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Resolved I'm not sure if it's because of my MBP or not...

a-m-k

a-m-k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
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I recently had problems with my MBP and I think it's back to optimal performance. I tried to run the disk utility and the application just kept freezing. I'm not sure if my MBP is acting up again, though I would still like an alternative to DiskUtility. Is there one?

Thank you.
 
a-m-k said:
I recently had problems with my MBP and I think it's back to optimal performance. I tried to run the disk utility and the application just kept freezing. I'm not sure if my MBP is acting up again, though I would still like an alternative to DiskUtility. Is there one?

Thank you.
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I saw your black magic screen shot in your other thread and I wouldn't call it optimal by a long shot. Your hard drive is still very, very slow which could indicate a possible imminent failure.

Random app crashing, general slowness, beachballs are all symptoms that can point to a hard drive on its last legs.

Keep a good backup handy. You're likely to need it sooner than you'd like.
 
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Is it weird that when I have been using my MBP when it's charging, the bottom of my MBP where the cord plugs into was pretty warm. I jut took it off the charge and it cooled off immediately?
 
a-m-k said:
Is it weird that when I have been using my MBP when it's charging, the bottom of my MBP where the cord plugs into was pretty warm. I jut took it off the charge and it cooled off immediately?
Click to expand...

No. That is normal. Aluminum will dissipate heat very quickly.
 
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Hello, everybody, I have been told that my best bet was to get a MB air. Rather than start a new thread. I'll ask my question here.... Will there be some kind of price drop in time for the upcoming school year?
 
a-m-k said:
I'll ask my question here.... Will there be some kind of price drop in time for the upcoming school year?
Click to expand...

No, but Apple usually runs a promotion where they give away an iTunes gift card or headphones with the purchase of a new Mac.

Any particular reason why the best bet is to buy a new computer instead of fixing the relatively minor problem your Mac is having? From every thread you've posted, it sounds like you need a new HDD or SSD and possibly a new SATA cable.
 
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a-m-k said:
Hello, everybody, I have been told that my best bet was to get a MB air. Rather than start a new thread. I'll ask my question here.... Will there be some kind of price drop in time for the upcoming school year?
Click to expand...
A new hard drive and sata cable would run you less than $150 all told, I'm not sure how spending more than $1K on a new computer instead of a cheap fix is your best bet?
 
a-m-k said:
Is it weird that when I have been using my MBP when it's charging, the bottom of my MBP where the cord plugs into was pretty warm. I jut took it off the charge and it cooled off immediately?
Click to expand...

Normal. The charging circuit and battery throw off heat while charging.
 
As for the buying the new MBA. I'm actually going to wait a bit. I bet the new models will be out soon anyway. As of right now, things are actually decent. This way, I can manage to have (what I call) a "cushion" to be able to add a few more "bells and whistles".

I was advised the last time I was on the phone with Apple to install two apps called Monit and Malwarebytes. I have noticed that the fans are so quiet, I can't even hear them again, when this all started, they were always going. I think I have mentioned before what apps I was advised to remove, and one of them was a temperature app (SMC fan control)

Though, if it gets really bad again, how old is too old to get parts for? I am using a mid-2012 right now and when I thought I was going to need new parts, I read somewhere that my MBP was "too old". So, I'm keeping my eye on things and if it gets really bad I am back to square one.
 
a-m-k said:
Though, if it gets really bad again, how old is too old to get parts for? I am using a mid-2012 right now and when I thought I was going to need new parts, I read somewhere that my MBP was "too old". So, I'm keeping my eye on things and if it gets really bad I am back to square one.
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Apple is still selling that model as new as of today. I believe they usually have parts for 5 years after the last date of sale.
 
T5BRICK said:
Apple is still selling that model as new as of today. I believe they usually have parts for 5 years after the last date of sale.
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How would you find the last date of sale, contact Apple?
 
And to further expand on that, many parts such as hard drives, SSDs, and drive cables will always be readily available for purchase from third parties - irrespective of Apple's servicing policies.
 
JTToft said:
And to further expand on that, many parts such as hard drives, SSDs, and drive cables will always be readily available for purchase from third parties - irrespective of Apple's servicing policies.
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I'm trying to avoid third party anything. I'm going to stick with apple certified parts.
 
a-m-k said:
I'm trying to avoid third party anything. I'm going to stick with apple certified parts.
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- Excuse me, but that's silly. There's no difference at all between an "Apple" hard drive or SSD and one you get off Amazon. Apple doesn't manufacture hard drives or SSDs. They themselves use third party parts from HGST, Toshiba, Samsung, SanDisk, etc.
If anything, you will be able to make a better purchase by going third party because of the wider selection.

Just ask people on this forum for advice on what to purchase. There are lots of smart people here who know what they're talking about.
 
Though, come to think of it. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, I did use a "third party" charger, once on my old phone, and it happened to stop working completely. (It is a doorstop. Not usable.) That's my reasoning for not using 3rd party anything anymore.
 
a-m-k said:
Though, come to think of it. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, I did use a "third party" charger, once on my old phone, and it happened to stop working completely. (It is a doorstop. Not usable.) That's my reasoning for not using 3rd party anything anymore.
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- Third party chargers for Macs are definitely a huge no-no. But that's something completely different. Those are poorly manufactured knock-offs of a proprietary and patented product - akin to fake Louis Vuitton bags.
Apple already uses third party components inside their machines. So whether you get that drive from an Apple Store or from Amazon, it's still the same drive.
 
You know what's weird, if I am remembering right when my current MBP originally stopped working. I was going to charge my iPod. (An iPod nano.) Do you think that because I tried to use a third party charger to charge it, it made my MBP act up?

I don't have problems charging it on the wall outlet though. (I've only used it a few times. Since I had a iPhone. I used that since it could have a LOT more music on it.)
 
a-m-k said:
You know what's weird, if I am remembering right when my current MBP originally stopped working. I was going to charge my iPod. (An iPod nano.) Do you think that because I tried to use a third party charger to charge it, it made my MBP act up?

I don't have problems charging it on the wall outlet though. (I've only used it a few times. Since I had a iPhone. I used that since it could have a LOT more music on it.)
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- Knock-off Mac chargers can cause all sorts of weird things, so it's possible, if that's what you mean.
It's unlikely anything on your Mac has been affected by you charging your iPod with an incorrect charger and then connecting that iPod to the Mac, if that's what you mean.
 
a-m-k said:
Though, come to think of it. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, I did use a "third party" charger, once on my old phone, and it happened to stop working completely. (It is a doorstop. Not usable.) That's my reasoning for not using 3rd party anything anymore.
Click to expand...
Your whole mac is made of third party stuff.

Your RAM is likely made by samsung or hynix, your hard drive by hitachi or toshiba, your motherboard by intel.

Nothing internal to your mac is proprietary. Everything in it can be bought off the shelf, from their respective manufacturers (AKA, third parties).

Go right ahead, buy third party RAM and hard drive/SSD for your mac, you're getting the exact same quality you'd get from OEM(Apple Branded) stuff.

This doesn't include chargers or other peripherals, those are proprietary and patented, knock-offs are a fire hazard.
 
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