I posted this to comp.sys.mac.portables and didn't get a response so I'm trying a group that's a little more active. Sorry if this is off topic:
Recently the pulsing sleep light on my 12" PB has been erratic. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes its pulses are short and dim, and sometimes it doesn't light up at all. I initially thought it was due to a mechanical problem with the latch because sometimes when I pick it up, squeezing the lid near the latch, the light will flicker. However, another strange occurrence has made me wonder if the problem is more complex. Occasionally, while the computer is closed, plugged-in, and supposedly asleep I will hear an internal sound coming from it that is similar to the noise made when it is waking up from sleep. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the HD spinning up or what, but I don't think it should be happening when the computer is closed and sleeping.
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Are these two separate problems or might they be related? I have Apple Care, so should I just take it into the local Apple Store and have it looked at?
12" PB G4 867 OS 10.2.8
Thanks.
On 2004-10-03, Jacob Strieck strieck@redacted.invalid wrote:
Recently the pulsing sleep light on my 12" PB has been erratic. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes its pulses are short and dim, and sometimes it doesn't light up at all. I initially thought it was due to a mechanical problem with the latch because sometimes when I pick it up, squeezing the lid near the latch, the light will flicker. However, another strange occurrence has made me wonder if the problem is more complex. Occasionally, while the computer is closed, plugged-in, and supposedly asleep I will hear an internal sound coming from it that is similar to the noise made when it is waking up from sleep. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the HD spinning up or what, but I don't think it should be happening when the computer is closed and sleeping.
I have exactly the same machine as you. 12" PB 867. I have recently (a couple weeks) been seeing the same behavior. The behavior of that light has been completely unpredictable. I don't care about that light at all, but I have wondered if it's a sign of other problems to come. I have not heard the noise you're talking about after the machine has gone to sleep, but it now often takes several minutes to sleep when I close the lid. Is it possible that you're hearing the noise when the machine is not yet asleep rather than after it's fallen asleep?
Since the light hasn't been working correctly, I've also noticed that the latch doesn't always retract into the lid when I open it. I have no idea if they're related.
Another problem I have run into now is that the battery no longer stays in. It will sometimes just fall out. I have tape currently holding the battery in (making it a little awkward to change batteries if I'm traveling). With the tape in place, the machien runs fine and I have no other battery issues.
Is it possible that you're hearing the noise when the >machine is not yet asleep rather than after it's fallen asleep?
I'm fairly certain that it is going to sleep. Whether it's been closed for 5 seconds or 12 hours, it is clearly waking from sleep when I open it. What I think is probably happening is that it is somehow waking itself while closed and then immediately sleeping again. I really don't know anything about the latch mechanism, but apparently it makes contact with something in the slot that triggers sleep. If there is something wrong with this contact it could easily be responsible for the problems. I really don't care about the light either, but when it is working it gives some confidence that things are functioning properly.
Since the light hasn't been working correctly, I've also noticed that the latch doesn't always retract into the lid when I open it. I have no idea if they're related.
Another problem I have run into now is that the battery no longer stays in. It will sometimes just fall out. I have tape currently holding the battery in (making it a little awkward to change batteries if I'm traveling). With the tape in place, the machien runs fine and I have no other battery issues.
I haven't had these other latch or battery problems, but if you have Apple Care you should get them fixed under warranty.
Larry Moss, http://www.airigami.com PO Box 23523, Rochester, NY 14692, (585) 359-8695 Airigami: The art of folding air in specially prepared latex containers.
On 2004-10-03, Jacob Strieck strieck@redacted.invalid wrote:
I haven't had these other latch or battery problems, but if you have Apple Care you should get them fixed under warranty.
Like many folks here, I've always believed that Apple Care was worth it on a laptop and I've paid for it on past machines. So I was surprised to discover I didn't pay for it on this one. I feel like an idiot now. I probably decided I'd pay for it before the first year was up to save a bit of cash up front, and since I've always done it before on purchase, didn't realize I hadn't this time. Oops. I went through the last year and a half of invoices from Apple and credit card statements and sure enough, I have no record of paying for Apple Care on the laptop. Oh well. The machine works, other than a couple cosmetic oddities. I'll keep my fingers crossed for another year and a half and hope I get as much life out of this thing as the warranty would have covered.
Jacob Strieck wrote:
I posted this to comp.sys.mac.portables and didn't get a response so I'm trying a group that's a little more active. Sorry if this is off topic:
Recently the pulsing sleep light on my 12" PB has been erratic. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes its pulses are short and dim, and sometimes it doesn't light up at all. I initially thought it was due to a mechanical problem with the latch because sometimes when I pick it up, squeezing the lid near the latch, the light will flicker. However, another strange occurrence has made me wonder if the problem is more complex. Occasionally, while the computer is closed, plugged-in, and supposedly asleep I will hear an internal sound coming from it that is similar to the noise made when it is waking up from sleep. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the HD spinning up or what, but I don't think it should be happening when the computer is closed and sleeping.
Apnea? Sorry, the description just fit too well. cheers.
In article cjs893$cm$2@redacted.invalid, wheat harvest-this@redacted.invalid wrote:
Jacob Strieck wrote:
I posted this to comp.sys.mac.portables and didn't get a response so I'm trying a group that's a little more active. Sorry if this is off topic:
Recently the pulsing sleep light on my 12" PB has been erratic. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes its pulses are short and dim, and sometimes it doesn't light up at all. I initially thought it was due to a mechanical problem with the latch because sometimes when I pick it up, squeezing the lid near the latch, the light will flicker. However, another strange occurrence has made me wonder if the problem is more complex. Occasionally, while the computer is closed, plugged-in, and supposedly asleep I will hear an internal sound coming from it that is similar to the noise made when it is waking up from sleep. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the HD spinning up or what, but I don't think it should be happening when the computer is closed and sleeping.
Apnea? Sorry, the description just fit too well. cheers.
Maybe it's infected with a Cylon virus. Does it say "By your command" every now and again?
ROTFLOL...oh my that is funny...
Jason
On 10/4/04 6:59 PM, in article vilain-612A1A.15591404102004@redacted.invalid, "Michael Vilain vilain@redacted.invalid" <> wrote:
In article cjs893$cm$2@redacted.invalid, wheat harvest-this@redacted.invalid wrote:
Jacob Strieck wrote:
I posted this to comp.sys.mac.portables and didn't get a response so I'm trying a group that's a little more active. Sorry if this is off topic:
Recently the pulsing sleep light on my 12" PB has been erratic. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes its pulses are short and dim, and sometimes it doesn't light up at all. I initially thought it was due to a mechanical problem with the latch because sometimes when I pick it up, squeezing the lid near the latch, the light will flicker. However, another strange occurrence has made me wonder if the problem is more complex. Occasionally, while the computer is closed, plugged-in, and supposedly asleep I will hear an internal sound coming from it that is similar to the noise made when it is waking up from sleep. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the HD spinning up or what, but I don't think it should be happening when the computer is closed and sleeping.
Apnea? Sorry, the description just fit too well. cheers.
Maybe it's infected with a Cylon virus. Does it say "By your command" every now and again?
On Sun, 3 Oct 2004 12:34:20 -0400, Jacob Strieck wrote (in article cjp9g0$gtp$1@redacted.invalid):
Occasionally, while the computer is closed, plugged-in, and supposedly asleep I will hear an internal sound coming from it that is similar to the noise made when it is waking up from sleep.
You still might have a latch problem. If you have some time to monitor it, place a weight on the top to press it down a bit harder. If it doesn't flicker or make the odd noise, then I'd say you have a latch problem.