Comments on: How to determine which production week your Macbook was completed during http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/ does your Macbook shutdown randomly - mine does Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:39:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Morten http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-5512 Morten Sun, 24 Dec 2006 23:53:31 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-5512 I would definetly wait. I bought a black macbook a week ago, and started using it for teh last couple of days. Has worked fine until today (Christmas eve!!), and now it just shuts itself off within anything from 3 - 60 seconds. Production week is 46. Cannot update the firmware as I don't get enough time before it is "killed". Also, why is the charger cable light blinking green at times? Always used to be steady green or orange... =/ I would definetly wait. I bought a black macbook a week ago, and started using it for teh last couple of days. Has worked fine until today (Christmas eve!!), and now it just shuts itself off within anything from 3 – 60 seconds. Production week is 46. Cannot update the firmware as I don’t get enough time before it is “killed”.

Also, why is the charger cable light blinking green at times? Always used to be steady green or orange… =/

]]> By: edglynn http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-5284 edglynn Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:45:29 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-5284 hi i have been following the debate on the rss. i am considering buying the macbook black 2ghtz version. but now have my doubts. should i wait until next year maybe. hi i have been following the debate on the rss. i am considering buying the macbook black 2ghtz version. but now have my doubts. should i wait until next year maybe.

]]> By: Jim Forrester http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-3476 Jim Forrester Sun, 26 Nov 2006 05:55:59 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-3476 My serial number does not begin with a "4H6." Rather the first three letters are "W86." My serial number does not begin with a “4H6.” Rather the first three letters are “W86.”

]]> By: Phil St.Onge http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1795 Phil St.Onge Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:06:32 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1795 When I went to check my serial number in the System Profiler it gave me no number but said SystemSerialNumb Isn't this strange? When I went to check my serial number in the System Profiler it gave me no number but said SystemSerialNumb
Isn’t this strange?

]]> By: Tom Hutchinson http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1690 Tom Hutchinson Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:11:07 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1690 os11- I see exactly what you mean. Thank you very much for such in-depth information! I am also getting tired of the phony slams on Apple as that doesn't help anyone get closer to a solution. I was also very questionable as to how severe this problem with the sensor was until I read your post. This definitely makes me feel better about downloading the SMC update. Your idea as to one person screwing up the assembly line, I think, is likely as well. It would make sense considering the percentage of working macbooks to those that don't. ***I also think the idea of a detailed poll would greatly help narrow down the problem*** Also, big thanks to follerec for simplifying the serial number idea and the ThinkSecret info. I can imagine how big of a headache it would be to search through boxes and boot up several machines just to find a serial number. In conclusion, I guess the best thing to do if someone is buying a new macbook is to check the serial number for week 36 or above and, above all, download the SMC update. os11- I see exactly what you mean. Thank you very much for such in-depth information! I am also getting tired of the phony slams on Apple as that doesn’t help anyone get closer to a solution. I was also very questionable as to how severe this problem with the sensor was until I read your post. This definitely makes me feel better about downloading the SMC update. Your idea as to one person screwing up the assembly line, I think, is likely as well. It would make sense considering the percentage of working macbooks to those that don’t.

***I also think the idea of a detailed poll would greatly help narrow down the problem***

Also, big thanks to follerec for simplifying the serial number idea and the ThinkSecret info. I can imagine how big of a headache it would be to search through boxes and boot up several machines just to find a serial number.

In conclusion, I guess the best thing to do if someone is buying a new macbook is to check the serial number for week 36 or above and, above all, download the SMC update.

]]> By: OS11 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1682 OS11 Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:49:08 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1682 yes, software can do more than most people realize. for example this sensor cable can be measured for temp and if the spike is related to a cable being melted, that "footprint" in software can quickly subtract "40%" of the temp (for example) to reflect the missing insulation, arriving at the correct value of the temp, then no shutdown. this is not an electrical problem, it's just a sensor, there is no danger of shock or anything remotely related, so a software patch can actually resolve most of these issues. All this could boil down to a "training" or production issue. (just a hunch) It would only take "1 person" on the line over a course of a few weeks to cause this issue. A misrouted cable done repeatedly might be the whole issue. Apple is certainly looking into it, but it's not as easy as it sounds to resolve since the very word within this problem is "Random". And if you've ever been inside a iBook, or PowerBook, you'll realize it's FAR more complex internally than the exterior implies, so discovering the exact cause isn't easy, it takes time, and takes even longer to resolve it, when you are are talking about 10,000 machines out of 375,000 sold. as for the "yelling at apple"... we need to keep in mind, Windows trolls will use this website to post false information, i've read through most all the 1,600 complaints and about 20% of them are created by trolls that do not even have a MacBook. Lastly, I'd like to see an in-depth Poll... covering the following: How many Apps were running when it last "shutdown". 1-3 4-8 9-15 16-25+ Do you ever use your MacBook on a Bed/Pillow other insulated surface? yes no How bright was the screen setting when it last shutdown? low med high How was the battery being used at the time of the last shutdown? Fully charged Charging No connection to power outlet, battery only Do you use a processor intensive ScreenSaver? yes no What was the room temp when it last shutdown? 50-60F 61-70F 71-80F 81-90F --- etc, etc... once that data is complied, you could graph it, and you'll see the pattern. It's almost certainly related to HEAT, and couple that with a poorly working, incorrectly installed, or non-working sensor cable and the fix will become fairly obvious. Lastly, if you are having trouble, CALL them, don't take it to an Apple Store, you add a several day delay via a store for no reason. os11 yes, software can do more than most people realize. for example this sensor cable can be measured for temp and if the spike is related to a cable being melted, that “footprint” in software can quickly subtract “40%” of the temp (for example) to reflect the missing insulation, arriving at the correct value of the temp, then no shutdown.

this is not an electrical problem, it’s just a sensor, there is no danger of shock or anything remotely related, so a software patch can actually resolve most of these issues. All this could boil down to a “training” or production issue. (just a hunch) It would only take “1 person” on the line over a course of a few weeks to cause this issue. A misrouted cable done repeatedly might be the whole issue. Apple is certainly looking into it, but it’s not as easy as it sounds to resolve since the very word within this problem is “Random”. And if you’ve ever been inside a iBook, or PowerBook, you’ll realize it’s FAR more complex internally than the exterior implies, so discovering the exact cause isn’t easy, it takes time, and takes even longer to resolve it, when you are are talking about 10,000 machines out of 375,000 sold.

as for the “yelling at apple”… we need to keep in mind, Windows trolls will use this website to post false information, i’ve read through most all the 1,600 complaints and about 20% of them are created by trolls that do not even have a MacBook.

Lastly, I’d like to see an in-depth Poll… covering the following:

How many Apps were running when it last “shutdown”.
1-3
4-8
9-15
16-25+

Do you ever use your MacBook on a Bed/Pillow other insulated surface?
yes
no

How bright was the screen setting when it last shutdown?
low
med
high

How was the battery being used at the time of the last shutdown?
Fully charged
Charging
No connection to power outlet, battery only

Do you use a processor intensive ScreenSaver?
yes
no

What was the room temp when it last shutdown?
50-60F
61-70F
71-80F
81-90F

— etc, etc… once that data is complied, you could graph it, and you’ll see the pattern. It’s almost certainly related to HEAT, and couple that with a poorly working, incorrectly installed, or non-working sensor cable and the fix will become fairly obvious.

Lastly, if you are having trouble, CALL them, don’t take it to an Apple Store, you add a several day delay via a store for no reason.

os11

]]> By: follerec http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1678 follerec Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:07:09 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1678 Ummm... if the box is sealed (as all Mac boxes are), then just look at the bottom of the MacBook box. The serial number is right there in plain sight. Of course, testing the unit is better. But not all stores allow opening boxes until you've actually paid for them. And some stores don't actually want you opening a bunch of boxes just to check the serial number. You can probably get an exchange if the serial on the unit doesn't match the box after paying for it and opening it for inspection. If I remember correctly, there was a report on ThinkSecret that says MacBooks upto 4H635 don't have the updated hardware, and 4H636 and up do. Of course, it still all depends on luck. I have a week 36 and week 38 MacBook, no problems of any kind with them so far. And they've had tremendous load placed on them for long periods of time. Ummm… if the box is sealed (as all Mac boxes are), then just look at the bottom of the MacBook box. The serial number is right there in plain sight. Of course, testing the unit is better. But not all stores allow opening boxes until you’ve actually paid for them. And some stores don’t actually want you opening a bunch of boxes just to check the serial number. You can probably get an exchange if the serial on the unit doesn’t match the box after paying for it and opening it for inspection.

If I remember correctly, there was a report on ThinkSecret that says MacBooks upto 4H635 don’t have the updated hardware, and 4H636 and up do. Of course, it still all depends on luck. I have a week 36 and week 38 MacBook, no problems of any kind with them so far. And they’ve had tremendous load placed on them for long periods of time.

]]> By: Tom Hutchinson http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1658 Tom Hutchinson Tue, 31 Oct 2006 06:25:07 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1658 I agree with os11 to a certain extent. Yes, Macbooks are definitely in the week 40 range currently- my mistake. As for a certain set of serial numbers being affected, I would assume every notebook made before September is potentially. The logic board and heatsink fix didn't start until mid-September. I assume somewhere during that time that Apple had started to produce macbooks with the new heatsink and logic board. Therefore, my advice was to shop for the newest machine because it would, at the very least, have the newer version of a few parts and would be less susceptible to RSS. As for that silly firmware fix. Think about this for a second: Your wires coming from the heatsink fuse together or the rubber insulation melts off (this is the cause of the RSS). How in the world is a software update going to fix a physical problem? Yes, your RSS may have stopped, but I can't imagine that a pair of bare wires touching metal is safe. Personally, and mind you all this is just an opinion, but I think the firmware fix is just a bandaid. See the link below as to why I came to this conclusion: http://techpaedia.com/apple/2006/10/27/random-shut-downs-apple-releases-firmware-update/ The author of this article says it best: "The question I now ask myself is how can a software update address a hardware fault with the heat sink’s thermal sensor cable. The only thing I can think of for the moment is that the update adjusts the way in which the System Management Controller (SMC) interprets the electrical signal coming from the sensor cable to extend the operating temperature range of the cable. What this means is that the SMC logic will NOT trigger a shutdown anymore when it receives an unusual current reading from the sensor cable as a result of increased temperature (increased resistance). If this does not make much sense to you, see my post on the heat sink and sensor cable." os11- is anyone really "yelling" at Apple in this post? Is your statement about the misrouted sensor cable not being "a design problem but a training issue" fact or opinion? I'm just curious and would respect either one. I agree with os11 to a certain extent. Yes, Macbooks are definitely in the week 40 range currently- my mistake. As for a certain set of serial numbers being affected, I would assume every notebook made before September is potentially. The logic board and heatsink fix didn’t start until mid-September. I assume somewhere during that time that Apple had started to produce macbooks with the new heatsink and logic board. Therefore, my advice was to shop for the newest machine because it would, at the very least, have the newer version of a few parts and would be less susceptible to RSS.

As for that silly firmware fix. Think about this for a second:
Your wires coming from the heatsink fuse together or the rubber insulation melts off (this is the cause of the RSS). How in the world is a software update going to fix a physical problem? Yes, your RSS may have stopped, but I can’t imagine that a pair of bare wires touching metal is safe. Personally, and mind you all this is just an opinion, but I think the firmware fix is just a bandaid. See the link below as to why I came to this conclusion:

http://techpaedia.com/apple/2006/10/27/random-shut-downs-apple-releases-firmware-update/

The author of this article says it best:
“The question I now ask myself is how can a software update address a hardware fault with the heat sink’s thermal sensor cable. The only thing I can think of for the moment is that the update adjusts the way in which the System Management Controller (SMC) interprets the electrical signal coming from the sensor cable to extend the operating temperature range of the cable.
What this means is that the SMC logic will NOT trigger a shutdown anymore when it receives an unusual current reading from the sensor cable as a result of increased temperature (increased resistance). If this does not make much sense to you, see my post on the heat sink and sensor cable.”

os11- is anyone really “yelling” at Apple in this post? Is your statement about the misrouted sensor cable not being “a design problem but a training issue” fact or opinion? I’m just curious and would respect either one.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1646 Matthew Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:33:07 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1646 Jay, thanks for your question. I think at this point, we need to get some good user data from the Macbooks purchased after say 10/1 - I am working on a new poll to send out - we might be out of the clear, but I am thinking that it's not quite yet as many users aren't getting favorable results with the latest firmware patch. Cheers! Matthew Jay, thanks for your question. I think at this point, we need to get some good user data from the Macbooks purchased after say 10/1 – I am working on a new poll to send out – we might be out of the clear, but I am thinking that it’s not quite yet as many users aren’t getting favorable results with the latest firmware patch.

Cheers!
Matthew

]]> By: Jay http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/comment-page-1/#comment-1643 Jay Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:47:25 +0000 http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com/2006/10/30/how-to-determine-which-production-week-your-macbook-was-completed-during/#comment-1643 Matthew, when you say wait till everything is upgraded to Core2duo, are you referencing the software to get upgraded or further changes in hardware? I'm asking because I've been in dire need of a new laptop and have been waiting until all this RSS problems get resolved. Matthew, when you say wait till everything is upgraded to Core2duo, are you referencing the software to get upgraded or further changes in hardware?

I’m asking because I’ve been in dire need of a new laptop and have been waiting until all this RSS problems get resolved.

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