My macbook intermittently shuts down!

Here is the story,
It all started when my macbook would randomly shutdown without any sort of warning. I took it to the apple store 3 times.
1st visit - resent PMU
2nd visit - told me to back up everything and reformatt
3rd visit - finally sent it out to apple
I got it back 5-7 days later and the problem is still happening. It generally happens when the battery is somewhat low, but not yet at the red warning. WHen it shutsdown it will not start back up again until the adapter is plugged in. During startup if the adapter is removed it will shutdown. Im getting very aggrevated with apple and their help on this. What the **** should i do?

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
This program may be of interest to you:
http://www.apple.com/support/macbook_macbookpro/batteryupdate/
When you call AppleCare, also if you got a replacement battery, refer to this article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304308
Also check if this article applies:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303848
If none seems to help, ask to speak to customer relations when you call AppleCare, and tell them what you went through. I would go as far as to ask for a replacement machine if they can't fix it on the next attempt.
Message was edited by: a brody

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Intermittent Shut Down Syndrome Redux 2

The old redux thread was locked, probably because it became too large. This is an updated redux to replace the old one.
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Redux 2 (Updated Oct 13, 2006)
Guy Kuo
Do a google search for "macbook random shutdown" and you will find many people with similar problems reporting on various forums. Most frequently, the MacBook operates normally for several weeks or months, but mysteriously begins intermittently shutting off suddenly. The shutdowns are not accompanied by kernel panics, but instead the machine simply goes black and the machine is off. Initially, the cause of this problem was not known and early repairs of the main logic board and heat sink did not incorporate the changes made after the cause of the problem was discovered. Numerous attempts at user, ad hoc, solutions have been posted, but the only definitive and permanent solution requires repair by Apple.
The problem as difficult to characterize because its symptoms mimic more common causes of system failure (bad RAM, improperly seated RAM, improperly seated hard drive, bad software install, bad battery, bad AC adapter, corrupted PRAM, corrupted NVRAM) which ALL must be ruled out before making the sudden shutdown diagnosis. The problem's intermittent nature means it may not be possible to reproduce on demand.
At present, this problem is being addressed by Apple and affects at least serial number range 4H617-4H635. MacBooks produced after that date should have an updated heat sink assembly which does not have that problem. The problem seems to have two root causes.
1. Two heat sensor wires in contact with the heat sink can melt and once that occurs, intermittent shorting of the wires causes the machine to sense an emergent temperature problem and the system performs an immediate power down.
2. Also, as described in a MacTalk Australia posting ..... 2 small connectors that bake under the enclosed heat on the Macbook (the Mac book Pro has more space and 2 fans) these connects then loose contact with their pins.... Once contact is lost, the machine does an emergency power down
The common thread is that heat in the original heat sink and thermal sensor design eventually may cause the problem to occur. Once contact or insulation problems begin, the machine can begin suddenly shutting down while cold or hot. Until sufficient heat is built up, the MacBook operates without any issues. It is possible for an early MacBook to operate normally for months before heat causes the problem to occur. Indeed it is possible a machine may never exhibit this problem despite having this weakness in its components. None the less, the early MacBooks have a heat sink and thermal sensor wiring harness that is inherently prone to deterioration. Because the risk of deterioration increases over time, it is reasonable to expect more early MacBooks to develop intermittent shutdown problems as time passes.
There are some early reports that even a heat sink assembly replacement repair does not always solve the issue. In such cases, a logic board replacement may also be necessary, but at this point, heat sink assembly replacement should solve the identified problem unless the MLB was also somehow damaged.
The current count of affected MacBooks has not been disclosed, but well over 1,000 machines have been reported on-line independent of Apple. The actual number of early MacBooks which will eventually be affected may be significantly larger even if one discounts the tendency of the web to amplify negative news.
Because heat is the root cause of the problem, two camps have appeared regarding how to deal with this issue. This author believes that the MacBooks should be allowed to warm to full operating temperature by running some high CPU usage tasks (with normal circulation around the case) for several hours and then seeing over the next few days if the problem occurs. The rationale is reveal any tendency for the problem while the MacBook is within warranty and before any critical usage. The other camp believes that the MacBook should only be used lightly and never allowed to get warm enough to induces the problem. The reader is left to choose their own course.
Only a fraction of shutdowns are due to this particular fault. A large number of other reasons must be ruled out before a MacBook owner should become convinced their machine is one which suffers this problem. Bad RAM, poorly seated RAM, improperly installed hard drive, corrupted OS, corrupted plists, bad batteries, bad chargers, corrupted PMU, and corrupted NVRAM all need to be ruled out first. During your call to Apple care you may be asked to perform checks to rule out the above list. Once a diagnosis of intermittent shut down is made, repair can take days to weeks depending on availability of parts and whether additional components beyond the heat sink assembly needs to be repaired. Once repaired, the MacBook is less likely to redevelop the problem, but as of this date, long term usage of several months has not had time to happen.
It is the hope of this writer that Apple will continue to assist its customers with this hardware "defect." So many first time Apple owners could be lost forever if this is not addressed openly and aggressively.

Are you sure RSD is the problem? Then, first, be sure you have downloaded all the updates. The smc update (late October) stopped RSD for many people. If you're updated, then you may need a new heatsink. That's what stopped it for me. I had it replaced at an authorized repair center while I waited - only took a couple of hours. You are still under warranty, so repair will be free if RSD is indeed the problem. You can look on these apple pages for the nearest Apple Store or authorized repair center.
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Message was edited by: Freewheeling

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2) It's actually the opposite: when you must use your Mac on the battery, well, then, do it, but if you're sitting at your desk, or, like me, on your sofa, with your MBP on your lap, simply keep it plugged into the main.
An additional measure to preserve your battery, that applies less to the recent Unibody design, but is helpful for ealier adopters of the MacBook Pro: don't leave your machine plugged in when it's turned off; it prevents a slow, natural depletion of the battery, and will play against you in the long run.
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My macbook intermittently shuts down!

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