Kernel Panics in ***TWO*** Week 21 MacBook Pros

Question

An informational note / user experience:
I purchased a new MBP last week from the Apple Store in Novi, Michigan. Nice folks, actually. Took it home, transferred data from old iBook G4. No problem. Ran Software Update (wirelessly); machine kernel panics in 5 minutes. Oops. Must have picked up some bad settings from the ol' G4... After 6 consecutive kernel panics, all while running SW Update, I wiped the HD and reinstalled OS from the restore discs. SW Update w/ fresh system: Panic City.
Back to the Apple Store. They claim no knowledge of this issue ("We sell lots of 'em; very few come back.") Ran SW Update in front of the "Genius" at the bar, on their wireless... KP'd again. Left machine with them for three hours; they tried to diagnose but they came up mystified, and finally agreed to replaced my 48 hour-old machine.
Took the new machine home, opened box, booted up, ran SW update... and KP again. Back into the box it went (the charger was unused -- still in the plastic wrap!), and back to the store we went. Same runaround with a different "Genius." Dude, you really need to check out this issue at apple.com -- this is a significant problem with these machines. Response: "You can't always trust the Apple forums." Okay, then let's run SW Update on your network... and down we went. Sooooo..... back went the machine, printer, AppleCare, etc. for a full refund, no open-box fee charged.
My final advice to the Apple Store: "You have a problem with Week 21 machines (both of mine were W21's). Get on line and check it out -- your users know what's going on, and you do not."
Oh, yeah: I WILL be back -- but I'll wait until the bugs are out of the current hardware. My 4 other Macs have NEVER KP'd, except for a single defective RAM chip when my G4 imac was two years old.
I know that some folks who've hard networked their MBP's have reported no issues, but for me, a laptop that can't handle a network connection without crashing is absolutely useless.
My thanks go to all in this forum who've taken the time to write and describe their issues -- I was an informed customer and user because of you.
Cupertino: We Have a Problem. Fix it.

Answer 1

When I originally began this thread some weeks ago, I said that I would be checking back to update the situation.
Last week, I purchased a 15.4” MBP from the nice folks at the Apple Store (Somerset Mall, Troy, MI). This machine is a Week 27 build. I added another 512 KB of RAM to the bill, and installed it myself. This machine has the matte display.
As with the last machine I purchased, I brought this one home, booted up, logged into my Linksys WRT-54G and ran SW updates via wireless. No problem. I then transferred my account info (including apps.) from my 3-year old iBook G4 using Migration Assistant, figuring this would be a fairly brutal test of the machine’s ability to handle older PPC software and settings.
For the past week, I have pounded on this machine with every combination of software application(s) and wireless communication possible. Bottom Line: Flawless performance. Other machine attributes: Very little fan noise, no “moo,” click, or anything else. Speakers, even the RH one, sound fine. Heat is fine – the bottom does heat up more than the iBook G4, but I had expected this with the thin profile and metal case. It is certainly not enough to cause discomfort to any but the most sensitive laps. Wireless reception is okay, but in fact not quite as good as the iBook – perhaps this is a reasonable price to pay for a metal case.
I have NOT had so much as one kernel panic or other strange hiccup from this machine.
So… what have I learned from the experience and this discussion folder?
1. Apple built some bad laptops in 2006.
2. The latest machines (week 27) appear to be just fine, thank you.
3. Apple’s store personnel stood behind their product and refunded my $ from the first purchases, once I proved to them (inconveniently, BTW), that their machine was to blame.
4. Nobody at either of the two Apple Stores in SE Michigan knew how to tell the build date of a computer(!). Over the past month, I received various degrees of resistance from Sales personnel when I said I wanted a week 25 or newer machine. Responses ranged from “we can’t bother to check the date – if there’s a problem with the machine, we will fix it” to “no problem, but how do I know without opening the box?”
I am finally a satisfied customer. I had to wait longer than necessary for what I expected to work right the first time, and I had to educate a few sales people about their own product, but all’s well that ends well. I wish Apple better success in “getting it right the first time” next time.
Thanks again to all in this folder for contributing their experiences.
MacBook Pro 15"   Mac OS X (10.4.6)