Dead computer

[Jim McBee]

Hey, kids, I've got a MacBook Pro that's developed the Black Screen of Death (evidently, not a rare problem). Naturally, the machine is just out of warranty; it looks like getting a fix is going to be expensive and take awhile. Any thoughts on a replacement/additional machine so I can keep plugging away? Doesn't have to be a laptop, or even a Mac, but I'd have to take into consideration the cost of replacing software if I crossed into the Dark Side.

- Jim

[John Josey]

You mean Macs aren't the Dark Side? Heh.

This is way off topic, and I'm truly sorry. I just have to speak my piece on this. My mean Mac Pro desktop machine (sadly, it's not mine -- it's work's) is the first Mac in my experience that lives up to the hype. My first computer was a Mac, and it completely sucked. I've not looked back since. I will say, though ... as soon the Pro doesn't cost $3,500, I'll seriously considering getting one.

If software is an issue (and it should be with the costs), I don't see how you can't stick with a Mac. Of course, you already knew that. I'm no help. I'll shut up now. ;-D

[Clif Page]

By black screen, do you mean no power, or something else.
If it is something else, my advice is Disk Warrior software. Awesome stuff. It works better than Norton Utilities.

[Jim McBee]

Hey Clif. By black screen I mean there's no video signal at all, internally or externally. Evidently, Apple bought some bad graphics chips (Dell and some others have copped to the bad chips, but Apple hasn't.) Can't run repair software cos I can't see what's going on. :-/

I really liked my MBP until this.

[coffeymaker]

What about finding a MacBook on craigslist. thanks to the stimulus check we all got this year, I found mine for a sweet deal and it works beautifully.

[Ernie Smith]

Get Applecare if you buy a Mac. It's a couple hundred extra bucks but saves you a ton of money down the road.

I bought my last used computer with an extra year of Applecare on it for that reason. When it died about a year and a half ago, it saved me a crapload of money.

[Douglas E. Jessmer]

If you have a second Mac, first thing I'd do is connect the two together and start the MacBook Pro in target disk mode. Once the two are linked and see each other, copy the files you want from the laptop to the other machine.

Then blow the MacBook Pro away and start over with new firmware, yada yada.

Scott Kleinberg may have the best answer of any of us, if he sees this thread. He's the biggest Mac geek I know, and of course, he's on VizEds!

[Jon Williams]

My Imac's screen began nodding off a few weeks ago. Almost exactly like you describe. I took it to the Apple store and they told me it would cost $1,000 to fix. The computer is 17-months-old and originally cost me about $1,500. So I was pretty unhappy hearing that news. On the way home from the Apple store, we stopped at Best Buy and bought a $150.00 monitor. I hooked it up and set it to mirror the imac's monitor. Although it's cumbersome having another monitor in front of my imac, it's a heck-of-a-lot cheaper than giving Apple another grand to fix a computer that shouldn't be needing such major repairs after only 17-months.

Like you, I probably won't buy another mac.

[Ernie Smith]

Like I said earlier, Applecare. I mean, it sucks, but there's a reason why Apple lets you extend the warranty, and it's precisely to avoid situations like this.

That said, I've been in your shoes and feel your pain.

[Jon Williams]

Yeah, you're right about Applecare.

However I have a ruby imac that is 13-years-old, and has never had a problem. It's still working fine today. Also, I have worked on macs for most of my 25 years in the biz and never had a problem.

When I bought the new imac, I figured I was buying something that would last equally as long without a problem. In other words, I was under the impression that mac made quality computers based upon previous experience.

Now, Im seriously rethinking Apple. I would advise anyone who is about to purchase a mac to buy Applecare. But first I would seriously warn them against buying a mac at all. It's apparent from both my story and Jim's that the quality we thought were buying with a mac just isn't there anymore.

[Jim McBee]

Jon, glad to hear you at least can use the dang machine.

[Jon Williams]

Fortunately for us, the screen would come on after numerous attempts to boot it up. It would last five minutes before flickering out and dying. But that gave me enough time to hook up the external monitor and set it to mirror. That was two days ago. The monitor seems entirely dead today. We got lucky.

[Jonathan Kleinow]

Jim, Apple may be willing to fix this after all. See here:

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/10/10/some-macbook-pros-affected-by-n...

I hope this means you'll be able to get your Mac fixed for free!

- Jon