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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > OMG!! I spilled water/beer/liquid on my Mac Notebook

OMG!! I spilled water/beer/liquid on my Mac Notebook (Page 2)
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Atheist
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Sep 10, 2009, 12:09 PM
 
It's not a minor incident. Water and electronics don't mix. Let it air out for several days and then when you are confident it's completely dry. Try turning it on.

Unfortunately for you, a small bit of water can fry the logic board (or some component thereof). See my post above about a guy on eBay that repairs water damaged MacBooks.

Sometime homeowner's insurance can cover things like this. Check out your policy.
     
xpsonic
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Sep 15, 2009, 04:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by Atheist View Post
It's not a minor incident. Water and electronics don't mix. Let it air out for several days and then when you are confident it's completely dry. Try turning it on.

Unfortunately for you, a small bit of water can fry the logic board (or some component thereof). See my post above about a guy on eBay that repairs water damaged MacBooks.

Sometime homeowner's insurance can cover things like this. Check out your policy.
Serious? homeowners insurance covers things like that? I have never heard of something like that, maybe the next time I read my policy I need to ask about stuff like that. Sounds weird to me though.
     
Jbroad572
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Sep 24, 2009, 11:27 AM
 
I am so pissed... woke up this morning after a long night to find dog piss on my brand new macbook pro. Tried plugging it up, no light on the charger. Remembered passing this thread, I said I would never need to look at and now it's outside with a fan blowing on it turned upside down. Had my papers and review sheets on my laptop ready to print off this morning. Going to have to take a 0 or 2 today... (expletive). Who's going to believe the day of a dog pissed on my laptop... mine as well say it aint my homework. Start of a depressing day.

Oh and my school's site for downloading review papers and assignments is down this morning too. Not my day.
17" Apple Powerbook 1.33ghz
     
hitokaji
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Sep 29, 2009, 08:39 AM
 
im always careful of never putting a glass of anything next to my mac while im in it... but that morning i was a little too tired...to think
i spillede a full glass of water all over mymacbook,
ran to get a towel( i did not turn it upside down) and i dried the water on the keyboard.. and so i thought it was that way so the water couldnt get into the computer.. and so i thought it was okay.. i tried turning it on. and the vent made a bad noise and stopped.. i tried again same happaned...untilli lift it up to see if it is plugged in.. and as i lift it water pours out of the computer.. i freakout..and let the water pour out.. then i put in in a v (iwas told to do that)
now its like 2weeks since...and it wont turn on. my brother is going to check if someone he knows at apple can fix it. but its been 2 weeks..and i need it for school. can apple fix it ? or is it just dead foreveR. ?
     
MacBookDead
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Oct 12, 2009, 03:59 AM
 
Today, I cleaned my MacBook keyboard just as I usually do, with a wet towel and a little amount of soap. It was turned on (my bad!) and it seems that my towel was actually more soaked than I thought...

So I was delicately cleaning my keyboard and somehow, I realized it had stopped working. My mousepad was still fine at this point though. So I thought I could have touched some wrong key that kind of "locked" my keypad (I had trouble with Mac keypad that stopped working for no apparent reason in past so I wasn't too worried), and proceeded to turn the computer off.

First problem : even if I was clearly clicking on the "Stop" button in the Apple menu, my computer kept restarting. So before going any further, I took a USB drive and saved my important work, which took about 5 minutes during which my computer was working perfectly (except the keyboard - I had an external keyboard plugged at this point).

Afterwards, I tried to shut it off again, and guess what ? It kept restarting (completely and fine though). At this point I started to suspect something was wrong with the power switch on the top case, so I just took the battery off and got the charger disconnected.

Then I immediately went back home and opened the top case very delicately as I have learned to do in a video tutorial. Everything went smoothly and, with a flashlight, I started to examine the internal components to spot any water. Saw absolutely no trace of water anywhere.

Then I reinstalled my top case properly and now, there is NO LIGHT on the charger when it's plugged and of course, my computer won't start at all.

I must say that when the top case was removed (I didn't disconnect the cable that links it to the logic board as a matter of fact, so I moved it very carefully), I took the opportunity to blow the inside of the computer with a hairdryer (set on cold and low force).

Also, I didn't notice if the charger light was working before I removed the top case since I didn't attempt to plug it until I was done with reinstalling the top case.

How does that look ? Have I toasted my Mac ??
     
passion4theworld
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Oct 12, 2009, 02:47 PM
 
so i was my desk drinking my water, put it down, went to get something and it tipped over spilling a decent amount of water on the macbook. so i got a paper towel and cleaned up what i could. so i went along with everything and it was on and a minute later it turned off. so i turned it back on and then it turned off and the screen was black but the little light on th emac kept going on and off. so i tipped it to get more water out, which to my surprise, there was and then i took out the battery. frantically called the apple store, went there. not covered cause apparently water damage aint covered so we kept the battery out and ive had a fan on the keyboard and on it since 8pm on sunday. NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE THIS THING WILL LIVE TOMORROW!!!! i worked at american eagle unfortunetly for 2 yrs and paid 2300 for the printer, microsoft office and the warrenty all by myself and i dont want my efforts for this thing to be in vain. it's a year old so im just praying. PLEASE, ANY FEEDBACK IS POSSIBLE!
     
Charlie Tuna
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Oct 12, 2009, 05:57 PM
 
So I've got my own story to share.

Just bought a MacBook Pro 13in on impulse. Not more than two weeks later I am sitting on the porch of my friends place with a bottle of good wine. One thing leads to another, and my lady friend spills a glass of wine directly onto the lappy. Once I got done cursing (not at her), I immediately mopped up everything that I could. From an external perspective, everything looked fine. The lappy still works just fine, and I've taken off the shell on the underside to see if there was any obvious dark Merlot colored stains anywhere. Other than a small amount of dust, it was impeccable.

However, I was unable to get any deeper in there due to the fact that the battery is held in with those wacky tri-wing screws. I've got a tool on order to remove those, and once I can get the battery out, I can continue dismantling the lappy to see if there is any possible dried wine on the top side of the motherboard.

The point of the story being, does anyone else know for a fact if the newer Unibody MacBook Pros have moisture tabs inside of them? And if so, where are they? A quick Googling showed that there are two located underneath the keyboard, but I haven't seen any other mentioning of them.

Thanks!
     
tman1733
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Oct 19, 2009, 12:15 AM
 
yesterday spilt a whole cup of dd's on my computadora (07ish 15 inch mbp 2.33 ghz 1 gb ram), and immediatly it shut off. this is the fourth spill on the computer (water, juice, water, coffee) so I felt like a pro at saving it. I put it out to dry with a hair dryer on low and cool, for about 5 hours, when i switched it so that the computer was next to both the intake of the hairdryer and a de humidifier. this morning, around eleven (24 hours after) i put the battery back in, and it turned on, with no difficulty, even restoring my firefox session. everything works perfect, except for coffee smell and a little stickieness. the speaker, ports, and keys that the coffee got on are all working fine, as i am listening to music and typing right now. im not religious at all, but i was praying pretty hard this morning. wow that was a close one.
     
tman1733
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Oct 19, 2009, 12:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by passion4theworld View Post
so i was my desk drinking my water, put it down, went to get something and it tipped over spilling a decent amount of water on the macbook. so i got a paper towel and cleaned up what i could. so i went along with everything and it was on and a minute later it turned off. so i turned it back on and then it turned off and the screen was black but the little light on th emac kept going on and off. so i tipped it to get more water out, which to my surprise, there was and then i took out the battery. frantically called the apple store, went there. not covered cause apparently water damage aint covered so we kept the battery out and ive had a fan on the keyboard and on it since 8pm on sunday. NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE THIS THING WILL LIVE TOMORROW!!!! i worked at american eagle unfortunetly for 2 yrs and paid 2300 for the printer, microsoft office and the warrenty all by myself and i dont want my efforts for this thing to be in vain. it's a year old so im just praying. PLEASE, ANY FEEDBACK IS POSSIBLE!
try a hair dryer face the other way.
     
AKcrab
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Oct 19, 2009, 05:10 AM
 
Originally Posted by Charlie Tuna View Post
The point of the story being, does anyone else know for a fact if the newer Unibody MacBook Pros have moisture tabs inside of them?
I can confirm for a fact that liquid sensors are in the machine.
     
ghporter
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Oct 19, 2009, 08:09 AM
 
Originally Posted by AKcrab View Post
I can confirm for a fact that liquid sensors are in the machine.
I can't think of a reason for Apple to delete them. After all, the warranty doesn't cover damage from liquids.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Rex32
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Oct 19, 2009, 06:38 PM
 
Hey Guys,

EDIT: I'm reading the sticky now guys, I'll see if I can find all the info I need there. I'd still really appreciate any input you guys might have...

My buddies girlfriend is having a pretty serious problem with her Macbook. A cat knocked over a glass of water and a small amount of the water got on the mouse of her computer. She did not shut it off right away and instead tried connecting a USB Keyboard/Mouse - which worked at first, but then that stopped working as well. She then left it off all night (not in the desired A shape though) and now it won't turn on/charge/anything.

She took the laptop to Apple and they said she needs to have the motherboard/logic board replaced... Now they want $900 to do this - the computer is nearly 3 years old and is simply not worth that much. Can I source a new motherboard online (ebay perhaps?) and swap it in myself? I'm pretty tech savy, I build my own PC's and what not - just never done a Mac before.

From my little research that I have done, I have found that I need a specific motherboard to work with a certain Macbook - how can I figure out exactly which one I need?

As for the data, Apple says the HDD is fine so I am going to order an external 2.5" SATA USB enclosure and put her HDD in that to recover and backup her data before messing with the motherboard...


Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!


-Mike
     
turtle777
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Oct 19, 2009, 06:41 PM
 
Originally Posted by Rex32 View Post
My buddies girlfriend's [...] cat knocked over a glass of water
Hey, that's a new one. Usually it's the room mate or the GF herself.

-t
     
Brez
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Oct 28, 2009, 04:13 PM
 
Alright, Sunday afternoon I spilled a glass of water on my new aluminum unibody macbook pro. I immediately turned it upside down and wiped it clean and tried to get any water out of it (that went in) that I could. The computer shut off right away when the water went in it.

It's now Wednesday afternoon (3 full days) and the macbook has not been turned on or plugged in.
I have had it sitting in an "A" position upsidedown letting it dry out for these last few days.
Now, my question is, what should I do at this point?
Should I try to turn it on? Wait a few more days?
When I try to turn it on should I plug it into the AC adapter?

I'm just looking for any tips at this point!!
Thank you!
     
seanc
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Oct 28, 2009, 04:22 PM
 
Is this a MacBook Pro with a removable battery? If yes, remove it,

Keep it upside down, drying for the next 4 days (to make it a week), I would say.
If you could find somewhere warm to put it, that would be good.
     
Brez
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Oct 28, 2009, 04:24 PM
 
No, it doesn't have the removeable battery.
I'll let it sit in a warm spot.
Do you suggest the use of a hair dryer? I've heard that one but I don't know.
     
seanc
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Oct 28, 2009, 04:28 PM
 
I wouldn't use a hair dryer, you can only heat certain spots, not evenly heat it - so there would still be damp parts.
     
Brez
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Oct 28, 2009, 04:30 PM
 
Alright, that's what I figured.
Also, I don't know if this is on the other MacBooks... but my battery indicator still works.
I push the button and it blinks green as if the battery was "dead" and needed to be charged.
I don't know if that means anything at this point, but when I go to turn it on should I attempt to power it on without my AC adapter?
And if that doesn't work should I then plug it in?
     
Cheyanne
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Nov 10, 2009, 10:02 AM
 
I see a whole lot of horror stories but I'm not sure if I am understanding the solutions. Granted I am new to macs altogether, maybe I am just too ignorant to see what the answers are

My macbook has some liquid damage, I let it dry out but did not remove the battery because I wasn't sure if taking off the bottom would void the warrenty or not. so i assumed letting it dry out tipped over would do the job. It worked for 2 months after that and then stopped booting up. Since I wasn't sure if the issue was in fact the spill I took it back for repair. Unfortunately for me there was one dried splash that the tech found and they refused to fix it telling me I would have to foot the bill for $1100. Honestly I can't afford that right now. When the macbook came back, it worked fine for 2days and then stopped booting up again. All I am getting is the grey loading screen.

so at this point should I take the macbook apart and used rubbing alcohol to clean the interior with a qtip or should I just basically suck it up as being SOL?

Also it was mentioned that on ebay there is someone who fixes liquid damage. Has anyone used the service? what was your experience?

If someone can take time to walk me through what options to try I'd appreciate it.
     
seanc
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Nov 10, 2009, 02:56 PM
 
When the MacBook stopped working before it went away, was it just stuck on a grey screen as well or does it not turn on?
Cheapest bet is to see if it will boot from your install DVD, then in Disk Utility, can it see the hard drive?

You could try removing the HDD in case the connectors have gotten damp in the spill and need cleaning.
     
Cheyanne
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Nov 10, 2009, 07:51 PM
 
Originally Posted by seanc View Post
When the MacBook stopped working before it went away, was it just stuck on a grey screen as well or does it not turn on?
Cheapest bet is to see if it will boot from your install DVD, then in Disk Utility, can it see the hard drive?

You could try removing the HDD in case the connectors have gotten damp in the spill and need cleaning.
when i sent it away it would turn on and then turn off. thats why i was amazed when it came back and booted up and was working for 2 days. now it is just the grey apple screen like its loading but it never makes it past that screen.
     
mindyjay77
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Dec 3, 2009, 08:49 PM
 
the same thing happened to me. I knocked over my water bottle and about 1/4 of it spilled. it turned off automatically within like 20sec. I turned it over to get the water out. This was yesterday...I haven't tried turning it on again out of fear. Did you have any luck?
     
turtle777
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Dec 3, 2009, 08:53 PM
 
mindyjay77, thanks for using the sticky and not creating a new thread.

-t
     
salisburyyates
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Dec 25, 2009, 12:47 PM
 
Last night I had a close-to empty cup of tea on my desk that fell over, causing some droplets on the bottom right hand corner and underneath the machine.

Thankfully it was a tiny amount of liquid and the spill was not near any ports, openings or the keyboard. I left it to dry overnight. It seems to work just like before.
     
Tweakster22
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Jan 1, 2010, 03:10 PM
 
Yesterday at around 3 PM i spilled a small amount of slightly sweetened coffee onto the upper left corner of my new 15 " Macbook Pro. The coffee barely got onto the keys and the speaker, but pretty much drenched all of the ports on the left side. The notebook immediately turned off, and in panic mode i tried switching it back on to see if any serious damage had been done. The notebook turned on, but the screen was blank. While i was wiping off the excess on the outer case, i realized this was a dumb move to make (because it probably shorted something) so i turned it off after a minute or so. I took it home and unscrewed the back case, there was very little coffee on what i think is the upper right hand side (when overturned) of the logic board, so i soaked it up as best i could, blew on it for around an hour, and set it on its side with a pretty hot lamp shining on it overnight. I put it back together this morning more than half expecting for it to just not work, but to my surprise it seems to be working fine. No keys are sticking, the battery is charging well, and on the internet with it right now.

The problem is that there was a what looked to be a little bit of a singe on one of the black rectangular transistor prongs. The melted metal easily blew away and most of the prongs are still attached. also, i haven't taken out the logic board to see what kind of damage (if any) has been done to the hidden side (not the side that shows when you take off the back case). I'm planning on doing this as soon as i can get a torx driver. I guess what I want to know is if i should take my chances with bringing it in to the apple store to see what the real damage is even though it still works, or if i should just hold out and use it till it breaks. Any suggestions?
     
Jbroad572
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Jan 5, 2010, 04:41 AM
 
Well, I sent mine off to one of those Ebay repair auctions. Paid $205 with return shipping and promise of a refund if they can't fix it. I will let you all know if it turns out ok.
17" Apple Powerbook 1.33ghz
     
socalfate
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Feb 13, 2010, 09:44 PM
 
I have a Macbook 13" unibody model number: A1278 with liquid damage. About 6 months ago I knocked a bottle of water over on my keyboard. I quickly unplugged the computer, and let dry. 3 days later the computer turned back on and worked fine for about 4 months. The computer display would then not turn on at all unless I opened and shut the screen once or twice to get a display light and the screen to work. After about 2 weeks of that, the screen did not come on at all whether I opened and closed the display a few times or not. I took my MB to bestbuy geek squad which sent out to Apple for repairs. Apple then contacted me saying that there was liquid damage and it could not be replaced. Apple claims there is liquid damage to the logic board and LCD assembly. The estimated repair cost is 2,154.90 which is obviously not even the price of the computer. Apple claims I need a new logic board and LVDS cable. When I power on my computer, I hear it starting up and hear the start up chime. If I wait for the computer to start up, enter my password and push enter the computer keyboard functions work (caps lock, volume, ect) as if the computer has started normally but with no display. If I insert a cd into the computer, it plays. The only problem I see is the display screen not working. I am not sure if I need a logic board replacement or not. I'm thinking I only need the LVDS cable replacement for the screen to work again. I have looked online and couldn't find a LVDS cable for my specific model (A1278). Any advice or help would be great.

Thanks,
Matt
     
Spheric Harlot
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Feb 13, 2010, 09:52 PM
 
     
ninabyte
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Feb 24, 2010, 01:25 PM
 
I spilled water on my two year old MacBook Pro last night and, somehow, at 2AM, had the brains to immediately unplug it and turn it upside down to let as much water drain as possible. The computer stayed on and since my external drive was nearby, I managed to run a back up before I shut the computer off myself and dried off the keyboard. I removed the battery and currently have the computer propped up like an A. At the suggestion of friends who were googling like crazy for me last night, I also placed uncooked rice over the keyboard (still propped up; it's a funny setup and I was careful to set this up so that grains wouldn't get lodged into the optical drive or anywhere else) to help absorb any extra moisture.

And an added bonus: I took my MBP into Apple last summer because my SuperDrive was completely shot. Rather than leaving it there to be fixed without having done a recent backup, I left the store with a drop off work order form so that I could bring it back in once I had taken care of everything. I brought it home to do a back up and finish up some freelance work, but because I don't use my SuperDrive too often, I wasn't rushing to get this fixed. I'd say this was probably in July 09. I still have the dated form for it and just need to brave the masses to get this fixed, though this recent spill poses a problem...

My questions: how long before I should even try to plug in and turn this thing on again? And since I've pretty much voided my AppleCare after spilling water, do I even have a shot of getting my SuperDrive replaced under warranty, since there's documentation that this issue existed last year? (I'm going to assume no, but hey, it was worth a shot.) Thanks in advance.
     
victorology
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Mar 2, 2010, 01:30 AM
 
A few days ago, I spilled water all over a table that my unibody MacBook Pro was sitting on. It was running on battery unplugged and I quickly took it off the table and closed the lid. I thought I had saved it in time but when I went back to my computer after grabbing a rag, it had shut off. There was a little bit of water outside of the case and I don't figure a lot went in but obviously, it wasn't good news that the computer shut off on its own.

I let it dry for a few days (didn't connect it to charger but didn't take the battery out because it's a unibody and I didn't have the correct screwdriver). I tried turning it on today and everything has been working perfectly. I don't notice anything wrong at all. Hopefully, it continues on that way.

My question is in regards to AppleCare. My notebook is about 7 months old and I had been waiting for the 11 month mark to extend my AppleCare to 3 years. I had read that spilling water on the computer voids the warranty. Does this mean I should not bother buying AppleCare?
     
Cold Warrior  (op)
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Mar 2, 2010, 08:16 PM
 
I don't think the MBP has a water exposure indicator or sensor. If you research it and can't find a solid answer, then yeah, I'd probably get AppleCare if you still want it.
     
seanc
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Mar 2, 2010, 08:19 PM
 
My concern would be a water mark inside...
     
AKcrab
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Mar 2, 2010, 08:40 PM
 
MacBook Pro (Late 2008) [aka MacBookPro5,1] is the first model with sensors.
     
mischa.t
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Mar 3, 2010, 01:43 AM
 
So, here's a new one...
I was cooking using a recipe online, and spilled some olive oil on our Macbook. Obviously not good.
We turned it off and left it upside down for a day. No oil dripped out so I guess that means we were able to wipe off most of it. We used it the next day for a couple hours, and it worked with no problems. Some of the letter keys don't work well though, some oil must be blocking them or something. So, we've taken off the keys and have it upside down to drain again for a couple days. Applecare quoted us a super expensive price to fix it so we're going to try a home clean job first.
Does anyone know the effects of oil on a computer? Is it potentially better/worse than water? And, are there any recommendations for getting oil off a computer?
Also, is it a good or bad idea to lift the top off and clean inside? I don't want to wreck anything in there but if it's possible we'd like to check inside for any oil too.
Thanks for the help-
     
victorology
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Mar 3, 2010, 09:30 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
I don't think the MBP has a water exposure indicator or sensor. If you research it and can't find a solid answer, then yeah, I'd probably get AppleCare if you still want it.
Originally Posted by seanc View Post
My concern would be a water mark inside...
From everything I've read, there are water stickers inside. I guess I should just take my notebook to a shop to see if it would be eligible for an AppleCare extension.
     
Liliuo
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Mar 7, 2010, 05:59 PM
 
I've read through the compiled posts on what to do after spilling liquid on your computer already. I spilled tea on my laptop months ago, let it dry out, and it has been working fine except the last row of keys (zxcvbnm,) doesn't work. I've been using an external keyboard, but it's kind of a pain. Any suggestions on how to fix this monster? Do you know around how much it would cost to repair?
     
AKcrab
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Mar 7, 2010, 06:23 PM
 
We need to know which laptop you have...
     
Liliuo
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Mar 7, 2010, 07:13 PM
 
I've already looked through the threads posted, and don't see anything about repairing your notebook after the liquid is dried (unless I'm missing something, in which case please link me).

I've read through the compiled posts on what to do after spilling liquid on your computer already. I spilled tea on my laptop months ago, let it dry out, and it has been working fine except the last row of keys (zxcvbnm,) doesn't work. I've been using an external keyboard, but it's kind of a pain. Any suggestions on how to fix this monster? Do you know around how much it would cost on average to repair?
     
turtle777
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Mar 7, 2010, 07:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by Liliuo View Post
I spilled tea on my laptop months ago, let it dry out, and it has been working fine except the last row of keys (zxcvbnm,) doesn't work. I've been using an external keyboard, but it's kind of a pain. Any suggestions on how to fix this monster? Do you know around how much it would cost on average to repair?
If it's been months, and it's still not working, you're SOL.

You'd need to get a replacement keyboard.

-t
     
mischa.t
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Mar 8, 2010, 03:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by mischa.t View Post
So, here's a new one...
I was cooking using a recipe online, and spilled some olive oil on our Macbook. Obviously not good.
We turned it off and left it upside down for a day. No oil dripped out so I guess that means we were able to wipe off most of it. We used it the next day for a couple hours, and it worked with no problems. Some of the letter keys don't work well though, some oil must be blocking them or something. So, we've taken off the keys and have it upside down to drain again for a couple days. Applecare quoted us a super expensive price to fix it so we're going to try a home clean job first.
Does anyone know the effects of oil on a computer? Is it potentially better/worse than water? And, are there any recommendations for getting oil off a computer?
Also, is it a good or bad idea to lift the top off and clean inside? I don't want to wreck anything in there but if it's possible we'd like to check inside for any oil too.
Thanks for the help-
I'm still waiting for advice about this last post of mine from March 3rd. If anyone knows of any ideas for cleaning a macbook with a minor oil spill, please let me know!
     
ghporter
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Mar 8, 2010, 08:22 AM
 
Mischa,

Olive oil is pretty tough. It gets sticky and hard after a short period of time-which makes it great for protecting steel cooking tools, but nasty for cleaning off of anything.

Unplug the laptop. Take out the battery. Use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) from the drug store-and use the highest concentration you can get. I use 91% for this sort of thing, as it only has 9% water. Alcohol makes the water evaporate much quicker, so you don't have problems from the water.

Now use a toothbrush and a little alcohol and scrub the keys that don't work so well. I'd scrub the keys while they're off, AND scrub the spots the keys were in. Be thorough and then rinse using a cotton swab and clean alcohol. Let it dry for an hour or so before putting the keys back in place, and you should be fine.

AFAIK, olive oil does not conduct electricity, so you should be safe there. But don't be surprised if you notice an olive oil smell when doing something with your laptop that makes it get warmer than normal.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
moxie825
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Apr 24, 2010, 04:09 AM
 
I spilled less then a half a cup of water onto my new (2 months Macbook pro. Right away I turned it off and turned it upside down to allow all water to spill out then used a blow dryer without heat for about 10 min. I was freaking out so I did turn it on like an idiot. I have to admit I turned it on maybe 3 times in an hour period. I did get the normal white screen with the apple timer but it was making a fanning sound. I turned it off before allowing it to boot up. I don’t see a way to take the battery out and if there was a way I don’t have a small enough screw driver. I left it upside down open with keyboard on the flat surface for about 3 hours. I now have it off sitting in front of a fan.

What do I do, what did I do wrong and what could I expect. My business partner bought this for me and I am scared to death I killed my new baby. And using this pc to write this now is reminding me just how much I would hate to lose my Mac. Please help
     
Spheric Harlot
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Apr 24, 2010, 04:44 AM
 
Just wait a few days.
     
fliphead
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May 13, 2010, 04:50 PM
 
Hi, I have a black MacBook that has been worry-free for nearly two years - until today. Imagine my horror when I return to my room to find that my flatmate has spilt milk all over the keyboard. I had a silicone keyboard protector on it, so I did not think it would cause damage, but much later I found that several keys were unresponsive. I was careful to remove the protector without spilling the milk, and I mopped up whatever liquid made it underneath with paper towels (mostly around the spacebar)

When I took it to the Apple store, the guy popped open one of the keys that was unresponsive. He said that it was a hardware problem and that it can be fixed under warranty. I am a Graphic Design student with a huge project deadline next week, so as my computer seems to be functional apart from the keyboard, the Apple guy and I have agreed to wait till next week before fixing it rather than risking it taking up to a week to repair. I'm currently using an external keyboard.

Any idea what the extent of the damage may be, and if it might turn out that I'll have to pay for repairs? Though I tried my best, some milk may have made it underneath the keyboard. The unresponsive keys are at the far left and right sides of my keyboard despite milk only being around the spacebar (which is functional), but not all of each side is unresponsive. I have turned my computer on and off a few times, but after reading this thread I'm afraid to try turning it off again..

Thanks for any and all help!
     
Jbabz
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May 20, 2010, 10:43 AM
 
My laptop keys are working incorrectly. I spilled a little bit of water on my keyboard.. but apparently it was enough to screw over my keyboard. My laptop was on and for some reason I am too much of an imbecile to realize H2O affects Macbooks.. So I happily continued traipsing along the internet and facebooking. After a couple of hours my computer began to slow down.. A lot. I then turned off my computer and when I turned it back on I was locked out of my laptop. No password I entered could allow me to gain access again.

I took my Macbook into Apple and a helpful associate turned my Macbook on and undid the password option. He proceeded to tell me that my keyboard was messed up - on the keyboard actions screen both of my shift keys are acting as if they are perpetually pressed down. I tried to turn my laptop back on at home and other keys began to act funny. My problem is that I am leaving for India TOMORROW and basically IM SCREWED.

This Macbook is 4 months old. It is the newest version so the battery I was told is not user-removable. Any information on that...?

Please tell me.. Is there any way of saving my laptop? Can I dry it out on my own? If it is possible that I can take my laptop apart on my own.. Can I leave it apart in my suitcase and continue drying it in India?


PS.. I understand that I need to contact Apple Care but I am going for any other options before I spend any money for repair. Plus of course, Ill be in India. Oh life!
     
paysimaginaire
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Jun 13, 2010, 09:13 PM
 
So.. i like many others managed to spill water on my macbook.

I did this once before and it cost me 700 bucks, but i did research and think i did all the right things this time but i have a couple questions.

1. When if first got water on it, it turned off immediatly, does that mean its already fried? do i have a chance?

2. I took the battery out immediatly, flipped it to the side to let it drain and now its been sitting upside down with the key board facing down toward a towel for over an hour. It wasn't alot of water and it landed in the upper half of the keyboard, in the center. How long should i wait to try turning it on. I feel like the water has all come out, but how can i be sure?

Please help, i'm a college girl and cannot afford another 700 bill
     
imitchellg5
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Jun 13, 2010, 09:29 PM
 
Then that's where to post. A mod will move this for you. To answer your questions, 1) nothing is out of the question, as you can see in the thread, and 2) wait at least a few days, preferably a week.
     
paysimaginaire
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Jun 13, 2010, 09:55 PM
 
how long should you wait to turn on the macbook again? also, does it matter how much water was spilled? i didn't spill very much and most of it a think drained out and i really need my laptop
     
imitchellg5
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Jun 13, 2010, 10:23 PM
 
As long as possible, up to a week I'd say. Water and electricity don't mix, so all it takes is a minuscule amount to create an issue. To be honest though, I doubt it will boot if it turned itself off, but you never know. There have been surprises before.
     
Rumor
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Jun 14, 2010, 03:30 AM
 
Give it at least 48 hours (minimum) just to be sure. Better safe than sorry. In the meantime, can you use a friends computer or a lab computer?
I like my water with hops, malt, hops, yeast, and hops.
     
 
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