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Craigy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 14, 2003
403
48
New Zealand
We're on a 2nd MacBook - which we now have to return as DOA as when taking the factory RAM out to put 2gig in the left hand lever broke when trying to eject the factory RAM. Anyone else had this issue?
 

brbubba

macrumors 6502
May 20, 2006
485
0
Please explain what you mean by "broke?" When I put my new ram in the levers no longer had a spring action to them. I assumed this was caused by the extremely tight fit of the RAM.
 

giantquiet

macrumors newbie
Jun 30, 2006
9
0
Similar issue

I had a similar problem with my Macbook--the levers didn't seem to eject the base RAM very well, and then became completely ineffective (made crunching sounds) when I tried to eject my 3rd-party RAM, which by the way fried the logic board. Even the Apple Store couldn't get out the base RAM anymore when I took it in. It was also my second Macbook.

Do a google search on this, and you will find more problems...saw reports of people having to yank out ram with pliers.
 

Craigy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 14, 2003
403
48
New Zealand
brbubba said:
Please explain what you mean by "broke?" When I put my new ram in the levers no longer had a spring action to them. I assumed this was caused by the extremely tight fit of the RAM.
Loose and raised with the RAM still in place. Not very impressed with the build quality on these machines at the moment - our first macbook developed a faulty trackpad button. Waiting for our 3rd to turn up. :confused:
 

DMPDX

macrumors 6502
Dec 4, 2005
309
0
Craigy said:
We're on a 2nd MacBook - which we now have to return as DOA as when taking the factory RAM out to put 2gig in the left hand lever broke when trying to eject the factory RAM. Anyone else had this issue?
How does that make the macbook DOA if you broke a part of it? If it came with everything installed correctly, then you broke the lever, that should make you responsible, not apple. Pardon me if I' m not seeing it correct, but thes sounds like a sleezy move.
-dsm
 

craigatkinson

macrumors regular
Jan 31, 2006
231
32
How do you figure? It's a user accessible port. Replacing the ram should be a routine event, not a risky operation. I had this same problem and so have hundreds of other people who have made note of this on several forums. This is definitely apples problem. I sent my macbook back and bought a macbook pro. Just got it today. I'm loving it.

DMPDX said:
How does that make the macbook DOA if you broke a part of it? If it came with everything installed correctly, then you broke the lever, that should make you responsible, not apple. Pardon me if I' m not seeing it correct, but thes sounds like a sleezy move.
-dsm
 

wmmk

macrumors 68020
Mar 28, 2006
2,414
0
The Library.
Craigy said:
Loose and raised with the RAM still in place. Not very impressed with the build quality on these machines at the moment - our first macbook developed a faulty trackpad button. Waiting for our 3rd to turn up. :confused:
and this is why i always wait for the 2nd or 3rd revision;)
 

brbubba

macrumors 6502
May 20, 2006
485
0
Craigy said:
Loose and raised with the RAM still in place. Not very impressed with the build quality on these machines at the moment - our first macbook developed a faulty trackpad button. Waiting for our 3rd to turn up. :confused:

Yeah that happened to me too. They still will eject my RAM but they are now loose and can get stuck inside the port. Even after the RAM is out they still have no spring. The RAM ports are very poorly engineered, and were probably only designed for single sided RAM.
 

YS2003

macrumors 68020
Dec 24, 2004
2,138
0
Finally I have arrived.....
The more I read on MB (and MBP), the more I become convinced these rev A products from Apple are not up to the quality standards buyers come to expect from their purchases. So far, my current 4 Macs are flawless; so, I should not push my luck by getting MB/MBP at the current iteration, hoping my new purchase would follow the same trend like my previous purchases.
 

emaja

macrumors 68000
May 3, 2005
1,706
11
Chicago, IL
wmmk said:
and this is why i always wait for the 2nd or 3rd revision;)

...because we all know that there are no problems with Rev C and D machines like the PowerBooks, right?

That's just plain silly.

My G5 iMac and MB are both first gen machines and they work flawlessly.
 

craigatkinson

macrumors regular
Jan 31, 2006
231
32
I just got my macbook pro today. It is running great. I had a little issue installing windows, but I resolved that. I'm very happy with it. No whining or mooing or any of that jazz. It does get hot though. Not anywhere I would normally touch it, but it does get quite hot to the touch. I think that will be inevitable with the speed of the processor.
 

etoiles

macrumors 6502a
Jun 12, 2002
835
45
Where the air is crisp
the EXACT same thing happened to me... left lever 'broke' off (fortunately the factory RAM came out at the same time). The lever is still in there, just doesn't grab anything anymore. I don't think I did anything wrong 'pulling a lever', so it is definitely Apple's fault (bad design).
 

mrichmon

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2003
873
3
Apple has had problems with the assembly of the RAM levers on the MacBook. The current MacBook service manual (dated June 7, 2006) is five pages longer than the original service manual (dated May 16, 2006).

Of the extra pages, two give more detailed instructions and photos of installation of the RAM levers with particular focus on correct placement of the associated springs. Two other extra pages expand on the instructions for applying thermal paste to the heat sinks/chips and the final extra page shows screw locations on the exterior of the laptop.

This kind of revision would suggest that Apple has had a large number of problems with incorrect assembly of the RAM lever assembly.
 

mac4matt

macrumors member
Jun 28, 2006
49
0
Chicago, IL
broken lever in macbook

My left lever broke off my macbook too!! It freaked me out at first. But then I figured as long as the ram worked, it was no big deal. Fortunately it does, and I love the 2gb upgrade.

But still, you'd think on such a wonderfully designed machine (and I think the Macbook is great!), Apple could include a working ram lever.
 

etoiles

macrumors 6502a
Jun 12, 2002
835
45
Where the air is crisp
mac4matt said:
My left lever broke off my macbook too!! It freaked me out at first. But then I figured as long as the ram worked, it was no big deal. Fortunately it does, and I love the 2gb upgrade.

But still, you'd think on such a wonderfully designed machine (and I think the Macbook is great!), Apple could include a working ram lever.

:) that is exactly my thought, too. I installed 2gigs so I am probably set... and going back to the Apple store is a bit of a drive.

But still, just knowing something is broken inside my mac makes me feel dirty. Need to wash it off. Aaargh, it doesn't come off ! :eek: :D
 

maytsang

macrumors newbie
May 28, 2006
20
0
England
I've had the same problem, the left lever broke too when i tried to install 2gb of RAM and the computer would not start up.

I received my new Macbook today, I noticed that the trackpad seems quite rough and not as smooth as my old MacBook. However, there is no mooing or whining with this MacBook that i got with my old one.

But now i'm extremely worried about installing the RAM incase the same thing happens again, although apple did say i was doing everything correctly when i tried installing the third party RAM.

There seem to be quite a few Macbooks about with faulty levers.
 
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