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Sakino · Nov 26, 2003, 12:37 AM

I went out of my way this time to go to the apple store when I got home to dicuss my problems with my powerbook. I talked to them about my previous 2 15 inch al pbs. Obvious white spots, harddrive, pixles, battery, etc the list goes on.
Well I just got my 3rd powerbook and the battery life is decreasing with almost every charge and the apple key sticks. The guy said he would offer me a new one and I could exchange this one when I it comes in. Which will be really nice because its exam week coming up here. The guy did a great job though, he had like 5 people at the genius bar that expected him to help them all at once.
Should I bit on this, I actually have to call customer relations because it was after 8 by the time we got everything squared away.

This would be my 4th, but its the fact that they screwed up.

cSurfr · Nov 26, 2003, 12:40 AM

is it past the the 10 day point on your latest powerbook? If so I would definately say jump on this, as usually after the 10 days apple only wants to service the machine. This has been my experience.

machem · Nov 26, 2003, 04:17 AM

Sakino, I'd go for it, but check the s/n so you have a 42+ week machine. V7339... means 39th week (sorry if you know that already). Especially if they will let you break it out to see if it's OK. I'd worry more about keyboard issues than the LCD at this point.

I just convinced/helped an aquaintance to go to the Apple Store and get a 15" 1.25.... but they went before I warned them about s/n and spots. Now they are expecting to return it at some point. Hopefully they got a machine with a good LCD.

I've had the pleasure of using 2 1.25GHz Powerbooks the last couple days, but I do need to send one back to Apple.

Sakino · Nov 26, 2003, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by machem:
Sakino, I'd go for it, but check the s/n so you have a 42+ week machine. V7339... means 39th week (sorry if you know that already). Especially if they will let you break it out to see if it's OK. I'd worry more about keyboard issues than the LCD at this point.

I just convinced/helped an aquaintance to go to the Apple Store and get a 15" 1.25.... but they went before I warned them about s/n and spots. Now they are expecting to return it at some point. Hopefully they got a machine with a good LCD.

I've had the pleasure of using 2 1.25GHz Powerbooks the last couple days, but I do need to send one back to Apple.

Actually this powerbook is a bto over the internet, and due to my past problems they are building me a brand new one in 3 weeks. Customer relations didn't even question me when I called them up, they said they will process a new order.
Actually thanks for telling me about that serial number deal, mine is actually 7379. Looks like I will be getting a later model, which is good.

Oneota · Nov 26, 2003, 05:52 PM

Originally posted by machem:
Sakino, I'd go for it, but check the s/n so you have a 42+ week machine. V7339... means 39th week (sorry if you know that already). Especially if they will let you break it out to see if it's OK. I'd worry more about keyboard issues than the LCD at this point.

I just convinced/helped an aquaintance to go to the Apple Store and get a 15" 1.25.... but they went before I warned them about s/n and spots.

What's all this about now? Wanna point me to a source to read up on this a bit (or explain it yourself, I s'pose)?

Thanks!

(The reason I ask is I've got the spots big-time and was waiting for a definitive solution before I complained - and this is the first I've heard of specific serial number series or anything.)

anaphora68 · Nov 26, 2003, 06:42 PM

Can someone explain the serial number thing to me? According to one of these posts, I have a 40 week machine. I'm just curious to know more about this theory (or fact)

Thanks.

TheTraveller · Nov 26, 2003, 07:03 PM

Phew! My Aluminum 15" apparently comes from Week 43! Yay. So does this mean that I'm looking forward to a white-spot-free future?

machem · Nov 26, 2003, 09:04 PM

The S/N conveys specific information about the week the machine was built. I'm a bit confused by Sakino's number, because there aren't 79 weeks in the year!

You can either look at the shipping box, invoice or other paperwork, or use the "About this mac" and click on the OS version (twice), or use the system profiler. The S/N is V73WWXXXXXX where the V73 should be the same for all PB 15" (1.25GHz?) models. The WW is the week number (this being 48? 47?).

My original, flawed PB was built on Sept. 16 or so, and was a VX7339..... I don't have any specific information to back this up, but my feeling is you need a week 44-45 machine or better to be free of whitespots. Recent BTO machines should be OK. Current stock at stores may be older than this.

Oneta, I don't know what you are asking, really.... I don't think there's anything to read up on. Most manufacturer's S/N follow some sort of pattern like this. The problems is to decypher it.

RealMac · 03:06 AM

Originally posted by machem:
The S/N conveys specific information about the week the machine was built. I'm a bit confused by Sakino's number, because there aren't 79 weeks in the year!

You can either look at the shipping box, invoice or other paperwork, or use the "About this mac" and click on the OS version (twice), or use the system profiler. The S/N is V73WWXXXXXX where the V73 should be the same for all PB 15" (1.25GHz?) models. The WW is the week number (this being 48? 47?).

My original, flawed PB was built on Sept. 16 or so, and was a VX7339..... I don't have any specific information to back this up, but my feeling is you need a week 44-45 machine or better to be free of whitespots. Recent BTO machines should be OK. Current stock at stores may be older than this.

Oneta, I don't know what you are asking, really.... I don't think there's anything to read up on. Most manufacturer's S/N follow some sort of pattern like this. The problems is to decypher it.

I'd agree with you. My present PowerBook G4 1GHz unit is from the 43rd week and still had spots. The repair has been flawless though. After my past experiences I keep expecting them to come back however. It's been about a week since the repair and still nothing to make me think otherwise.

I haven't had any issues with the keyboard or Bluetooth though.

EvanV · Nov 27, 2003, 03:24 AM

I have Week 41 and myn is flawless.

Oneota · Nov 27, 2003, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by machem:

Oneta, I don't know what you are asking, really.... I don't think there's anything to read up on. Most manufacturer's S/N follow some sort of pattern like this. The problems is to decypher it.

That's exactly what I was asking for; thanks!