Help me! I think my MacBook has died!

ficbot · 06-29-2010, 11:12 PM

I don't know what it is about me and computers, they always seem to die at the two-year mark. My macbook has been slowing down a little, butnthey told me that absent a ram upgrade, it's specs werempretty good, so I didn't sweat it. Anyway, today I came home from a late meeting and did my usual email check. My system froze so I restarted it and only got a grey screen with a blinking folder. I googles this on the iPad (which I am using rig now) and it suggested booting off a system install disk. So I did this and two odd things: first of all there is a beeping sound from the DVD drive, and secondly it does not seem to detect the hard disk. When I go into the system utility it only lists the DVD drive.

So...how catastrophic is this? I have a mall gift card and I get a teacher discount so I am somewhat prepared to buy a new one (although I was not planning to just yet and am resenting this a little). And most of my stuff is in Dropbox. But is there any hope it can be fixed? At least enough to do a final check of my hard drive and make sure there are not more files to rescue?

pholy · 06-30-2010, 12:08 AM

It sounds like the hard drive died or got corrupted. I'm not sure how expensive that is to replace, probably depends if you get it done by an official Apple place or someone else. 'Someone else' can probably put in a much larger drive for not much more money, unless Apple played some tricks with a custom hard drive. And getting the data off the old drive is yet another problem. I hope your Dropbox has everything you really want.
Replacing the drive should be much less expensive than a new MacBook.

kindlekitten · 06-30-2010, 02:04 AM

make applesauce?

Moejoe · 06-30-2010, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

I don't know what it is about me and computers, they always seem to die at the two-year mark. My macbook has been slowing down a little, butnthey told me that absent a ram upgrade, it's specs werempretty good, so I didn't sweat it. Anyway, today I came home from a late meeting and did my usual email check. My system froze so I restarted it and only got a grey screen with a blinking folder. I googles this on the iPad (which I am using rig now) and it suggested booting off a system install disk. So I did this and two odd things: first of all there is a beeping sound from the DVD drive, and secondly it does not seem to detect the hard disk. When I go into the system utility it only lists the DVD drive.

So...how catastrophic is this? I have a mall gift card and I get a teacher discount so I am somewhat prepared to buy a new one (although I was not planning to just yet and am resenting this a little). And most of my stuff is in Dropbox. But is there any hope it can be fixed? At least enough to do a final check of my hard drive and make sure there are not more files to rescue?

I don't know if it's just me, but every <expletive deleted> Apple computer I've bought, the hard drive or optical drive has died on me (the grey screen and the HD not being detected are sure signs its the Hard Drive that's faulty.)

You should be able to replace the HD yourself, it's not that hard. Here's one guide, but you'll find plenty more for your particular model of Macbook with a quick google.

http://www.macinstruct.com/node/130

Hope that helps.

ficbot · 06-30-2010, 09:05 AM

So either way, I have to reload all my apps and data. The only question is how much money I will pay first. Yippee.

This may be an indelicate question, but will my adept liberator still work, or will I have to regenerate the key code once I reinstall ADE? I am not sure if the code is tied to my computer or to my user name.

I guess every band has their issues. Every windows laptop I have owned, the screen would die at exactly the two year point. Every single time.

Either way, thank god for drop box. I would be hosed without it. Can you imagine trying to sort out 900 ebooks, never mind everything else, without it?

Moejoe · 06-30-2010, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

So either way, I have to reload all my apps and data. The only question is how much money I will pay first. Yippee.

This may be an indelicate question, but will my adept liberator still work, or will I have to regenerate the key code once I reinstall ADE? I am not sure if the code is tied to my computer or to my user name.

I guess every band has their issues. Every windows laptop I have owned, the screen would die at exactly the two year point. Every single time.

Either way, thank god for drop box. I would be hosed without it. Can you imagine trying to sort out 900 ebooks, never mind everything else, without it?

I used Dropbox as well for my ebooks, only 90 though (I pruned mine about two weeks ago)

I think the problem is that laptop components are prone to this kind of deterioration, quicker than a desktop at any rate. That's why I've had lots of failures with Mac products, because almost their entire line is built upon laptop type parts (and yes I've had quite a few laptops die on me, Apple or no).

The key will have to be regenerated as far as my knowledge goes.

Sweetpea · 06-30-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

Either way, thank god for drop box. I would be hosed without it. Can you imagine trying to sort out 900 ebooks, never mind everything else, without it?

Yep, easily. Never even seen dropbox and I have more than 900 ebooks

AnemicOak · 06-30-2010, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

This may be an indelicate question, but will my adept liberator still work, or will I have to regenerate the key code once I reinstall ADE? I am not sure if the code is tied to my computer or to my user name.

As long as you use the same Adobe ID when you activate your new install of ADE (or other apps that use Adept) then you shouldn't need to regenerate the key.

MJK2111 · 06-30-2010, 10:04 AM

If you have an Apple store nearby, take it to the Genius Bar. My daughter uses a Mac and swears by their service and willingness to answer questions.

Good luck.

ficbot · 06-30-2010, 02:38 PM

Update: so, I am hosed. They said it was definitely the hard drive, all data is completely unrecoverable and it would cost several hundred to fix. So I bought a new one---I had some mall gift cards, got an educational discount and got a free ipod which I may sell, so my out of pocket costs were about what the repairs would have been.

Dropbox is downloading now and then we'll see. I had nearly everything backed up except a few miscellaneous files on the desktop that are no great loss, and all my music/photo/book stuff is in Dropbox. The only issue is whether iTunes will have everything it needs to recreate my cover art and lyrics (I care about the lyrics for my teaching stuff). I will be annoyed if I have to redo it, but I should be able to cut and paste the text from the song info on the iPad once I sync it. So I have to fix those dozen or so songs, I'll do it.

Once Dropbox is done (it will take a few hours) It'll be another two minutes to get Calibre running again, I think. I am a bit worried about the iPad---I don't want everything erased when I plug it in, and I don't want to have to hunt up every app again, one at a time, to re-download them all. But I am scared to launch iTunes until Dropbox is done because I don't want to touch anything until my music is there to be configured as I wish it.

ficbot · 06-30-2010, 09:06 PM

I am very unhappy. There are so many things I do not like about the new setup. The keyboard is not as nice and is super-loud. It has set a user name for me without asking that is based on my email account, which I don't like, and which I can't change. And it turns out time machine is useless---it did not copy over ANY of my iPod Touch or iPad apps OR my music and I will have to go through again and do everything manually. I am sitting here just feeling very unhappy right now. I had my whole computer set up just the way I wanted it, it took a long time to get it that way, and now I will have to do it all again. I am terrified to plug the iPad in because I am afraid iTunes will erase the whole thing. This is a royal mess. I am very, very miserable right now and camp starts tomorrow so I will have not time to get this all worked out. The thought of having to go to the iTunes store and find all my apps again, one by freaking one, is giving me cold sweats. Why even have something like time machine if the user has to redo all of their stuff? I know it's only a computer, but honestly, I feel like crying right now. It will be so much tedious, pointless work to get this right again.

06-29-2010, 11:12 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Help me! I think my MacBook has died! I don't know what it is about me and computers, they always seem to die at the two-year mark. My macbook has been slowing down a little, butnthey told me that absent a ram upgrade, it's specs werempretty good, so I didn't sweat it. Anyway, today I came home from a late meeting and did my usual email check. My system froze so I restarted it and only got a grey screen with a blinking folder. I googles this on the iPad (which I am using rig now) and it suggested booting off a system install disk. So I did this and two odd things: first of all there is a beeping sound from the DVD drive, and secondly it does not seem to detect the hard disk. When I go into the system utility it only lists the DVD drive. So...how catastrophic is this? I have a mall gift card and I get a teacher discount so I am somewhat prepared to buy a new one (although I was not planning to just yet and am resenting this a little). And most of my stuff is in Dropbox. But is there any hope it can be fixed? At least enough to do a final check of my hard drive and make sure there are not more files to rescue?

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06-30-2010, 12:08 AM	#2
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	It sounds like the hard drive died or got corrupted. I'm not sure how expensive that is to replace, probably depends if you get it done by an official Apple place or someone else. 'Someone else' can probably put in a much larger drive for not much more money, unless Apple played some tricks with a custom hard drive. And getting the data off the old drive is yet another problem. I hope your Dropbox has everything you really want. Replacing the drive should be much less expensive than a new MacBook.

06-30-2010, 02:04 AM	#3
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	make applesauce?

06-30-2010, 09:05 AM	#5
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	So either way, I have to reload all my apps and data. The only question is how much money I will pay first. Yippee. This may be an indelicate question, but will my adept liberator still work, or will I have to regenerate the key code once I reinstall ADE? I am not sure if the code is tied to my computer or to my user name. I guess every band has their issues. Every windows laptop I have owned, the screen would die at exactly the two year point. Every single time. Either way, thank god for drop box. I would be hosed without it. Can you imagine trying to sort out 900 ebooks, never mind everything else, without it?

06-30-2010, 10:04 AM	#9
MJK2111 FUBAR! Posts: 1,946 Karma: 15018767 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Woodstock, IL Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 S	If you have an Apple store nearby, take it to the Genius Bar. My daughter uses a Mac and swears by their service and willingness to answer questions. Good luck.

06-30-2010, 02:38 PM	#10
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Update: so, I am hosed. They said it was definitely the hard drive, all data is completely unrecoverable and it would cost several hundred to fix. So I bought a new one---I had some mall gift cards, got an educational discount and got a free ipod which I may sell, so my out of pocket costs were about what the repairs would have been. Dropbox is downloading now and then we'll see. I had nearly everything backed up except a few miscellaneous files on the desktop that are no great loss, and all my music/photo/book stuff is in Dropbox. The only issue is whether iTunes will have everything it needs to recreate my cover art and lyrics (I care about the lyrics for my teaching stuff). I will be annoyed if I have to redo it, but I should be able to cut and paste the text from the song info on the iPad once I sync it. So I have to fix those dozen or so songs, I'll do it. Once Dropbox is done (it will take a few hours) It'll be another two minutes to get Calibre running again, I think. I am a bit worried about the iPad---I don't want everything erased when I plug it in, and I don't want to have to hunt up every app again, one at a time, to re-download them all. But I am scared to launch iTunes until Dropbox is done because I don't want to touch anything until my music is there to be configured as I wish it.

06-30-2010, 09:06 PM	#11
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	I am very unhappy. There are so many things I do not like about the new setup. The keyboard is not as nice and is super-loud. It has set a user name for me without asking that is based on my email account, which I don't like, and which I can't change. And it turns out time machine is useless---it did not copy over ANY of my iPod Touch or iPad apps OR my music and I will have to go through again and do everything manually. I am sitting here just feeling very unhappy right now. I had my whole computer set up just the way I wanted it, it took a long time to get it that way, and now I will have to do it all again. I am terrified to plug the iPad in because I am afraid iTunes will erase the whole thing. This is a royal mess. I am very, very miserable right now and camp starts tomorrow so I will have not time to get this all worked out. The thought of having to go to the iTunes store and find all my apps again, one by freaking one, is giving me cold sweats. Why even have something like time machine if the user has to redo all of their stuff? I know it's only a computer, but honestly, I feel like crying right now. It will be so much tedious, pointless work to get this right again.

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