First (big) issues w/ MacBook Pro C2D (Battery life, fans)

[djkny]

The manuals included with new MBP C2D's make NO MENTION of battery calibration (unlike the previous powerbooks); not sure if those battery tricks apply anymore.

 

[andrewfee]

Any "smart" battery will need calibration every so often, and it's best to do it right away.

Apple has details on it here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86284

 

[arrash]

So I got my MBP C2D finally replaced (I say "finally" but it took less than 5 days!). I just got a 2.16GHz/1GB/120GB/Glossy stock config in case I run into issues again, I can just take it to Apple Store and swap. Then I purchased 1GB of Corsair RAM for only $99 so I have the 2GB that the top-of-the-line 15" MBP C2D has.

With this new one, there are NO problems at all!! It is silent, cool to the touch and flawless. Case sits flush, fans have yet to ramp up and are barely audible (I actually can't even hear it). So Vlad, you will be good to go with your replacement. There were a handful that had the fan issue but Apple is swapping them without any problems.

 

[Curren~Sea]

Any "smart" battery will need calibration every so often, and it's best to do it right away.

Apple has details on it here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86284

Article ID: 86284
Date Created: March 13, 2003
Date Modified: October 31, 2006

Good to know this info is up to date.

 

[freestyleguy128]

I'm typing on my C2D MBP right now...the fans don't even turn on unless you are running a game or another graphics intensive application. Otherwise, this bad boy is dead silent and cool enough to be sitting on my legs through athletic shorts.

 

[shiv]

oh one more thing, make sure you're calibrating the correct way. It is different than calibrating in a Powerbook.

The difference is that after you have discharged enough to force sleep, you have to let it sleep at least 5 hours before recharging to full. Good time to do that is when you're asleep. (which i did)

in the last couple times I calibrated, I followed the calibration steps on the apple website. I actualyl let it sleep until it just shut off (basically left it while I slept for the night ) when I woke up, before I had to go to work I plugged it in and left it all day ( so it was recharged plus some time to sit at full charge at least a couple of hours).

Last night, after my second calibration, i used from 96% full ( the charge only got up to 96... as referred to in this thread). I had full brightness, no sleep mode on, about 5 safari windows open, and adium, and skype, and airport.

I got just under 3 hours of battery life with that charge. so I don't think my system is problematic. I think with my previous charges where I was getting about 2 hours, I was really putting more intensive work, like adobe light room, and itunes through the speakers with xtorrent downloading while the brightness was full.

so, it just taught me for the most part of how intensive some applications more than others, and also how much of a diff the brightness can make to a charge.

 

[Techniec]

I am not too sure if this is a battery problem i have been having but... after the first couple of charges, the "full charge capacity" has fluctuated a lot. Another problem i have been having with the battery is that when it reaches 99% charged, it will stay there... the green light will never turn on, when i click on the battery it will cosntantly say "calculating time remaining". Is this a problem with the battery? ... because this means that it is constantly charging even though it is full. I have used coconutBattery to check if the battery is actually full, and in fact it is, but the battery indicater at the top right of the os x says 99% (calculating time remaining). I have tried everything to try to fix this problem (calibrating, resetting PMU). Anyone else experiencing this problem? Other than the problem with the battery, there seems to be no other problems i have experienced... except for the time when i tried to open a program, and my fan went crazy as thought it was a ticking bomb about to explode (restarted asap, which stopped it). Any sort of input would be appreciated.

BTW, this is on a stock 15" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo

 

[iW00t]

2. Fans. The first day, when the laptop was plugged-in and while discharging, I experienced no problems. When I plugged it back in though, and just let it sit and charge, the fans were sporadically spinning at such high RPMs, it almost seemed like the laptop was going to take off and fly away. The heat couldn't be the issue here because compared to, even my PowerBook, the new MB Pro runs very cool. In fact, every time the fans started spinning hard like that, the laptop got actually cold.

Check to see if something is revving up your CPU, I noticed this same problem until I noticed that Omniweb is using up 100% of my CPU. Killed the application and the issue vanished.

Seems like Apple could have changed the fan controls to respond to CPU utilisation rather than heat now.

 

[rokdun]

2. Fans. (...) When I plugged it back in though, and just let it sit and charge, the fans were sporadically spinning at such high RPMs, it almost seemed like the laptop was going to take off and fly away. The heat couldn't be the issue here because compared to, even my PowerBook, the new MB Pro runs very cool.(...)

I have a similar problem, if not the same. With no apparent reason, the fans start to spin at 6000 rpm (thanks smcFanControl which reports that speed), and then they never go down. I have to put the MBP to sleep, and when I wake it up, the fans are back at their default 2000 rpm.

Friend of mind told me to reset the SMC (unplug the MBP, remove battery, press power button for 5 seconds), it seemed to work for a day, but this morning it did it again, 5 times total today.

In a sense this is not really a big problem, especially if it only happens now and then, however given the price of the laptop it's hard to swallow...

 

[andrewfee]

Last night, after my second calibration, i used from 96% full ( the charge only got up to 96... as referred to in this thread). I had full brightness, no sleep mode on, about 5 safari windows open, and adium, and skype, and airport.

If you disconnect the power once the battery is over 95% it won't charge again until it drops below that. Did that on my Powerbook too.

I am not too sure if this is a battery problem i have been having but... after the first couple of charges, the "full charge capacity" has fluctuated a lot. Another problem i have been having with the battery is that when it reaches 99% charged, it will stay there... the green light will never turn on, when i click on the battery it will cosntantly say "calculating time remaining". Is this a problem with the battery? ... because this means that it is constantly charging even though it is full. I have used coconutBattery to check if the battery is actually full, and in fact it is, but the battery indicater at the top right of the os x says 99% (calculating time remaining). I have tried everything to try to fix this problem (calibrating, resetting PMU). Anyone else experiencing this problem? Other than the problem with the battery, there seems to be no other problems i have experienced... except for the time when i tried to open a program, and my fan went crazy as thought it was a ticking bomb about to explode (restarted asap, which stopped it). Any sort of input would be appreciated.

BTW, this is on a stock 15" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo

When I calibrated for the first time, it stuck on orange with the "calculating..." for ages, but did eventually go green and I left it for another two hours from when it did - that's what the calibration is for - it tells it when the battery is at max, and when it's totally drained, letting it calculate the time much better.

 

[Outsiderdude26]

I just left my New C2D MBP at the apple store for repairs.... I have had 4 kernel panics in the last week, even after a clean re-install, and the battery was an issue (was only getting 45 minutes of battery life).... but hopefully they will be able to fix it..... luckly I still have my old G4 laying around so I will be using that for the mean time....

 

[capoditutti]

So I got my MBP C2D finally replaced (I say "finally" but it took less than 5 days!). I just got a 2.16GHz/1GB/120GB/Glossy stock config in case I run into issues again, I can just take it to Apple Store and swap. Then I purchased 1GB of Corsair RAM for only $99 so I have the 2GB that the top-of-the-line 15" MBP C2D has.

With this new one, there are NO problems at all!! It is silent, cool to the touch and flawless. Case sits flush, fans have yet to ramp up and are barely audible (I actually can't even hear it). So Vlad, you will be good to go with your replacement. There were a handful that had the fan issue but Apple is swapping them without any problems.

Arrash,

Which HDD did your second machine come with?

I'm trying to get an idea of whether the HDD lottery is geographical - i'm in the UK and thinking about ordering but the bad reviews on the Fujitsu HDDs have got me jittery, and i can only get the stock 2.13 (£1350)...

CaPo

 

[Mlebout]

It should have been, but the adapter fits in a car lighter port and as I do not have a very firm understanding regarding electrical current, wattage, and voltage I assumed it would work.

Silly assumption to have made. I am a first time apple buyer and had assumed that they would have a car adapter available (as most other laptop companies out there do). This appeared to be it, but sadly I was mistaken.

Luckily, with some simple adaptation the unit can be converted into a proper car charger, it's not the prettiest thing in the world, but it works.

You could also pick up an inverter. They have really come down in price and are quite portable. Will also charge your cel or run a household item (120v).

 

[iñaki'sonMac'87]

Happy to sayI gt one almost perfect MBP:
- 3:20 battery life ( ine movie on DVD and more than one hour browsing internet with itunes on)
- No funny sound at all, even with fans going at 6000rpm (with Fan Control)
- I can't say if my screen is uneven
- no heat issues, it can be named a laptop again!

i knock wood for what I'm saying!!