Testing your MacBook for Random Shut Downs
Following the frustrating experience of having my MacBook shutting down without warning, I came across a terminal command that “tests” if your MacBook suffers from the issue. I thought I’d share this with everyone considering that many MacBook owners may not even be aware that their MacBook is faulty until it shuts down on them.
More after the jump.
Step 1
Open up Terminal. (You can load it up through Spotlight)
Step 2
Type in the following command:
and hit return. This will make maximum use one of the two processor cores of the MacBook.
Step 3
In the same terminal window, type in the command in Step 2 once again and hit return.
Your MacBook will now be making use of both processor cores and shortly after, you should hear the fans kick in pretty loudly.
I recommend you leave it running (keep the Terminal window open) for at least 15 minutes.
Step 4
If your MacBook has not suffered a random shut down after the 15 minutes, quit Terminal (⌘+Q).
The fans should get back to normal within a couple of minutes of quitting Terminal.
Now, simply leave your MacBook on and wait to see if it shuts down randomly. If it does suffer a random shut down, it’s likely to be within the next 20 minutes.
You can use your MacBook normally while waiting although I recommend you don’t work on anything important during that time. Normal web browsing is fine.
Step 5
If your MacBook still has not suffered a random shut down, repeat Steps 1 to 4 at least two more times. And if your MacBook survives those, then I would say it’s reasonable to say that it does not suffer from the Random Shutdown.
How this “test” works?
The yes command is typically a fairly useless one. It simply outputs a series of ys to the screen until you quit the command. You can find out more about it on Matt Welsh’s website.
This test works by putting the processor in your MacBook to work using the yes command. As it does the processing, the processor’s temperature rises and when you quit terminal the temperature of the processor decreases. This process (which happens under normal usage) somehow triggers a random shutdown in faulty MacBooks.
What to do if your MacBook shutsdown randomly?
If your MacBook fails this test (i.e. it shutdown during one of the above steps), contact Apple and arrange for a replacement or a repair.
Also, please let me know at which point/step your MacBook suffered the shutdown in the comments below or make a post at macbookrandomshutdown.com to share your experience/frustration.
DISCLAIMER
The Apple Files or Techpaedia accepts no responsibility for any damage or loss that you may incur by following the above steps. Do so at your own risk. We also do NOT guarantee that your MacBook is free from what we refer to as Random Shutdown even if it passes this test. This test is for investigational purposes only.
[Via Jon’s Comment over at macbookrandomshutdown.com]
Related Posts:
MacBook Random Shutdown List
MacBook Random Shut Down
Macbook Gone for Repairs
Life is Random
~10% of MacBooks (13″) have Random Shutdown
Update: Apple have released a firmware update to address the Random Shut Down problems.
89 Responses to “Testing your MacBook for Random Shut Downs”
By Al on Aug 27, 2006 | Reply
Well my macbook suffered from random shutdowns. its happened over 20 times today. However after 2 tests it managed to survuve this test. So I hate to suggest this but this doesnt test the issue. On another note i have tried the Pram fix to no avail. Fixed hd errors to no avail. Does anyone know if the new macbooks suffer at all?
By Ash on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
Al, I agree completely that this test does not guarantee the absence of random shutdowns in MacBooks. It is however the only sure way I’ve found for on-demand shutdowns on my MacBook. If it does work for someone, it can be used for demonstration purposes to Apple at the Genuis bar.
About the new MacBooks, just today I had someone’s 5 day old MacBook shut down without warning. (again by running the “yes” command). It was bought on the 20th Aug, delivered on the 23rd. It’s a week 31.
By Al on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
thats not what i want to hear. I dont see the point of sending in my laptop untill apple has fully resolved the issue. The only problem is I use my laptop for work. Going a week or so to get a replacement is going to hurt and having to do it again will be pointless. Good idea for a test at the genius bar though.
I fixed an Hd error using the install disk, disk utility and it seems to have reduced the time before a shutdown for me. However this could just be a display of the “random” feature with this bug.
also it took over a month for this problem to occur on my laptop. I ordered my laptop the weekthey were released. So it could be ages untill this problem is fully resolved.
By Sebastiaan de With on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
It may be completely wrong, but I expirienced the RD bug in my previous Macbook Pro. It didn’t, however, end at the RD bug; the battery bulged and I brought it to the Apple Store to get fixed. More people have seen this pattern, and if you do the same test (which takes about 77-82% of CPU per thread, according to top) without the battery in it, the heat is considerably less, and there isn’t a problem with shutdowns. I think that the problem is related to the batteries in the laptops and the power management units in them. Somehow, the problem hasn’t got a lot of exposure, but the Macbook (Pro) ‘bulge’ is a pretty common thing on forum boards.
By Dym on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
Interesting enough, but I have reboots only when replacing factory-installed 512Mb with 2Gb Transcend Jet Ram. No reboots with original Samsung at all. Any ideas?
By Wesley Miaw on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
The 2GB of Transcend Jet Ram is probably faulty. You could try running a memory test on the stick, but it’ll take several hours for 2GB.
By Erik on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
I asked a Genius at the Genius Bar how recently they’ve fixed the problem when I went to send mine in for repairs, and he said since a few weeks. The repair apparently consists of inserting a spacer between the logic board and whatever’s on top of it. Pressure on the keyboard is causing components to come in contact that aren’t supposed to, resulting in a huge transfer of heat that causes the computer to shut down for safety.
By Dustin on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
I ran memtest86 in single user mode, for three complete passes, on my Macbook after installing 2GB of Corsair memory. I don’t remember exactly how long it took but I’m fairly certain it was less than 30 minutes.
By Olivsl Junior on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
Hi,
Unfortunately, the test does not rule out the RS sindrome on all macbooks. My macbook black start to suffer the RS after a month and half of use (bought june, 24, start to show random shutdows august, 11). Sometimes the sudden poweroff occurs just after the macbook being turned on, with CPU cores running at 1,5Ghz at most. Right after the shutdown if you do the Yes > /dev/null test the notebook will increase the CPU frequency to 2.0 Ghz and the CPU temp will climb to 85º Celsius or more, without the fans being turned on. So the CPU clock will gradually decrease to 1,83 then 1,66; 1,5; 1,33 and 1.0 Ghz, when it turns off the machine (I guess to prevent any permanent damage to the CPU).BUT if the mac is on a “normal day” it will do the Yes > /dev/null test like a charm. The fans will go full throttle when the CPU reachs just above 80ºC and the frequency throttle will handle the temp goin’ down and up, but keeping 2.0 Ghz almost all the time. If this works, the mac sometimes will work all day without problems and on the next day, out of blue, it will just powerdown. No kernel panic. No crash. No nothing. Just the “Previous Shutdown Cause: -82″ in the system logs when I manage to turn on the notebook again.
By Olival Junior on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
I forgot to mention on my previous comment, but the problem occured both on 3rd party RAM and factory installed RAM. I did the memtest on both and they seems to be okay.
By Robert Jones on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
I had the random shutdown problem, and have had my heatsink assembly replaced. I could load the processor fine, and the system was rock solid. The problems most often occured when waking from sleep after a while — it seemed to be tied to the machine warming up, not being blazing hot. I’d have to say this is not a 100% reliable test, although it may work in many cases.
By Dym on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
By David Morgenstern on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
A couple of thoughts:
Apple and every other notebook maker designs hardware around an expected pattern of usage. That’s for all the elements of the hardware and software.
So, we would expect that a server will function better than a laptop when it’s run harder and longer. And we would expect that a server won’t run as well as a laptop when you’re sitting in a coffee shop.
The hardware design is mirrored by a software usage pattern: how long you will run the machine and what the software will do during that time, how much it puts into memory and how hard it hits the processors.
When you create a pathalogical case that does something that is outside of the design, you will have problems.
I suggest buying AppleCare for any mobile machine. And when it dies, you can go in and get a new, better logic board.
By Joseph on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
You could just use SystemLoad available at http://www.bresink.com/osx/SystemLoad.html to load the CPUs at the same time (I do not write SystemLoad, so this is not a personal plug). It’s just a simpler way to load the CPUs (be sure to set it to 2 CPUs!) Also, I suggest using a temp monitor to watch the temps. The shutdowns happen around 70C
By Ezra on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
The random shutdown thing was happening to me almost daily, but I’m using a MacBook Pro. I thought for awhile it was a bad stick of memory, but after returning my battery under the recall Apple had for MBP batteries and using the new one they sent it hasn’t happened since. I’m not not sure this would be the same problem for the MacBook’s, and Apple hasn’t mentioned anything to my knowledge, but it could be some early stages of a battery recall.
So… I guess if you’re plugged in and the thing is shutting down then it isn’t a battery issue, but just sharing what happened to me.
By JD on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
Step 1 should be “Unplug your Macbook from the AC adapter so it is running on battery power only.” I had random shutdowns with my pre-ordered Macbook Pro, but it only occurred when under battery power. Clearly this depends on whether the problem is heat related or battery related.
Personally I used two Ruby processes running in an infinite loop, but
yesshould work just as well…By Khan on Aug 28, 2006 | Reply
Ok I have had the macbook since it first came out.. and experienced only about 3 of those spontaneous shut downs, all last week.. but this test does not shut it down..
Hmmm
By julie on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
tried the test, with macbook that has the fan (firmware) upgrade. temp got to 89C and no problems, killed the yes’es and it’s back down to 56 C and no crash. whew
By Andrew Stone on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Ummm, all this test does it prove that if you over tax the processor beyond reasonable means your computer will cave. Your talking about a laptop here that isn’t meant to be meant to be pushed to the max like a desktop or a workstation.
There has to be a better test that **shows** a software or hardware bug that causes the supposed problem.
This using the UNIX “yes” utility as proof of a hardware/software issue is silly.
By Ash on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Andrew, the shutdown occurs under normal usage too. In fact, that’s how I got my first random shutdown.
A lot of users have reported that the random shutdowns occur when the processor is still cold. The RS are not related to having the processor work too hard. It seems more like some thermal sensing faults that fail to trigger the fans when it should.
Some think that the shutdowns are caused by the thermal insulation problems in the top case.
Until Apple comes clean on this, we will never know what exactly is causing this.
One thing I can say for sure though is that running the “yes” utility cannot be considered overtaxing for the MacBook. The processor will run just as hard anyway if you are just doing some video editing/encoding. One will even expect it to run for a lot longer than 15 mins when doing video editing too!
However, I also would like to see
“a better test that **shows** a software or hardware bug that causes the supposed problem”,
something which no one, not even Apple has come up with as yet…
By Andrew on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
No offense, but this is kind of a useless test..
With the new SMC firmware, the temperature of the macbooks run significantly cooler anyway, and at least at the applecentre I work in Australia, there has been no reports of peoples macbooks running to the point that the fans can’t handle it and the processor needs to shut off.
One thing people should be doing though is checking their ram, by opening system monitor (in Utilities in Applications), and filling up their ram until Page-In’s under memory is more then 0 (which indicates the memory is consumed). If applications crash on the way, its possible its faulty ram.
By Ash on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
About the SMC firmware, my MacBook had random shutdowns both before and after the firmware update and that was without the “yes” utility, just normal use. I’ve booted up into Apple’s own hardware diagnostics from the Installation DVD countless times to test my RAM and it’s passed every single time.
Whether you consider this test to be useless or not, it may be the only way for many users to reproduce the shutdown in front of an Apple Genius. I gladly welcome any more reliable test you may know of…
“there has been no reports of peoples macbooks running to the point that the fans can’t handle it and the processor needs to shut off”
I doubt the problems is with the fans not running fast enough. It leans more towards the temperature sensing operations that do not TRIGGER the fans to run WHEN they should, which would explain why the MacBook shuts down even when cold and idle!
By Ash on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Looking at the Apple Discussions Forums and the comments on this Digg story, it is clear that this is a widespread issue beyond faulty RAM and users overtaxing their processors.
By Matt on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Interesting. I wish this blog had been posted two weeks ago. I’m sending my macbook pro for random shutting down while on battery power. A week prior apple had replaced a power inverter on the board that seems to make things worse. If this is a test to see if you can defect your notebook, it may not be worth running. Most apple users should know that once your computer goes to apple it never comes back the same. Just a warning. (It’s happened w/ two apple products… an ibook g3 and now my macbook pro…) Of course, it doesn’t make me hate apple… which is weird. Maybe i’m a masochist.
By truthiness on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Bought a MacBook on day 1 at a local Apple store–they even made me wait a few hours because they hadn’t entered them into inventory yet (WTF!?!). A few weeks passed & the security manager began failing to prompt me for a password. Then it wouldn’t wake from sleep. Then it shut down at random. Apple “repaired” the problem, but it did it again the next day I got it back from Apple service. Nice. I asked for a replacement–the manager told me to screw off (but in a polite way). Luckily, a fortunate set of circumstances presented itself & I got a replacement. Thus far, it’s worked like a champ!
By tyrantbuilt on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Sounds to me more like either the power supplies are crap or the ram both supplied by apple or 3rd parties are faulty in some batches. Both of those are much more likely to cause random shutdowns then a cpu. CPUs in general can take some abuse. RAM and power supplies on the other hand are much more likely to go bad.
By joopp on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
My RS story:
- MacBook 2Ghz with 2Gb Transcend memory..worked fine for some months
- After 2 months..shutdowns occur a few times..
- Shutdowns increase..
- Replaced mem with original + firmware update..
- Shutdowns still occur but less frequent..
- Sent in the laptop for repair..
- They couldn’t reproduce the problem
- Now entering this comment on my MacBook which still did not RS on me.. running yes tests..at the moment..hoping my machine is magically fixed..
Do not trust this test completely..it just is a weird problem..
By Jerry on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
This is not only a problem with MacBooks, I also had the issue with a 1.83GHz MacBook Pro.
By Douglas on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
I hate to say it but this test is not exactly accurate. Both of my MacBook’s were randomly shutting down, but the battery on the second one eventually died. The battery shows a full charge, but if I disconnect the power adapter the MacBook will immediately shut down, everytime. We discovered that with the battery physically removed from the MacBook and the power adapter connected, the random shut downs stopped. It is like the battery is on its way out and is failing to deliver power.
By John H. Farr on Aug 29, 2006 | Reply
Haven’t tried this test, don’t like the sound of it. My MacBook started doing the shutdown thing after about six weeks — surely the timing is significant — it happened hot, cold, no matter what the RAM, and the sucker would NOT reboot unless I held the power button down for maybe 15 seconds. Not good!
Fortunately I had the “mushy trackpad button” defect as well, and Small Dog is sending me a new MacBook today. Let’s hope Apple gets a handle on this and comes clean with everyone.
By joopp on Aug 30, 2006 | Reply
So I posted earlier about my problems.. and they continue.. sadly the Macbook still randomly shuts down however..it seems to be less frequent with the new firmware (1.4f10).
This were the steps I had to take according to Apple:
- Remove all extra shit from Macbook + powercord + battery..
- Press the on button for 5-10 seconds (does nothing)
- Connect powercord
- Press APPLEKEY-ALT-’P'-’R’ when turning the Macbook ON..
- Hear the startupsound once.. release and directly press the combination again..
- Hear the startupsound 3 times.. release keys..
- The PROM is resetted (or something..) your Macbook boots normally..
The second line support let me run some kind of Log/data capture program (from Apple) of which I had to email the output (a diskimage file).. so more news tomorrow..
By Ash on Aug 30, 2006 | Reply
Joop, sorry to hear your MacBook is still suffering. The procedure you describe above resets the PMU (power management unit) and the NVRAM (aka the PRAM). This has been reported to alleviate the shutdown problem but only temporarily.
I had to do the PMU and PRAM reset too before sending my laptop off.
By clark on Sep 4, 2006 | Reply
Yep, randon shutdowns here too. I have a week 19 machine. Randon shutdowns started and became more and more frequent. Now it shuts down 8 to 12 times before I can get it running. I changed my RAM from 2gigs back to 512, put the original hard drive back in it, AND did a fresh install. STRANGELY it went through the OS install without a hitch, upon the first boot, it shutdown. Its actually really funny if you think about those “Mac and PC” ads on apples site. Mines going back as soon as I get the box..
By alex on Sep 4, 2006 | Reply
im pretty sure most intel chips have a built in safety feature that will shut them down if they get too hot to prevent them from melting. at leas tthats the way it was with the p4
By jasonbuechler on Sep 4, 2006 | Reply
Yup, mine exhibited the problem after only about 10 seconds into running the second yes. Damn you apple!!! You’re looking like Microsoft!! I was trying to show a PC nerd friend of mine a simple mpg on my sexy macbook to show off… and POW. She asks, “did it just shut down by itself!?” Oh the shame!! I was mortified and had to double check it didn’t have one of those “Win XP” or “Pentium IV” stickers on it.
By Chris on Sep 7, 2006 | Reply
Mine has not yet shutdown ramdomly *touch wood* but it has a couple of time booted by itself and needs to be crashed and turned back on and I get a kernal panic… any suggestions?
By mgr on Sep 8, 2006 | Reply
Three weeks old now,
Have a “mushy” mouse button (tried about 8 machines at various stores and found about 5 alsohad bad buttons.
Then had a drive error lost sibling (think thats the right term) had to do a re-install no diskwarrior avaliable for the macbooks yet…
Now have the random sudden shutdown problem!!
Been through all the tests with Apple the chap I spoke to said I need a new logic board.
So off to the supplier and new top cover and logicboard on it’s way.
Now some observations: the shutdown only happens when the machine is physicaly cold as in around 5 deg C and the either switch it on or wake it up. Once the machine has warmed up it’s fine. This could take a number of attempts to get it going though.
Also found that the power indicator on the bottom of the battery stops functioning if you push it you get no power lights even though it’s charged - keep trying it will eventualy start working and the work every time.
By Carl on Sep 10, 2006 | Reply
My new MacBook Pro, seems to shutdown fairly consistently when I open Photo Booth then scroll around. This takes less than a minute. Shutdown is almost as consistent if I open a large JPEG in Preview and use the scroll bars. Occasionally I can get it to crash when using the scroll bars in Firefox or Safari when looking at a Google satellite image.
By Carl on Sep 10, 2006 | Reply
Forgot to mention in the last post that the computer doesn’t shutdown and stay off, it restarts immediately.
By Hanric on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
My wonderful MacBook has also gone down with the Random Shutdown Syndrom after barely three months use. It has been handed in for repair a fortnight ago (no news) - AppleCare refused to deal with the problem and even denied knowing the problem back then - all this appears to have changed quite recently. Probably getting more and more difficult for Apple to hide the reality of things any longer. I don’t believe that they have a fix though - I went through the same problem with my iBook G3 - multiple logic-board replacements to no use whatsoever. The iBook was probably off for repair 1/4 of the time that I owned it. Just can’t bare to go through such a nightmare again - I’ve had enough - and have very little faith in Apple computers. It hurts me to write this but… all I want now is to get rid of the MacBook and buy a portable PC running Linux!
By Ryan on Sep 20, 2006 | Reply
I first bought my macbook on the 18th of July and had my first shut down on the 18th of August. I called up Apple care and they gave me some tests to do but the tests crashed the macbook completly and would not start at all so they told me to send it to them. When I got it back a week and a half later, they said it was my OS and that I had to reinstall it but not the updates ie. 10.4.7. So I did this and everything is working great guns untill yesterday and today. I normally put my macbook to sleep at night but when I woke it up yesterday within the first minute of starting up it RS on me, but it started up again after I pushed the power butten and then it did it again this morning, the same thing. When it sleeps for a long time it shuts down after it wakes up but no problems on restarting.
By Brian G on Oct 1, 2006 | Reply
“Apple is not as good as they used to be.”
I’ve had my white Macbook since the week they came out. Only in the past four days have I had the random shutdown issue that brought me here. Two days into it I noticed Apple had 10.4.8 updates so I did those thinking it might be a software issue but all along I felt it was hardware. Well, the updates didn’t help at all. I just hope I can get a replacement Macbook.
Symptoms: Simple go to youtube, watch a few videos, the fans rev up to full power and then bamb… no power. I thought it might be the battery but I removed that and ran it and it came back moments later. I have to get through the next day and then I can give up my macbook.
P.S. I really wished Apple would have gone with AMD chips. They are so much cooler physically. I work with Windows machines and they run so cool and quiet with AMD and hot and loud with Intel chips. My old iBook I could keep bare on my lap. My new macbook I have to have padding it is so hot. This is just bad. My very yound daughter even said out-of-the-blue not knowing of my issue and said “Apple is not as good as they used to be.”
By saegeas on Oct 6, 2006 | Reply
Received my macbook at the end of August, installed Debian linux and been making heavy use of it daily. RS started to happen to me in the last few days — happened once a couple days ago, then today it happened about 6 times in a row, mainly on reboot. Strangely I was unable to get it to RS booting to OS X (between RS’s under linux). I’M VERY RELIEVED TO FIND OUT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE UNDER MAC OS X — I was afraid I’d buggered my computer running Debian on it! I’m planning to use this machine for a conference demo in a month: I sure hope Apple doesn’t let me down here…
By lamar mundane on Oct 12, 2006 | Reply
Hi all–
I’ve got the random shut downs too…just started today..and ONLY WHEN USING WALL CURRENT. Not yet when running off battery. Also….mine does it long before getting real hot.
Let’s keep each other informed.
By Chris G on Oct 13, 2006 | Reply
I have this issue as well (white macbook). It doesn’t happen when the laptop gets hot (I use Temperature Monitor and the temperature rarely goes above 38C) but does happen when the fan comes on or when doing something intensive, like ripping a CD.
Called Apple and before agreeing to replace/repair, they asked me 3 questions: (1) have I installed the SMC firmware update, (2) have I tried resetting the PMU and (3) did I have any 3rd party RAM installed. I have since replaced my 3rd party memory with the original Apple memory and have the same shutdown issues. Therefore, my Macbook is now going back for repair/replacement….
By Philip on Oct 19, 2006 | Reply
If my MacBook shuts down do I get consessions from the UN being the controller of such computer? How about if my Macbook has a meltdown? Would I then suffer the wrath of the Security Council through the IAEA? I never really thought about the political implications of buying a computer. Who said playing games and surfing porn would be easy?
By Rick on Mar 13, 2007 | Reply
Brand new MBP arrived today. Fourteen random shutdowns in two hours - in addition to three dozen Apple application crashes and three kernel panics. Right out of the box. Apple are teh suck.
By Allmec on Apr 5, 2007 | Reply
Ok so my 10 day old MBP has had a raft of RS. tbh I am disgusted with it, it is under Applecare and they are putting a new logic board in.
As a note, I can pretty much get RS on demand by running it on my lap, unofficially I was told that it is not a laptop and to only to use on hard surfaces… kinda indicates that the desire to keep it so slim has now exceeded the design brief of making it usuable as a portable machine ;-/
By Mevans on May 23, 2007 | Reply
I bought my 15″ Macbook Pro back in November, and have had no problems whatsoever until about two weeks ago when I installed another 1gb of RAM (third party). Now my Mac will restart by itself at least once a day, even if I’m only browsing the web and it’s connected to the power cord. Really annoying and I’m reluctant to take the Mac out anywhere with me now…I’m keeping a shutdown log for about another week, then I’m going to remove the third-party memory I installed to see if it goes back to its old ways. I’ll let you know how I get on!
By Colette on Jun 6, 2007 | Reply
I have a Macbook,which I bought early last December.Since then,it has been working fine.Until 2 nights ago.I discovered that my macbook kept on shutting down on me.I could not switch it back on,everytime i try to switch it on,it just quickly shuts down with a sound.The only way I could get my Macbook to power up,was that I had to plug in the power cord into the macbook.(which I’m doing now pffft..)Can somebody send me a solution or an idea,on how I can get my macbook to startup without its Power cord?(btw,the battery on my screen says its 100%)
By freedumb2000 on Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
sounds like a broken battery. my mbp will behave like that if my battery is completely down. there was a recall for early mbp batteries last year, maybe check if yours is covered. also try starting the macbook with the power cord and run http://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/
it can show your total possible capacity on your battery and may give you a hint if its broken. good luck!
By Marco on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
Though it’s been mentioned before, it’s worth repeating:
MacBooks do not like third party RAMs.
By pauline joy on Aug 8, 2007 | Reply
My macbook prompted me to restart after only 10 minutes of having both processors activated. It didn’t make it past step 3.
Does this require replacing my macbook?
By Ash on Aug 9, 2007 | Reply
Pauline,
Apple has now released a software fix for random shutdown problems. I would suggest you download it via software update and install it. More details here.
If the update does not fix it, I would suggest calling Apple Care or bringing your MacBook to a Mac Genius in an Apple Store.
Good Luck!
By Andrew on Sep 10, 2007 | Reply
Pauline, thanks for the ‘heads up’., I too have been having pesistent shutdown problems with my MacBook, I will be following your link now.
By Apple MacBook on Sep 17, 2007 | Reply
Interestingly enough, my White MacBook no longer shuts down despite the problems it had when I had first purchased it. I’m not sure what it can be attributed to, but I’m certainly glad it has stopped.
I should add that I’ve installed all of Apple’s patches, but I have never sent it in for repairs and have never taken it to the genius bar.
By James on Sep 23, 2007 | Reply
Ok so I have only started experiencing random shutdowns in the last week or so, but i also noticed that the fan hadnt been coming on, and being a bit of a programmer I do a bit of cpu intensive stuff.
This test shut down my mac book in less than 10 mins and the fan didnt come on.
Thanks you
By Darcy on Apr 1, 2008 | Reply
Well here I am, about 6 months after the last post, and Mac STILL has not fixed this problem; my 10-month-old Macbook Pro just succumbed to random restarting. I have also heard that it has to do with pressure on the keyboard, and I wonder of the fact that I have a keyboard protector as well as a hard outer shell would have contributed to this…
By Ash on Apr 1, 2008 | Reply
Darcy,
I wouldn’t recommend the use of a hard outer shell unless it is engineered to efficiently dissipate heat from the MacBook. Heat is thought to have been a key factor in the random shut downs that affected the MacBooks.