Macbook Pro: Fan Problem + Discoloration + 4SNS + Power Cord...

[sword]

So hey, I'm going to begin by saying that I'm covered under Apple's 3 year extended warranty and that I bought this Macbook Pro back in July of 2006 (I think around the 20th). It is a 15" Macbook Pro with a serial number beginning with W861. The battery is not included in the recall / replacement program. I've run every available update as well, so that shouldn't be the problem.

Now onto the problems. For the past few months my righthand fan, nearby the speaker has had this horrible whine that one can hear from rooms away. I'm pretty sure that can be fixed with a new speaker, but it just sounds like someone is trying to use a belt sander to cut through a rock.

Furthermore, I recently ran an extended hardware check and it returned with the following error code:

4SNS / 1 / 40000000 'TCOP'

I'm not sure if thats the exact amount of zeros, but there were quite a few. I believe, after a bit of searching, that its something to do with the logic board.

Also, the palmrest areas of the cover have become very discolored, becoming covered in black spots and nearly uncovered in some areas. This I don't mind as much since its just visual.

Finally, the last problem I've been having (At least as I remember) is that my Magsafe cord has almost stopped working, AGAIN! I have to have the power block exactly perpendicular to the power outlet, otherwise it will not work. I did have one Mag"safe" cord that ended up burning (smoke and all!), but I returned that and got a new one which promptly stopped working as well. Right now, just to keep this laptop running, I have the power block propped up on top of a spanish / english translating dictionary and a pen, and every once in a while I have to reposition the pen just to make the connection again.

I should also say that about six months ago I had the entire keyboard and top of the case replaced due to keyboard / trackpad / discoloration problems, so this isn't the first repair on the computer.

What I'm wondering is if anyone else has had these problems, and if so, what has been the outcome? If not, what should I expect? I'm thinking that they'll have me bring it into NYC to an applestore there to be fixed, but in that case I won't have a computer for several days and I'm relying on this thing for schoolwork.

Thanks,
Fred

 

[sword]

Anyone?

 

[calvy]

Well, I can tell you that I just had my W861 Macbook Pro in for service because my right hand fan wasn't spinnning, and I was getting the same error code via hardware test, which indicated a bad Logic board. I paid the Pro Care bribe, and they serviced it in store for me, which ended up taking 2 days because they said they received a DOA logic board first. This is the second time that I've had the logic board replaced in my machine. The first time due to a whine. They upgraded me to a newer version logic board at that time. I'm running now with the latest board they have in it, and it seems fine for the most part. I'm tired of replacing logic boards in the thing, that's for sure. But my fans are all going, and I just got a new battery out of apple, because I swear that faulty motherboard F'd up my old battery. It wouldn't last long at all, and it was killing me.

I'd have apple service your machine for sure. If you need it immediately though, you can either pay for pro care, or you will just have to hold off and do it when you won't need it as badly.

 

[tMac85]

are you a student?
Sounds like you use your laptop improperly. Or you must CONSTANTLY use it. Do you leave it plugged in ALL the time? If so its not good. ( for the computer or the mag adapt.) Your palm areas... that means your hands are not clean, and you are eating and drinking around it i assume. Go to the apple store. Deal with not having your computer and see what they say.

goodluck

 

[sword]

are you a student?
Sounds like you use your laptop improperly. Or you must CONSTANTLY use it. Do you leave it plugged in ALL the time? If so its not good. ( for the computer or the mag adapt.) Your palm areas... that means your hands are not clean, and you are eating and drinking around it i assume. Go to the apple store. Deal with not having your computer and see what they say.

goodluck

Well, the discoloration has happened twice now. I am on my second top-case after I had the keyboard and trackpad replaced. This case began to discolor only about three weeks after I had the repair done, so this isn't really me. While I was on the phone the tech support guy at Apple was saying that, because the discoloration occurred about three weeks after the replacement and on both cases, it was probably a problem with the case itself.

I am both a student and a programmer, so this computer gets a fair bit of use. However, it is in sleep mode for a majority of the day.

Anywho, I'll be bringing the computer in pretty soon. I bought Applecare when I bout this computer, so I'm covered until 2009. While on the phone, though, I did ask to speak with a supervisor so that I could file a sort of complaint about the quality control of the Macbook Pros. This sort of degredation of a product over such a short amount of time (the case, the fan, etc) can only be attributed to quality control. I have not overused this computer, it barely ever leaves my room, and I have never spilt anything on it. Hopefully my message gets through to Apple.