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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > I got the infamous white spots on my 15 in pb.

I got the infamous white spots on my 15 in pb.
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Sakino
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Sep 30, 2003, 07:47 PM
 
I started to notice them this past weekend when I was playing around with the powerbook more. I only notice them with a white screen, but it drives me nuts. There are two of them one about an inch below the hatch and one about 2 inches right of the center of the screen. There are no dead pixels though.
I cannot be with out a computer :/ This is my life and soul right now trying to get thru school and midterms coming up.

What should I do?
     
nuraoar
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Sep 30, 2003, 07:57 PM
 
I started to notice them too on my 15" 1.25GHz. There are no dead pixels but I am not sure if the white spots will get worse Anyway as long as this thing is under warranty I am not too worried.


Just when I thought things couldn't get worse I got a message saying you must restart your computer.

I am not sure if this is a 10.2.8 issue.
     
Sakino  (op)
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Sep 30, 2003, 07:59 PM
 
Originally posted by nuraoar:
I started to notice them too on my 15" 1.25GHz. There are no dead pixels but I am not sure if the white spots will get worse Anyway as long as this thing is under warranty I am not too worried.


Just when I thought things couldn't get worse I got a message saying you must restart your computer.

I am not sure if this is a 10.2.8 issue.
I also have the ticking issue with the hd. When I write to the hd you dont hear a ticking noise. But everyonce in awhile the hd will just tick for 5 seconds then stop. Wait, tick for 5 seconds and stop. Repeating the process
     
Sakino  (op)
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Sep 30, 2003, 09:00 PM
 
So what should I do? If I call into tomorrow, what would they do?
Would they send me a new one? or would I have to send back my old one first to get a new one?
Would it be replaced right away or would I have to wait?
     
Waveman
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Sep 30, 2003, 09:03 PM
 
Originally posted by Sakino:
I started to notice them this past weekend when I was playing around with the powerbook more. I only notice them with a white screen, but it drives me nuts. There are two of them one about an inch below the hatch and one about 2 inches right of the center of the screen. There are no dead pixels though.
I cannot be with out a computer :/ This is my life and soul right now trying to get thru school and midterms coming up.

What should I do?
If you live near an Apple Store, go there and ask to exchange it.

If not, wait until you can be without the computer for a week or so. It's probably going to take at least that long to replace or repair it.
     
Sakino  (op)
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Sep 30, 2003, 09:05 PM
 
Originally posted by Waveman:
If you live near an Apple Store, go there and ask to exchange it.

If not, wait until you can be without the computer for a week or so. It's probably going to take at least that long to replace or repair it.
Would they exchange it even if I didn't get it from them?
I ordered it thru adc, but I live in hour form an apple store. Hell I would be willing to make the trip this weekend to exchange the powerbook if that was teh case.

Plus mine was bto, and has the 5400 rpm hd, would they be able to replace it?
( Last edited by Sakino; Sep 30, 2003 at 09:13 PM. )
     
slider
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Sep 30, 2003, 09:14 PM
 
Originally posted by Sakino:
Would they exchange it even if I didn't get it from them?
I ordered it thru adc, but I live in hour form an apple store. Hell I would be willing to make the trip this weekend to exchange the powerbook if that was teh case.
Make sure you relay what a tight spot you're in, I mean really press it. They might just swap in out for you IF they have any in stock.
     
Sakino  (op)
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Sep 30, 2003, 09:34 PM
 
Originally posted by slider:
Make sure you relay what a tight spot you're in, I mean really press it. They might just swap in out for you IF they have any in stock.
Nope I just got off the phone with the local store. They flat out said there is no replacing by bto laptop. They will make me send it back to get a new one.

So this could turn out to be a couple week adventure? Or would they be able to send one over night?
     
stotan
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Sep 30, 2003, 10:31 PM
 
Originally posted by Waveman:
If you live near an Apple Store, go there and ask to exchange it.

If not, wait until you can be without the computer for a week or so. It's probably going to take at least that long to replace or repair it.
this may sound stupid but, when you say an apple store is there actually apple stores (run by apple) or is it just like your local reseller of apple computers?
     
Sakino  (op)
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Sep 30, 2003, 11:31 PM
 
Originally posted by stotan:
this may sound stupid but, when you say an apple store is there actually apple stores (run by apple) or is it just like your local reseller of apple computers?
It is the actually apple store.
i called them and they told me they wouldnt replace my bto laptop with the 5400 rpm hd. I think thats bullshit, I am sure they have 5400 rom hds in stock.

I dont know what to do, to tell you the truth. I rely on this thing to get my hw done.
     
Sakino  (op)
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Oct 1, 2003, 01:51 AM
 
Is their any suggetions from the late nght crowd on this issue?
     
babajazz
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Oct 1, 2003, 02:26 AM
 
hmmm....call apple...tell them that you are going to rent a laptop and that they owe you the cash, It's simple....u are a student and apple owes u the cash since they f... up!
I'm getting a little tired waiting around for my bto 15 inch to get here. I really hope everything is cool with it. Crossing fingers!
     
Waveman
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Oct 1, 2003, 07:21 AM
 
Originally posted by Sakino:
Is their any suggetions from the late nght crowd on this issue?
Their policy is to exchange BTO computers by shipping. The problem is that the replacement comes from Taiwan. Although Apple promises fast turnaround, it still takes about a week.
     
chabig
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Oct 1, 2003, 10:46 AM
 
call apple...tell them that you are going to rent a laptop and that they owe you the cash.
I doubt this will work. The spots are just a cosmetic problem. The machine still works. That's the bottom line.

I'd recommend just keeping the machine until your midterms are over and you can afford to be without the machine for a week. You have a full year of warranty, so there really is no rush. Besides that, a month from now, you'll almost certainly be getting a machine that was manufactured later rather than earlier. As the production line goes on, there are lessons to be learned and your later model machine may actually be somewhat improved.

Chris
     
nuraoar
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Oct 1, 2003, 12:25 PM
 
I called apple and they gave me a case number and said I can send it in for repairs.

I went down to the Apple store. They couldn't exchange it because I got it on discount. They also suggested I sent it in for repairs.

I decided to live with it for a while. Because there is no garauntee that apple will have root caused and fixed all their current production models. I might just end up getting a LCD replacement and it might also go bad.

I don't notice the spots unless they are on a white background and I make an effort to notice them. Oh the funny thing is that even thier floor model in the store had one faint spot I could see.

I did a search on google for this and it looks like other vendors like IBM and Dell also have similar issues with theier LCD screens.

Getting a replacement doesn't garauntee a solution. I am going to have the Apple tech explain to me the root cause they have on the issue and assure me they have a real solution and not just replace the LCD on my powerbook. This seems to only affect their 15 inch line some how might be thier LCD vendor has issues.
     
TiUser
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Oct 1, 2003, 12:51 PM
 
I too, noticed a single white spot on my two-week old AL 15. Although I bought mine at the Apple Store, they insist that I send in for repair and no exchange since it already past the ten-day period.
     
Sakino  (op)
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Oct 1, 2003, 01:22 PM
 
Originally posted by chabig:
I doubt this will work. The spots are just a cosmetic problem. The machine still works. That's the bottom line.

I'd recommend just keeping the machine until your midterms are over and you can afford to be without the machine for a week. You have a full year of warranty, so there really is no rush. Besides that, a month from now, you'll almost certainly be getting a machine that was manufactured later rather than earlier. As the production line goes on, there are lessons to be learned and your later model machine may actually be somewhat improved.

Chris
When I talked with the tech guy, he said they would fix the problem and send back teh same laptop
     
PowerTower Fan
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Oct 1, 2003, 01:42 PM
 
Originally posted by Sakino:
When I talked with the tech guy, he said they would fix the problem and send back teh same laptop
Unless the computer is DOA, Apple won't do a return, only a repair.
     
filmmaker2002
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Oct 1, 2003, 03:01 PM
 
Turns out I had about 5-6 spots on mine in a pentagon formation all over my screen. Took it to the Apple Store and all the geniuses were crowded around it, saying they've never seen anything like it. My replacement unit should be in tomorrow so I can pick it up. I bought mine on Saturday.
It's just an ordinary day and it's all your
state of mind, at the end of the day, you
just gotta say it's alright!
     
Sakino  (op)
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Oct 1, 2003, 05:12 PM
 
See I dont know what to do. I think I might just suffer out the next 2 and half months with it, until I go home for xmas break. Then I will send it into apple and hopefully they will have the problems fixed. Who knows, I could send this back anad get a new screen with the same problem. There is a fault in the production line apple needs to fix, and it will probably take alittle while before that happens.
As another user on this powerbook forum posted, he got his second 15" inch al pb with the same problem as his first one. They both had the white sports on the screen.
     
Sakino  (op)
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Oct 1, 2003, 07:27 PM
 
Actually I think I take that back. I will be calling apple tomorrow to have them send the box for repair. I will demand a new one, since I am not happy with this pos.
3 white spots around the apple logo.
The hd will make clicking noises every once in awhile.
Battery life is shitty as hell.
     
11011001
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Oct 1, 2003, 08:49 PM
 
I got them them too. 3 white spots around the center of the screen, and a fainter white strip. It really is driving me nuts, and it wasn't there when I first go it. They are getting worse.

I have already transferred lots of my files to this computer... do I have to backup everything before I send it in for repairs, or can I be confident that my data will be there when I get it back.

Oh, and how long does the repair process take?

Are we talking weeks?
     
MSME
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Oct 1, 2003, 09:08 PM
 
How easy are the white spots to see? I ran pixel tester to check out my screen, and there is a small bright spot on the left side of my LCD, but it's REALLY tough to see even when the screen is totally white. Do the white spots jump out at you, or do you have to work to see them?
Black MacBook C2D 2.0 Ghz, stock, Powerbook 15" 1Ghz (Al), iPhone 8 GB
     
Sakino  (op)
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Oct 1, 2003, 09:16 PM
 
Originally posted by MSME:
How easy are the white spots to see? I ran pixel tester to check out my screen, and there is a small bright spot on the left side of my LCD, but it's REALLY tough to see even when the screen is totally white. Do the white spots jump out at you, or do you have to work to see them?
You can see the clearly with a white screen. When I have office or an looking at macnn you can CLEARLY see them?!?!
There are 3 of them located around teh center of the screen.


11011001 - Im calling in tomorrow DEMANDING that they send me a new bto powerbook. I will be posting later tonight about my problems.
     
S|ntax
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Oct 1, 2003, 09:34 PM
 
what i did when i needed a replacment was to have it shipped to the apple store nearest you then have the store call you when it comes in, go to the store with your machine and exchange on the spot. they did that for me when my 15 inch was dying.
     
macndave
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Oct 1, 2003, 10:24 PM
 
Are the white spots stuck pixels or something else? Could someone post a screen shot?


1.5Ghz AlBook G4 + 20" Cinema Display
Cable Modem via Airport Express
iSight Enabled @ dmwilsonh
     
Sakino  (op)
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Oct 1, 2003, 10:34 PM
 
Originally posted by macndave:
Are the white spots stuck pixels or something else? Could someone post a screen shot?
There was one posted last weekend, I dunno where it would be though.
     
Waveman
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Oct 1, 2003, 10:37 PM
 
Originally posted by macndave:
Are the white spots stuck pixels or something else? Could someone post a screen shot?
It's not stuck pixels.

Take a look at this thread in the Apple Discussion Forums, which includes a link to an image.
     
   
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