Any C2D Macbook problems?

[The Stig]

I am just wondering if anybody is have any problems at all with their new C2D Macbooks?

I've only have one problem since owning it. I put in a cd to install some software and it made a VERY loud noise from spinning. It was only that cd. It installed fine, but it was just over powering how loud it was. I took the cd out and put it back in, same time. I've tried a couple of cds and they all work fine. I think maybe it was just that cd was off balance or something.

Has anybody else had a similar problem? Or any other problems?

The Stig

 

[scott523]

I'm waiting for others to post problems but nothing yet so I'll spill out mines then:

CPU
The CPU has a faint buzzing sound that can be heard about 3 inches away from the computer and if the AC adapter is plugged in, a high pitch buzz can be heard at least twice the distance.

Physical Issues
There's a tiny gap on the front left gray bezel. If I try putting pressure on it, I hear resistance on the other side. Near the headphone jack, there's no support for the white plastic and if I put pressure against the side there's some sound emanating from it. The bottom screen bezel (where it says MacBook) is flimsy and apparently has no support on that either.

AirPort Issues
The AirPort in my MacBook is weird. It doesn't seem to like my university's 128bit WEP encryption (with proxy) wireless network provided by Verizon (or vice versa). This MacBook can connect to the network on the first attempt but once I put it to sleep, it would refuse to connect until an hour later (or until I go to one of the other 20 afiliated hotspots). Some have said it may be the network keeping a hold of my computer but note, the previous CD MacBook had no problems whatsoever. I spoke to my university's computer experts and the AppleCare hotline and they got stumped. I went to a Genius last night and with the problem at Temple university, all they could do is clean out the preference and cache files. Thus I have yet to figure out whose problem is it since my Linksys router at home with 128bit WEP encryption works perfectly but sometimes it doesn't automatically reconnect after putting it to sleep.

Additional Comments
Temperature wise, I'd say it's the same as the CD MacBook, the fan's default speed have been boosted maybe because of the heat from the C2D. The fans stay at 1800RPM until passing 140F so that's a pain.
I played CoD2 on this and it was awesome. With all the lowest graphic settings, the MacBook needed fans going at 6200RPM (max speed) to keep it cool and it was noisy though wasn't loud enough to match the gunfires.
The coconut battery app currently has insane numbers. My current battery capacity has 5406mAH when it had 5066mAH last week. Weird but good.

 

[newno55]

Pissssssss me off. Mabye im expecting too much out of this thing (haha i just assumed it would be perfect) but im noticing something wierd aobut me screen.


Pretend that you are looking at your macbook screen head on (perfectly 90 degrees to the center of the screen). When i have my brightness to 1/2 of anywhere less than aobut 1/2 and i dip my head (such that i am now looking up at the screen from below that 90 degree imaginary plane) i see that the screen is flickering slightly. Its like this little rippling/ wave effect.

Its very subtle but i have confirmed it with my roommates, and they see it too.

I'm going to call Apple tomorrow. This is sad, haha. My macbook is less than 2 days old!

 

[4np]

...my Linksys router at home with 128bit WEP encryption works perfectly but sometimes it doesn't automatically reconnect after putting it to sleep...

That's not a MacBook issue, but an OS X issue (or feature? ) in general. You can resolve it quite easily. The problem is that you have multiple keychain entries for the same access point and OS X does not know which one to use. Do the following to resolve:

1. start Applications --> Utilities --> Keychain Access
2. find the password for your access point (Kind: AirPort Network Password; for example in the System keychain)
3. you'll probably find more than one entry; delete them all (or only the ones that are wrong) and reconnect to your network with the correct passphrase/WEP/WPA key
4. you now only have one keychain entry for that particular network
5. your MacBook should automatically reconnect again

Maybe this also solves the issue with the wireless network at college...

Good luck

ps. another very usefull keychain feature is the show password feature. If, for example, a friend wants to join the network but you don't remember the password for that particular network, open KeyChain Access, go to the password for that particular network, open it and click 'Show Password'. Very handy

 

[Chrispy]

My C2D MB has been wonderful *knocks on wood*. There is a VERY faint buzz if I literally hold my ear to the left side of the computer while plugged in. Unless I do that I cannot hear it at all (and I am sensitive to these kinds of noises). Heat is not a huge issue but the fans do get a bit loud at times. For some people this is an issue but for me I really don't care. Overall, I would say my MB is the best laptop I have received from Apple in quite a long time. I had a CD Macbook that had problems and I tried 2 C2D MacBook Pros that had horrible screens for a $2,000+ laptop. I would recommend the C2D MacBook to anyone at this point. Hopefully all continues to go well with it

 

[junkster]

Mine is beautiful, and I have no significant problems. If I really had to nitpick, I'd say the vertical viewing angle of the LCD is a bit narrow, but that's all.

I have ZERO heat problems. It's cool, cool, cool. The bottom of the MB gets warm, but I don't put it on my lap so I never notice this except when I pick it up after using it a while. It's so much cooler than the Dell I've used.

 

[clicq]

No major issues here. My superdrive is loud, but it's comparable to most laptop drives I've heard, so the CD you were using was probably unbalanced. (When installing XP for Parallels, the superdrive was much louder than the fan was.)

As for heat, it bothered me at first to see the CPU running in the 50C range just web browsing and listening to iTunes, and maxing at about 80C under extreme load (CPU at 100%), but the keyboard only gets warm (about as warm as my old Thinkpad 600 with a 266mhz processor ), and it doesn't crash, so I figure the temps are fine. Fan is loud at max RPM, but I expect it to be.

I have a few nitpicky issues too, but they don't bother me too much. The vertical viewing angle is pretty limited (I can't get a good angle when using it on my lap. It's most noticeable in Gmail, where if the angle isn't good, it's difficult to distinguish between shading for read and unread emails). The lower right corner is also slightly darker than the rest of the screen. I can also hear the fan even at idle, but I think I'm just more sensitive to fan noise than most people. There's also a few minor build issues (gap between white plastic of lower case and grayish plastic of keyboard isn't consistent around the entire case, there is overhang around the vent area (where it should be flush, I'm assuming), and there's a small dimple on my touchpad (you can't see it unless you're really looking for it, and although you can feel it, it doesn't affect the tracking). But no creaks when I pick it up, and it feels solid!

Overall I'm happy with it. I think I just need to stop reading all these posts about problems and trying to find them on my own machine!

 

[MSM Hobbes]

Hobbes crosses fingers, awaiting delivery of his white C2D MB this evening...

Yet another Apple package coming that the woman doesn't know is coming...

 

[grum]

Hobbes crosses fingers, awaiting delivery of his white C2D MB this evening...

Yet another Apple package coming that the woman doesn't know is coming...

My gf knows I ordered a Macbook, because i did it on her credit card

 

[thechampion]

Buzzing Noise Depending On Screen Tilt

I have a terrible buzzing noise that is dependent on the actual tilt of the screen. It's never bearable - a high pitched whine - but if the screen is closer to closed it's better than fully open. It disappears when the machine sleeps. I've tried to contact Apple, but have not gotten through. It's bad enough that it makes working on the machine impossible. Very disappointing. I created a thread about it in case others are suffering my fate.

Andy

 

[The Stig]

Battery?

How much time should you have on a full battery? I got like 3:30 hours with airport one and low screen brightness. Is that correct? I would think it should be more.

The Stig

 

[RadarLove]

4:02 on mine. Half brightness, WiFi on (playing iTunes to Airport Express). I conditioned the battery per the steps in the instruction manual when I received it. I also upgraded to 2GB + 7200 RPM drive. BUT I'm not sure how accurate that timer is (1st mac), and I haven't actually timed how long the battery lasts yet.

BTW, no defects on mine yet. Somewhat narrow viewing angle + I would love a REAL right-click vs. the tap on the trackpad w/ two fingers substitute.

How much time should you have on a full battery? I got like 3:30 hours with airport one and low screen brightness. Is that correct? I would think it should be more.

The Stig

 

[dturano547]

At first I had a few minor issues but since I see new computers from different vendors a few times a month come thorugh my office I expect some minor problems that can be dealt with or somtimes just things you learn to live with.

I should note that im very critical of all things electrical. My first HDTV I got when they first came out had so many problems (Zenith) I should have submitted my emails with them to a magaizne. I ust want to stress Im very critical but also learn to deal with little quirks different companies have in their products.

I have owned several dells and find no two dells are a like. One thing I told when making the switch to MAC is that they have the best hardware hands down. All macs are the same...when you get a dell one batch may have different parts than another of the same model. Where as a mac is a mac, all the parts are high quality and are consistent.

Im very happy with my Mac Book but the noise I experienced at first has not gone away. I figured it was the hard drive firing up when I was transfering all my photos and music. But the computer gives off this steady awful whine. more of a deep pitch humm. I have put in several CDs and DVDs and the computer is louder than the superdrive? I have heard the super drive is loud, i cant even here it over the compter.

To fix I have tried the following methods, im new to mac so I could not do anything to advacen:

Lowered the brightness on the display till it was off. no difference.
put the volume at different levels and even muted it. no difference
ran photobooth (heard that may fix) no difference.
opened up, Word, Photobooth, itunes, iphoto, photoshop. no difference, actually the noise was still steasy and consistent, i actually did not even here the hard drive fire up (unless this hum is the hard drive spining and thats why I did not hear a difference.)
I figured running everything would have increased the noise but it did not.
unplugged power cord. no difference.

Any ideas? tests I could run to trouble shoot and see if there is something wrong with my hard drive? It seems like it is the fan, it never gets louder or quiter. always running.

WHen i walk in the room I can hear it even with the tv and my other computers on. the reason being is that it has a verry anoying pitch to it. My old desktop sounds like a leaf blower but I find it actually puts me to sleep, soothing.

this noise is not that loud but the pitch to it is like nails on a chalk board. i think it could drive me crazy. thats why the post is so long.

im typing on it right now in a quiet room and the noise is just irratating...what shoud I do next?

To be honest i hate to think on my new computer I would have to either over work the clock or underwork it to elimintae a noise but at this point I dont want to be out of my new lappy for a some reapirs. Is there a program I could get to tweak this thing to do some tests?

Thank you and sorry for the long post its just this noise is really irratting and does not want to go away.

Please keep in mind im not some mac basher, i love them thats why i got one. im just a little upset that my new computer which i paid $$$ for is having some issues. Like i said I understand all computers are not perfect but I hoped macs would be the closest. Im just realizing I cant learn to like this noise. if it cam and went from time to time it would be ok, but something may be wrong.

 

[dturano547]

just wanted to post an update. when i sue the cd/dvd drive its louder but that sound is less irratating and only temprary, in my post above I said the noise was plouder than the drive. I actually meant I dont mind it. that little buzz just seems to be at the right level to overcome everything.

before I waste my time, if this is some kind of software problem that is either running the fan or keeing the hard drive spining would a clean install help or change anyything. Im hoping to e able to correct this whtout sending it out.

thank you.

 

[thechampion]

I believe your problem might be the same as mine. Does moving around the screen, or holding it tightly to damp some sort of "vibration" improve things?
Andy

 

[dturano547]

no, the noise is steady no matter what I do. I can hear the hum/buzz all the time, nothing has dampened it or made it louder. I can hear it from a good distance away as well.

 

[MSM Hobbes]

grum - yea, the woman would have known, but I ordered the goods during the billing cycle, so she wouldn't have seen the order until the bill came. Actually, know that I think about it, am somewhat surprised that Discover didn't call to confirm these orders, as normally they do when something quite large and/or unusual is purchased. Oh well.

As to my new C2D MB - no probs as of yet. /Hobbes knocks on more wood...
No noises, no whines [well, besides the fam members all making sounds wanting their turn on the Apples... ]. Colour is excellent, response is great.

 

[Yaja123]

how can i find temperature?

so far so very good for my macbook black 2gb

 

[MSM Hobbes]

how can i find temperature?

so far so very good for my macbook black 2gb

As the following mentions, there are different temps that can be monitored:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=326

for example, one is:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/21674

 

[juna]

no, the noise is steady no matter what I do. I can hear the hum/buzz all the time, nothing has dampened it or made it louder. I can hear it from a good distance away as well.

i think i have the same problem...a low-pitched buzzing fan noise--in my case though, it does get louder (as i saw on another thread: like a jet taking off) when the computer is active, for example when i ran a javascript app through camino to try to un-stick a stuck pixel...which is another problem that's driving me crazy.

i want to find out if the noise is actually a "problem" or i'm (we're?) just extra sensitive to the idle-state fan noise...

by the way, this is my first participation ever in any forum...kind of fun, if i forget why i'm doing it in the first place...

 

[nickdj]

I know the superdrive is loud but should it be making some 3 loud clicking noises?