Macbook White problem

Cyril

I've had my Macbook for about a year now, never had any problems until now.
A week ago, I saw a small bubble on the bottom cover, so I took it to the Mac Store, where I first bought the laptop. A week later I get a call saying that to fix it it would cost $152.
I told them not to fix it since I can live with the small bubble. The next day I go to take my macbook, I was shocked to see that there was a 2cm gap between the cover and the macbook that wasn't there when I first gave it to them.
After 10min of arguing with the sales person, he said that he would personally take it back to the technicians and try to fix it.
The cause of the bubble in the first place was said to be humidity, and overheating. I wasn't convinced that much by the cause, since I take good care of my electronics.

Don't have any pictures to show you guys the gap, but anyone know of such a problem? I tried searching for a similar problem but found it on the old Macbook, not the new one.

Your inputs?

AMDeeb

Hello!

Sorry man I don't know about this problem :/ The ONLY problem that I'm facing is that is that I see SCRATCHES every where!

Its made up from Polycarbonate, so you the laptop case should deform easily. I don't know why this is happening, maybe it is a low-quality Polycarbonate.

Anyways, if 1 year didn't pass yet, so it should be under warranty.

rolf

I've had the battery swell. It made a huge buldge under the laptop. The battery was still functional and all, but it's volume grew about 30%... And when removed I could not fit it back in, although it went in enough to reach the contacts and power the laptop.
I researched a bit and saw that it's due to over-charging. My laptop was plugged into power almost constantly, and plugged into a big LCD monitor, I was essentially using it as a desktop unit, and the battery almost never had the chance to discharge.
I've had a lot of problems with my white macbook laptops, from a couple of drops of water killing keys of the keyboard, a drop from about one meter splitting the LCD frame open, a dead battery (before the swelling battery problem!), a charger change due to the cable failing on both ends... another repair on the new (apple!) charger because the cable was overheating again...
My brother gave me his old battery which lasts about 10 minutes (as a precaution... I read that swelled batteries are dangerous), and I used this one instead. I am not moving the laptop anyway.
White Macbooks are very fragile, only for people who nurture their laptops.

Hope this helps.

PS: I had an old white macbook (built in 2006). I think the newer ones have the battery integrated, so you cannot remove them. If you kept your laptop plugged into power, then you might be having the same problem.

mezin

Cyril wroteso I took it to the Mac Store

which mac store ?

Cyril

@ rolf: this was one of the reasons given to me by the sales person, over charging. I think it's the main reason.
I have the tendency to keep my laptop on charge over night. Still waiting for them to call me to see what will happen next.

@ AMDeeb: it's really low quality. So disappointed by it's cover.

@ unforgiven: mac shop, my mistake.

mezin

Cyril wrote@ rolf: this was one of the reasons given to me by the sales person, over charging. I think it's the main reason.
I have the tendency to keep my laptop on charge over night. Still waiting for them to call me to see what will happen next.

@ AMDeeb: it's really low quality. So disappointed by it's cover.

@ unforgiven: mac shop, my mistake.

lol! i wasn't concerned with terminology, i was just asking about the location ! is it the one on bliss ?

Cyril

unforgiven wrotelol! i wasn't concerned with terminology, i was just asking about the location ! is it the one on bliss ?

Mac shop @ ABC.
Isn't the one @ bliss called iStyle?

AMDeeb

@Cyril the one @Bliss is called iStyle

I am taking certain precautions inorder not to face battery life/duty issues.

I remove the MagSafe cable from the MacBook before I sleep, and sometimes remove it from the power outlet, inorder not to overcharge the battery.

I completely discharge the battery at least twice per month and completely charge it and keep the MagSafe plugged in for several hours. This will circulate ions inside the battery frequently.

When I go to my university, i don't bring my MagSafe charger, although its small, but the battery life is more than enough, this helps in using the battery continuously rather than using it as a desktop.

I have found that these tips are helpful in maintaining the battery, I advise every one to follow inorder NOT to face laptop battery issues.

Cyril

Update:

I got a call from the Mac Shop today saying that the whole bottom cover has to be changed. The price $130.
So I told them I'll call the technical department and see things myself. I was surprised to know that the macbook wasn't sent the first time to the apple technician (interlink), it was tried to be fixed at the mac shop in dbayeh.
When talked to, the technician told me that it was bound to happen, and the cause was water, and soon after overheating which led to the bubble.

I have some pictures showing the bubble how it was before and how it is now.
I'm going to talk to the assistant manager of the Mac Shop tomorrow explaining to him the problems.

-Salesman forgetting to send laptops to the repair shop.
-Salesman trying to fix the laptops at the shop.
-Salesman giving prices from their heads.

I'm so sick of that. It's a disgrace for Apple.

The way it was:

You can see how small the bubble was. (before sending the laptop)

How it is now:

mezin

Yes I was just making sure if interlink was involved since
They are the ones to go to for this type of prolems ... My aunt works at interlink so let me know if Mac shop gives you more trouble

Cyril

unforgiven wroteYes I was just making sure if interlink was involved since
They are the ones to go to for this type of prolems ... My aunt works at interlink so let me know if Mac shop gives you more trouble

I'm heading tomorrow to talk with the retail manager, Jimmy Naddaf. I was directed to him by one of the interlink technicians.
I hope they will cooperate and not give me the stupid reply salesman gave me: "It was going to come off anyway".

Thanks for the help, I will sure keep you updated if anything goes wrong.
Sent you a PM.

Cyril

Update:
I had a meeting today with the managing director of the Mac Shop.
A very nice guy, as soon as I told him the story he told me that they will fix it, and that their sorry for the whole problem.
It will take 3 to 4 weeks for the bottom cover to get to Lebanon since they are ordering it from the US.

rolf

Interlink Freeway seem to have good repair technicians. They did a good work on my Macbook charger.

mezin

Cyril wroteUpdate:
I had a meeting today with the managing director of the Mac Shop.
A very nice guy, as soon as I told him the story he told me that they will fix it, and that their sorry for the whole problem.
It will take 3 to 4 weeks for the bottom cover to get to Lebanon since they are ordering it from the US.

mabrouk !

Cyril

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/05/31/apple-now-replacing-the-rubber-bottom-of-white-macbooks/

http://www.apple.com/support/macbook-bottomcase/

Talk about coincidence.