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Found what was causing rattling in my wife's 13" MBP

Ryan700

Ryan700

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 4, 2008
46
1
Canada
I opened my wife's 13" MBP and found a ball bearing size amber plastic bead. Anyone know where it comes from? Is is important? Sorry for the blurry image as my phone doesn't focus that close.
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Jasmynp said:
could it have been in her bag and jammed itself in there?
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It's possible. She takes it to work once a month to do inventory. As a side note her display kept turning off the last couple of days which is why I opened it. The rattling has been going on for months. I was worried that something shorted out and was relieved it wasn't a screw. The display shutoff problem? A thick coating of dust on the cooling fan. Glad I caught it before the processor failed.
 
Ryan700 said:
It's possible. She takes it to work once a month to do inventory. As a side note her display kept turning off the last couple of days which is why I opened it. The rattling has been going on for months. I was worried that something shorted out and was relieved it wasn't a screw. The display shutoff problem? A thick coating of dust on the cooling fan. Glad I caught it before the processor failed.
Click to expand...


Definitely glad you caught it. Considering how everything's glued down, it's surprising that the case isn't on tighter.
 
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It's hard to see how small it really is but could that bead have lodged into the mic jack and into the laptop that way? I can't see how something like that could have got inside unless it was there from the factory.
 
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it's Timmy's seed!

sell it before they replace him as CEO

I wonder if thats packaging silicon (that is in that fabric-y pouch) with packaging materials?
 
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Just found this old thread today (April 2, 2018)

Mid 2012 MBP 13" - rattle inside - opened up the back and also found an identical tiny plastic bead/ball rolling around loose - easily removed.

I have opened up the back on 2 occasions to upgrade to an SSD and later to replace the HD to CPU Cable.

No idea where this bead might have come from.

Google search found a number of references to this issue but no answer as to where the bead might have come from.

Anyone out there with the answer??

Thanks!

…John
 
Looks like some kind of spacer/insulator. Might be some little part that helps with original assembly, maybe to simplify the alignment steps at some point, and that tiny bit comes loose on some units.
 
DeltaMac said:
Looks like some kind of spacer/insulator. Might be some little part that helps with original assembly, maybe to simplify the alignment steps at some point, and that tiny bit comes loose on some units.
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Or a small piece of silica gel which could come from the little moisture removal packets.
 
csurfr said:
Or a small piece of silica gel which could come from the little moisture removal packets.
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Maybe --- but aren't the silica gel chunks actually quite soft, and wouldn't make a noticeable sound, compared to something like a piece of glass, or some other, harder piece more like a tiny bit of quartz?
 
DeltaMac said:
Maybe --- but aren't the silica gel chunks actually quite soft, and wouldn't make a noticeable sound, compared to something like a piece of glass, or some other, harder piece more like a tiny bit of quartz?
Click to expand...
Little plastic beads are also used.

Edit: But yes, I’ve seen those clear packets you’re referring to as well.
 
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