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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > OMG! Water on my MACBOOK!

OMG! Water on my MACBOOK!
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michelle1980
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Apr 12, 2008, 07:29 AM
 
I just spilled water on my macbook and I'm freaking out. I immediately flipped it over, pulled the battery and started blowing the water out of the keyboard... but I'm terrified to turn it on... problem is; I REALLY need it ASAP!

Any suggestions...

I'm not doing well with water & apple.. I ran my shuffle through the washing machine, they replaced it; then I washed the new one... twice... it still works. Still... having a cow here. HELP!
     
EdipisReks
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Apr 12, 2008, 08:32 AM
 
you really do need to let it dry for a few days, preferably with at least some of the case disassembled to allow for maximum air flow.
20" iMac/2.4 C2D/4GB RAM/320 HD + ViewSonic VX2025WM
13" MBP/2.26 C2D/4GB RAM/250 HD
16 GB iPhone
     
michelle1980  (op)
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Apr 12, 2008, 08:50 AM
 
I have it off.. and I've reverted back to my old Compaq laptop... I just have homework saved on there that I need to access.

I am kind of afraid to disassemble it.

I did use a hairdryer on a low and cooler setting a little bit to hopefully help dry it up. Right now its open, upside down on a towel and the battery is out.
     
MacosNerd
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Apr 12, 2008, 09:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by michelle1980 View Post
I have it off.. and I've reverted back to my old Compaq laptop... I just have homework saved on there that I need to access.
The issue is you need to give it a few days to dry internally and using a blow dryer isn't the best thing for it. If you turn it on now, to access your homework, you risk shorting it out. By leaving it alone for a few days you greatly increase your chances of not having any problems

This forum is replete with people posting about spilling water/liquid on their laptop. This may turn out to be a very expensive lesson - never have any liquid near your laptop. I don't have anything near it. Do a search here and you'll gain some other helpful advise because as I said, there's lots of threads about this.
     
michelle1980  (op)
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Apr 12, 2008, 10:18 AM
 
thanks!
i wont turn it on.... i will, however, be praying
     
polendo
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Apr 12, 2008, 10:21 AM
 
and do your homework too
     
michelle1980  (op)
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Apr 12, 2008, 10:23 AM
 
yeah... I had to start over. Its going to be a little frantic... but it will be done!
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 12, 2008, 10:44 AM
 
     
Andrew Stephens
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Apr 12, 2008, 11:01 AM
 
You're going to need to give it a good few days here. A warm dry environment will encourage the evaporation of water. An airing cupboard is a good place. Also it puts the mac out of site helping you resist hitting the power switch too early. I'd say four/five days to be sure.

Whatever, pressing that power button is going to be heart stopping. At least the HDD should be fine if the worst comes to the worst.
     
bishopazrael
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Apr 12, 2008, 11:38 AM
 
When will you people learn that your keyboard is not the place for you to be storing liquids?

Honestly I've had more clients call me with this than I can count. Look let it dry out, but if you insist on having liquid near your laptop at least get a laptop keyboard cover.
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
michelle1980  (op)
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Apr 12, 2008, 11:43 AM
 
Dude... have never spilled a liquid on a computer before... (though I will not even try and defend my continuous washing of the iPod shuffle)
It was a huge, mildly freakish, accident. I was sitting on my bed typing a paper, and reached for a pen...... I knocked the water off a table and onto my lap.

Fear not... there will be no liquids within an arms reach of the computer from here on out. Lesson learned.
     
Lumchan
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Apr 12, 2008, 02:09 PM
 
I spilled water on my Macbook and it works great. Don't worry too much. I bet it's fine.
     
bishopazrael
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Apr 12, 2008, 10:56 PM
 
yeah... and very seriously, get one of those keyboard skins.

$12 at the apple store.. and a WHOLE WORLDS worth of mind relief the next time you have a freakish accident in bed!

Whenever I've got the room to... I bundle it with my client's notebooks when ever possible. I tell them to leave it on and learn to type with it.

Never had a client complain once they spill coffee, tea, soda, cookies and milk, ky jelly....whatever.
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 12, 2008, 11:00 PM
 
Originally Posted by bishopazrael View Post
yeah... and very seriously, get one of those keyboard skins.

$12 at the apple store.. and a WHOLE WORLDS worth of mind relief the next time you have a freakish accident in bed!

Whenever I've got the room to... I bundle it with my client's notebooks when ever possible. I tell them to leave it on and learn to type with it.

Never had a client complain once they spill coffee, tea, soda, cookies and milk, ky jelly....whatever.
Do you have a link to this? I don't frequent Apple Stores. Thanks.
     
bishopazrael
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Apr 12, 2008, 11:08 PM
 
are you pulling my chain?
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
bishopazrael
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Apr 12, 2008, 11:14 PM
 
Ok.. here's the deal I got mine from ebay a while back. Don't remember the seller but this should help out.

And from the apple store.

My store here in ABQ has one that was like $13 or something like that, but I might be wrong. But they had it in the box by the earphones. At first I thought it was just a gimmic but then I got to thinking about the yellowed wrist areas on the macbook so I got one with my hard case shell from ebay. Best preventitive measure I've ever bought was the hard case and the keyboard skin. Keeps my book looking like new. And a bonus of the keyboard skin is that it really quiets the keyboard sound so I can type in bed while the honey is sleeping!
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 13, 2008, 12:01 AM
 
Originally Posted by bishopazrael View Post
are you pulling my chain?
No. I'm genuinely interested. Thought it might be good to have on flights where attendants are always passing drinks across me to someone else, or I'm getting a drink from them and putting it and my laptop on the tiny food tray.
     
turtle777
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Apr 13, 2008, 12:11 AM
 
The customer ratings aren't exactly promising

-t
     
bishopazrael
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Apr 13, 2008, 09:21 AM
 
Turtle..
yeah but trust me... any silicone skin with the extended palm rest area is well worth it.

TRUST ME.
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
tridentinecanon
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Apr 14, 2008, 12:54 PM
 
OMG- Another "I spilled thus-and-such liquid on my laptop!" post!!!!!!!
     
peeb
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Apr 14, 2008, 01:14 PM
 
Can we make a sticky on this?
     
DCJ001
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Apr 14, 2008, 05:44 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
Do you have a link to this? I don't frequent Apple Stores. Thanks.
I'll help the moderator of the forum:

Keyboard Skins
     
MacosNerd
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Apr 14, 2008, 08:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by peeb View Post
Can we make a sticky on this?
Given this one is the nth thread in as many weeks yes.
     
finalsortie
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Apr 17, 2008, 07:18 AM
 
I would definitely follow the advice everyone has given you.

I've never used one of those covers, but considering your trend to spill water on electronics, it might be a good idea.

On a side note, back in 2005 my iBook G4 got wet during a hurricane, it worked just fine when I booted it a few days later. . . In any case, the best thing you can do it just stay calm and act rationally.

Good Luck!
     
shaunymac
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Apr 17, 2008, 12:36 PM
 
but..i was eating some wings a few months ago at hooters it was almost like i began to act like a child we I was handling my iPhone. I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with their glasses there, i definitely am since this last occasion, but they serve you drinks in huge glasses. Well I ordered some water and made some lemonade and then I started acting like I had never held my phone before (have you guys ever experienced this?). So I sat it down on the table then proceeded to stir up my lemonade and next thing I know, my whole iPhone is covered in water. This is when I wish it had a removable battery. I let it dry out, and seeing that I have already painted my iPhone, I cant just run to the apple store and get them to look at it. Anyways after it dried, all it fine.
     
bishopazrael
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Apr 17, 2008, 12:54 PM
 
................................................aa aaaaaaaaaand breeeeeeeeeeeeeath!
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
   
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