My MacBook Pro is acting strange

[ghall]

So, here I am. Not 1 issue with my MacBook Pro until now. My screen fades to black for a second, and all of a sudden my battery capacity is at 67% (I use CoconutBattery to check my capacity every once in a while). And when I start it up while it has a low charge, it tells me that there is no battery power left, yet the computer seems to be running like there's definitaly some charge in there.

So, anyone have any clue as to what the issue is?

 

[mad jew]

Try re-seating your battery. Hopefully it's just a matter of dirty connectors. Does it recharge properly when you plug it back in? Do you calibrate your battery monthly?

 

[ghall]

Try re-seating your battery. Hopefully it's just a matter of dirty connectors. Does it recharge properly when you plug it back in? Do you calibrate your battery monthly?

I try to calibrate my battery monthly, but I'm not great with that. But I hardly ever calibrated my PowerBook battery and it never got below 92% during the 11 months that I owned it.

I just tried reseating the battery and cleaning the connectors and no luck. Should I bring it to an Apple Store?

 

[mad jew]

One last thing to try is a PMU reset, in conjunction with another battery calibration. If this doesn't help, then take it to Apple.

 

[ghall]

One last thing to try is a PMU reset, in conjunction with another battery calibration. If this doesn't help, then take it to Apple.

Looks like a trip to the Apple Store is in order. Hopefully it's just the battery because I can't send in my computer to get fixed again, especially with all the work I have to get done for school. Do they replace batteries on the spot?

This still doesn't explain why my screen blanks out for a second every once in awhile. Or does it? Could that be a sign of a faulty battery?

Okay, all I really need to know at this point is if my battery is going to spontaneously combust. That whould not be very fun.

 

[ghall]

Okay, I think I got my battery working fine again, but now my screen keeps blanking out.

 

[mad jew]

I dunno about how they work with replacements because we don't have any Apple Stores in Australia, but I'd take it to them pretty quickly. Hopefully the blanking screen isn't a sign of logic board failure.

 

[ghall]

I dunno about how they work with replacements because we don't have any Apple Stores in Australia, but I'd take it to them pretty quickly. Hopefully the blanking screen isn't a sign of logic board failure.

Oh god, it better not be that. I just got this thing. I'll definitely bring it tomorrow.

 

[mad jew]

I think that's the worst-case scenario, but take it back to be sure. A new machine should work perfectly.

 

[ghall]

I think that's the worst-case scenario, but take it back to be sure. A new machine should work perfectly.

"A new machine"? Do you mean, like, a replacement? God, I hope it doesn't come to that. I just got this thing in August.

 

[mad jew]

Nah, I mean that your machine's still quite new and as such, should be working properly.

 

[ghall]

Nah, I mean that your machine's still quite new and as such, should be working properly.

Whew, you had me worried there for a second. I hope my dearest MacBook Pro will be okay.

Oh, I noticed that the screen only blanks out after quitting a program.

 

[mad jew]

That's really just not normal. Does it happen in a new user account? You can create a new user account in System preferences, under the Accounts pane.

 

[ghall]

That's really just not normal. Does it happen in a new user account? You can create a new user account in System preferences, under the Accounts pane.

I don't really know how to reproduce the problem. It doesn't happen all the time. I've decided to bring it to the Apple Store, so I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[ghall]

I ran hardware test, and no problems came up, so now I'm starting to doubt the logic board theory.

BTW, my battery capacity is now higher than it was before the strange loss of capacity.

Computers are really weird sometimes.

 

[mad jew]

Very strange. Don't rely too much on the Hardware Test because it doesn't always find fault with failing hardware. Having said that, I think the logic board issue is quite far fetched, but possible nonetheless. Good luck with the technicians.