From Appledefects

The MacBook Release Date: May 16, 2006 Base Price: USD$1099

Contents 1 Apple MacBook 1.1 Resolved Probems 1.1.1 Random shutdowns 1.1.2 "Mooing" fan noise, Ticking/Clicking Fan noise 1.1.3 Discoloration 1.1.4 Blocked rear vent 1.1.5 Colored Lines on Boot 1.1.6 Destruction of Media inserted into Combo/Superdrive 1.1.7 Airport quality and/or reception is defective or unstable 1.1.8 Excessive Thermal Paste 1.1.9 Burning Chemical/Solvent odor 1.2 Unresolved Problems 1.2.1 Poor Display Quality 1.2.2 Horizontal Banding (Horizontal Lines) 1.2.3 Poor Build Quality of the Bottom Case 1.2.4 Cracking Cases 1.2.5 Power Cord 1.2.6 Sharp Edges 1.2.7 Display Artifacts 1.2.8 Display Failure 1.2.9 Screen Flicker 1.2.10 Improperly Sealed Case 1.2.11 Misaligned Case 1.2.12 Inappropriate Fan Management 1.2.13 Hard Drive "Thud", or "Click" 1.2.14 Hard Drive Failure 1.2.15 Failing Keys 1.2.16 Idle Processor Noise 1.2.17 Extreme Heat 1.2.17.1 Poor Heat dissipation 1.2.18 Combo & Superdrives noises and problems 1.2.19 Failed or Blown speakers 1.2.19.1 Inappropriately low speaker volume 1.2.20 Airport-induced kernel panic 1.2.21 Bad trackpad button 1.2.22 Kernel panics with headphones 1.2.23 Vibrating Cases 1.2.24 Weak LCD 1.2.25 Battery Failure : Battery Does Not Charge and is Not Recognized by MacBook 1.2.26 Static Noise/Crackling 1.2.27 iSight webcam interfering with the Microphone 1.2.28 Bluetooth module is not recognized any more 1.2.29 Malfunctioning iSight camera 1.2.30 Dead Macbook 1.2.31 BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH 1.2.32 Buzzing Screen 1.2.33 Superdrive no longer reads/burns DVD/CD 1.2.34 Extreme Slowdown/Lag from processor intensive tasks (i.e. Flash video) 1.3 External Links

Apple MacBook

The MacBook is a line of consumer Macintosh laptop computers developed and marketed by Apple Computer. Introduced on May 16, 2006[1] to immediate availability in all U.S. Apple online and retail stores, the MacBook replaces the iBook series.

The MacBook is based on the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and is available in three configurations: 2.00 GHz and a 2.16 GHz with a white polycarbonate enclosure, and a 2.16 GHz model in a matte black case. Every model has a built-in iSight webcam, and a magnetic latch mechanism. The MacBook line is the companion to the higher-end MacBook Pro line. Newer models, after November 2007, have configurations of 2.00Ghz and 2.2Ghz.

Resolved Probems

Random shutdowns

There have been reports of random and inappropriate shut downs, in the midst of doing typical computer tasks. After the random shut down, the MacBook frequently has trouble turning back on, and sometimes will repeat the random turn offs frequently enough to render the MacBook completely unusable (turning off every few minutes, for example). See MacBook (Intermittent shutdowns) for additional information.

• Possible Workaround: After the power cuts, press and hold the power button for about fifteen seconds until you hear a loud beep. The MacBook should stay on until the next time you shut it down or put it to sleep. As an odd side effect, the fans come on a lot more, but this keeps it much cooler. On the 2.0 GHz MacBook, this also locks the processors to 1.0 GHz.

Apple has acknowledged this problem. Units returned after repair by Apple come with replaced heatsinks which confirms an early explanation for the problem. They are now issuing a firmware update which is said to resolve the issue, though given the claimed cause (heat sink expansion shorting out a temperature sensor) it is unclear how this is possible without a> restricting expansion by reducing performance, b> improving the cooling (and generating more noise) by running the fans faster or more frequently or c> risking damage by disabling the safety feature.

• http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304308

"Mooing" fan noise, Ticking/Clicking Fan noise

A fan in the MacBook fails to start properly, instead the fan turns itself on and off in intervals of a couple seconds, causing a distinct "mooing" sound (mp3). The MacBook Pro also suffers from this problem.

Apple has fixed this problem by issuing a SMC firmware update.

• http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macbooksmcfirmwareupdate.html

• Ticking/Clicking from underneath the delete key MB owners have noticed that fans are starting to go bad in the MB. The result is a ticking, or a clicking sound coming from underneath the Delete key. In some cases, it sounds like the fan blades are hitting something. This video demonstrates the problem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdQvf3WPKKA

Alternative Solution for those whose fan noise was not solved by the firmware update:
(USE AT YOUR OWN RISK)
1. Turn on smcFanControl and make the minimum fan RPM = 6200 (the fan speed in my case doesn't change and is not responsive, staying at around the noisy 2500rpm).
2. Push down really hard between the 6 and 7 key. The fan is located below. You will hear a screeching noise.
3. Let go, the fan rpm should jump up to 6200rpm and stay there (because of smcFanControl). In my case, 6200rpm was much quieter than 2500rpm.

Discoloration

MacBook users report the rapid discoloration of surface plastics, particularly in the regions of the wrist pads and areas that recieve a lot of touch. Discoloration has been reported to appear as yellows, pinks, and grays. A recent TUAW poll suggests 20% of MacBook users are affected.

Initially, Apple shut down a large discussion thread on the topic. Users organized at http://www.stainedbook.info and http://mobildata.bravejournal.com. An eraser can be used to get rid of the discoloration or get a MacBook wristrest skin to protect and cover it.

Apple has acknowledged this problem as of July 2006. Call AppleCare to get a replacement of the plastic part affected.

• http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304058

Blocked rear vent

Apple shipped a lot of the MacBooks with plastic covering its rear (and only) ventilation port.

Apple has acknowledged this problem and documented it on their website. Fortunately, this is easy to fix: just remove the plastic.

• http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303848

Colored Lines on Boot

• Colored lines during the boot up process.

• GETTING RID OF THE COLOURED LINES:

*First, flash the PRAM; which can be done by holding 
down Apple + Option + P + R, until  the lines 
disappear and the spinning Apple apears                                                               

*Then go into system preferences and change 
the screen resolution to 1024-768 (streched), and reboot. 
No more coloured lines. 
You can change your resolution back after the reboot. 

• Apple fixed this issue after the 10.4.8 Update. This issue only effects 10.4.7 users.

• Most Apple Care techs are not aware of this issue, and it is quite common too see macbooks sent back for unnecessary Logic Board replacement.

Destruction of Media inserted into Combo/Superdrive

• Reports of the inserted disks physically being destroyed by Apple's built in drives. Users report the

appearance of 'sandpaper' looking scratches, or other kinds of etching onto various media.

• AT YOUR OWN RISK, here are instructions to damage the drive media, courtesy of apple's discussion boards:

Step 1: Put in CD/DVD into optical drive.

Step 2: Wait until the drive gets up some speed (so you hear the nice humm it makes when its spinning.

Step 3: Pick up your macbook and tilt left and right. (listen for the scratching noises)

Step 4: Eject the disk and notice that your DVD/CD has nice new pretty white markings on the readable side. (OH NO you just ruined your cd/dvd)

This has been fixed in macbooks weeks 36 and onwords. Call Apple Care if your drive causes this problem.

March 2008 update. A brand new MacBook Pro Penryn with superdrive has this problem. AppleCare is being very friendly about it.

Airport quality and/or reception is defective or unstable

• Many users report inexplicable dropping of wireless connections on 802.11b/g networks.

The airport shuts off after a period of inactivity when on battery power. My solution is to open a terminal and type:
nohup ping -i 10 google.com > /dev/null &
This will prevent the airport from sleeping until your next reboot.

Other solution is to delete file com.apple.airport.preferences.plist.

• Users report poor airport reception quality, regardless of distance from their base station or wireless router.
• Inexplicably weak airport signals. 40% reception quality only inches away from wireless router is reported and confirmed.

• Possible fix - maybe airport antenna cable is loose inside. A card with the antenna unplugged will probably get about that.
• Possible fix - antenna cable is broken - needs to be replaced
• Many Core 2 Duo MacBooks users are reporting Airport problems, such as: airport connection dropouts; inability to connect to networks in which other computers- both earlier Macs and PCs have no trouble with; strange reception fluctuation with connected network but no problems seeing networks; problems with encrypted networks (WPA, WPA2, and even some WEP networks, where earlier Macs and other PCs have no difficulty); a failure upon trying to connect to a known network in which an IP address cannot be recieved from the router, and Airport self-assigns one to itself instead; cannot connect at full 54Mbps speed for long before Airport drops to lower settings.
• Some users report switching to unencrypted networks using an access control list and hiding the SSID works for them, however this should not be a permanent fix for the issue. Others report upgrading their 3rd party router's firmware to the latest revision seems to help the issue.
• Some users even report constant kernel panics when trying to use Airport, or connect to networks. A reinstall of the OS does not resolve the issue.
• Some users confirm issues with Apple's own Airport Express and Extreme routers.
• An update (http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/airportupdate2006002.html) was released for the Core 2 Duo MacBook (Pro) series, which has recieved mixed reviews in resolving issues for users.
• Please call Apple if you experience these issues, an update that will be effective for all users will not be made unless they receive notice of the issues being widespread.

I think this issue is not yet resolved, bubblegum fix is not the real one. I called to apple and they said that problem is known and fix is not available. 
Sounds like software issue on macbook. Fix is coming in (soon) weeks?

Excessive Thermal Paste

• There are many documented reports of users who have dissected their MacBooks in an attempt to discover the cause of the extreme heat. Users have reported chaotic messes of thermal paste, applied in copious amounts. Often the thermal paste has leaked over onto other surfaces, including the breadboard itself. In such quantities the thermal paste acts as an insulator of heat rather than a conductor. There is much speculation and even documentation that this is a significant reason for the excessive heat generated by the MacBook series.

Apple now uses pre-applied thermal paste on macbooks manufactured week 36 and later.

Burning Chemical/Solvent odor

• Some MacBook owners have reported the smell of burning and/or peculiar solvent-like odors coming from their MacBooks, usually reported to be emitting from the keyboard, or out of the heat dissiption grill. The resulting fumes have been documented to irritate both the nose and throat by some users.
• My first Macbook had this weird funny smell and its coming from the air grid below the screen. Apple gave me second Macbook to replace the old one. It still has a funny smell. It smells so bad that its affecting my breathing.
• A black MacBook purchased April 9, 2008 smells a bit like burning plastic. There is a burning sensation in my nose and throat, and my tonsils are irritated. I have never experienced this with a new computer.

This one has been moved from the unresolved category because a fix has been found: To fix the smell,download fancontrolsmc,launch it and restart,when it restarts,launch the program,and set the left fan speed to 6000RPM,and click apply,turn the display backlight off,and let it sit for 24-36 Hours,and you have a scent-free nice and warm macbook! :)

Unresolved Problems

Poor Display Quality

The displays on many MacBooks are poorly made and backlit, but most people fail to notice this. They are almost all unevenly lit with dim corners (especially the bottom corners) and ridiculous amounts of cathode bleed along the bottom of the display, with patches of light and dark throughout the remainder. Bear in mind that on the 17" MacBook Pro's, this is considered "normal."

• If you notice a dead or stuck pixel on your brand new MacBook, do not hesitate to take it back to the store where you bought it form and ask for an exchange. The Apple Store offers a 14-day no questions return/exchange policy, which users affected by these or any other MacBook issue should take advantage of.

Horizontal Banding (Horizontal Lines)

This problem occurs with at least some of the LCD screens sourced from Apple suppliers. It is known to affect many Rev C Nvidia White Macbooks. Screen artifacts show severe horizontal banding on backgrounds. More information on the phenomena, including photographs, can be found here. As of July 19, 2009, half of the display models at Canada's flagship Apple Store displayed this defect.

Poor Build Quality of the Bottom Case

The bottom cases of some MacBooks (noted on the black one below) are warped along the back of the body. [Update] After further investigation, I have determined this to have been caused by the back four screws (or a subset thereof) being substantially over-tightened, leading to the plastic warping. I have encountered a couple of these now. Construction quality is abominable. This is also due to very weak (sub-par) plastic.

Cracking Cases

Several different types of cracks have been reported:

• Vertical crack on the left side of the bottom case. [[1]] Picture: [[2]]
• On the bottom part of palmrests "right where the small piece of plastic from the display bezel comes to rest on the top case when closed." [[3]] Pictures: [[4]] and [5]]
• Random cracks elsewhere on the case:

[[6]]

Power Cord

• An audible "buzzing" and "sizzling" sound emits from the power brick. Particularly audible when you are charging a low or dead battery.
• Temperature of the power brick is excessive and dangerous. Hot enough to mark/damage flesh.
• Battery will charge slowly, or will not charge at all.
• Audio file of the power cord sizzle in quicktime .mov format:

http://www.appledefects.com/media/hot-ac-adapter-hiss.mov

• Reports of MagSafe adapter melting and burning as shown below

• Connection between Power Cord and MagSafe adapter separate and fail over time

Sharp Edges

• The sharp edges on the MacBook have been known to cut into your wrists while typing. Several users have returned MacBooks because of the sharp edges, and 'fixes' on the Apple Discussion Boards focus on physically altering the MacBook by filing down the lexan edges with a file or knife or affixing tape.

Display Artifacts

• Noise and other distortions appear on the screen. A common problem to the Intel macs with integrated video. Nearly identical artifacts were produced by the iBook which later was discovered to have faulty logic boards. There is also speculation it is a software driver issue.

• POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Deactivation of "Secure virtual memory" in the Security preferences may solve the problem.

See a sample of a defect screen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrd31haa_So

• • SOLUTION: control-click on the desktop. Select "show view options", drag the icon size slider down to something like 56x56. Most likely, its set to something like [128x128]. Try that, the issue is account specific and is not resolved by removing the preferences. I did this and it worked!

Display Failure

• Many users have reported the failure of their LCD display, the cause is unknown and the failure seems completely random.
• 17July06 : There is a problem with the macbook LCD backlight. Possibly a loose connection. Other users seem to have had this problem.
• Suggested fix to black display from applecare, unplug power, disconnect battery, hold down power button for 5 secs, reconnect battery and power, restart. This resets the power manager. Reseting PRAM has been suggested also.

• The PMU reset procedure, described above, seems to work only sometimes and not for long. This is the procedure that will help you (have done it, and no problems for a week):
  • Go to Energy Saver options at System Preferences.
  • Set display sleep time to 1 min.
  • Let the computer put the display to sleep.
  • Go back to normal use, and set the display sleep time to the desired value.

All set, it will probably solve this issue.

• Loose connection has now been confirmed for two units. In this case, pressing down with moderate force between the keyboard and hinge on the left-hand side about one inch from the edge resulted in engaging the LCD. This was only confirmed through Apple Care when the user established that all other functions worked by using a second monitor and alternatively pressing and releasing that seemingly arbitrary location. Tech support indicated that the power connection for the LCD is located in that area.

October 18, 2008: I had the loose connection problem in my black macbook and the aforementioned solution fixed the problem- user braxtron.

Screen Flicker

• Some MacBook's have shown inexplicable flickering of the LCD screen, resulting in a near useless display.
• After having this kind of problem (my display flickered and sometimes the backlight didn't even work) I sent the macbook to be repaired, they changed the inverter and now the backlight doesn't power off but every time I turn it on (after a few hours of rest) the flickering continues for a few minutes.

• see: http://www.appledefects.com/?p=179
• see: http://www.appledefects.com/?p=235
• Sign petition here hoping it helps convincing apple to do something.

Improperly Sealed Case

• The case is often installed incorrectly causing a "squeeking" when pressure is applied to certain areas. [Update] I (as a service provider at an Apple Certified Service Center [not Apple]) have discovered this to be due to severe over-tightening of the cases. I have had to re-build about 3 of these laptops.
• Users report the case structure surrounding the screen as popping off or seperating from the LCD housing

Separation of casing.Photo courtesy of MacBidouille

• I just received my 2 months old macbook - white from Apple Store. I took mine to Apple Store for case separation and discoloration of the flat cover where my hands touch. According to Mac genious, there is nothing they can do for case separation. What they told me was that the cover is simply sitting on the body, and there is no way for them to tighten it like the brand new ones in case of replacing it. Almost all demo macbooks at the store have gaps between the flat cover and the body. The clips that hold the flat cover won't be same as when they were installed at the factory. This is the main reason that the case separation occurs. It will happen, and Applie will not do anything. Only the left side had gap when I brought my macbook, but now I see gap on both sides.

Misaligned Case

• The LCD screen is poorly attached on some MacBooks, causing a misalignment particularly evident when the MacBook is closed. Some reports suggest several milimeters to even a centimeter off center. This leads to the rogue edge attaching onto objects and pulling the MacBook open in inappropriate situations - such as when being stored in a bookbag or laptop case. After the MacBook has been opened unknown to the user, it wakes from sleep and overheats due to the already excessive heat generated by most MacBook's. This obviously drains the battery and has been known to cause kernel panics (likely due to excessive overheating with inadequate ventilation). This has led to the complete death of at least two MacBook's as documented on Apple's discussion boards.

I had this problem occur on my 4-month old MacBook. I took the machine to the local Apple repair centre and they replaced both the left and right hinges. They said that Apple do not consider this a defect and the repair is not covered under warranty, but as they have made several repairs to correct this fault they are pressing Apple to reimburse me.

Inappropriate Fan Management

• The MacBook fans often don't turn on at all, or only when heat has reached extremes (95 celcius).

Hard Drive "Thud", or "Click"

• The computer emits a small *thud* and the hard drive spins for a split second.
• The sound is thought to be the "head" on the hard drive returning to the "parked" position.
• The sound is heard while booting

Hard Drive Failure

Seagate laptop drives with the Firmware revisions 7.01 and 3.CAE appear to have a critical manufacturing flaw.

How to determine if your drive is one of these mentioned:

In System Profiler, look under Serial-ATA for the Revision, which shows the firmware of your hard drive. You will see “Model” and if it begins with letters “ST9” then it is a Seagate drive. If yours is Revision 7.01 or 3.CAE (only Seagate drives have this number) you should consider backing up your data immediately and replacing the drive.

We at Retrodata have been examining the failures of these two models, and have noted that drives with firmware 3.CAE suffer from significantly higher levels of platter abrasion than those with FW 7.01.

More information:

• MacRumors: Apple Acknowledges Reports Of MacBook Hard Drive Failures (2007-11-26)
• RetroData: Important notice » Users of Apple Macbooks

Failing Keys

• A group of keys fails intermittently (eg upper right corner: 0,-,p,/,;,return)
• Keys have been known to pop off of the MacBook at random
• Keys are also known to become stuck at random
• When the fn (function) key is used in combination with another modifier key (like command/apple), the fn key must be pressed and held last, not first, or else the fn key is ignored

Idle Processor Noise

• The MacBook is victim to the high pitched noise generated by the processor, known as the 'CPU whine'
• Its sort of like beeping but "More like rythmic screaming"
• This occurs only when the CPU is idle
• Disabling the second core of the processor or running a program that prevents the processors from being idle will eliminate this sound (like PhotoBooth).
• Comes from under the W key
• noise is easy to recognize when holding down a key (iiiiiii) or when visiting this website <http://www.learner.org/jnorth/mclass/spring2006/Peek033106.html>
• This has also been observed on the MacBook Pro, as well as other Core Duo based PC laptops.
• Unlike the Macbook Pro, Apple has yet to recognize this issue.

Extreme Heat

• The MacBook can reach temperatures that are extremely uncomfortable. There have been reports of everything from blisters developing on the skin of the user, to finish wearing off of furniture such as desks or tables that the MacBook has been placed on.
• Temperatures have been documented and recorded as high as 95 degrees celcius, or nearly 203 degrees farenheit - nearly boiling point!
• The extreme heat has also been directly linked to kernel panics and other stability problems which are common on overheating electronics.
• Discover your temperature ratings by using a third party app such as CoreDuoTemp: http://macbricol.free.fr/coreduotemp/
• You can help keep your MacBook cool by adjusting the fan settings with applications smcFanControl at http://81.169.182.62/~eidac/software/page5/page5.html
  • DO NOT USE THE FAN CONTROL SOFTWARE FROM LOBOTOMO SOFTWARE. IT MAXES OUT THE INTEL CPU, ALTERS THE APPLE FIRMWARE DEFAULTS AND WHEN UNISTALLED, DOESNT SET THINGS BACK TO DEFAULT SETTINGS. THE FORUMS ARE UNHELPFUL AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS NONEXISTANT.

Poor Heat dissipation

• Excess heat is poorly pushed out of the back in concentrated amounts, weakening the glue on the LCD display, causing seperation of the physical LCD screen
• The pushed air is hot enough to damage various surfaces behind the vent, including the MacBook itself.

Combo & Superdrives noises and problems

• I bought a Macbook about 3 weeks ago. I popped in a few DVDs into my superdrive and noticed they were scratched. Initially I dismissed them as old DVDs but recently realized it was actually scratching even my new DVDs. As described in an earlier posting, I don't even have to tilt the macbook.

1) Place the macbook on the table.

2) Slide the DVDs into the superdrive.

3) Let the DVD spin few about a min and pop out the DVD.

4) DVD is scratched in the first few sectos that it has acessed.

• Many of the media drives shipped in the MacBook make odd grinding noises. Users have reported many defective drives, not properly burning media of all kinds including dvd's and cdr's. Some users have reported scratching of disks inserted into the MacBooks media drive, as if there is a chainsaw actually ripping up the cd surface.

Failed or Blown speakers

• Several users have reported the failure of one, sometimes both of the speakers located at the back of the MacBook

Inappropriately low speaker volume

• Users report the sound volume on the MacBook to be inadequate, often times the CPU whine or fan moo is louder than audio coming out of the microscopic built-in speakers. In contrast, the sound in the MacBook's predecessors (eg iBook) is substantially better.

Airport-induced kernel panic

• Many users report random kernel panics, with the panic log implicating the Airport driver:
• http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=389962
• http://www.google.com/search?q=macbook%20com.apple.driver.AirPortAtheros5424

This also seems to be a logic board problem, with AppleCare offering repairs and in some cases replacements.

Or not. Many people on that forum page are on their 3rd and 4th Macbook, and still seeing the same problem. I demanded and received a refund after my 3rd Macbook in a row had the same problem.

It appears that the Airport update issued on September 21, 2006 has addressed this problem for many users.

Bad trackpad button

• Unresponsive trackpad button - can be remedied by placing a small, thick piece of paper in the battery compartment

The procedure is described here: http://www.appledefects.com/?p=35

• Jams/clicks and generally not working at it should.
• Many users on Apple Discussion boards report a 'squishy' feeling, particularly on the right and left sides of the button where, in many cases, a 'click' does not register at all, or extreme pressure must be applied. This design defect is particularly noticeable when compared to iBooks, PowerBooks and MacBook Pro. It appears that the design of the button does not distribute pressure evenly across the button.

Kernel panics with headphones

If the headphones are removed too slowly, there is inevitably a kernel panic. This may be specific to Macbooks or may affect other models. A simple google search for "Macbook, headphones, panic" results in many hits.

this is not reproducible on my MacBook, I've uploaded a video to Youtube documenting this. --Opspin 08:03, 12 August 2006 (MST)

Vibrating Cases

• This is due to an improperly sealed Hardrive. To fix the problem simply pull your hard drive out and put it back in.
• Since the vibration is obviously coming from the hard drive (check to see if the vibration disappears when the hard drive spins down to verify) re-seating it would be the first thing to try. How to do this is found here:[7]. In my case this did not help. There are a few workarounds, though. If your vibrations are noticeable only when the MacBook is placed directly on a hard surface you can probably make it disappear by placing a credit card or something similiar under the front right foot or at another position under the MacBook (you may need to experiment to find the place that works). Placing the whole laptop on a few sheets of paper may also work. Others report success when changing the hard drive to another brand (no clear cut combination seems to work for everyone). Running without a battery when plugged in to AC also seems to make the vibrations less noticeable. Unfortnuately I have yet to hear about a repair solution to the problem. Most people seem to get a replacement with the hope to get lucky, since some MacBooks vibrate and some don't. It seems to be the luck of the draw really and some kind of unknown assembly problem.

Weak LCD

• Individual User report below complaining of weak build quality, note that most LCD's are quite fragile and should be handled with care:

"The macbook case itself is so fragile that even if you do not hit somewhere hard, or drop it ; your lcd screen can get damaged and apple customer care will say that it is all your fault -even if the macbook is your heart, and you handle it with so much care that you don't show to your eye-. (Pictures of a macbook with pre and post apple techman's evaluation of my poor macbook can be seen at www.futursuz.net/gizliyim)"

• Photos of an allegedly weak LCD, broken:

http://rockvilleresearcher.tripod.com/macbook_lcd_display/index.album?i=3

• Apple Discussion Board thread on an alleged weak LCD:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=715497&tstart=0 UGG boots

Battery Failure : Battery Does Not Charge and is Not Recognized by MacBook

• Inexplicable battery failure, with the battery not being recognized by the MacBook. The user sees an X through the battery logo and the battery itself refuses to charge.

• Exchanging or replacing battery does not resolve the issue, replacement appears to fix problem, but, problem reoccurrs.

• System profiler reports that battery is present and charged but computer will not run unless connected to the power adapter.

• Some users report problem occurred only after firmware update.

• Apple recommended procedures to reset pram does not fix the problem.

Static Noise/Crackling

http://citrite.org/files/macbook_static.mp3

• Intermittent static noise/crackling from grille at rear of computer near F9 key/power button. Independent of AC connections and discs in DVD drive. Sounds like electrical component fault (eg capacitor), arcing or speaker noise. Present in machines purchased as recently as January 2007.

PARTIAL SOLUTION and to diagnose it's speaker noise (for me) - sounds just like above recording----

I had the same noise on my MacBook SN 4H6368UYU9B purchased Sept '06 but it just became noticeable 19Feb07. No noise on my wife's identical MacBook (bought weeks later). Turned off 1 CPU, display, ran Photo Booth, powered off/on, rebooted, ran SystemLoad, turned down speaker volume, all to no avail.

GOOD NEWS: plugging in earphone jack makes noise disappear ( jack w/o earphone OK). Fortunately not fan noise, CPU, overheating or something major, but just static noise from right speaker (left speaker OK).

ALSO: Noise comes & goes at random, but usually comes with extensive MacBook use,

 so I just plugged in the jack to silence it.

Hope this helps others diagnose if their noise is speaker noise or something more serious (Apple circuit flaw). Anyone found a solution (other than my earphone jack solution)? Any suggestions, contact: Olaf@cox.net
UPDATE 22Aug07: Took MB to Genius Bar 2007/6/1 - Apple fixed MB under warranty in several days. Works great since. Wife's never developed problem! Must be very few such defects as <10 people around the world contacted me - their feedback indicates Apple also resolved their problems. GOOD WORK APPLE!

• MB404/B - MacBook Black 2.4Ghz/2GB/250GB, Mac OS X 10.5 - Static noise (sounding like a pop, blip or bip, pip.) from either left or right speaker area bought new March 2008. The sound is not loud, but loud enough to be of irritation - You can hear it here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=EMIdTuAWtcU

I bought the MacBook Black MB404/B, 1st March 2008. No problems for about a month. Then started to display this strange static sound (as above) from the left speaker area. The sound is audible just before the start-up chime. A static blip followed by the chime. The sound will also occur just before any other warning sound. e.g. turning up volume, received email sound, incoming iChat message etc. Each sound is preceded by the static blip, followed by the standard sound for that application.

However; if the blip has just occurred, it won't do it again for a few minutes.

The static blip is also audible if the MacBook has been muted.

Also, plugging in and unplugging headphones would cause the Mac to do three static blips in concession, whilst flashing the red optical light inside the headphone port.

ATTEMPTED SOLUTION: I reset PRAM/PMU, Reinstalled the OS. Started Mac in Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) using external FireWire drive. No change.

16th April 2008 I had the MacBook replaced under the guarantee.

When turning it on and running through the welcome to Mac animation, the music was scratchy static sounding from the left speaker. It also made the exact same blip sound before the start-up chime. It appeared not to make the noise at first with the warning sounds, but the next day 17th April 2008 it started to behave the same way, just slightly quieter (I may've not noticed the day before). Additionally it started to make a louder static sound from the right speaker area, which as yet hasn't repeated itself.

This appears a manufacturing defect having occurred with two machines now.

UPDATE: On Saturday 19th April 2008 the static blip sound from the right speaker area reoccurred, however; this time it alternated from left to right. I've made recordings which I will upload. My solution: I returned the MacBook for a refund on Sunday 20th April 2008.

Just to add, I never had an issue like this with my PowerBook 12"/17" or TiBook (despite its paint falling off it always worked without any strange audio glitches).

You can let me know if you had the problem stuartea71@aim.com

Update: My new MacBook Aluminium 13" backlight suffers the same problem. It's been postulated the issue is actually the sound card of the MacBook going to sleep (possibly for power saving) and the sound is it waking.

iSight webcam interfering with the Microphone

If I record with iMovie using the built in iSight. I hear a beeping interference noise in my recordings. If I don't have the camera switched on, the recordings sound perfect. I'll bring my MacBook to the shop for repair, until that time if you have/had a similar problem, please contact me at (sorry for the spelling of the address, don't want to be victim of a spambot): m e l _AT_ c a p o n e _DOT_ n l

clf-toronto: You are not alone. Here's my explanation of the problem on Apple Discussion.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1136286&tstart=0

Be careful about using the word chirp to characterize your problem. Because that confuses the support guys. There's a few other types of chirping or cricket like noise the Macbook can make stemming from other types of malfunctions. I usually characterize it as a quick beat, 4+ beats per second, high pitch beeping noise.

Like your problem, it only shows up when iSight and the integrated mic are both in use at the same time. I think at least hundreds of people are suffering from this problem. Since few apple users know about Apple Discussion and AppleDefects.com, the number must be something high like that.

In particular, look at Eemma's experience with Apple. They blew her off and gave her back the Macbook with the problem still there. She lost almost a month of productivity out of that. I don't think I can suffer that much without compensation so I think the happiest route (and this is where Apple will love this, since they end up winning by ignoring the customer) is to get rid of the Macbook on Craigslist. Make it someone else's unhappy Mac experience.

Eemma in Support Hell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKAp6Np2cg

Bluetooth module is not recognized any more

Bluetooth does not work any more. The system tray icon of bluetooth is disabled. The bluetooth section in preferences pane is dissapeared. Sometimes the bluetooth module comes back. Many believe it's related to a bug in the recent 10.4.9 update. Others think it's a hardware problem, similar to the random shutdown issue. In some cases a little sniffy sound can be heared from the macbook when the bluetooth becomes unavailable. The bluetooth problem seems to contribute to malfunctioning of the macbook going into sleeping mode. When closing the macbook, and going into sleeping mode, the system wakes up again after couple of seconds.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=933471

Malfunctioning iSight camera

At first built-in iSight camera is working just fine. However, after a while it just stops working. In one case the problem was poor assembly, cable was not connected properly inside the macbook. In other case camera just fried itself and had to be replaced.

Dead Macbook

A Macbook (2GHz 1MByte, white - serial number 4H6204Y3U9E) about 13 months old, one morning when turning it on it failed to start and was completely dead. Diagnosed by Apple as a faulty logic board. (This was not replaced as out of warranty.) At the time the computer was running without a battery as this was be replaced through the 2 year warranty scheme. I have no idea what caused the logic board to fail on what was a very carefully looked after machine.

BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH

MacBook Pro screen will be black but will still sound and run like it normally does. Thread on apple found here http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1727530 . Also apple will repair this issue if it is due to a faulty graphics processor:

In July 2008, NVIDIA publicly acknowledged a higher than normal failure rate for some of their graphics processors due to a packaging defect. At that same time, NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected. However, after an Apple-led investigation, Apple has determined that some MacBook Pro computers with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor may be affected. If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within two years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty.

MORE INFO: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377

Buzzing Screen

A Macbook (2GHz 1GByte, white), about 8 months old, was discovered to have a buzzing LCD display. The buzzing was inaudible unless the brightness was lowered, though any audio recording using the computers build-in mic detected the buzzing. The buzzing could be rendered inaudible by pushing on the bottom of the screen, though not the top. Based on feel, the buzzing was coming from the bottom part of the LCD display, specifically, the strip with the word "MacBook" printed across it.

Superdrive no longer reads/burns DVD/CD

After Apple released firmware update 2.1 (to improve media compatibility) for Superdrives many Macbook users lost the functionality of the drive. Moments after inserting a disc the drive will eject it. Applecare has no fix for this issue and if out of warrenty will suggest a flat rate repair and advise that Firmware updates are AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Some users have had luck in obtaining a replacement by explaining the situation to staff at their local Apple stores. 

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=880109

Extreme Slowdown/Lag from processor intensive tasks (i.e. Flash video)

Symptoms: While playing Flash video or Quicktime high definition video with computer warmed up, video works fine at first but then begins stuttering. Computer becomes unresponsive. Stopping the video playback and letting the computer sit for 10-20 seconds and the machine will return to normal. Similar thing happens when running anything else that is processor intensive, such as the CPUTest program.

Current Diagnosis: Symptoms indicate a hardware problem that reveals itself when the logic board/CPU reaches a certain temperature. Most problems involving overheating or logic board issues results in kernel panic/shutdowns, but not in this case.

To detect if you have this problem: First grab a temperature monitor program such as 'Temperature Monitor' You now have the ability to keep an eye on all the temperature sensors in your Macbook. Next, download a high definition 720p movie from somewhere, such as the Apple Quicktime HD showcase. Play and loop the movie about 8-10 times. You should have no problems while the CPU is ramping up in temperature. If you do not have any issues, try playing a large Flash video, such as the Daily Show. Flash v9/10 consumes almost all CPU on Macbooks and is a good stress test. If you have no problems playing 5-10 minutes of video then you should be trouble free.

If you find yourself with the symptoms of this problem, the video will stutter and windows will be hard to move around because the entire computer will suffer from massive slowdown. You should also be able to see roughly what temperature your CPU cores are at before the problems happen. In my case, ~60C was the magic spot once the computer warmed up.

Stop the video, let the machine cool for 20-30secs, try again when the machine seems responsive. You'll see that you'll only be able to play the video a very short time before the slowdown happens again.

All this points to something on the logic board being negatively affected by heat. It might be worth checking the thermal grease on the heatsink, but so far temperatures don't indicate that the CPU cores are overheating.

Possible Workarounds: 1) Use a air canaster to blow out your air vents 2) Using the methods above, see what temperature your machine is starting to exhibit problems at. If it's above 65C, then you may be in luck. You can undervolt your CPU, such as with the program available at Coolbook. Undervolting allows you to run less voltage through your processor, resulting in ~15C lower temperatures on your cores. Unfortunately, the problem with my Macbook is that it starts glitching around 60C, so this solution did not work in my case.

Additional Info: According to this Apple discussion thread, this problem does not happen while booted in Windows playing the same flash video. This would make sense as the Windows version of Flash is extremely optimized and does not consume nearly the same amount of CPU as the Mac version.

Things to check before assuming the worse These have revealed nothing new, but you should try them to see if it helps - OS 10.5.5 clean install - Create new user - Delete Application and User caches - Change memory sticks - Apple Hardware Diagnostic Program - PROM reset - PMU reset - Use Adobe Flash uninstaller and reinstall Flash - Make sure OS X and Quicktime are the latest versions

External Links

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacBook
• iFixIt MacBook disassembly instructions: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/86.0.0.html