Filed under: Hardware, Bad Apple, MacBook
Apple issues one-liner support doc on random MacBook shutdown problem
Apple seems to be *so* happy to finally fess up that this MacBook RSS (Random Shutdown Syndrome) isn't just all in our heads. xlr8yourmac tracked down a new Apple Knowledgebase article that is another amusing one-liner from Apple's support crew: "If your MacBook is shutting down intermittently, please contact AppleCare for service." A little bird told us they finally know what's going on and have a fix for the issue, but don't quote us on that.If you are an unfortunate MacBook RSS victim and you do give AppleCare a call, feel free to comment here with your experience and how Apple is treating this issue. We honestly don't know much more about it aside from this theory, so we're in the dark as much as you are.
[via InsanelyMac News]

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jon said 8:23AM on 9-07-2006
Well, it's a lot better than not acknowledging it at all...
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Pastello said 6:42PM on 9-07-2006
The fix is a new logic board.
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mungler said 8:57AM on 9-07-2006
nice paraphrasing of mash's original post there...
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mosey levy said 9:03AM on 9-07-2006
i brought my blackbook in a bit back cause it would not start up at all (no power).
they replaced the logic board and a few weeks after getting it back it would start
shutting randomly.
i brought it back and they gave me a brand new one on the spot : )
go apple!
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Mac Addict said 9:11AM on 9-07-2006
My MacBook is in for service again right now for RSS. They replaced the logic board 8 Aug - and it was okay for a few weeks, then bam! Deja vu! The tech said he plans on replacing the logic board again. :( I hope the send out the fix soon.
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Ed said 9:13AM on 9-07-2006
Apple have done this before with other issues before they later publish a fix...
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Michelle said 1:55PM on 9-07-2006
Mine started to do the RSS dance after about 2 months. I took my white macbook into my local apple store and the tech was clueless until I showed him the message board entries from the apple forums site that I printed. He excused himself to talk with another tech and then proceeded to accept the macbook for service. They took my macbook on a Thursday and it was FedExed back to me Tuesday of the next week. So far so good but there are alot of people who have said that it happens again. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
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David Chartier said 9:39AM on 9-07-2006
#2: You're right, my bad. I saw the post, copied the links and wrote this up around 1 am last night. I didn't check back at their site since the announcement and issue were pretty straight forward.
I've edited the beginning of my post so it isn't a lift anymore, thanks for the heads up.
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b3studios said 9:52AM on 9-07-2006
I too had the randowm shutdown issues on my black MacBook (that was an applecare replacement for the refurbished 12" PowerBook G4 i bought in Jan).
they started infrequently, but became increasingly more prevalent.
I finally sent it in to apple and was expecting a logic board replacement, but instead they just sent it back with the heat sink replaced. I was very worried that I would have to send it back in, but it's been 5 weeks now and now random shut downs. They were happening 6-8 times a day...
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Mike said 9:56AM on 9-07-2006
my 2.0 macbook was fine from may (bought on the day it was announced) through early august and has been shutting down now every other day or so - but just once per day (and it starts up without a problem)
the local apple store offered to take it for '1-2 weeks' to replace the logic board and the heat sink, but I declined and called a local apple repair shop. they said they could replace the logic board in a day... but I was probably better off getting a fan, since the fellow there couldn't guarantee that a new logic board (same version) would fix anything.
I just called apple care, and there was no actual solution, other than the apparently common suggestions: maybe the 3rd party memory, maybe the AC adapter; I reset pram and SMU... and so now I wait.
the fellow at applecare I spoke with noted that they were still "researching" the problem, for whatever that's worth.
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Johnny Won said 1:48PM on 9-07-2006
My boss just mentioned yesterday that he was having these problems and started putting his MacBook on an iCurve, an elevated platform for cooling & comfort, and today he said he hasen't been having any problems at all. I suspect it is the cooling. Elevating it is supposed to help.
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Sascha said 3:02PM on 9-07-2006
I got my MacBook from service today.
It is the problem with the cable which will create a short-circuit.
There is no need for replacing the board and it looks like it will not solve the problem.
The only thing which was replaced was the Heat Sink.
Its working now for 5 hours without any problem.
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Josh Owens said 10:25AM on 9-07-2006
I have had the worst time trying to get support on my macbook for this very issue. It was finally sent back two days ago for repair... I hope the repair techs know how to fix it. You can read more on my blog.
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Mr Lizard said 11:04AM on 9-07-2006
Old, old, old news. This was posted on Apple's support forums days ago.
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Tony said 11:19AM on 9-07-2006
Please stop referring to the random shutdown problem as "RSS." We already have a well established abbreviation using RSS, we don't need another. Besides, shutdown is one word, so it would be abbreviated as "RS."
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Bob said 11:18AM on 9-07-2006
#10 Well it's not "old news" to many of us.
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David Howe said 11:38AM on 9-07-2006
I sent my MacBook in on Aug 29th and the genius bar decided it needed new RAM and Logic Board. It's now sitting in Tennesee "waiting on parts". And I'm a ProCare v2.0 member (bought it just to get quicker turn around on my work machine). So much for that.
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Ben Goetting said 3:10PM on 9-07-2006
I sent in my macbook for random shut down syndrome. Got it back and it worked for about an hour before going completely black... sent it back again.. got it back the next week .. and a few weeks later now i've had 6 Random Shut Downs.. today's call to applecare better yeild a replacement computer or a refund.
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Ben said 12:00PM on 9-07-2006
My macbook is sitting in Apple Care now waiting for parts too. This is its second trip to apple. So hopefully they really fixed it.
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Daniel Brauer said 12:40PM on 9-07-2006
"Random Shutdown Syndrome", fool.
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