New SR MBP Arrives tomorrow! What tests should I run?

[ChePibe]

I will receive my brand new MacBook Pro 2.2 CTO with 160 GB upgrade tomorrow! I am a long-time mac user, so other than the new hardware I'm not expecting any surprises.

I have lurked in this forum for some time to read the problems people experienced with theirs, but I'm not sure I have a full checklist yet. What should I do to put my new MBP through the ringer and make sure there are no problems? What programs should I run to look for dead pixels? Any quick and easy way to discover the yellow-screen problem? What else should I look out for?

Post your suggestions and I'll (hopefully) post the results tomorrow night. However, I should note that since my car was totaled this weekend (the wife and I are both fine, we walked away perfectly well), I may be slower to provide a response.

Thanks in advance!

(For those interested, I placed my order on June 26th and the laptop shipped on July 5th.)

 

[RBMaraman]

I would advise that you NOT run any programs to look for dead pixels, and here is why:

1. Apple will not replace the screen for 1, 2, 3, 4, or even 5 dead pixels. They never say the official policy, but I know people who have 7 dead pixels and were denied a replacement, but a person with 8 did receive one.

2. Turn on the machine, and if you don't notice any dead pixels, don't go looking for them. If you find one (and as I already stated, Apple will not replace the screen), then your eyes will be CONSTANTLY drawn to that one dead pixel and it will drive you absolutely bonkers!

If your naked eye thinks everything looks great, leave it at that.

 

[Trepex]

I would advise that you NOT run any programs to look for dead pixels, and here is why:

1. Apple will not replace the screen for 1, 2, 3, 4, or even 5 dead pixels. They never say the official policy, but I know people who have 7 dead pixels and were denied a replacement, but a person with 8 did receive one.

2. Turn on the machine, and if you don't notice any dead pixels, don't go looking for them. If you find one (and as I already stated, Apple will not replace the screen), then your eyes will be CONSTANTLY drawn to that one dead pixel and it will drive you absolutely bonkers!

If your naked eye thinks everything looks great, leave it at that.

That or just call up and complain about something else other than dead pixels and they'll just arrange for a capture and swap, and send you out a new one.

 

[BrandonMatt0718]

I would advise that you NOT run any programs to look for dead pixels, and here is why:

1. Apple will not replace the screen for 1, 2, 3, 4, or even 5 dead pixels. They never say the official policy, but I know people who have 7 dead pixels and were denied a replacement, but a person with 8 did receive one.

2. Turn on the machine, and if you don't notice any dead pixels, don't go looking for them. If you find one (and as I already stated, Apple will not replace the screen), then your eyes will be CONSTANTLY drawn to that one dead pixel and it will drive you absolutely bonkers!

If your naked eye thinks everything looks great, leave it at that.

Exactly, don't go looking for witches in closets, because eventually you will find one.

 

[Lenortic577]

The above comments are "one way to look at it", but I'd certainly prefer to find the any problems while I have 30 days to send the item back if I don't like it, my checking list is:

1. Physical appearance:
- dents
- warps
- allignment issues
- battery sitting ok
- ports ok

2. Boot up, check display on gray background, check for:
- flickering on different brightnesses
- uneven illumination
- yellow colouring
- dead pixels
- run LCDtest
- display is not grainy

3. Test CD/DVD drive:
- place CD in drive, make sure it can read the data ok
- make sure the cd/dvd drive sounds ok
- eject disc make sure disc isn't scratched

4. Open text document, test keys:
- check all keys work ok
- check all function keys work ok
- check all keys sit on keyboard ok and feel normal
- check trackpad and trackpad button sit and feel ok
- listen for squeaky keys
- insert usb key into different usb ports

5. Play a MP3 sound, check speakers:
- test internal speakers at all volumes
- check for hissing/spitting during and after playback
- plug in head phones, check for hissing/sitting during and after playback at all voumes
- open Photobooth and test iSight camera

6. Listen for abnormal sounds:
- listen to HDD while fan isn't running, make sure there's no clicking sounds
- run up CPU in terminal: yes > /dev/null
- listen for fan noise on both sides
- make sure fan is spinning ok
- after a few minutes of running at full CPU, feel surface of laptop, see if it's hot

7. Restart machine, log back in:
- check screen is ok
- check heat around surface of laptop


Just a quick list to run through

 

[aussiejames]

Awesome run through. I'll be using this when I *finally* get my MBP

 

[AndyR]

DON'T run it on battery while using the Airport!!!

Well try it but you'll most likely get a Kernal Panic as it turns out there are driver issues which cause a KP using airport on battery. Its fine if you use it on AC Power but as soon as its on battery is KP city. Mine is sitting at home and I'm back on my MacBook as some of the places I am today don't have power sockets I can use but I need the wireless so its just a paperweight at home.

Apple Support forums have a few 16,000 viewed threads with the problem which Apple aren't acknowledging yet.

 

[drewpace]

what is a kernal panic? i have ran mine on battery while using airport...quite a bit, and i've never had any problems.