat]

Yea, your memory glands are shot. If you've got some laying around try a swap. But that's a quick fix. When you DO get it running you'll be pleasantly surprised at the performance of the C2D.

Other than the lazy assed in-laws running the display dept, this machine is a piece of work and simply can't be beat

 

[interlaced]

Haha you know where I am at... ooo scary ooo. No ok sorry I've been in the same room all day... Yeah I was thinking of heading there tomorrow though I like the Canoga Park Westhills mall better. Hmmm I just don't want to be w out my computer...

i'd go there too, actually. they seem to be really quick with their repairs.

 

[fustercluck]

If my newly purchased computer were exhibiting even half of those problems, I would demand a new computer. Screw the repair route.

Never in my years of reading Mac message boards have I ever seen anywhere near such a long laundry list of issues with a new computer. Not even with a 5-year old Mac.

 

[Pressure]

Did you try and reset PRAM and/or SMC?

Do you have any Bluetooth devices connected to it?

 

[akadmon]

I would try reinstalling the OS before taking it to the Apple Store. Back up your docs first, of course.

Good luck, poppe. I've come across your name a lot while I was thinking about going with a C2D MBP. Well -- I finally decided to get a Mac Pro instead. If your machine is less than 2 weeks old (i.e., you can return it for a full refund as a DOA) and portability is not an absolute must, I suggest you consider a Mac Pro. I guarantee you'll sleep easier at night

 

[poppe]

Did you try and reset PRAM and/or SMC?

Do you have any Bluetooth devices connected to it?

How do you do that? What will be the effect of it? I have my Bluetooth Apple keyboard once and awhile connected but at this moment I don't and the typing is still stuttery at times...

I would try reinstalling the OS before taking it to the Apple Store. Back up your docs first, of course.

Good luck, poppe. I've come across your name a lot while I was thinking about going with a C2D MBP. Well -- I finally decided to get a Mac Pro instead. If your machine is less than 2 weeks old (i.e., you can return it for a full refund as a DOA) and portability is not an absolute must, I suggest you consider a Mac Pro. I guarantee you'll sleep easier at night

Since I'm new to macs I think I might just take it in instead of a reinstall of the OS. Haha I wish I could get a Mac Pro... but my dorm would feel even smaller than what it does now... haha oh man all that ram... I'd have so much ram in there... Keep us up to date on how that puppy works out though!!

Thanks guys for all the support!

 

[barkins]

You can also stop by the Apple Store and get it checked out at the Genius Bar. There's one at the Northridge Mall. 1st Floor near Old Navy.

Funny you mention this. I went to the Northridge Apple store just yesterday because the latch on my MBP C2D broke. They gave me a brand new MBP and even transfered all my stuff onto it, it was great.

Try to get them to just replace it, no charge or waiting time. Unless they don't have them in stock.

Good luck!

 

[Pressure]

How do you do that? What will be the effect of it? I have my Bluetooth Apple keyboard once and awhile connected but at this moment I don't and the typing is still stuttery at times...

You can read about resetting PRAM here and SMC here.

These are the two first steps AppleCare would want you to do, so try it and see if it changes anything.

If that doesn't help, the next step is to do a complete erase and install of Mac OS X.

 

[poppe]

You can read about resetting PRAM here and SMC here.

These are the two first steps AppleCare would want you to do, so try it and see if it changes anything.

If that doesn't help, the next step is to do a complete erase and install of Mac OS X.

Shouldn't I take it to them before I do a complete erase and install type a thing? Thanks for the link I'll check it out

SMC reset sounds pretty hardcore... are you sure I shouldn't take my computer in first?

 

[Pressure]

Shouldn't I take it to them before I do a complete erase and install type a thing? Thanks for the link I'll check it out

If you don't have anything crucial on it I see no point in not trying a reinstall.

If it can save you a long travel to the nearest Apple Center, why not?

Did you try either a SMC or PRAM reset or both?

If not, please do so and reply if the problem persists.

 

[poppe]

If you don't have anything crucial on it I see no point in not trying a reinstall.

If it can save you a long travel to the nearest Apple Center, why not?

Did you try either a SMC or PRAM reset or both?

If not, please do so and reply if the problem persists.

Crucial RAM? No I have Apple's 2gb's RAM on it... I'm about to reset the PRAM I just don't know about the SMC. One Apple store is with in 10 minutes and another apple store with in 15 so I think i'll reset the PRAM and see what happens.

 

[VanMac]

Just take it in man.

Dont waste your time if the Apple store is that close. Have them re-install or reset stuff. They may just look at it and give you a new one.

Most things we purchase require service, or have some defects. I used to drive a Ford, and currently I own a bmw. Both require service, and will have issues, but I sure like driving the beemer much more then the Ford. (I share this just for your girlfriend's dell purchase question. Dell is a Ford, Apple is a BMW. ).

 

[poppe]

Just got done resetting the PRAM. I'll let you know what has changed... it was a crazy fast start up though this time... Usually to have everything up and running it takes at least 30 seconds at least and this time it was under that for sure... that was crazy...

 

[Max Payne]

Sorry for going of topic, but what is PRAM and how do I reset it? Thank you.

 

[poppe]

Sorry for going of topic, but what is PRAM and how do I reset it? Thank you.

There is a link above about resetting the PRAM and I have no clue really what it is but I do hear a lot about it on the forums. The link is an Apple site that says a bit about the PRAM

 

[Sesshi]

Regarding the keyboard thing - do you use Firefox?

 

[Max Payne]

There is a link above about resetting the PRAM and I have no clue really what it is but I do hear a lot about it on the forums. The link is an Apple site that says a bit about the PRAM

I'll check it. Thank you.

Regarding the keyboard thing - do you use Firefox?

I see where you are coming from. The keyboard doesn't work with me in FireFox from time to time. I have to use another program then return back to firefox so I can type again.