deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
 ·Verizon FIOS
| [rant] 0 for 2 on repairs
I know this is a rant, but I have a point, so please leave it here mods 
I just spoke to a customer representative who spoke to the repair depot my MBP was sent in for heat issues (for the second time).
She claimed they played a DVD in it for one hour, and were unable to reproduce the heat issue, so they sent it back "within specification".
This is absolutely absurd. I have never had such poor customer service for hardware related support issues. Let's review.
1) sent it in for heat issue
2) repair depot randomly replaces logic board to "fix" the heat
3) get the unit back, and it's 149 F now (8 degrees hotter than when I sent it in)
4) called up and spoke to a customer relations rep who hooked me up with a very nice product support specialist. he wouldn't say they'd do a full exchange until he got the temperature specification from engineering
5) waited 10 days to get a response, and Daniel from support informed me the specification is 60C for external case temps . Mine is 65C, so he says I should definitely send it in again.
6) I take it to an "authorized apple repair" location - a local CompUSA, who looks at it for a few hours then determines "yeah, it runs hot. we have to send it in"
7) the item gets sent out (ground, btw, since CompUSA is a bunch of cheapskates unlike the Apple store) and finally gets there
8) item is diagnosed, and is on its way back
9) I call and support claims it's within spec
What the hell? Playing a DVD in it is by no means going to get it hot enough since it's not going to use nearly 100% of both CPU cores.
I am so fed up with this right now. I emailed the product specialist I've been working with so I can get a refund. I'm through with Apple. They had three chances to get this right (when I bought it, and both repairs). Three strikes, you're out Apple.
I love OSX and Apple's idealogies, etc. But this MBP is a lemon.
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
T_Wrecks
The Truth Doesn't Make A Noise
Premium
join:2003-08-21
Garden State | I'd press Apple for a replacement. |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| I don't want a replacement. This situation has turned me off to Apple. I'd rather have the $2800 back in my pocket and spend it on something else. I want a refund.
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
bigsand
join:2006-02-28 | reply to deblin
I have to admit, if I bought a MBP and that happened I would feel exactly like you do. |
|
DrewCapu
Giant Diehard
join:2001-12-19
California
clubs: | reply to deblin
have them run dnetc on it for a few hours instead of watching a dvd while "working" |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to bigsand
It's not like it's an $800 POS dell laptop or something. I paid premium money for a premium product. The least I could expect is getting satisfaction if the product isn't within spec. Their moronic repair depot didn't even stress it properly.
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to DrewCapu
I shouldn't have to tell them how to tax the CPU. They are supposed to be technical repair folks. That said, the product specialist I was working with told me he put notes on the repair order to test the temperatures in a specific spot and he also knew that the original task I was performing to test the heat was exporting an H.264 quicktime video.
Hell, even the CompUSA guy was like "that's way too hot". But either the dumbass at the repair depot knows nothing about computers, or Apple is telling them to just return "heat issues" and report them within spec.
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
Smitedogg
Uzbekikitty
Premium
join:2000-11-11
Pueblo, CO | reply to deblin
That's pathetic. I hope you get your refund. |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| Thanks  I have a feeling I am going to be SOL. If they give me a brand new one, I'm leaving it in the box and selling it on ebay. Is Applecare transferrable?
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
N3OGH
Bear patrol must be working like a charm
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to deblin
Well, to drag out an old, dated, and overused phrase.
"I feel your pain".
My MBP was way way too hot. I decided for a while to just hold on to it, and eventually, I did the unthinkable.
I went out, bought a #0 Phillips screwdriver, a #6 Torx driver and carved that puppy up like last years thanksgiving turkey. As the parts of my 1 month old $2000 laptop laid there strewn across my kitchen table, I thought to myself what have I done? Well, when I got to the main circuit board and saw the pitiful job they did of applying the thermal paste to the processor and heat pipe, I knew why. Big grimy gobs of greasy grimy gopher..., well you get the idea.
I cleaned the factory applied grease off with some rubbing alcohol (and a SPATULA, LOL) and applied a nice coat of Arctic Silver 5 to the die of all 3 chips that connect with the heat pipe. I reassembled my MBP and fired it up. It felt a LOT cooler to the touch when using it, but I was reluctant to come "out of the closet" on this issue and admit to everyone that I had done surgery on my new laptop until I had some hard evidence it was indeed a "fix". Some people had been claiming (on other boards) that the heat was no longer being dissipated, and that you would be killing your processor by doing this.
Last night I downloaded the Kernel extension that accesses the thermal sensor in the Core Duo chip directly, and got my answer.
I opened 3 shells of "Terminal" and put the system into a "yes" feedback loop, pushing the system to %100 processor load. The result?
I ran the system for 3 hours straight, on a flat hardtop desk at full load. Max processor temp (inside the processor, not case temp) was 61C. The fans were pretty much HOWLING, but more than reasonable for any computer at full load for such a period of time. Bottom of case was warm, but no warmer than say, 102F (just my best guess). The top of the case was cool to the touch, even over the "F" keys to the left of the keyboard.
The bottom line? The thermal paste IS applied wrong. I have no doubt of it whatsoever. Apple needs to make good on this, as not everyone is willing to take screwdriver and Torx driver to their new baby and do open heart surgery on it. For those that are, the benefits are legion. My MBP is now *THE* coolest (in more ways than one) computer I've ever owned, and I love it.
If you have the skills, the steady hand, and maybe a shot of liquor to calm your nerves, I wholeheartedly suggest it. Fortunately, I had no problems re assembling my computer, and no one could tell by looking at it that I had.
Whew... got that off my chest.... |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| Here's the thing. The guy I was speaking to on the phone acknowledged the thermal paste "rumors" and when I asked him about getting them to re-apply it, he said he'd ask them to. And supposedly he did.
But the morons at the repair depot didn't even get to the "repair" portion of it, they just concluded it was within spec after playing a friggin' DVD for an hour.
Since I don't have my MBP in front of me, if someone is willing to play a DVD for a few minutes and check the CPU usage, I'd be very curious how much it uses. I'm guessing --
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
Homunculus
Raye man kojast?
Premium
join:2000-12-14
Dar al-Harb
clubs:
| reply to deblin
I bet the chumps at the depot don't even know what dnetc is.
Playing a DVD for an hour? Oh yeah, that will really stress the system. 
File a complaint with BBB.
Or tell them you will if they do not actually resolve the issues you are having with it. |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| said by Homunculus  :Playing a DVD for an hour? Oh yeah, that will really stress the system. No kidding. Maybe if it were a Pentium 3 500MHz or something.
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
Scott W
Premium
join:2003-08-09
Beaverton, OR
| reply to deblin
Bummer. Sorry to hear about your problems getting the issue resolved.
The guys on The Mac Geek Gab podcast have been talking about the MBP heat issues. Skype them at macgeekgab or 206-666-GEEK or email them at macgeekgab@macobserver.com and let them know what happened.
Also do the same for The Mac Cast podcast. Email: maccast@gmail.com or skype: themaccast and let Adam know.
The more the problem with the thermal grease is addressed by people who paid good money for a MBP, hopefully the more likely Apple is to at least correct the problem, even if they never publicly acknowledge it.
At this point, it really does seem like a real issue with assembly and with support procedures. Probably not just a few random cases of this problem.
Cheers. |
|
justlittleoldme
@comcast.net | reply to deblin
I hope you do NOT get a refund, but I do hope you get satisfaction. Keep on Apple to replacce it, eventually they will. Also, next time heed the advice most would have given you, never buy version 1.0 of anything!!!! |
|
Smitedogg
Uzbekikitty
Premium
join:2000-11-11
Pueblo, CO
| said by justlittleoldme :
I hope you do NOT get a refund, but I do hope you get satisfaction. Keep on Apple to replacce it, eventually they will. Also, next time heed the advice most would have given you, never buy version 1.0 of anything!!!!
Why would you not want him to get a refund? He was sold something that doesn't work as it should, and Apple refused to fix it after he went through all their hoops.
--
I woke up this morning giggling with a dream of a career counselor telling a slave at an auction that he needs to learn how to sell himself |
|
cableties
Premium
join:2005-01-27
Newtown, PA
| reply to deblin
Sorry.
I bet the paste issue is the problem. And Compusa is not the best place to get Applecare. They should have insisted on the 9 hour loop test. And had "repair depot" do a log of temps before and after. And Fedex'd it out, not via UPS ground.
Sounds like paste issue or bad CPU. Call Applecare and ask to escalate. I doubt they will refund it. Squeak enough and get new one. Can you take it to an Apple Store, with all documentation of purchase and repairs (failed)??? How long ago did you buy it? Did you use a creditcard with protection?
I'm miffed for you too as we've had two G5's go out after owning a week and after 6 weeks (w/o), finally got replacements (bad case and another with bad board, cpu and powersupply).
Things that cost this much, for such a small market share, shouldn't be having these issues. 1 out of a million maybe. But not out of a thousand. Of a 5% PC marketshare... |
|
deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| ok, I just spoke to the support specialist I've been working with. I have to say that throughout this ordeal, he has been the best part. He's been geniunely interested in helping, and has been keeping me informed/etc via email and phone.
Anyway, he asked to give the repair process one more shot. This time, they are sending me a box to send it in via overnight DHL (well, that's 3 different ways of sending it in now, sigh). He is going to append his personal notes on the problem and request specific tests for the temperature and how to load the machine.
He said if it comes back not fixed this time, they will send me a brand new one. I guess at that point, it'd be another crap shoot whether I get one that works or not. I'm debating whether I even want to open the new one they send me or just throw it immediately up on ebay. At this point I'm not real confident in their ability to fix it. But I guess we'll see.
The worst part about all this? Of the 2 months I've owned the damn thing, I've had it for like 5 weeks out of 8.
--
"Talk is cheap because the supply is greater than the demand" - Shelby Friedman |
|
obeythelaw
Premium
join:2003-04-16
Bayonne, NJ
 ·Cingular Wireless
 ·Optimum Voice
 ·Cablevision
·Optimum Online
| reply to deblin
i genuinely hope that you get the servie and result you are looking for. However, I'm curious as to how people are saying the MBPs are "too" hot. I mean, isn't each person have a different take on the heat issue. My sister has a MBP and its a wonderful machine. How hot is too hot? It works great. Or is it such a small percentage that most people wouln't come into contact with the problem?
--
How many lawyers does it take to change a lightbulb? Three. One to climb the ladder, one to shake the ladder, and one to sue the ladder company. |
|
rexbinary
Mod King
Premium
join:2005-01-26
Plano, TX | reply to deblin
What does it do when it overheats? Lock-up, kernel panic? |
|
